Avian Cheetah
{{Short description|British hang glider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Cheetah | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Hang glider | national origin=United Kingdom | manufacturer=Avian Limited | designer=Steve Elkins and Neil Hammerton | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=In production | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Avian Java | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Avian Cheetah is a British high-wing, single-place, competition hang glider, designed by Steve Elkins and Neil Hammerton and produced by Avian Limited of Hope Valley, Derbyshire.Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 42. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X{{cite web|url=http://www.avian.hanggliding.dk/html/SpecSheets/Spec1_cheetah.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130106095926/http://www.avian.hanggliding.dk/html/SpecSheets/Spec1_cheetah.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-01-06 |title=Cheetah 150 |accessdate=6 February 2012 |last=Avian Limited |date=n.d. }}
Design and development
The Cheetah is a development of the Avian Java and is a "topless" design without a kingpost or top wire rigging, although it retains the lower flying wires.
The current production Cheetah 150 model is made from aluminum and carbon fibre tubing, with the wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its {{convert|10.4|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a nose angle of 130deg; and an aspect ratio of 7.5:1. The acceptable pilot hook-in weight is {{convert|80|to|110|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.
The glider can be broken down to a {{convert|37|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} package, {{convert|4.6|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} in length for ground transportation on a car top.
Variants
;Cheetah 150
:Current production version. British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association certified.
;Cheetah 160
:Version offered circa 2003 with {{convert|10.4|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing, with an area of {{convert|15|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, a nose angle of 125° and an aspect ratio of 7.0:1.
Specifications (Cheetah 150)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=10.4
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=with tip fairings
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=14.5
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=7.5:1
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=35
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=rigged ready for flight
|gross weight kg=145
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|more general=
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|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
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|stall speed kmh=24
|stall speed mph=
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|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=113
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=in smooth air
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=15.3:1 (depending on the harness used)
|sink rate ms=0.86
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
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References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20131013185532/http://www.avian.hanggliding.dk/html/SpecSheets/Spec1_cheetah.php Official webpage archive] on Archive.org
{{Avian Limited aircraft}}