Photograph:
An unregistered Tierra I (T Bartlett – Air Britain)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single or two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 21 kw (28 hp) Rotax 277 single-cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.44 m (31 ft)
- Length: 5.64 m (18 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 14.32 m² (154.25 sq ft)
- Max speed: 100 km/h (62 mph)
- Cruising speed: 89 km/h (55 mph)
- Stalling speed: 42 km/h (26 mph)
- Rate of climb: 183 m/min (600 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity: 22 litres (4.8 imp gals)
- Empty weight: 115 kg (253 lb)
- Loaded weight: 295 kg (650 lb)
History:
The Tierra was a three-axis control ultralight aircraft produced to meet Australian ANO 95.10 regulations, could be operated on land or water and was available in either single-seat or two-seat form. It was fully strut-braced and had double control surfaces, and a fully triangulated cage for pilot protection. It was a high-wing rigid aerofoil aircraft with a pusher engine and used a yoke control column. The double surface Dacron covering was laminated with Mylar to increase the life of the material. The cockpit was semi-enclosed.
The Tierra was produced by Teratorn Aircraft and was unusual in that it could be transformed into a US experimental category aircraft by the addition of a second seat, the problem of centre-of-gravity shift being resolved by positioning the single-seat in the centre of a wide cockpit so that it only had to be moved sideways to allow a second seat to be installed. The control stick was central and, as the aircraft had two rudder bars, it became a dual control machine when fitted with two seats.
The fuel tank was mounted behind the seat low down at the rear of the cockpit. The engine was located above the cabin using dyna-focal mounts as in a modern conventional aircraft. The 377 cc Rotax 377 engine had a reduction drive and Teratorn’s own Flexidyne-type clutch system.
A number of variants was produced: the Tierra with a 27 kw (36 hp) Rotax 377 engine; Tierra I with a Rotax 277 engine; Tierra II with a Rotax 532 engine; and the Tierra UL with a Rotax 277 engine.
A number were imported to this region by the distributor, Recreational Aircraft of Doncaster, VIC.
In Australia the aircraft was at some stage marketed by Aerodevelopment of Healsville, VIC.