The Prue Standard is an American
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-seat,
V-tail
The V-tail or ''vee-tail'' (sometimes called a butterfly tail or Rudlicki's V-tailGudmundsson S. (2013). "General Aviation Aircraft Design: Applied Methods and Procedures" (Reprint). Butterworth-Heinemann. p. 489. , 9780123973290) of an aircraf ...
ed,
FAI Standard Class glider that was designed by
Irving Prue.
[Rogers, Bennett: ''1974 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine'', page 34. Soaring Society of America, August 1974. USPS 499-920]
Design and development
The Prue Standard was designed in response to the
Fédération Aéronautique Internationale
The World Air Sports Federation (; FAI) is the world governing body for air sports, and also stewards definitions regarding human spaceflight. It was founded on 14 October 1905, and is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. It maintains worl ...
introduction of rules creating the
Standard Class. The prototype was completed in 1961.
The Standard is an all-metal aircraft with a fixed monowheel
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 ...
. The prototype originally had wings with a span and
dive brakes on the lower wing surface. The wing employs 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 ...
63-618
laminar flow airfoil, an
I-beam
An I-beam is any of various structural members with an - (serif capital letter 'I') or H-shaped cross section (geometry), cross-section. Technical terms for similar items include H-beam, I-profile, universal column (UC), w-beam (for "wide flang ...
spar and has a semi-tapered planform.
Only three examples were completed, all were different and all have since been modified further. The type was further refined into a new design in 1962, the
Prue Super Standard.
Operational history
Paul Bikle flew the second Standard completed to a world record distance of in 1963. That flight was the longest ever made by a sailplane up to that date.
The prototype was flown cross country and had accumulated more than 850 hours by 1974.
All aircraft were registered as ''
Experimental Amateur-builts''. Only one Prue Standard still exists.
Variants
;Standard prototype
:The prototype,
registered N9726Z, later had its wings extended to , giving it a wing area of and an aspect ratio of 23:1. The V-tail was also made longer. The modifications also raised the empty weight to . The prototype was converted to a
Super Standard and has been de-registered.
;Standard #2
:This aircraft had a longer
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 ...
and a deeper cockpit section. It also featured top and bottom dive brakes. It later had its wings extended. It was registered as N9730Z, but is no longer on 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 ...
registry.
;Standard #3
:This aircraft was built by Bob Gravance of
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city lies in the Antelope Valley of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south.
On August 24, 1962 ...
. It features dive brakes on the bottom of the wing only, but externally mounted. Otherwise the fuselage is the same as #2. This aircraft had a new set of longer wings built for it, featuring a straight taper. The aircraft was reportedly a total loss after a tied-down accident at
El Mirage, California. Registered as N2728Z the aircraft is the sole Standard still on the FAA registry.
Specifications (Standard - original configuration)
See also
References
{{Irving Prue aircraft
1960s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1961
V-tail aircraft