Capella XS
{{Short description|American ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Capella XS family | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Kit aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Capella Aircraft Corporation | designer= | first flight= | introduced=1988 | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Capella XS is a family of American high wing, tractor configuration, cabin aircraft that were produced in kit form by Capella Aircraft of Austin, Texas and intended for amateur construction.Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 40. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 136-7. BAI Communications. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}
Capella Aircraft went out of business in late 2007, and the series is no longer in production.
Design and development
The single seat SS model was introduced in 1988. All members of the design family were available as optionally conventional landing gear or tricycle gear-equipped aircraft.
The family of aircraft all share common design features, including an enclosed cabin-style fuselage, horizontal stabilizer and tail fin all constructed of welded 4130 steel tubing. The wing is framed from riveted aluminium tubing with all surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. The wing includes flaps and has an optional folding system for transport and storage.
The landing gear arrangement includes sprung-steel main gear and a similarly sprung steerable tail wheel or optional sprung-steel nose wheel.
The single-seat SS model was developed into a line of side-by-side two seaters with different engine and fuselage designs.
Variants
;SS
:Single seat cabin light aircraft with a gross weight of {{convert|625|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and powered by a {{convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 447 or a {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 503 engine. The fuselage incorporates a rear window. First flown in 1988.
;XS
:Two seats in side-by-side configuration cabin light aircraft with a gross weight of {{convert|1200|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and powered by a {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 582 engine. The fuselage incorporates a rear window. First flown in 1990.
;XLS
:Two seats in side-by-side configuration cabin light aircraft with a gross weight of {{convert|1200|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and powered by an {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912 four-stroke engine. The fuselage incorporates a rear window. First flown in 1990.
;XLS Super 100
:Two seats in side-by-side configuration cabin light aircraft with a gross weight of {{convert|1270|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and powered by a {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912S four-stroke engine. Available in TR tricycle gear and TD taildragger models. The fuselage incorporates a rear window.{{cite web|url = http://www.capellakitplanes.com/capella/xstrs.htm |title = Capella XLS Super 100|accessdate = 9 May 2010|last = Capella Aircraft|authorlink = |year = 2004 }}
;Fastback
:Two seats in side-by-side configuration cabin light aircraft with a gross weight of {{convert|1200|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and powered by an {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912 four-stroke engine. First flown in 1995. Fuselage differs from the XS in that the rear window is eliminated and replaced with a high rear turtle deck, rendering the aircraft similar in appearance to a Piper J-3 Cub, Aeronca Champ or Taylorcraft B.
Specifications (XS)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=
|length ft=18
|length in=5
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=28
|span in=6
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=5
|height in=8
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=114
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=480
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=1200
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=11 US gallons (42 litres)
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 582
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=64
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=135
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=111
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=41
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=36 mph in landing configuration, flaps down.
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=275
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=10000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1200
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Capella Aircraft}}
Category:1980s United States ultralight aircraft