Photograph:
Aero Mirage TC.2 VH-WRX (c/n AM0651285) at Serpentine, WA in September 2002 (Colin Treloar)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Continental O-200 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 6.4 m (21 ft)
- Length: 5.09 m (16 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 5.94 m² (64 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 335 km/h (208 mph)
- Max manoeuvring speed: 261 km/h (162 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power at sea level: 306 km/h (190 mph)
- Design max flap speed: 191 km/h (119 mph)
- Stalling speed with flaps: 92 km/h (57 mph)
- Stalling speed without flaps: 101 km/h (63 mph)
- Max rate of climb: 457 m/min (1,500 ft/min)
- Range: 1,931 km (1,200 miles)
- Empty weight: 290 kg (640 lb)
- Useful load: 227 kg (500 lb)
- Loaded weight: 517 kg (1,140 lb)
History:
The TC.2 was designed and developed in the early 1980s by Aero Mirage Inc of Gainesville, Florida, USA as a high-performance super-clean conventional design with non-critical, quickly removable wings. Built from DuPont’s Kevlar products, it had a strong light airframe and all structural parts were pre-formed, including all spars. Metal fittings were pre-welded and required some assembly and drilling. The aircraft was fitted with a hydraulically retractable undercarriage. The prototype was shown at the 1983 Sun ’N Fun Fly-in in Florida and a number of kits were supplied to builders. However, the Company went into liquidation in 1986 and a number of kits were not completed. A number are believed to have been completed in the United States under different names, being modified by the builders to suit the owner’s requirements.
One kit was imported to Western Australia in the mid 1980s but sat incomplete until 1997 when it was obtained by Colin Treloar. He purchased the kit with a view to completing it under the Experimental Category. However, in the meantime, he located another almost complete Mirage, less engine, in 1999, this kit having been built in the United States. This aircraft was imported and was completed first, being fitted with a 75 kw (100 hp) Subaru four-cylinder engine, becoming VH-WRX (c/n AM0651285 – ex N108DH). The wings could be removed for transport by trailer or storage. Baggage capacity was 18 kg (40 lb) and fuel capacity was 136 litres (30 Imp gals). Design loading at 517 kg (1,140 lb) was +5 and -5G.