Photograph:
Lea Kestrel at Narromine, NSW (P J Ricketts)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Single-seat light sporting aircraft
Power Plant:
One 39 kw (52 hp) Rotax 503 engine driving a three-blade Brolga propeller
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.56 m (28 ft 1 in)
- Length: 5.73 m (18 ft 8 in)
- Height: 1.67 m (5 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 10.68 m² (115 sq ft)
- Max speed: 113 km/h (70 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 107 km/h (68 mph)
- Cruising speed: 97 km/h (60 mph)
- Stalling speed, power on: 59 km/h (37 mph)
- Climb rate: 244 m/min (800 ft/min)
- Weight: 180 kg (397 lb)
History:
The Lea Kestrel was designed by Cecil Lea under the provisions of ANO 95.10 and was built in prototype form following the granting of a Technical Data Package. It was of riveted aluminium tube construction and covered with Dacron cloth. The wing had leading and trailing edge struts. The semi-enclosed cockpit pod was of fibreglass construction with a polycarbonate windscreen, the pilot being protected by the aircraft’s structure.
It was for some years a popular aircraft for sports pilots and examples registered under Recreation Aviation Australia (RAA) rules include 10-1364, 10-1272, 10-1250, 10-1213, 10-1203, 10-1347, 10-1416, 10-1417, 10-1452, 10-3359 and 10-3552. Variants included the Mini Kestrel, the Kestrel Swing Wing and Lea Kestrel Kermit.
Mr Lea was one of the pioneers of ultralight design and construction in Australia. The series first appeared in 1990 and was still in production ten years later. It was available as a kit or as a completed aircraft. Nearly all completed had the Rotax 503 engine and were fitted with a Brolga three-blade composite propeller.
One example, known as the Kestrel Kermit, was built in 1999 by Douglas Muir and was registered as 10-0001, but had the registration ‘10-01’ painted on the tail and on the wing. In December 2013, after it was retired, it was restored and donated to the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra, where it was placed on display.