Windward Performance DuckHawk
{{Short description|American glider}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=DuckHawk | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Glider | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Windward Performance | designer= | first flight=2011 | introduced= | retired= | status=Production completed (2016) | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built= | developed from= Windward Performance SparrowHawk | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Windward Performance DuckHawk is an American mid-wing, single-seat, 15-metre class glider, that was designed and produced by Windward Performance of Bend, Oregon.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 138. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. {{ISSN|1368-485X}} It first flew in 2011.{{Cite web |title=J2mcL Planeurs - Fiche planeur n° |url=https://www.j2mcl-planeurs.net/dbj2mcl/planeurs-machines/planeur-fiche_0int.php?code=3886 |access-date=2022-05-21 |website=www.j2mcl-planeurs.net}}
Since 2016 the aircraft has been no longer advertised as available by the manufacturer.{{cite web|url = http://windward-performance.com/|title = Windward Performance home page|accessdate = 1 December 2016|author = Windward Performance|year = 2016}}
Design and development
The DuckHawk is a development of the Windward Performance SparrowHawk and is intended as a higher performance glider than its predecessor, with very high structural limits and Vne. The DuckHawk has less than 10% parts commonality with the SparrowHawk. It features a cantilever wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy and retractable monowheel gear.{{cite web|url = http://windward-performance.com/duckhawk/features/|title = DuckHawk features|accessdate = 25 August 2015|last = Windward Performance|year = 2011}}
The aircraft is made from preimpregnated carbon fiber. Its {{convert|15|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing employs a Greg Cole-designed airfoil, has an area of {{convert|80|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} and an aspect ratio of 30:1.{{cite web|url = http://windward-performance.com/projects/duckhawk/|title = DuckHawk|accessdate = 4 December 2012|last = Windward Performance|year = 2011}}
Operational history
By December 2016 four examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration, including three "V" models and one "E" model.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=DUCKHAWK&PageNo=1|title = Make / Model Inquiry Results|accessdate = 4 December 2012|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 4 December 2012}}
Variants
;DuckHawk E
:Electric motorglider version, first example registered with the FAA in 2011.{{cite web|url = http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=10WP|title = N-Number Inquiry Results - N10WP|accessdate = 4 December 2012|last = Federal Aviation Administration|date = 4 December 2012}}
;DuckHawk V (Veloce)
:Base model with an empty weight of {{convert|390|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, a maximum gross weight of {{convert|960|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and load limits of +7/-5g. The first example was registered with the FAA in 2014 and three have been built.{{cite web|url = http://windward-performance.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DuckHawk-SSA-2014-copy.pdf|title = Specs|accessdate = 25 August 2015|last = Windward Performance|year = 2011|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304040930/http://windward-performance.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DuckHawk-SSA-2014-copy.pdf |archivedate = 4 March 2016}}
;DuckHawk SV (Super Veloce)
:Proposed model with a 64% thicker spar, thicker fuselage, an empty weight of {{convert|435|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, a maximum gross weight of {{convert|960|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and load limits of +11/-9g. None completed.
;DuckHawk VNX
:Proposed model with thicker wing skins, an empty weight of {{convert|455|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, a maximum gross weight of {{convert|1150|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, maximum speed of {{convert|225|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} and load limits of +11/-9g. None completed.
Specifications (DuckHawk V)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Bayerl and Windward Performance
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one
|capacity=
|length m=
|length ft=20.6
|length in=
|length note=
|span m=
|span ft=49.2
|span in=
|span note=
|height m=
|height ft=3
|height in=8
|height note=
|wing area sqm=
|wing area sqft=80
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=30:1
|airfoil=Greg Cole-designed
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=390
|empty weight note=
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=960
|gross weight note=
|more general=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
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|stall speed kmh=
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|never exceed speed kmh=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed kts=168
|never exceed speed note=
|g limits=+7/-5g
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=50:1
|sink rate ms=
|sink rate ftmin=
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|lift to drag=
|wing loading kg/m2=
|wing loading lb/sqft=12
|wing loading note=
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}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://windward-performance.com/projects/duckhawk/ Official website archives] on Archive.org
{{Windward Performance aircraft}}