Photograph:
Prototype Cougar 19-7298 (c/n 1) at Temora, NSW in 2010 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Light sport and touring monoplane
Power Plant:
One 93 kw (125 hp) Jabiru 3300 six-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.92 m (26 ft)
- Length: 6.70 m (22 ft)
- Height (tricycle undercarriage): 2 m (6 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 10.26 m² (110.5 sq ft)
- Cruising speed at sea level: 241 km/h (150 mph)
- Manoeuvring speed: 167 km/h (106 mph)
- Stalling speed, clean: 56 km/h (35 mph)
- Stalling speed, with flaps: 50 km/h (31 mph)
- Service ceiling: 3,048 m (10,000 ft)
- Rate of climb at sea level: 366 m/min (1,200 ft/min)
- Empty weight: 353 kg (778 lb)
- Loaded weight: 800 kg (1,764 lb)
History:
The Cougar is a four-seat development of the Cheetah designed and developed by Morgan AeroWorks of Taree, NSW, formerly Miranda Aircraft, the prototype 19-7298 (c/n 1) flying for the first time in late 2009. It is an all-metal light sporting aircraft designed to be available in kit form or ready to fly.
Development of the aircraft commenced in July 2008. It is able to be registered under RAA rules as a 2 plus 2 seater, and can also be registered with the CAA under general aviation regulations. It is described as more versatile than the Cheetah, being roomier, and initially became available with the six-cylinder Jabiru 3300 engine but the manufacturer proposed in due course to make Subaru, Lycoming and Continental engines available for builders.
The prototype was registered as 19-7298 on 23 November 2009, and was followed by 19-7999 on 10 November 2011. One example built in South Australia was fitted with a converted Honda Jazz four-cylinder engine, and a further example, a Cougar Mk 1, became VH-LDV² (c/n 6) to its owner at Cloncurry, QLD in November 2013.
The next step in the evolution of the Cougar was the Mk 2 which could be fitted with engines up to 119 kw (160 hp). It differs from the Mk I in having a max take-off weight of 950 kg (2,094 lb), a taller undercarriage for larger propellers, a cleaner and longer canopy to allow better access to the rear seat, more sweep on the fin and a step on the fuselage for cockpit access.
In 2017 Morgan AeroWorks closed its business at Taree, NSW and production of the Cougar and the Cheetah were taken over by Wedgetail Aircraft based at Camden, NSW, kits or complete aircraft becoming available in early 2018.