The Parker 2nd Ranger, also called the Parker Ranger is an American
mid-wing, single-seat
motor glider that was designed and constructed by
W.L. Parker of
La Grande, Oregon
La Grande () is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Oregon, Union County, Oregon, United States. La Grande is Union County's largest city, with a population of 13,082 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census. The La Grande metro population ...
, first flying in 1967.
[Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine'', page 125. Soaring Society of America, November 1983. USPS 499-920]
Design and development
Parker originally built the Ranger and equipped it with a and a propeller that was unable to provide enough thrust to allow the aircraft to take-off. The engine was replaced with a Richter powerplant which rectified this defect. The engine is retractable and mounted behind the
cockpit.
The aircraft is constructed from
aluminium
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 ...
. The wing employs a laminated aluminium
spar and a
NACA
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
4418
airfoil
An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is a streamlined body that is capable of generating significantly more Lift (force), lift than Drag (physics), drag. Wings, sails and propeller blades are examples of airfoils. Foil (fl ...
. The Ranger is not equipped with any glidepath control devices, such as
dive brakes. The
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for taxiing, takeoff or landing. For aircraft, it is generally needed for all three of these. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, s ...
is a single centreline mainwheel plus a nose-mounted second wheel to allow taxiing.
The aircraft was registered with the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
in the
Experimental - amateur-built category. Only one was built.
Operational history
*
Tillamook Air Museum - sole example
Specifications (2nd Ranger)
See also
References
{{reflist
1960s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Motor gliders
Aircraft first flown in 1967