Photograph:
Aircraft Spruce DR-107 One Design VH-RSW (c/n 99-427) at Wedderburn, NSW (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light aerobatic monoplane
Power Plant:
One 119 kw (160 hp) Textron Lycoming AEIO-320 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 5.94 m (19 ft 5 in)
- Length: 5.18 m (17 ft)
- Wing area: 7.01 m² (75.55 sq ft)
- Max speed: 257 km/h (160 mph)
- Stalling speed: 101 km/h (63 mph)
- Max rate of climb: 610 m/min (2,000 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 6,706 m (22,000 ft)
- Range: 603 km (375 miles)
- Empty weight: 336 kg (740 lb)
- Payload: 132 kg (290 lb)
- Loaded weight: 522 kg (1,150 lb)
History:
The DR-107 One Design was one of a series of high-performance fully-aerobatic light aircraft designed by Daniel Rihn and produced in kit form for the amateur constructor by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty of Corona, California, USA. The prototype of the DR-107 was designed as an economical answer for pilots wishing to fly basic through to advanced aerobatics but who could not afford the more expensive designs.
The prototype was first flown in 1993 and was built for IAC One Class aerobatic competition, having design loads of +10G and –10G and a rate of roll of 360 degrees per second. Engines in the 119 kw to 134 kw (160 hp to 180 hp) range have usually been installed, particularly the Textron Lycoming O-360 modified with an inverted oil system, high compression cylinders, and fuel injection; but the AEIO-320 could also be installed. More than 400 kits have been sold.
A two-seat variant was also available, this being the DR-109 usually fitted with engines in the 149 kw to 224 kw (200 hp to 300 hp) range, the Lycoming O-540 quite often being the preferred unit.
First of the type in this region was VH-RSW (c/n 99-427) registered in November 2002 to its owner at Hoxton Park, NSW. In October 2004 a further example was registered as VH-IAC (c/n 216/V417), and at least seven other kits have been imported, the next registered becoming VH-JLX (c/n 411).
Examples have been imported and constructed in New Zealand. One was fitted with an Aerosport IO-375 engine which provided 153 kw (205 hp) driving a Thompson fixed-pitch propeller and had a cruising speed of 269 km/h (167 mph). This aircraft became ZK-XSG (c/n 94-141) on 28 January 2014 and has been operated by One Design Partnership of Blenheim. Another example is known to be under construction in New Zealand.