Maupin Windrose
{{Short description|American glider}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Windrose | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Glider and motor glider | national origin=United States | manufacturer= | designer=Jim Maupin | first flight=June 1983 (glider) | introduced=1983 (glider) | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=at least 14 | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Maupin Windrose is an American high-wing, single-seat glider and motor glider that was designed by Jim Maupin for the Sailplane Homebuilders Association Design Contest.{{Cite web|url = http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=383|title = Windrose Maupin|accessdate = 6 July 2011|last = Activate Media|authorlink = |year = 2006|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120825220907/http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?PlaneID=383|archive-date = 25 August 2012|url-status = dead}}Said, Bob: 1983 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine, page 68, Soaring Society of America November 1983. USPS 499-920{{Cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=WINDROSE&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 6 July 2011|last = Federal Aviation Administration|authorlink = |date=July 2011}}
Design and development
Maupin designed the Windrose as an easy-to-construct, safe, self-launching, low-cost and aesthetically pleasing aircraft project that could be flown as a pure glider or a powered glider.
The design has many innovative features and is of mixed construction using wood, foam and fiberglass. The wing is carved from solid foam and covered in fiberglass. There is no spar and instead the wing employs bands of unidirectional roving epoxied under the outer skin and joined by vertical dowels to take the compression loads from the underlying foam. The wing is of a {{convert|41.5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span or, optionally, a {{convert|49.2|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span, and uses an Irv Culver custom airfoil. The ailerons are controlled from their inboard ends and there are no control runs inside the wings, which are solid.{{Cite web|url = http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|title = The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage|accessdate = 1 July 2011|last = Lednicer|first = David|authorlink = |year = 2010|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100420012244/http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|archive-date = 20 April 2010|url-status = dead}}
The fuselage is built around a hollow plywood box structure that supports the wing, landing gear, cockpit and the optional Cuyuna 430 {{convert|33|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine. The cockpit shell is made from fiberglass. A single triangular spoiler for glidepath control is mounted in the fuselage roof, above the wing center section. Both the vertical stabilizer and the horizontal stabilizer are all-flying surfaces.
Operational history
At least 14 aircraft were completed in the USA. As of July 2011 five remain on the Federal Aviation Administration registry, including four gliders and one motorglider, which is owned by the designer. All are registered in the Experimental - Amateur-built category.
Variants
;Windrose glider
:Unpowered version with a {{convert|315|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} empty weight and a {{convert|525|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} gross weight, first flown in June 1983.
;Windrose motor glider
:Powered version with a {{convert|390|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} empty weight and a {{convert|600|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} gross weight, first flown in 1984. Take-off distance at sea level on a standard day is {{convert|500|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and the initial rate of climb is 500 fpm (2.5 m/s).
Specifications (Windrose glider)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Sailplane Directory and Soaring
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=21.6
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=41.5
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=95.25
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=18.25:1
|airfoil=Irv Culver custom
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=315
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=525
|gross weight note=
|more general=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=30 at {{convert|48|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=126
|sink rate note= at {{convert|40.5|mph|km/h|1|abbr=on}}
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=5.5
|wing loading note=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/planeurs-machines/photos/Maupin_Windrose.jpg Photo of Windrose motorglider]
{{Jim Maupin aircraft}}