Sunward SA 60L Aurora
{{Short description|Chinese light-sport aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=SA 60L Aurora | image=Suward Aurora prototype.JPG | caption=Aurora prototype }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Light-sport aircraft | national origin=China | manufacturer=Sunward Aircraft | designer= | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Under development (2011) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Sunward SA 60L Aurora is a Chinese light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by Sunward Aircraft, a division of Hunan Science and Technologies Co Ltd, an industrial machine manufacturer located in the Lu Gu High Technology Development Zone. The aircraft is intended to be supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 78. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 82. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
Design and development
The Aurora was designed to comply with the US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft's {{convert|8.6|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a rectangular planform and employs flaps. The standard engine available is the Austrian-made {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China granted the design a type design approval in mid-2013.
Bayerl et al. note that the Aurora closely resembles the Fly Synthesis Texan, but that the manufacturer claims the Aurora is an original design.
The aircraft can be equipped for banner-towing, aerial photography and has an airshow smoke generation system available.
In July 2014 the company announced an improved version, the SA 60V, with an upgraded engines installation using Austrian, rather than Chinese components and an IFR capable instrument panel.{{cite web|url = http://www.cannews.com.cn/2014/0731/102172.shtml|title = Zhuzhou A Ruo La SA60 launched upgrade type|accessdate = 8 April 2017|author=China Aviation News|work = www.cannews.com.cn|date = 31 July 2014 }}
The design was added to the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft on 20 August 2019.{{cite web |last=Federal Aviation Administration |date=16 June 2022 |title=SLSA Make/Model Directory |url=https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport/media/SLSA_Directory.xlsx |accessdate=16 June 2022}}{{Cite web |date=22 August 2019 |title=FAA officially included Sunward SA60L aircraft in the SLSA brand model catalog |url=https://en.sunwardaircraft.com/news?news=23 |access-date=16 June 2022}}
Operational history
Variants
Specifications (SA 60L Aurora)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Bayerl, Tacke and manufacturer{{cite web|url = http://en.sunwardtech.com/product/pcanshu-detail.jsp?id=2573|title = Product parameters|accessdate = 8 April 2017|author=Sunward Aircraft |work = en.sunwardtech.com|year=2015}}
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=6.9
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=8.6
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=2.5
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=11.8
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=340
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=600
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|120|L}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 912ULS
|eng1 type=four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=75
|eng1 hp=
|prop blade number=
|prop name=
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kmh=220
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=73
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=270
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=1200
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=4000
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=5.5
|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=50.8
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=*Garmin Aero500
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.sunwardtech.com/}}
{{Sunward aircraft}}