American ultralight aircraft
| Penetrater
|
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|
| The Ultra-Efficient Products Penetrater in flight
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| Role
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Ultralight aircraft Type of aircraft
|
| National origin
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United States
|
| Manufacturer
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Ultra-Efficient Products
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| Designer
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Nick Leighty and Rick Berstling
|
| First flight
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1985
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| Introduction
|
1985
|
| Status
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Production completed
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The Ultra-Efficient Products Penetrater was an American ultralight aircraft designed by Nick Leighty and Rick Berstling and produced by Ultra-Efficient Products. It was first shown at the 1985 Sun 'n Fun air show.[1]
The aircraft's most notable feature was that the pilot flew in the prone position.[2] The pilot lay on top of the fuselage, and used elbow rests and foot stirrups.[1] The aircraft had a cantilever low-wing, a fuselage consisting of a single aluminum alloy tube, a V-tail, a tricycle landing gear, and a single engine in pusher configuration.
Specifications (Penetrater)
Data from Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1987–88[1]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Length: 16 ft (4.9 m)
- Wingspan: 24 ft (7.3 m)
- Height: 6 ft (1.8 m)
- Wing area: 108 sq ft (10.0 m2)
- Aspect ratio: 5.33
- Empty weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
- Gross weight: 400 lb (181 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Zenoah G25B single cylinder, two stroke, 20 hp (15 kW)
- Propellers: 2-bladed, 4 ft 8 in (1.42 m) diameter
Performance
- Maximum speed: 60 mph (97 km/h, 52 kn)
- Cruise speed: 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)
- Stall speed: 24 mph (39 km/h, 21 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn)
- Range: 250 mi (400 km, 220 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 8,000 ft (2,400 m)
- g limits: ±6
- Maximum glide ratio: 14:1
- Rate of climb: 950 ft/min (4.8 m/s)
- Rate of sink: 250 ft/min (1.3 m/s) @ 40 mph
- Lift-to-drag: 14
- Wing loading: 3.70 lb/sq ft (18.1 kg/m2)
See also
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
External links
