Country of origin:

Germany

Description:

Two-seat light powered glider

Power Plant:

(RF-5B)

One 51 kw (68 hp) Sportavia-Limbach SL1700 E Comet four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The Sportavia-Putzer series of aircraft was designed in Germany by Mr M Rene Fournier, the Company being formed in 1966 to take over, from Alpavia, the manufacture of his series of light aircraft.  Two basic designs were initially produced, the RF-4 single-seat and the RF-5 two-seat, both combining the characteristics of a small sporting aeroplane and training sailplane, the performance being so good that they were considered to be powered sailplanes.  The prototype Avion-Planeu, designated Fournier RF01, flew for the first time on 6 July 1960, proving so successful that the French Government provided financial assistance, leading to two new prototypes known as the RF-2, and later the RF-3 production model, for flying club use.  Type certification was obtained in June 1963 and deliveries of production aircraft began in November 1963.

Development continued to the RF-4 series, this having a new main spar built of laminated pine, giving increased structural strength.  Further development lead to the RF-5 two-seater, this differing from the RF-4 mainly in having wings of increased span with folding outer sections, and an up-rated engine.  Fitted with dual controls, the pupil sat in the forward seat and the instructor in the rear.  The prototype (D-KOLT) first flew in January 1968, deliveries of production aircraft beginning in 1969.

Initial production of the RF-5 was by Sportavia-Putzer and 127 examples were completed from 1958 fitted with the 48 kw (68 hp) Limbach SL.1700 engine. It was replaced in production by the RF-5B Sperber, which had a longer wingspan and a cut-down rear fuselage, a total of 99 being built by Sportavia in Germany and Helwan in Egypt from 1971 onwards.

Further models in the series have been built, including the RF-6B with a tricycle undercarriage, side-by-side seating and a 75 kw (100 hp) Continental O-200A engine; the RF-6C Sportsman, a four-seat development with a 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320-A2B engine; RF-7, being a short-wingspan variant of the RF-4D with the Limbach 1700 engine; RF-9 two-seat motor glider which went into production in 1978; and RF-10, a composite development of the RF-9 with a T-tail initially built in France but production of which was moved to Aeromot in Brazil where it has been produced as the Ximango and Super Ximango.

The RF-5 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane of all-wood construction. The wing was a single-spar structure with plywood and fabric covering.  The fuselage was all-wood structure of bulkheads and stringers, plywood and fabric covered.  The undercarriage comprised a single main wheel with twin oleo-pneumatic shock absorbers, manually retracted forward with spring assistance.  A steerable tailwheel was fitted, and outrigger wheels fitted beneath each wing just inboard of the folding line.  Accommodation was for two in tandem under a one-piece sideways-hinged plexiglass canopy, there being space behind the rear seat for 10 kg (22 lb) of baggage.

Late in 1980 a Melbourne-based company, Giles-Christian (Australia) Aviation Pty Ltd, announced it had obtained world manufacturing rights for the production of the RF-4 single-seater and that it would commence production early in 1981 in Australia.

A few of examples of the RF-4 and RF-5 models have been registered in this region, and most operate under Gliding Federation Regulations. Examples of the RF-5 in Australia include VH-GCA (c/n 51019), VH-GCB (c/n 51020), VH-GGJ (c/n 5121), VH-GGK (c/n 51050) and VH-HDN (c/n 5041).