The B&F Fk14 Polaris, also called the FK-Lightplanes FK14, is a single-engine, low-wing

ultralight aircraft Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and Aircraft flight control system, conventional three-a ...

that seats two side by side. Designed in Germany in the late 1990s, it remains in production as of 2024.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 50. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 52. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. The Cirrus SR Sport, simply called the Cirrus SRS, was a version of the B&F Fk14 Polaris that was intended to be marketed as a

light-sport aircraft A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight (aka "microlight") aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weigh ...

by U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer

Cirrus Design The Cirrus Design Corporation, doing business as Cirrus Aircraft (formally Cirrus Design), is an aircraft design, manufacturing, maintenance and management company, as well as a provider of flight training services, that was founded in 1984 by ...

(now called Cirrus Aircraft), and was promoted from 2007 until its suspension in 2009 during the

economic crisis A financial crisis is any of a broad variety of situations in which some financial assets suddenly lose a large part of their nominal value. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, many financial crises were associated with banking panics, and ma ...

Design and development

Design of the B&F Fk14 Polaris, sometimes known as the Funk Fk 14 Polaris but not by its makers, began in 1998. It first flew in May 1999 and started in production the next year. It is a

low-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-engine ultralight, with enclosed accommodation for two seated side by side. Its largely

glass fibre Glass fiber ( or glass fibre) is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass. Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the inventio ...

(carbon on the Fk14B variant) wing is mostly of parallel chord but toward the tips, where short span aluminium

ailerons An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

occupy the trailing edges, the leading edge is swept. Electrically operated Fowler flaps are fitted. Four flap settings are available: +0°, +10°, +20° and +32°. The wingtips incorporate short

winglets Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft ...

. The fin and rudder are gently swept; the rudder is deep, reaching the lower fuselage line and moving in a cutout between the elevators. These rear flying surfaces are mass-balanced. The Polaris also has spring-trimmed controls. Until 2007 B&F offered a choice of steel framed or

monocoque Monocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word ''monocoque'' is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, ...

fuselage structures, but since then have produced only the latter. The occupants sit side by side under a single piece, forward-hinged canopy. The standard undercarriage is of tricycle configuration, though a

conventional undercarriage Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Ter ...

is an option. The main legs are fuselage mounted spring cantilevers and the nosewheel is steerable. All wheels are spatted. The Polaris may be fitted with a

ballistic parachute A ballistic parachute, ballistic reserve parachute, or emergency ballistic reserve parachute, is a parachute ejected from its casing by a small explosion, much like that used in an ejection seat. The advantage of the ballistic parachute over a co ...

( BRS 5) as an option. There is a choice between two of the

Rotax 912 The Rotax 912 is a horizontally-opposed four-cylinder, naturally-aspirated, four-stroke aircraft engine with a reduction gearbox. It features liquid-cooled cylinder heads and air-cooled cylinders. Originally equipped with carburetors, la ...

series flat four-cylinder engines: either the 60 kW (80 hp) 912 UL or the 74 kW (99 hp) 912 ULS may be fitted. These engines drive three-blade, ground adjustable pitch propellers.

Cirrus SRS

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (formerly the EAA Annual Convention and Fly-In), or just Oshkosh, is an annual air show and gathering of aviation enthusiasts held each summer at the Wittman Regional Airport and adjacent Pioneer Airport in Oshkosh, Wiscon ...

2007, the U.S. aircraft manufacturer

announced that they intended to market a version of the Fk14 as the Cirrus SR Sport, also known as the Cirrus SRS. First deliveries were initially planned for mid-2008. In early 2008, the company began taking orders for delivery, with a $5,000 deposit required. Cirrus Design's then-CEO,

Alan Klapmeier The Klapmeier brothers, Alan Lee Klapmeier (born October 6, 1958) and Dale Edward Klapmeier (born July 2, 1961), are retired American aircraft designers and aviation entrepreneurs who together founded the Cirrus Design Corporation in 1984. Under ...

, announced in October 2008 that, due to the economic situation and resulting lack of demand for Cirrus aircraft, the company was moving to a three-day work week and that the introduction of the Cirrus SRS had been delayed due to a lack of demand in the

light sport aircraft A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight (aka "microlight") aircraft, but LSA restrictions on weigh ...

(LSA) market sector. In April 2009, the company announced that it was suspending the project, citing economic conditions and the need to develop the airplane and expand flight-training strategy. They also stated that with time the LSA rules are expected to change and allow Cirrus to build an LSA with a broader mission profile. As of February 2022, a full-scale mockup of the Cirrus SRS is located at the Duluth Children's Museum in

Duluth, Minnesota Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

, donated to the museum by Cirrus for visitors to learn and interact with.

Operational history

The 90th Polaris was completed in September 2008. In mid-2010, the European registers (excluding Russia) listed 72 aircraft.

Variants

;Fk14 :Standard version. ;Fk14B :Introduced circa 2003, with new carbon fibre wing, greater range, improved access with greater canopy opening angle; baggage space behind seats; altered engine cowling. ;Fk14B2 Polaris :Model with redesigned wing with slotted flaps to improve short-field performance. Small spoilers are fitted to the

aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement aroun ...

s to reduce

adverse yaw Adverse yaw is the natural and undesirable tendency for an aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of a roll. It is caused by the difference in lift and drag of each wing. The effect can be greatly minimized with ailerons deliberately designed ...

. ;FK14 B2 LeMans :Version with the bubble canopy replaced by two separate "roadster-style" windshields mounted in a single frame. ;Cirrus SRS :Currently suspended. First under development by Cirrus Design Co. in the United States from 2007–2009, this met local LSA rules: test bed had flown.

Specifications (Fk14 Polaris)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:BandF Fk14 Polaris 1990s German sport aircraft FK-Lightplanes aircraft Cirrus aircraft Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1999