Photograph:
Tomark Aero Viper SD-4 ZK-SWV (c/n 035) (NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
Slovakia
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912UL four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
- Length: 6.4 m (21 ft)
- Height: 2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
- Cruising speed: 200 km/h (124 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 65 km/h (40 mph)
- Rate of climb: 390 m/min (1,280 ft/min)
- Range: 760 km (466 miles)
- Empty weight: 302 kg (666 lb)
- Loaded weight: 490 kg (992 lb)
History:
The Viper SD-4 is a two-seat, low-wing, light sporting monoplane with a fixed tricycle undercarriage designed and produced in Slovakia. Design work commenced in 2004, the prototype flying for the first time on 1 November 2006 and the type entering production in 2008. It is aimed at the market for touring, training and glider towing. Power is provided by a range of engines, including the 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912UL or the 80 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS driving a three-blade Prezke Aero Technologies constant speed propeller.
Construction is of metal with aluminium skinning. The forward fuselage is monocoque joined to the rear fuselage which is of tubular construction and is also aluminium covered. Seating is for two side-by-side under a single-piece canopy. Main undercarriage legs are cantilever springs, the wheels being fitted with hydraulic brakes. A ballistic parachute is an option.
The first two production aircraft were shown at the annual Friedrichshafen Show in Germany in 2007, and two years later a variant to meet American LSA requirements was released, this having electrically operated trim tabs, flaps, and flight and navigation avionics as standard. The type has been marketed successfully in the United States, production for the American market commencing in October 2010 at Winnsboro in Texas. By late 2010 26 examples had been delivered. European production takes place in Preslov by the Tomac Aero Division.
First of the type registered in this region became ZK-EAW (c/n 035 – ex OM-M637) on 31 January 2013 to Wilson Aviation Ltd of Hamilton, NZ. Ownership changed to the Wanganui Aero Club on 14 March 2014 and on 13 June 2017 ownership was transferred to Solo Wings of Tauranga. The registration was changed to ZK-SWV on 6 November 2017, still with Solo Wings. Further examples have been imported to, and registered in, both New Zealand and Australia, including 23-5757 (c/n 27276) on 25 June 2019.