Photograph:
Fly Synthesis Texan Club 550 24-7520 (c/n 550/F90193107/550) at Temora, NSW in 2012 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Czech Republic
Description:
Two-seat light sport, touring and training monoplane
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912S four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- [Texan RG]
- Wingspan: 8.6 m (28 ft 2 in)
- Length: 6.99 m (22 ft 11 in)
- Height: 2.61 m (8 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 11.8 m² (127 sq ft)
- Max speed [Vne]: 280 km/h (174 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 220 km/h (137 mph)
- Stalling speed: 61 km/h (38 mph)
- Max rate of climb: 402 m/min (1,377 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 155 m (509 ft)
- Landing run: 135 m (443 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 98 litres (22 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 285 kg (628 lb)
- Loaded weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
History:
The Texan was a light sport aircraft built by Fly Synthesis in the Czech Republic and was produced in two basic variants, the Texan TC with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, and the Texan RG, the same basic aircraft with a retractable undercarriage operated by compressed air, but with a manual override.
The aircraft was of carbon fibre construction and for the JAR/VLA certification process it was tested to +9G/-4.5G. It had full mass weight balanced controls with anti-servo and trim tabs. The steering was linked to the rudder pedals, and an acoustic warning system was provided should the flaps be activated without the undercarriage being down. Electric flaps were standard on the series, and fuel capacity ws two 50 litre (11 Imp gals) fuel tanks, one in each wing.
The fixed undercarriage aircraftvariant cruised at 200 km/h (124 mph) at 15 litres (3.29 Imp gals) per hour whereas the retractable undercarriage variant cruises at 220 km/h (137 mph) with the same fuel consumption. The aircraft was rated at +4G/-2G.
First of the series seen in this region was 24-4259, a Texan Top Class 550 (c/n 44) imported by the Australian distributor, Fly Synthesis Australia Pty Ltd, and placed on display at the Australian International Air Show at Avalon, VIC in March 2005.
First of the type registered in New Zealand was in early 2006, this aircraft being known as the Fly Synthesis Top Class ZK-TXN (c/n 61) and was registered to Aeroflight Aviation Ltd of Christchurch in February 2006.
Development of the type continued, with a new model known as the Texan 600 being released in 2007, this model featuring an increase in usable weight, a heavier duty undercarriage with toe-operated brakes, nose wheel castering and some changes to the aerodynamics of the engine cowling and cockpit canopy.