Star Flight Starfire
| {{Infobox Aircraft Begin
| name=Starfire | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Ultralight aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Star Flight Manufacturing | designer=Dick Turner | first flight= | introduced=1979 | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | program cost= | unit cost= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Star Flight Starfire is the first aircraft in a large family of American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Dick Turner and produced by Star Flight Manufacturing, introduced in 1979. The aircraft were all supplied as kits for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-38. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}{{Cite web|url = http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/so.htm#starflighttri |title = Star Flight Tristar|accessdate = 16 December 2011|last = Virtual Ultralight Museum|date = n.d.}}{{Cite web|url = http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/t.htm#tristar|title = Tristar|accessdate = 16 December 2011|last = Virtual Ultralight Museum|date = n.d.}}
Design and development
The aircraft was designed before the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules were brought into effect, but all models comply with them anyway, including the category's maximum empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The Tristar, for instance, has a standard empty weight of {{convert|220|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The line of aircraft all feature a cable-braced high-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its {{convert|33|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is cable-braced from a single element kingpost. The landing gear features a steerable nose wheel with a bicycle-style rim brake. The powerplant is mounted underneath the wing and drives a pusher propeller.
The Tristar model took 25 hours to build from the factory-supplied assembly kit.
Variants
;Starfire
:Initial model with a hybrid weight-shift and aerodynamic control system, designed in 1979.
;Tristar
:Model designed in 1980, with a conventional three-axis aerodynamic control system, using a side stick and spoilers for roll control. Revised fuselage for new control system. The standard engine supplied was the {{convert|30|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Cuyuna 430R.
;TX-1000
:Model with a conventional three-axis aerodynamic control system, strengthened airframe and a {{convert|35|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 377 two-stroke engine.
;SC-1000
;AC-2000
Specifications (Tristar)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum
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|span ft=33
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|height ft=9
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|wing area sqft=165
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|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=220
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=470
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|2.5|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Cuyuna 430R
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine, with reduction drive
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=30
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|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=55
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=38
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=21
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=
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|range km=
|range miles=60
|range nmi=
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|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=10000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+5/-3
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=7:1
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=750
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=350
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
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{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/so_files/image018.jpg Photo of Tristar]
- [http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/t_files/image018.jpg Photo of Tristar]