Bell Sidewinder
{{Short description|American ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Sidewinder | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Ultralight aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer= | designer=Fred Bell | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Phantom X1 | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Bell Sidewinder is an American ultralight aircraft, supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-33 and 37. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}
Design and development
The Sidewinder is a copy of the Phantom X1 that was built by former Phantom Aeronautics employee Fred Bell. It was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of {{convert|250|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. It features a cable-braced high-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. The Sidewinder differs from the X1 in having flaps. Its {{convert|30|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is cable-braced from an inverted "V" kingpost mounted on top of the wing. The landing gear has suspension on all wheels and features a steerable nosewheel, plus main wheel brakes. The pilot is accommodated on an open seat, partially enclosed by a fibreglass fairing with a windshield. The standard engine provided was the Kawasaki TA 440A snowmobile powerplant of {{convert|37|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}.
Specifications (Sidewinder)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=16
|length in=6
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=30
|span in=0
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=7
|height in=10
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=154
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=250
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=500
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|5|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Kawasaki TA 440A
|eng1 type=Twin cylinder, two-stroke snowmobile engine, with a 2.3:1 belt reduction drive
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=37
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=wooden
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=4
|prop dia in=2
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=60
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=50
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=26
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=100
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=14500
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+6/-4 (calculated)
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=7:1
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=800
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=490
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=3.25
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}