Starfire Firebolt
{{Short description|American homebuilt aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Firebolt | image=Starfire Firebolt (N4GW, cn 090) (7-28-2023).jpg | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Homebuilt aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Starfire Aviation | designer=G. H. "Mac" McKenzie | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=At least nine | developed from= Steen Skybolt | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Starfire Firebolt, sometimes called the Starfire Firebolt Convertible, due to its removable canopy, is an American homebuilt aerobatic biplane that was designed by G. H. "Mac" McKenzie and produced by Starfire Aviation of Tempe, Arizona. When it was available the aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction, with some pre-fabricated parts available.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 257. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}{{cite web|url=http://aerofiles.com/_st.html |title=American airplanes: St - Sz |publisher=Aerofiles.com |date=1940-04-15 |accessdate=2014-03-10}}{{cite web|url=http://all-aero.com/index.php/54-planes-p-q-e-r-s/10571-starfire-aviation-firebolt |title=Starfire Aviation Firebolt |publisher=All-aero.com |date= |accessdate=2014-03-10}}
Design and development
The Firebolt was developed from the Steen Skybolt and features a biplane layout with interplane struts, cabane struts and flying wires, a two-seats-in-tandem open, or optionally, enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy that slides back, fixed conventional landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The aircraft is made of mixed construction, with a welded steel tubing, aluminum and wooden structure, all covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its {{convert|24.00|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing employs a NACA 63A015/0012 airfoil and has a wing area of {{convert|150.0|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. The cockpit width is {{convert|29|in|cm|abbr=on}}. The acceptable power range is {{convert|180|to|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engine used is the {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Lycoming IO-540 powerplant. With that engine the aircraft has a cruise speed of {{convert|202|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}} and an initial climb rate of 4,000 ft/min (20 m/s).{{cite web|url = http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|title = The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage|accessdate = 10 March 2014|last = Lednicer|first = David|year = 2010|archive-date = April 20, 2010|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100420012244/http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html|url-status = dead}}
The Firebolt has a typical empty weight of {{convert|1325|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|2000|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|675|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|39|u.s.gal}} the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is {{convert|441|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.
The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a {{convert|300|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|400|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} and the landing roll is {{convert|800|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied plans as 3000 hours.
Operational history
By 1998 the company reported that six aircraft were completed and flying.
In March 2014 eight examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, although a total of nine had been registered at one time.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=FIREBOLT&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 10 March 2014|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 10 March 2014}}
Specifications (Firebolt)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=AeroCrafter, All-Aero and The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=
|length ft=21
|length in=3
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=24
|span in=0
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=7
|height in=7
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=150.0
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=NACA 63A015/0012
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=1325
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=2000
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|39|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Lycoming IO-540
|eng1 type=six cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=300
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=constant speed propeller
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=235
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=202
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=62
|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=500
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=18000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=4000
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=13.3
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://all-aero.com/images/stories/pics3/star-firebolt.jpg Photo of a Firebolt]
Category:1990s United States sport aircraft
Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft