Photograph:
First Australian P-92 Taildragger VH-VET (c/n 1424) at Temora, NSW in March 2013 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Italy
Description:
Two-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 86 kw (115 hp) Lycoming YO-233-B2A four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.7 m (28 ft 5 in)
- Length: 6.4 m (21 ft)
- Height: 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 12.4 m² (133 sq ft)
- Max speed at sea level: 220 km/h (137 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power: 220 km/h (137 mph)
- Never exceed speed: 270 km/h (168 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down power off: 78 km/h (48 mph)
- Practical ceiling: 4,572 m (15,000 ft)
- Take-off run: 90 m (295 ft)
- Take-off distance to 15 m (50 ft): 250 m (820 ft)
- Landing run: 130 m (426 ft)
- Landing distance from 15 m (50 ft): 250 m (820 ft)
- Rate of climb: 366 m/min (1,200 ft/min)
- Range: 852 km (529 miles)
- Empty weight: 387 kg (850 lb)
- Useful load: 213 kg (470 lb)
- Baggage allowance: 20 kg (44 lb)
- Loaded weight: 600 kg (1,320 lb)
History:
The P-92 TailDragger was introduced to the Tecnam range in 2012 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the P-92 series of light aircraft, with some 2,500 examples of the series having been delivered by the end of 2012, the type operating in many countries around the world. The designers and manufacturers of Tecnam Research & Development at Capua in Italy carried out extensive market research to establish what pilots required from their aircraft and it was found that many pilots were seeking a new aircraft with tailwheel configuration.
The TailDragger was described as the first new “tailwheel” aircraft for general aviation in some years. It was constructed from all metal and was able to be used for glider towing and as a cargo carrier. It had available as an option a large under-fuselage cargo pod which had two separate hinged doors. Two engines were available, the P-92-TD-Rotax with a 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS and the Lycoming YO-233-B2A providing 86 kw (115 hp), both driving a Model GT2 GT propeller of fixed pitch built of wood.
First of the type in Australia was a demonstrator for the importer, this becoming VH-VET (c/n 1424) in early 2013 registered to Keystar Aviation Pty Ltd of Runaway Bay, QLD.