Direct Fly ArGO

ArGO
Role Ultralight aircraft and Light-sport aircraft
National origin Czech Republic
Manufacturer Direct Fly sro
Introduction 2011
Status Production completed (2017)

The Direct Fly ArGO is a Czech ultralight and light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by Direct Fly sro of Hluk, introduced at the Blois fly-in show in France, in 2011. When it was available the aircraft was supplied complete and ready-to-fly.[1]

Design and development

The ArGO was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) microlight rules and US light-sport aircraft (LSA) rules, with different versions at different gross weights for each category. It features a strut-braced high-wing, an enclosed cabin with two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration accessed by doors, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.[1]

The aircraft fuselage is made from welded steel tubing covered in aluminum sheet. The flying surfaces are made from aluminum sheet. Its 9.00 m (29.5 ft) span wing has an area of 9.90 m2 (106.6 sq ft) and mounts Fowler flaps. Standard engines available are the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL and the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplants.[1][2]

As of February 2017, the design does not appear on the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft.[3]

Variants

arGO ULL
Model with a gross weight of 472.5 kg (1,042 lb) for the FAI microlight category.[4]
arGO LSA/ELSA
Model with a gross weight of 575 kg (1,268 lb) for the US LSA category.[4]

Specifications (ArGO ULL)

Data from Tacke and manufacturer[1][4]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Wingspan: 9.00 m (29 ft 6 in)
  • Height: 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
  • Wing area: 9.90 m2 (106.6 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 282 kg (622 lb)
  • Gross weight: 472.5 kg (1,042 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 100 litres (22 imp gal; 26 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 75 kW (101 hp)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed composite

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 270 km/h (170 mph, 150 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 200 km/h (120 mph, 110 kn)
  • Stall speed: 62 km/h (39 mph, 33 kn) with full flaps
  • Rate of climb: 6.2 m/s (1,220 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 47.7 kg/m2 (9.8 lb/sq ft)

References

  1. ^ a b c d Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 43. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ^ Direct Fly sro (2009). "Engines". Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  3. ^ Federal Aviation Administration (26 September 2016). "SLSA Make/Model Directory". Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Direct Fly sro (2009). "Specifications". Retrieved 10 February 2017.