Photograph:
Winton Sportsman 10-1177 (c/n not known) operating on Queensland’s Gold Coast (unknown)
Country of origin:
Australia
Description:
Single-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 30 kw (40 hp) Volkswagen (1,400 cc) conversion four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.6 m (25 ft)
- Length: 4.6 m (15 ft)
- Wing area: 10.7 m² (115.17 sq ft)
- Cruising speed: 130 km/h (81 mph)
- Stalling speed: 56 km/h (35 mph)
- Loaded weight: 150 kg (331 lb)
History:
The Sportsman was designed and developed by Colin Winton of Winton Aircraft of Coomera, QLD as a cheap, good handling, light, single-seat sporting aircraft powered by one of the popular at the time Volkswagen engine conversions. The mid-wing aircraft with a pusher engine was available in either kit form with or without the engine, or could be purchased in ready-to-fly form. The fuselage was of fibreglass construction and could be removed for maintenance. The cantilever mid-wing could be unbolted for trailering and storage; and a channel section aluminium boom supported the tail. A range of engines was fitted to the series; eg 10-0128 and 10-0010 had a Rotax 503, 10-0482 had a Zenoah G-50, 10-0604 had a Rotax 447 etc.
The type was very popular, quite a number being registered under RAA rules, including 10-0128, 10-0010, 10-0482, 10-0538, 10-0604, 10-0707, 10-0824, 10-1229, 10-1341, 10-1371, 10-1090, 10-0575, 10-0515, 10-0516, 10-0134, 10-0180, 10-0306, and 10-0482. One aircraft (10-1177) was registered as a Gold Coast Ultralight Club Gold Coaster and, fitted with a Zenoah G-50 engine, was first registered on 18 December 1989.