Rainbow Cheetah
{{Short description|South African ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use South African English|date=December 2022}}
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=Cheetah | image=Rainbow Cheetah XLS N150RC.jpg | caption= }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Ultralight aircraft and Light-sport aircraft | national origin=South Africa | manufacturer=Rainbow Aircraft | designer=Vladimir Chechin | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=In production (2012) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Best Off Skyranger | variants with their own articles=Rainbow Cheetah XLS }} |
The Rainbow Cheetah a South African ultralight and light-sport aircraft, designed by Vladimir Chechin and produced by Rainbow Aircraft. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 72. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
Design and development
The aircraft was derived from the Best Off Skyranger and designed to comply with Canadian Advanced Ultralight criteria and the US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit with optional doors for access, fixed tricycle landing gear or optionally conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.{{cite web|url = http://www.sportpilot.org/learn/slsa/|title = EAA's Listing of Special Light-Sport Aircraft|accessdate = 1 June 2012|last = Experimental Aircraft Association|year = 2012|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140228070151/http://sportpilot.org/learn/slsa|archivedate = 28 February 2014}}
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its {{convert|9.6|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has an area of {{convert|13.25|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and mounts flaps. Standard engines available are the {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 582 two-stroke, the {{convert|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912UL and the {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplants.
The Cheetah XLS has been accepted by Transport Canada as an Advanced Ultralight as both a land plane and seaplane, powered by the Rotax 582 two-stroke, the Rotax 912UL, the Rotax 912ULS, the Verner VM133 and the {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 2200A engines.{{cite web|url = http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-ccarcs-advancedullist-2036.htm|title = Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)|accessdate = 27 August 2012|last = Transport Canada|date = 15 August 2012}}
Operational history
By August 2012 there were three Cheetahs on the Federal Aviation Administration registry and two on the Transport Canada Civil Aircraft Register.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=CHEETAH&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 27 August 2012|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 27 August 2012}}{{cite web|url = http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp|title = Canadian Civil Aircraft Register|accessdate = 27 August 2012|last = Transport Canada|date = 27 August 2012|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110718042755/http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp|archivedate = 18 July 2011}}
Variants
;Cheetah XLS
:Current production model (2012) with tricycle landing gear.{{cite web |url=http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/Products.html/3_axis_microlights.html/cheetah_xls.html/cheetah_xls.html |title=Rainbow Aircraft Cheetah XLS |publisher=Rainbowaircraft.co.za |accessdate=2012-08-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724104848/http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/Products.html/3_axis_microlights.html/cheetah_xls.html/cheetah_xls.html |archivedate=2012-07-24 }}
;Cheetah XLS Taildragger
:Current production model (2012) with conventional landing gear.{{cite web |url=http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/Products.html/3_axis_microlights.html/cheetah_xls_taildragger.html/cheetah_xls_taildragger.html |title=Rainbow Aircraft Cheetah XLS Taildragger |publisher=Rainbowaircraft.co.za |accessdate=2012-08-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724105013/http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/Products.html/3_axis_microlights.html/cheetah_xls_taildragger.html/cheetah_xls_taildragger.html |archivedate=2012-07-24 }}
Specifications (Cheetah XLS)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Bayerl and manufacturer{{cite web |url=http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/Products.html/specification.html/specification.html |title=Raindow Aircraft Cheetah XLS Specifications |publisher=Rainbowaircraft.co.za |accessdate=2012-08-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724104946/http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/Products.html/specification.html/specification.html |archivedate=2012-07-24 }}
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=5.67
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=9.6
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=1.9
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=to top of wing
|wing area sqm=13.25
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=7.01
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=248
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=560
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|100|L}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 912UL
|eng1 type=four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=60
|eng1 hp=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=177
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=135
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=35
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=flaps down
|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=125
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=670
|range nmi=
|range note=with reserves
|endurance=7.5 hours
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+6g/-4g
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=10:1
|climb rate ms=5.3
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=42.3
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.rainbowaircraft.co.za/}}
{{Rainbow Aircraft}}