The Bautek Astir is a German
high-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-place,
hang glider
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 ...
designed and produced by
Bautek
Bautek is a German aircraft manufacturer based in Kenn. The company specializes in hang gliders and ultralight trike
An ultralight trike or paratrike is a type of powered hang glider where flight control is by weight-shift control, weigh ...
, of
Kenn, Germany
Kenn is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality situated in the western region of Rhineland-Palatinate, near the border with Luxembourg. It is characterized by its encompassing red sandstone hills adorned with vineyards and located within the Mo ...
.
[Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 43. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X]
Design and development
The Astir is an intermediate glider for recreational flying. It has an unusual
bowsprit
The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar (sailing), spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. The bowsprit is typically held down by a bobstay that counteracts the forces from the forestay, forestays. The bowsprit’s purpose is to create ...
designed to crumple during a crash landing, preventing damage to the glider structure.
The aircraft is made from
aluminum
Aluminium (or aluminum in North American English) is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Al and atomic number 13. It has a density lower than that of other common metals, about one-third that of steel. Aluminium has ...
tubing. The wing is covered in
Dacron
Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foods ...
sailcloth and has a Mylar
leading edge
The leading edge is the part of the wing that first contacts the air;Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. alternatively it is the foremost edge of an airfoil sectio ...
. Its span wing is
cable braced. The nose angle is 130° and the
aspect ratio
The aspect ratio of a geometry, geometric shape is the ratio of its sizes in different dimensions. For example, the aspect ratio of a rectangle is the ratio of its longer side to its shorter side—the ratio of width to height, when the rectangl ...
is 7.6:1. Unlike many hang glider designs, the Astir comes in one size only with a wide hook-in weight range of . The Astir is certified by DHV as a class 2 glider.
Specifications (Astir)
References
External links
Official website(German language)
{{Bautek aircraft
Hang gliders