Photograph:
Rutan Defiant VH-DFY (c/n 154) at Cowra, NSW in September 2008 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Four-seat twin-engine light aircraft
Power Plant:
One 112 kw (150 hp) Avco Lycoming O-320-E2A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine [nose] and one O-320-E2B [rear]
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.57 m (31 ft 4¼ in)
- Wing area: 12.36 m² (133 sq ft)
- Max cruising speed at 70% power: 341 km/h (212 mph)
- Stalling speed: 119 km/h (74 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 457 m/min (1,500 ft/min)
- Max rate of climb with one engine out: 94 m/min (310 ft/min)
- Max cruising altitude: 5,485 m (18,000 ft)
- Service ceiling one engine out: 1,980 m (6,500 ft)
- Range at max cruising speed with 45 mins reserves: 2,238 km (1,391 miles)
- Empty weight: 762 kg (1,680 lb)
- Loaded weight: 1,338 kg (2,950 lb)
History:
The prototype of the Rutan Model 40 Defiant (N78RA) was designed as a ‘proof of concept’ aircraft and made its first flight on 30 June 1978. Of similar configuration to the VariEze, it had the latter’s rear-mounted swept cantilever wings with winglets, a canard foreplane and retractable nosewheel /fixed mainwheels type undercarriage. Power was provided by two 112 kw (150 hp) Avco Lycoming O-320 engines, one in the nose and the other at the rear, a fuel supply of 170 litres (37.39 Imp gals) being provided for each engine.
The basic Defiant had no flaps, fixed-pitch propellers, simple systems, and was claimed to have no minimum control speed. A considerable amount of flight testing was performed on the prototype in all types of conditions, including severe weather, icing, desert heat, and altitudes in excess of 8,535 m (28,000 ft). At one stage a coast-to-coast non-refuelled endurance flight across the USA in 15.5 hours was performed. Because of difficulties getting in and out of the aircraft, due to the high sill (1.27 m / 4 ft 2 in), some minor changes were made for production aircraft. As well, there were increases in both wings and canard spans, a new Eppler section being used for the canard, re-positioning of the winglets and other minor changes. Fuel capacity was increased to 220 litres (48.39 Imp gals) in each tank.
The Defiant was originally designed for manufacture as a production type but was only sold in kit form, sets of plans and parts becoming available in August 1984. First example of the Defiant completed in this region became, after construction in Melbourne, VIC in 1985/87, VH-OOI (c/n Q.35), this aircraft being fitted with two 134 kw (180 hp) Avco Lycoming O-360-A3A engines.
A further example was completed at Wedderburn, NSW in 2006, becoming VH-DFY (c/n 154) in January that year, this aircraft having glass cockpit instrumentation. This aircraft was registered on 13 January 2006 and was fitted with Lycoming IO-360-A1A engines driving three-blade Performance propellers.