Photograph:
Indy Aircraft T-Bird I N6011H at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA in 2007 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat ultralight aircraft
Power Plant:
One 37 kw (50 hp) Rotax 447UL-2V two-cylinder, two-stroke, fan-cooled, electronic single-ignition engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.44 m (31 ft)
- Length: 5.48 m (18 ft)
- Wing area: 14.3 m² (154 sq ft)
- Cruising speed: 97 km/h (60 mph)
- Stalling speed: 40 km/h (25 mph)
- Rate of climb: 229 m/min (750 ft/min)
- Take-off distance over 15 m (50 ft) obstacle: 49 m (160 ft)
- Landing distance over 15 m (50 ft) obstacle: 46 m (150 ft)
- Range: 193 km (120 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 45 litres (10 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 134 kg (295 lb)
- Loaded weight: 262 kg (577 lb)
History:
The T-Bird was a light aircraft aimed at the ultralight market and was described as agile and stable. It has been manufactured in the United States by Indy Aircraft at Independence in Indiana and has been in production for over 25 years in various forms.
The T-Bird was a bolt-together, aluminium-tube construction aircraft covered in Dacron sail cloth. Controls were standard stick and rudder using a yoke with a left-hand throttle. Power was usually provided by the 30 kw (40 hp) Rotax 447 or the 27 kw (50 hp) Rotax 503, but some have been fitted with the 48 kw (65 hp) Rotax 582.
The T-Bird could be built as a tailwheel or tricycle undercarriage type. It was offered under the 51 per cent rule and was available as a Lightsport Aircraft. More than 2,000 examples have been built.
The T-Bird II was an up-rated model which could be fitted with the Rotax 582 or Rotax 912 engine, the latter having a cruising speed of 121 km/h (75 mph). A T-Bird II ZK-BRD (c/n T2070801) was registered to its owner at Murupara, NZ in February 2010.
A number of T-Birds have been constructed in Australia, including T-Bird II 19-4600 (c/n TB0012719) registered with Recreational Aviation Australia (RAA) on 14 February 2012, fitted with a Rotax 582 engine.