Photograph:
An early production Distar 13-15 SunDancer in the Czech Republic (Distar Air)
Country of origin:
Czech Republic
Description:
Two-seat light self-powered glider
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 13 m (42 ft 8 in)
- Length: 6.6 m (21 ft 8 in)
- Height: 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 12.16 m² (130.9 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Cruising speed: 150 km/h (93 mph)
- Stalling speed: 64 km/h (40 mph)
- Rate of climb: 427 m/min (1,400 ft/min)
- Empty weight: 285 kg (628 lb)
- Loaded weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
History:
The Distar SunDancer was a development of the Urban UFM-13 Lambada to meet the American Light Sport Aircraft Regulations (LSA)with a gross weight of 600 kg (1,323 lb) and was listed as a type approved by the United States FAA in that category. It featured a cantilever wing with a T-tail, seating for two side-by-side in an enclosed cockpit, and was fitted with a fixed tricycle or a tailwheel undercarriage with a steerable tailwheel.
The Lambada was built for some years by Urban Air in the Czech Republic but by 2016 production had been taken over by Distar Air of Usti and the two models were built in the same production facility, the Lambada meeting Federation Aeronautique Internationale microlight rules with a gross weight of 472 kg (1,042 lb), whereas the SunDancer had the high gross weight and met United States and other countries regulation’s.
The SunDancer was built from composites and was available with two wings, the 13 m (42 ft 8 in) unit or the 15 m (49 ft 2 in) unit, the latter having wing tips or shark winglets to permit soaring. The undercarriage legs were constructed from fibreglass laminates and the wheels had hydraulic brakes operated by a lever. A variety of engines could be installed, including the Rotax 912 and the Jabiru 2200 and 3300 units.
First example of the type seen in this part of the world was a Distar D-13-15 SunDancer fitted with a 15 m wing which became VH-ZHX (c/n 143) to its owner on 22 December 2016 at Corindi Beach, NSW. A further example became VH-YQA (c/n 151/13DF) to its owner at Runaway Bay, QLD in July 2020.