Pober Pixie
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
|name=Pixie |image=POBER PIXIE P9 C-FTLQ 05.JPG |caption=Pober P9 Pixie built in 1980, seen in 2006 }}{{Infobox aircraft type |type=Recreational aircraft |manufacturer=Acro Sport (plans) |designer=Paul Poberezny |first flight=July 1974 |introduced= |retired= |status= |primary user= |more users= |produced= |number built= |variants with their own articles= }} |
The Pober Pixie is a single-seat light aircraft that was designed in the United States in 1974 and marketed as plans for homebuilding.Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 140. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. {{ISBN|0-918312-00-0}}Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, pages 91. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
It is a conventional parasol-wing monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage and a single open cockpit. The design was inspired by the Heath Parasol.
Development
In response to the 1973 oil crisis, the EAA launched "Project Econoplane" to develop an aircraft with high fuel economy that would therefore be affordable for its members to operate. The Pober Pixie was the result, with a Volkswagen air-cooled engine of 1835 cc and a fuel consumption of 3 to 3.5 US Gal (11 to 13 L) per hour. Plans were completed in January 1974 and the prototype flew in late July, in time for the EAA Annual Convention that year.
After the convention, the prototype was returned to the workshop for modifications, including installation of a {{convert|60|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Limbach SL 1700 EA engine and Rehm 5330 two-blade fixed-pitch propeller, details of which were incorporated into the plans.
Design
The Pixie fuselage is fabricated from welded 4130 steel tube, while the wings are made from Sitka spruce covered with Stits Poly-fiber fabric. Recommended engines include Volkswagen or the Continental A65.{{cite web|url = http://home.att.net/~jBaugher1/f4_41.html|title = POBER PIXIE|accessdate = 2009-07-06|last = Aircraft Spruce and Specialty|year = 2009|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090429055829/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f4_41.html|archivedate = 2009-04-29}}
The design includes full-span ailerons that give it a high roll rate with minimal adverse yaw.
Aircraft Spruce and Specialty says of the design:
{{cquote|Similar in many respects to the Heath Parasol, the Pixie is a modernization of the helmet-and-goggle days of the 1930s. The large wing and full-span ailerons make for easy flying. With minimal taildragger experience, the Pixie is a breeze to handle on the ground. Landings are gentle affairs, visibility in cruise is outstanding and using it with skis adds another dimension of fun. }}
Operational history
By March 2017, 27 examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration and six with Transport Canada.{{cite web|url = http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/CCARCS-RIACC/RchSimpRes.aspx?cn=%7cPOBER+PIXIE%7c&mn=%7c%7c&sn=%7c%7c&on=%7c%7c&m=%7c%7c|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 28 March 2017|last = Federal Aviation Administration|author-link = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 28 March 2017}}{{cite web|url = http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/CCARCS-RIACC/RchSimpRes.aspx?cn=%7cPOBER+PIXIE%7c&mn=%7c%7c&sn=%7c%7c&on=%7c%7c&m=%7c%7c|title = Canadian Civil Aircraft Register|accessdate = 28 March 2017|author = Transport Canada|author-link = Transport Canada|date = 28 March 2017}}
Variants
;Pober Pixie II
:Paul Poberezny developed some drawings and started design and partial welding of a fuselage for a two-seat model. Michael Hoye of Heath Texas purchased the project in 1989, continued the design, and over a period of ten years completed building a single scratch built example of a tandem two-seat Pixie in 2000. This aircraft won an "outstanding workmanship" award at Airventure 2001 and was featured as the cover story by noted author Budd Davisson in the January 2002 issue of Sport Aviation magazine.{{cite journal|magazine=Sport Aviation|date=January 2002|title=Pober Pixie One-of-a-kind scratch-built airplane}}
Specifications (typical Pixie)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = imp
|crew=one pilot
|length m=5.26
|length ft=17
|length in=3
|span m=9.09
|span ft=29
|span in=10
|height m=1.88
|height ft=6
|height in=2
|wing area sqm=12.45
|wing area sqft=134
|empty weight kg=246
|empty weight lb=543
|gross weight kg=408
|gross weight lb=900
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=converted Volkswagen air-cooled engine or Limbach SL 1700 EA
|eng1 kw=45
|eng1 hp=60
|max speed kmh=209
|max speed mph=130
|cruise speed kmh=134
|cruise speed mph=83
|range km=467
|range miles=290
|ceiling m=3,810
|ceiling ft=12,500
|climb rate ms=2.54
|climb rate ftmin=500
}}
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
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References
{{Reflist}}
- {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |pages=347 }}
- {{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977-78 |publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |location=London |pages=538 }}
- [http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Poberezny%20Pober%20Pixie.asp AirVenture Museum website on the type]
- [http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Poberezny%20Pober%20Pixie%20Specifications.asp EAA specification sheet for Pober Pixie]
External links
{{commons category|Pober Pixie}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20100204111135/http://acrosportaircraft.com/ Manufacturer's website]
{{Poberezny aircraft}}
Category:1970s United States sport aircraft
Category:Parasol-wing aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft
Category:Aircraft first flown in 1974