Altitude Radial Rocket
{{Short description|American homebuilt aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Radial Rocket | image=File:Altitude Radial Rocket RG (N903WT, cn 117RG) (3-23-2024).jpg | caption=Altitude Radial Rocket RG in flight }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Amateur-built aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Altitude Group | designer= Jeff Ackland | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=In production (2011) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=8+ | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Altitude Radial Rocket is an American amateur-built aircraft, produced by the Altitude Group of Overland Park, Kansas. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.{{cite magazine|last1=Vandermeullen|first1=Richard|date=December 2011|title=2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide|magazine=Kitplanes|publisher=Belvoir Publications|volume=28|issue=12|page=42|issn=0891-1851}}
Design and development
The aircraft features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear or retractable tricycle landing gear and a single radial engine in tractor configuration.
The aircraft is made from composites. The wing span and area as well as gross weight varies depending on the model. The Radial Rocket's recommended engine power range is {{convert|360|to|400|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engine used is the {{convert|360|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Vedeneyev M-14P four-stroke powerplant.
Operational history
{{As of|2023}}, seven examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.{{Cite web |title=Aircraft Inquiry |url=https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/Search/MakeModelResult?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=RADIAL+ROCKET |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=registry.faa.gov}} One Radial Rocket TD was completed in South Africa in April 2019.{{Cite web |last=Calitz |first=Garth |date=2022-01-18 |title=Radial Rocket ZU-IJP Brief Build Summary |url=https://www.flightlineweekly.com/post/radial-rocket-zu-ijp-brief-build-summary |access-date=2023-03-27 |website=flightlineweekly |language=en}}
Variants
;Radial Rocket RG
:Retractable tricycle gear model. It has a {{convert|26.8|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing, a wing area of {{convert|93.9|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|2575|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. Construction time from the supplied kit is 2000 hours. Two were reported flying by the end of 2011.
;Radial Rocket TD
:Fixed taildragger gear model. It has a {{convert|25.5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing, a wing area of {{convert|90.8|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|2550|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. Construction time from the supplied kit is 1900 hours. Four were reported flying by the end of 2011.
Specifications (Radial Rocket RG)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=
|length ft=22.2
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=26.8
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=93.9
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=1720
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=2575
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|65|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Vedeneyev M-14P
|eng1 type=nine cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke radial engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=360
|prop blade number=4
|prop name=constant speed propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=80
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=242
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=70
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=1200
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=3500
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=27.4
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Radial Rocket}}
- {{Official website|http://www.radialrocket.com/}}
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft