Parascender Para-Ag
{{Short description|American powered parachute}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Para-Ag | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Powered parachute agricultural aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Parascender Technologies | designer= | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Parascender I | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Parascender Para-Ag is an American powered parachute agricultural aircraft that was designed and produced by Parascender Technologies of Kissimmee, Florida. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 339. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}{{cite web|url = http://all-aero.com/index.php/63-hang-glider-paraglider/7627-parascender-technologies-para-ag|title = Parascender Technologies Para-AG|accessdate = 8 April 2015|author = All-Aero|year = 2015}}
Design and development
A variant of the Parascender I, the Para-Ag was designed to comply with the US Experimental - Amateur-built aircraft rules. It features a {{convert|520|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} parachute-style wing, single-place accommodation, tricycle landing gear and a single {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 503 engine in pusher configuration. A {{convert|620|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} wing was optional.
The aircraft carriage is built from bolted aluminium tubing. Inflight steering is accomplished via foot pedals that actuate the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw. On the ground the aircraft has foot-controlled nosewheel steering. The main landing gear incorporates spring rod suspension. The aircraft has a typical empty weight of {{convert|285|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|720|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|435|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|10|u.s.gal}} the payload for the pilot and chemicals for application is {{convert|375|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. A series of dry chemical hoppers and liquid chemical tanks of {{convert|35|to|50|u.s.gal}} were available and the chemicals were disbursed from booms protruding from either side of the cockpit at propeller hub height.
The standard day, sea level, no wind, takeoff with a {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|150|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and the landing roll is {{convert|50|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 30 hours.
Operational history
In April 2015 no examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=PARA-AG&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 8 April 2015|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 8 April 2015}}
Specifications (Para-Ag)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=9
|length in=0
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=38
|span in=6
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=520.0
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=2.8:1
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=285
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=720
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|10|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 503
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=50
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=composite
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=26
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=26
|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=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=7500
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=450
|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=1.4
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://all-aero.com/images/stories/pics2/paraag.jpg Photo of a Para-Ag]
{{Parascender aircraft}}
Category:1990s United States sport aircraft
Category:1990s United States ultralight aircraft