Ultra-Fab Sundowner
{{Short description|American ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Sundowner | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Ultralight aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Ultra-Fab | designer=Bob Leinen | first flight= | introduced=1983 | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Ultra-Fab Sundowner, also called the Sundowner Convertible, is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Bob Leinen and produced by Ultra-Fab. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-39. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}{{Cite web|url = http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/so.htm#sundowner|title = Sundowner Convertible |accessdate = 7 December 2011|last = Virtual Ultralight Museum|date = n.d.}}
Design and development
The aircraft was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of {{convert|248|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. It features a strut-braced high wing, a single-seat, conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its {{convert|30.5|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is supported by "V" struts and jury struts. A single aluminum tube acts as the fuselage keel and supports the tail at the aft end, the wings in the middle and the engine at the front. The engines supplied include the {{convert|28|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 277 and the {{convert|35|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Cuyuna UL II. The aircraft may be flown with an open cockpit or with zippered sailcloth cockpit enclosure panels installed for cold weather flying. The controls are conventional three-axis and include a center stick, adjustable rudder pedals and full-span ailerons. The landing gear has aluminum torsion suspension on all wheels and the tailwheel is steerable.
The aircraft was introduced just as the ultralight market in the US became saturated and demand collapsed. As a result, even though the Sundowner had many innovative features, it was not a commercial success.
Specifications (Sundowner)
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|wing area sqft=146
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|empty weight lb=248
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|gross weight lb=500
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|fuel capacity={{convert|4.5|u.s.gal}}
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|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 277
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|eng1 hp=28
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|max speed mph=62
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|cruise speed mph=50
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|stall speed mph=25
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|climb rate ftmin=800
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References
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External links
- [http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/so_files/image030.jpg Drawing of the Sundowner]