The Aerola Alatus is a
Ukrainian mid-wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing config ...
, single-seat,
glider and
motor glider
A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: a fixed-wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion (MoP), capable of sustained soaring flig ...
, designed and produced by
Aerola of
Kyiv
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
.
[Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 131-132. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X]
Design and development
A manufacturer of rigid wing
hang gliders
Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised, fixed-wing heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame covered ...
, Aerola decided to produce an ultralight sailplane along similar concept lines. The resulting aircraft is offered with and without a retractable engine. The prototype glider was known as the AL-12, with the motorized prototype designated as the AL-12M. The production versions are the Alatus and Alatus-M, respectively.
The aircraft is made from composites. Its span, slightly forward-swept wing has an area of . The landing gear is of a bicycle design, with a main wheel and a nose wheel, plus
wing tip
A wing tip (or wingtip) is the part of the wing that is most distant from the fuselage of a fixed-wing aircraft.
Because the wing tip shape influences the size and drag of the wingtip vortices, tip design has produced a diversity of sha ...
skids. The
bubble canopy
A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility.
The designs of bubble canopies can vary drastically; so ...
is in one piece and is removable. The light wing loading and low
stall speed
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack exceeds its critical value.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', p. 486. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. ...
mean that the aircraft can be flown in the smallest
thermals
A thermal column (or thermal) is a rising mass of buoyant air, a convective current in the atmosphere, that transfers heat energy vertically. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example ...
. The wings can be removed for ground transport on top of an automobile, while the
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French language, French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds Aircrew, crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an Aircraft engine, engine as wel ...
is small enough to fit inside a van or to be secured to a small trailer.
Variants
;AL-12
:Initial unpowered prototype
;AL-12M
:Initial powered prototype
;Alatus
:Production model pure glider with an empty weight of and a gross weight of . Conforms to German LTF and LFG requirements.
;Alatus-M
:Production model motor glider with an empty weight of and a gross weight of . Conforms to German LTF and LFG requirements, as well as US
FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles
Ultralight aircraft exist outside of the United States. In most countries, ultralights are a class of aircraft. A completely different legal concept is valid within the USA. The FAA makes explicitly clear that ultralight vehicles are not air ...
rules. Powered by a pylon-mounted retractable
CorsAir M25Y ES
The Cors-Air M25Y Black Devil is an Italian aircraft engine, designed and produced by Cors-Air of Barco di Bibbiano for use in powered parachutes and very small ultralight trikes flown by heavy pilots.Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''Worl ...
engine that produces a climb rate of 2.0 m/s (400 fpm) and gives an endurance of 1.5 hours. An
electric powerplant is also available which provides a half-hour endurance. The Alatus-M can be converted back to the Alatus by removing the powerplant pylon and engine.
Specifications (Alatus)
See also
References
{{reflist
External links
Official websiteOfficial photos of the Alatus and Alatus-M
2000s Ukrainian sailplanes