Photograph:
Rag Wing Ragabond ZK-MGS (c/n 001) in New Zealand (Keith Morris – NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sporting monoplane
Power Plant:
One 31 kw (42 hp) Rotax 503 UL-2V two-cylinder, two-stroke, fan-cooled electronic single-ignition engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.53 m (28 ft)
- Length: 5.48 m (18 ft)
- Height: 1.98 m (6 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 11.50 m² (123.8 sq ft)
- Max speed: 185 km/h (115 mph)
- Cruising speed: 126 km/h (78 mph)
- Stalling speed: 61 km/h (38 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 160 m/min (525 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 94 m (310 ft)
- Landing run: 145 m (475 ft)
- Service ceiling: 2,896 m (9,500 ft)
- Fuel capacity: 76 litres (16.6 imp gals)
- Range: 451 km (280 miles)
- Empty weight: 191 kg (420 lb)
- Loaded weight: 386 kg (850 lb)
History:
The Ragabond is a scale single-seat replica of the popular Piper Vagabond produced in the 1950s and is produced by Rag Wing Plans Service of Craytonville Airfield, South Carolina, USA. It is described as easy to build, having a tailwheel undercarriage, and is of wood construction with fabric covering. The Company has produced a number of designs for the amateur constructor and many thousands have been built. Designs include the Midwing Sport, Motor Bipe, PT2S, RW5 Heath Replica, Parasol, the Special Bipe, which looks like a scale Pitts special, and the Ultra Piet. All are of similar construction and simple to build.
The Ragabond can be built with drooped STOL wingtips. First of the type seen in New Zealand became ZK-MGS (c/n 001) registered to its owners at West Eyreton, Rangiora. An example was nearing completion at Serpentine, WA in late 2016.