Ultralight Flight Mirage
{{Short description|American ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Mirage | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Ultralight aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Ultralight Flight Inc | designer=Frank Riley | first flight= | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Aerodyne Systems Vector | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Ultralight Flight Mirage is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Frank Riley and produced by Ultralight Flight Inc. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-25. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}{{Cite web|url = http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/mn.htm#mirage|title = Mirage|accessdate = 4 December 2011|last = Virtual Ultralight Museum|date = n.d.}}
Design and development
The Mirage was based on the Aerodyne Systems Vector and the Hill Humbug ultralights. 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|246|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. It features 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 aluminum tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its double-surfaced {{convert|32|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is cable-braced from an inverted "V" kingpost and features spoilers. The pilot is accommodated on an open seat without a windshield. A fiberglass cockpit fairing was optional. The landing gear includes suspension on all three wheels and nosewheel steering. The Kawasaki TA 440A engine installation was unusual, although similar to the Humbug and the Vector. The engine is mounted at the leading edge of the wing and drives the trailing edge-mounted pusher propeller through an extension shaft. The driveshaft has proven troublesome in operational use and requires regular maintenance.
The Mirage design suffers from cracks in the aluminum wing-mounting brackets at the root tube junction and many have been changed to stainless steel fittings instead.
Specifications (Mirage)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=19
|length in=6
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=32
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=8
|height in=7
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=144
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=246
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=500
|gross weight note=
|fuel capacity={{convert|4|u.s.gal}}
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Kawasaki TA 440A
|eng1 type=twin cylinder, two-stroke snowmobile engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=35
|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=
|cruise speed mph=50
|cruise speed kts=
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=25
|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=105
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=14000
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+5.6/-2.8
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=8:1 at {{convert|26|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=1000
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=430
|sink rate note=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=3.47
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
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|more performance=
|avionics=
}}
{{aircontent
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References
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External links
- [http://virtualultralightmuseum.com/image013.jpg Photo of Mirage in flight]