De Bernardi M.d.B. 02 Aeroscooter

M.d.B. 02 Aeroscooter
Role Light aircraft
National origin Italy
Designer Mario de Bernardi
First flight 16 November 1957
Number built 1

The de Bernardi M.d.B. 02 Aeroscooter is a two-seat light sport aircraft designed by Mario De Bernardi as a follow-on to the single-seat Partenavia P.53 Aeroscooter.

Development

Having developed the all-metal single-seat Partenavia Aeroscooter earlier, Mario de Bernardi sought to improve the design as the two-seat M.d.B. 02 Aeroscooter, which was developed as an aircraft to be built by CAP in Bergamo, Italy.[1]

Design

The Aeroscooter is a low-wing, two-seat monoplane. The partial welded steel tube fuselage uses aluminum skins. The wing uses a wood spar. The tricycle landing gear uses trailing link suspension. The single-piece plexiglas canopy slides forward to open. All fuel is housed in the 20 L (5.28 US gal; 4.40 imp gal) header tank and 50 L (13.21 US gal; 11.00 imp gal) main tank behind the passenger's seat.

Operational history

The prototype was built by De Bernardi with the assistance of two mechanics. In April 1959, De Bernardi died of a heart attack after flying a demonstration of the prototype at Rome Urbe Airport.[1]

An example is on display at Museo Aeronautico Caproni di Taledo, Milano.[2]

Variants

The daughter of De Bernardi is offering plans for a modernized version of the Aeroscooter using a Rotax 912UL engine to be flown under Italian microlight category.[3]

Specifications (M.d.B. 02 Aeroscooter)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59,[4] The Aircraft of the World[5]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 5.5 m (18 ft 1 in)
  • Wingspan: 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in)
  • Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
  • Wing area: 8.300 m2 (89.34 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 260 kg (573 lb)
  • Gross weight: 460 kg (1,014 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 60 L (15.85 US gal; 13.20 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Agusta GA.70/0 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed piston engine, 62 kW (83 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph, 110 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 190 km/h (120 mph, 100 kn)
  • Stall speed: 50 km/h (31 mph, 27 kn)
  • Range: 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi)
  • Rate of climb: 6 m/s (1,200 ft/min) at sea level
  • Take-off run: 50 m (164 ft)
  • Landing run: 50 m (164 ft)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References

  1. ^ a b Sport Aviation. June 1960. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ "De Bernardi MDB 02 Aeroscooter". Archived from the original on 27 March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Aeroscooter MdB 02". Retrieved 14 September 2011.
  4. ^ Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1958). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1958-59. London: Jane's All the World's Aircraft Publishing Co. Ltd. p. 193.
  5. ^ Green, William (1965). The Aircraft of the World. Macdonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd. p. 85.