Ultracraft Calypso
{{Short description|Belgian homebuilt ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name= | image=File:Keiheuvel Ultracraft Calypso 2A 01.JPG | caption=Calypso 2A }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Homebuilt aircraft | national origin=Belgium | manufacturer=Ultracraft | designer= | first flight= | introduced=1990s | retired= | status=In production (2014) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Ultracraft Calypso is a family of Belgian homebuilt aircraft designed and produced by Ultracraft of Heusden-Zolder, introduced in the 1990s. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft or as a kit for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 279. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}
Design and development
The Calypso line all feature a strut-braced high wing, fixed conventional landing gear with optional wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The single-seat Calypso 1 is made from a combination of wood and metal with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric and a fibreglass cowling. Its {{convert|8.84|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|11.6|m2|sqft|abbr=on}} and is supported by "V" struts and jury struts. The cabin width is {{convert|61|cm|in|abbr=on}}. The acceptable power range is {{convert|40|to|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engines used are the {{convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 447 or the {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplants.
The Calypso 1A has a typical empty weight of {{convert|155|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|285|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|130|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|40|L}} the payload for the pilot and baggage is {{convert|103|kg|lb|abbr=on}}.
The standard day, sea level, no wind, takeoff with a {{convert|40|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine is {{convert|61|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} and the landing roll is {{convert|46|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}.
The manufacturer estimates the construction time for the Calypso 1A from the supplied kit to be 300 hours.
Operational history
Variants
File:Keiheuvel Ultracraft Calypso 2A 02.JPG
;Calypso 1A
:Initial version, single-seat with {{convert|40|to|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} engine.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultracraft.be/calypso1atech.htm |title=Projects |publisher=Ultracraft.be |date= |accessdate=2014-03-25}}
;Calypso 1B
:Single-seat version with Citroën Visa automotive conversion engine or {{convert|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 582 two-stroke, liquid-cooled powerplant.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultracraft.be/calypso1b.htm |title=Calypso1a |publisher=Ultracraft.be |date= |accessdate=2014-03-25}}
;Calypso 2A
:Two-seat version with a wingspan of {{convert|9.05|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} and a wing area of {{convert|15|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, powered by a {{convert|65|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 582 aircraft engine or a BMW automotive conversion engine. The 2A was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of {{convert|450|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of {{convert|450|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultracraft.be/calypso2atech.htm |title=Projects |publisher=Ultracraft.be |date= |accessdate=2014-03-25}}
;Calypso 2B
:Two-seat version with a wingspan of {{convert|8.05|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} and a wing area of {{convert|13.4|m2|sqft|abbr=on}}, powered by an {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 2200 aircraft engine or a BMW automotive conversion engine. The 2B was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of {{convert|450|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of {{convert|450|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.
Specifications (Calypso 1A)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units?=met
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=one passenger
|length m=5.5
|length ft=
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=8.65
|span ft=
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=
|height in=
|height note=
|wing area sqm=11.6
|wing area sqft=
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=155
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=285
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|40|L}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 447
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, air-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=40
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=wooden, fixed pitch
|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=120
|cruise speed mph=
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=58
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed kmh=155
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=
|never exceed speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+4/-2
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=11:1
|climb rate ms=6
|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=25
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|thrust/weight=
|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://www.ultracraft.be/}}
Category:1990s Belgian sport aircraft
Category:1990s Belgian ultralight aircraft
Category:1990s Belgian civil utility aircraft