Photograph:
Robin DR500 President ZK-VAX (c/n 0001) at North Shore airfield near Auckland, NZ (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
France
Description:
Four-seat light touring monoplane
Power Plant:
(DR500-200I President)
One 149 kw (200 hp) Textron Lycoming IO-360 A1-B6 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.74 m (28 ft 7 in)
- Length: 7.25 m (23 ft 8 in)
- Height: 2.25 m (7 ft 4 in)
- Wing area: 14.21 m² (153 sq ft)
- Max cruising speed: 259 km/h (161 mph)
- Long-range cruising speed at 2,286 m (7,500 ft): 243 km/h (151 mph)
- Stalling speed: 102 km/h (63 mph)
- Service ceiling: 4,420 m (14,500 ft)
- Range at economical cruising speed: 1,315 km (817 miles)
- Range with optional fuel tank: 1,945 km (1,208 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 275 litres (60.5 imp gals)
- Take-off distance over 15 m (50 ft) obstacle: 460 m (1,520 ft)
- Landing distance over 15 m (50 ft) obstacle: 530 m (1,739 ft)
- Empty weight: 713.5 kg (1,573 lb)
- Useful load: 500 kg (1,100 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
History:
Following the success of the DR253 Regent, DR315 Cadet, DR340 Major, DR360 Chevalier and DR380 Prince series of aircraft, all of which were basically of wooden construction, Centre Est, or Robin, introduced the DR400, construction of the prototype of which began in 1971. The first of this new series was the DR400-125 Petit Prince powered by a 93 kw (125 hp) Avco Lycoming O-235-F2B engine, this being a three/four-seater and received its Type Certificate in December 1972. It was followed by the DR400-180 Regent with the 134 kw (180 hp) Avco Lycoming O-360-A engine, which replaced the DR253 and DR380 series in production.
Further models were later introduced, including the DR400-140 Major with a 104 kw (140 hp) Avco Lycoming O-320-E engine; DR400-180R Remorquer, with the 134 kw (180 hp) engine, which was for glider towing; and the DR400-2+2 with a 75 kw (100 hp) Avco Lycoming O-235-C20 engine, this being a two-seat model with provision for the accommodation of two small children.
In 2001 the New Zealand importer of the series, Izard Pacific Aviation, imported an example, this aircraft becoming ZK-TZB (c/n 29). This model seated four and had a baggage allowance of 60 kg (132 lb) behind the rear seats, accessed by a separate hatch on the port side. In this model the fuel was carried in four fuel tanks, comprising two wing-root tanks, a central fuselage tank and an auxiliary tank. The DR400 and DR500 were of wood construction with fabric covering, non structural parts being of fibreglass, the airframe being hand built.
The DR500 series is one of the descendants of the Jodel series and is identified by the Jodel bent wing. It first appeared in 1997 fitted with a Continental IO-360 six-cylinder engine driving a constant speed propeller and having a larger cabin than the DR400 series.
Two examples of the DR500-200I President have been imported to this region. One of these aircraft ZK-VAX (c/n 0001 – G-LISE) was first registered to Mr J H Smith and has been based at the North Shore aerodrome out of Auckland since being registered on 11 August 2005. It was initially registered ZK-LIS for about three months but is not known to have flown carrying that registration It continued to operate and has been flown from New Zealand to Perth, WA and return twice. The second aircraft noted above was registered ZK-TAZ (c/n 029) in January 2001 and continued to operate in 2015.