Photograph:
Pazmany PL-9 Stork ZK-MWB in New Zealand (Hairy Mole Rat – NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light STOL sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10.97 m (36 ft)
- Length: 7.4 m (23 ft 3½ in)
- Width wing folded: 2.98 m (9 ft 8 in)
- Wing area: 15.42 m² (166 sq ft)
- Max speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 166 km/h (103 mph)
- Rate of climb at 85% power: 427 m/min (1,400 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity: 114 litres (25 Imp gals)
- Optional fuel capacity: 197 litres (43 Imp gals)
- Stalling speed no flaps: 66 km/h (41 mph)
- Stalling speed with flaps: 55 km/h (34 mph)
- Service ceiling: 4,572 m (15,000 ft)
- Range at 75% power: 534 km (332 miles)
- Take-off run: 75 m (246 ft)
- Landing roll: 26 m (85 ft)
- Empty weight: 513 kg (1,132 lb)
- Loaded weight: 759 kg (1,673 lb)
History:
The PL-9 was designed by Ladislao Pazmany and is one of a number of designs produced by him over the years to meet the requirements of the light sport aircraft market. Designed as a 75% scale replica of the German Luftwaffe Fieseler F-156 Storch, it was aimed at a market for a professionally designed STOL aircraft for the sport pilot, the nostalgia pilot and the bush pilot. It was expected to be used for a number of roles, including border patrol, fish spotting, highway patrol, forest fire detection, property surveillance, farm work, pollution detection, missionary work etc.
The fuselage is of steel tube, aluminium sheet and metal, and fabric covering the wing and empennage. The first private aircraft was completed from plans supplied by Pazmany Aircraft Corp and was shown at the 1999 EAA convention at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The type has been tested with a number of different engines to obtain maximum performance. Basic engine is the 2.2 litre Subaru Legacy unit with cog-belt reduction or an engine from the Honda Prelude, both providing 112 kw (150 hp) driving a wooden propeller. Pazmany Aircraft Corp sells the complete set of plans for the fabrication and assembly of the type, later commencing to produce it in kit form.
First of the type seen in this region was built by Kevin Traeger of Lameroo, SA, becoming VH-PZU (c/n 1007) on 14 February 2012, this aircraft fitted with a Subaru EJ-25 engine driving a Warpdrive propeller. It is known more than 140 examples are under construction around the world. At least one example has been completed in New Zealand, becoming ZK-MWB at Tokoroa, fitted with a Lycoming O-320 engine and finished in a Luftwaffe colour scheme.