Falconar F9A
{{Short description|Canadian homebuilt aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=F9A & F10A | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Amateur-built aircraft | national origin=Canada | manufacturer=Falconar Avia | designer=Chris Falconar | first flight= | introduced=1965 | retired= | status=Plans available (2019) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=30 (1998) | developed from= Jodel D9 | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Falconar F9A and F10A are a family of Canadian amateur-built aircraft, that were designed by Chris Falconar and produced by Falconar Avia. The F9A design was introduced in 1965 and both the F9A and F10A were supplied as kits or as plans for amateur construction by Falconar. The F9A and F10A are now available in the form of plans from Manna Aviation.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 157. BAI Communications. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}{{cite web|url = http://falconaravia.com/|title = Notification of Closure|access-date = 4 July 2019|author=Falconar Avia |work = falconaravia.com|date = 30 June 2019|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20190704172308/http://falconaravia.com/|archivedate =4 July 2019}}{{cite web|url = http://mannaaviation.com/Falconar-Aircraft-Plans/F-9A-plans|title = Falconar F9A Plans|access-date = 4 July 2019|author=Manna Aviation |work = mannaaviation.com|year=2019}}{{cite web|url = http://mannaaviation.com/Falconar-Aircraft-Plans/F-10A-plans|title = Falconar F10A Plans|access-date = 4 July 2019|author=Manna Aviation |work = mannaaviation.com|year=2019}}
Design and development
The F9 is a variant of the Jodel D9. Falconar indicated that it incorporates a larger cockpit, simplified fittings, shoulder harnesses and aerodynamic improvements to improve stall characteristics.{{cite web|url = http://members.shaw.ca/falconark/FA/FSeries.htm|title = F Series|accessdate = 11 November 2012|last = Falconar Avia|date = 1 July 2012}}
Hans Teijgeler of Jodel.com says that the F9A varies from the D9 by using a new wing design, with new simplified spar and rib design and the dihedral point moved inboard, allowing the outer portion to fold for ground transport or storage, but at the cost of added weight. He describes the wing as "less efficient". Teijgeler says of the Falconar F9A, "the Falconar 'Jodel' should not be looked upon as a Jodel, but as a Falconar. This is [n]either good or bad. Just a fact to take into account"{{cite web|url=http://www.jodel.com/index.asp?p=falconar&themodels |title=Falconar Jodels |access-date=11 November 2012 |last=Jodel.com |date=n.d. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205121323/http://www.jodel.com/index.asp?p=falconar&themodels |archive-date=5 February 2012 }}
The F9A features a cantilever low-wing, a single seat enclosed cockpit that is {{convert|21|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} wide, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The F9A and F10A are made from wood, with the flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its {{convert|23|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing has an area of {{convert|99|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. Construction time from the supplied kit is estimated as 700 hours.
Operational history
By November 2012, one F9A had been registered with Transport Canada, one F10A in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration and none with the CAA in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=14378|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 11 November 2012|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 11 November 2012|archive-date = 4 March 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201909/http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=14378|url-status = dead}}{{cite web|url=http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp |title=Canadian Civil Aircraft Register |access-date=11 November 2012 |last=Transport Canada |date=11 November 2012 |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 }}{{cite web|url = http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=searchnoresult|title = GINFO Search Results Summary|accessdate = 11 November 2012|last = Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|date = 11 November 2012|archive-date = 28 July 2012|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120728102150/http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=searchnoresult|url-status = dead}}
Variants
;F9
:{{convert|36|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Volkswagen air-cooled engine
;F9A
:Initial model with an empty weight of {{convert|360|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|600|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft's recommended engine power range is {{convert|30|to|75|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and engines that have been used include the {{convert|60|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Volkswagen air-cooled engine and Hirth two-stroke powerplants.
;F10A
:Strengthened model to allow the installation of larger engines, with an empty weight of {{convert|550|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|875|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft's recommended engine power range is {{convert|40|to|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. The fuselage is lengthened {{convert|14|in|cm|0|abbr=on}} from the F9A and stressed to 9g.{{cite journal|journal=Air Progress Sport Aircraft|date=Winter 1969|page=76}}
Specifications (F9A)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=17.90
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=23.00
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=99.00
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=405
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=660
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|10|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Volkswagen air-cooled engine
|eng1 type=four cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke automotive conversion
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=100
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=ground adjustable wooden
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=140
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=100
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=38
|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=300
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1020
|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=6.7
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
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|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://mannaaviation.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=50 F9A Official website]
- [https://mannaaviation.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=51 F10A Official website]
{{Falconar Avia aircraft}}