Photograph:
Dream Aircraft Tundra C-GAGH (c/n DR-TN-302-FTN-03) in Canada (Dream Aircraft)
Country of origin:
Canada
Description:
Four-seat light STOL utility monoplane
Power Plant:
One 150 kw (200 hp) Lycoming IO-360 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.97 m (36 ft)
- Length: 7.77 m (25 ft 6 in)
- Height: 2.13 m (7 ft 0 in)
- Wing area: 17.06 m² (183.6 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 259 km/h (161 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 213 km/h (132 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 49 km/h (30 mph)
- Rate of climb at sea level: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 4,365 m (13,993 ft)
- Range: 1,083 km (673 miles)
- Take-off roll with wheels: 125 m (400 ft)
- Take-off roll with floats: 200 m (650 ft)
- Endurance: 5 hrs 12 mins
- Empty weight: 658 kg (1,451 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,156 kg (2,549 lb)
History:
The Dream Aircraft Tundra was a STOL utility aircraft of all-metal construction, the manufacturer of the kit aircraft being based in Quebec, Canada. The prototype flew for the first time on 12 May 2001. The Tundra was the Company’s first design and was designed for STOL performance in outback Canada. It was a conventional single-engine, high-wing aircraft with seats for four in two rows. It was a monoplane with four-position Fowler flaps and was usually fitted with a 134 kw (180 hp) Lycoming O-360-A engine but examples have been built with the 150 kw (200 hp) Lycoming IO-360 and the 175 kw (235 hp) Lycoming O-540-B4B5 engine driving a two-blade Hartzell propeller.
A number of undercarriage variations have been available, with either a tailwheel or tricycle undercarriage attached to spring cantilever legs. Low-pressure tyres could be fitted for operations from soft ground. Floats could also be fitted, amphibious Montana 2800 units being available, or skis for operations into snow-covered fields.
The aircraft was advertised as being able to carry four adults, luggage and enough fuel for a trip of several hours. As it was a kit type aircraft it was usually registered in the Experimental Category. The aircraft won the Kitplanes magazine subscribers “Best kitplane for 2004”.
Examples of the Tundra have been built around the world for utility work and the first example in this part of the world was registered as VH-UDL4 (c/n DR-TN-336-FTN-09) to Mr Robert W Bellert of West Prairie, QLD on 3 December 2015.