Aero Designs Pulsar
{{Short description|American homebuilt airplane}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name= | image=File:Aero Design Pulsar XP912 Private, STA Stauning, Denmark PP1183053997.jpg | caption=Aero Design Pulsar XP912 }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Ultralight aircraft/homebuilt aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Aero Designs | designer=Mark Brown | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=at least 229. Factory-built variant to JAR-VLA and EASA standards at least 430 | developed from= Star-Lite Aircraft Star Lite | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Aero Designs Pulsar is an American two-seat, low wing, ultralight and homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Mark Brown and first produced by Aero Designs of San Antonio, Texas, introduced in 1985. When it was available the Pulsar was supplied as a ready-to-fly aircraft and as a kitplane for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 253. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}{{cite web|url=http://aerofiles.com/_ab.html |title=American airplanes: Ab - Ak |publisher=Aerofiles.com |date=2000-03-21 |access-date=2014-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205051134/http://aerofiles.com/_ab.html |archive-date=2012-12-05 }}
The aircraft was later produced by Skystar Aircraft of Nampa, Idaho and then by Pulsar Aircraft of El Monte, California. Each subsequent manufacturer introduced new variants.{{cite web|url=http://aerofiles.com/_pl.html |title=American airplanes: Pl - Py |publisher=Aerofiles.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-05}}
Design and development
The Pulsar was a development of the Star-Lite Aircraft Star Lite and features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration open cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear or optionally conventional landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The aircraft is made from composites. Its {{convert|25.00|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing employs a NASA MS(1)-0313 mod airfoil, mounts flaps and has a wing area of {{convert|80.00|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. The cabin width is {{convert|39|in|cm|abbr=on}}. The acceptable power range is {{convert|64|to|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engines used are the {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 532 two-stroke, the {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} BMW R1100S{{Citation needed|date=June 2014}} or the {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912ULS or the {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 914 turbocharged powerplant.{{cite web|url = http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|title = The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage|access-date = 5 March 2014|last = Lednicer|first = David|year = 2010|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130809234123/http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|archive-date = 9 August 2013|url-status = dead|df = dmy-all}}
The Pulsar Series II has a typical empty weight of {{convert|660|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|1200|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|540|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|17|u.s.gal}} the payload for the pilot, passengers and baggage is {{convert|438|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|250|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and the landing roll is {{convert|500|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 1000 hours.
Operational history
In March 2014 130 examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, although a total of 195 had been registered at one time.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=FOXTROT&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 25 March 2014|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 25 March 2014|archive-date = March 6, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140306031716/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=FOXTROT&PageNo=1|url-status = dead}} In March 2014 five were registered with Transport Canada{{cite web|url=http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp |title=Canadian Civil Aircraft Register |access-date=5 March 2014 |last=Transport Canada |date=5 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718042755/http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp |archive-date=18 July 2011 }} and 29 with the CAA in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url = http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Pulsar|title = GINFO Search Results Summary|accessdate = 5 March 2014|last = Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|date = 5 March 2014}}
Variants
;Pulsar
:Original model, powered by a {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 532 two-stroke powerplant and introduced in 1985 by Aero Designs.
;Pulsar XP (also called the XP912)
:Improved model, with higher gross weight, powered by an {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912UL four-stroke powerplant and introduced in 1992 by Aero Designs.
;Pulsar Series II
:Improved model, powered by a {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912ULS four-stroke or {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 914 turbocharged powerplant and produced by SkyStar Aircraft.
;Pulsar III
:Improved model, powered by an {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912UL four-stroke or {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 2200 powerplant, tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and produced by Pulsar Aircraft starting in 1989. A total of 500 kits were claimed to have been delivered by 2005.
;Pulsar SP100
:Super Pulsar introduced in 2001, powered by an {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912UL four-stroke or {{convert|120|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 3300 powerplant, Continental or Lycoming engines, produced by Pulsar Aircraft.
Specifications (Pulsar Series II)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=AeroCrafter and The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=
|length ft=20
|length in=0
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=25
|span in=0
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=80
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=NASA MS(1)-0313
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=660
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=1200
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|17|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 914
|eng1 type=four cylinder, air and liquid-cooled, four stroke turbocharged aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=115
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=ground adjustable composite
|prop dia m=
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|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=190
|max speed kts=
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|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=180
|cruise speed kts=
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|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=49
|stall speed kts=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=900
|range nmi=
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|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=17000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1700
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
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|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=15.0
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}}
References
{{Reflist}}