Partenair Mystere
{{Short description|Canadian homebuilt light aircraft}}
{{for|the fighter jet|Dassault Mystère}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2022}}
File:Partenair S-45 Mystere C-GGYY photo 6.JPG
File:Partenair S-45 Mystere C-GGYY photo 9.JPG
File:Partenair S-45 Mystere C-GGYY photo 2.JPG
The Partenair Mystere is a Canadian two-seat, pusher configuration monoplane that was designed by Partenair Design of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec and intended for amateur construction from kits.Newby-Gonzalez, Tori: 2004 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 20, Number 12, December 2003, page 71. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 57. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
Two prototypes were completed and flown and one kit delivered before the project was ended. One customer-built S45 was eventually completed and first flew on 10 November 2015.
Design and development
The Mystere is an all-composite, low-wing monoplane powered by a pusher piston engine. It has a pod and boom configuration with a T-tail and a fixed tricycle landing gear with wheel pants. The cockpit has room for two occupants in tandem with dual controls and a two-piece canopy and windscreen.
The prototype S44 Mystere first flew on 16 November 1996 powered by a Rotax 912 engine. The second prototype S45 was powered by a {{convert|160|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming IO-320 flat-four piston engine and first flew on 4 October 2001.
The kit was to be supplied in three sub-kits made from primer-surfaced parts of low-odour epoxy. The construction time from the kit was estimated to have been 1,000 hours.Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 61. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 65. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
Variants
;S44 Mystere
:Initial {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912UL powered version. Empty weight {{convert|700|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and gross weight {{convert|1250|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}, cruise speed {{convert|140|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}. The price of the complete S44 kit, including engine in 1999 was US$38,000. Only one prototype was flown.
;S45 Mystere
:Second version with increased power. Acceptable power range {{convert|100|to|160|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}, with the standard engine a Lycoming O-320 of {{convert|150|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. Kit price in 2003, without engine, was US$27,900. Only one prototype was flown.
;S45 Mystere Mark II
:Third version with aerodynamic refinements, an increase in top speed to {{convert|180|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} and an increase in gross weight to {{convert|1925|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The engine was raised so that the aircraft could accept a larger diameter propeller and to increase clearance between the tail boom and the propeller. The engine cowling was also re-shaped to smooth airflow into the propeller. These changes were all to reduce the original S45's noise signature. Kit price in 2003, without engine, was US$27,900. Only one prototype was flown and it was the original S45 prototype in a modified Mark II configuration.{{Cite web|url = http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=ccb0e099-a085-4ce1-9b33-7e573c37b5cf|title = Partenair Announces Third Model |accessdate = 24 December 2011|last = Aero News Network|date = 24 July 2003}}
;S45 Mark III RG
:A proposed retractable gear model that was never built. The Mark III was announced by the company in 2003, with a first flight initially forecast for 2004. It was intended to have a shorter wing and accept engines up to {{convert|250|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} to greatly increase cruise speed.
Accidents and incidents
The prototype Partenair S44 Mystère was involved in a fatal accident on 24 October 1998. While departing Montréal/Les Cèdres Airport, the Rotax 912 engine failed and the aircraft impacted the ground, killing both occupants.{{Cite web|url = http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=23492|title = Occurrence # 23492|accessdate = 24 December 2011|last = Aviation Safety Network|year = 2011}}
This accident led to the aircraft being redesigned as the S45 with a Lycoming O-320 engine replacing the Rotax powerplant. Kitplanes magazine described the subsequent S45 as a "repowered aircraft for better overall performance and reliability".
Specifications (S45)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003-04, Kitplanes and The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage{{Cite web|url = http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|title = The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage|accessdate = 24 December 2011|last = Lednicer|first = David|author-link = |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}}
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=2
|capacity=
|length m=7.32
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=7.13
|span ft=
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|height m=2.44
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=9.94
|wing area sqft=
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|airfoil=root: NACA 65-218, tip: NACA 65-215
|empty weight kg=522
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
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|max takeoff weight kg=861
|max takeoff weight lb=
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|fuel capacity={{convert|55|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lycoming IO-320
|eng1 type=flat-four piston engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=160
|prop blade number=3
|prop name=PAC metal propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
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|max speed kmh=
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|cruise speed kmh=274
|cruise speed mph=
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|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=89
|stall speed mph=
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|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=338
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=1852
|range miles=
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|ceiling m=
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|ceiling note=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1700
|climb rate note=
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|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass met=
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References
=Notes=
=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite book |editor-last= Jackson|editor-first= Paul |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2003-2004|year= 2003|publisher= Jane's Information Group |location=Coulsdon, Surrey, United Kingdom|isbn=0-7106-2537-5}}
{{refend}}
External links
{{Commons category|Partenair S-45 Mystere}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120225041807/http://www.partenairdesign.com/ www.partenairdesign.com] - Former location of company website
- [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.partenairdesign.com/ Company website archives] on Archive.org
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ews2l1p0kDo Video of the S45 Mark II on take-off]
Category:1990s Canadian civil utility aircraft