Photograph:
K and S SA-102 Point 5 Cavalier VH-SLZ (c/n Q16) at Morwell, VIC in April 1980 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light touring monoplane
Power Plant:
One 93 kw (125 hp) Lycoming O-290 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.33 m (27 ft 4 in)
- Length: 6.71 m (22 ft)
- Wing area: 10.96 m² (118 sq ft)
- Max speed: 241 km/h (150 mph)
- Cruising speed: 209 km/h (130 mph)
- Stalling speed: 80 km/h (50 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Range: 1,151 km (715 miles)
- Empty weight: 408 kg (900 lb)
- Loaded weight: 680 kg (1,500 lb)
History:
Developed from the Minicab GY-201, which was designed by Yves Gardan in France, the Cavalier was a re-design of that aircraft, which was also aimed at the amateur construction market.
The wing structure consisted of a single wooden box-spar, a plywood leading-edge, an auxiliary rear spar for the flaps and ailerons, and a diagonal drag spar. The entire centre-section was plywood covered, with the remainder of the wing being fabric covered. The fuselage was a wooden truss-type structure of spruce and ply, and the cockpit doors and canopy were moulded fibreglass. The rear decking was also fabric covered. The empennage was of all-wood construction with fabric-covered control surfaces. The standard undercarriage was a fixed tricycle, but it could also be built with a tailwheel. Fuel was carried in wingtip tanks of 59 litres or 72.7 litres (13 Imp gal or 16 Imp gal) capacity each.
The first Cavalier flown in Australia was completed late in 1979 and became VH-SLZ (c/n Q16) on 21 October 1979, followed by VH-JAL (c/n W33) and VH-EVE (c/n 88008LF).
Construction of a number of others was commenced in Australia but are not known to have been completed, including VH-ULD (c/n W.82) registered by Mr I Rowe of Doubleview, WA and VH-CPF (c/n W.33). Airframe numbers W.44, W.60, W.75 and W.97 were also allotted but are not known to have been completed.
Examples registered in New Zealand have included ZK-CZF (c/n AACA/77), ZK-DJS (c/n AACA/250), and ZK-DYC (c/n AACA/251).