Photograph:
First Rans S-16 Shekari in Australia 19-3668(2) (c/n 0300023) at Holbrook, NSW in October 2014 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 93 kw (125 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-240B four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.31 m (24 ft)
- Length: 5.73 m (18 ft 8 in)
- Height: 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 8.08 m² (87 sq ft)
- Max cruising speed: 257 km/h (160 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps up: 100 km/h (62 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 94 km/h (58 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 4,420 m (14,000 ft)
- Range: 1,372 km (853 miles)
- Take-off run: 152 m (500 ft)
- Landing run: 160 m (525 ft)
- Endurance: 5.3 hours
- Empty weight: 422 kg (930 lb)
- Useful load: 236 kg (520 lb)
- Loaded weight: 657 kg (1,450 lb)
History:
The prototype of the S-16 Shekari (N8072U) with a 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912UL engine first flew on 25 March 1997, being of tricycle undercarriage configuration. This aircraft won its class in the 1997 Sun’n Fun Race at Lakeland, Florida, USA averaging 209 km/h (130 mph) over a 97 km (60 miles) course. It was subsequently re-engined with a Continental IO-240B engine and flown again in April 1998, being converted at this stage to tailwheel configuration. A further prototype (N8073U) and a static test airframe were built and this flying prototype had a 119 kw (160 hp) Textron Lycoming O-320 engine installed, certification being granted on 16 December 1998, the type subsequently entering production in kit form.
The Shekari was a conventional low-wing monoplane with a tricycle or tailwheel undercarriage. The fuselage was composite, made of four moulded shells with a molybdenum steel cockpit cage. The wings were metal. Three engines were available to be installed, the 93 kw (125 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-240B, the 119 kw (160 hp) Textron Lycoming O-320, and the Subaru EA-81. Fuel was housed in two fuselage tanks, capacity being 121 litres (32 Imp gals). Only 24 examples were completed before production moved to the S-19 series. One example has been registered in this region, becoming 19-3668, based at Holbrook, NSW.