Zenair Zipper
{{Short description|Canadian ultralight aircraft}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=January 2022}}
| {{Infobox aircraft begin
| name=Zipper | image= | caption= }}{{Infobox aircraft type | type=Ultralight aircraft | national origin=Canada | manufacturer=Zenair | designer=Chris Heintz | first flight= | introduced=1983 | retired= | status= | primary user=private owners | number built= | developed from= | variants with their own articles= }} |
The Zenair Zipper is a Canadian ultralight high-wing, single seat aircraft that was designed by Chris Heintz and produced by Zenair.
The Zipper is a highly innovative design that strongly emphasizes portability over speed or carrying capacity.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-46. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}
Development
The Zipper was designed in the early 1980s by established Canadian aircraft designer Chris Heintz and put into production by his company Zenair, of Midland, Ontario. Heintz's motivation for the Zipper was the ultralight aviation boom that was occurring in Canada at that time and the introduction of new aviation regulations by Transport Canada legally permitting the operation of ultralights.
The Zipper incorporates many unique features, all aimed at making the aircraft more portable. This focus was due to the nature of operations in the early days of the ultralight popularity. Aircraft were not flown great distances to fly-ins or other sites, but were transported by trailer or on car top to be flown locally at remote locations.
The Zipper has a quick-folding wing, built around a D-cell leading edge and spar. There are no wing ribs and the trailing edge of the wing is established by a cable which tensions the sailcloth wing covering. The wing is folded by releasing the anti-drag cables next to the nosewheel and folding the wings back along the tailboom, still supported by their struts. The wing is designed to +6 and -3 g.
The Zipper features conventional three-axis controls, which was unusual in ultralights designed at this time. The all-metal, one piece, all-flying rudder and the elevator are quickly removable for transport. The tailboom is aluminum and square in cross section.
The standard powerplants provided with the Zipper kits were the JPX PUL 425 engine of {{convert|26|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the Rotax 277 of {{convert|28|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}. Fuel capacity is {{convert|6|USgal|impgal L|0|abbr=on}}. The twin-engined Zipper II used a similar engine configuration to its competitor, the Ultraflight Lazair, placing both engines close together to minimize engine-out requirements.
Operational history
Zenith Aircraft Company President Sebastien Heintz, son of the designer Chris Heintz, learned to fly in a Zenair Zipper.{{cite web|url = http://www.zenithair.com/kit-data/sp994.html|title = Zenith Aircraft Company Factory Visit|access-date = 2010-02-07|last = Burroughs|first = John|date=September 1994}}
In December 2008 there were four Zippers still registered in Canada. Consisting of two Zippers, one Zipper-RX and one Zipper II{{cite web|url = http://www.tc.gc.ca/aviation/activepages/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/current.asp|title = Civil Aircraft Register|access-date = 2008-12-01|last = Transport Canada|date = December 2008|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081220094448/http://www.tc.gc.ca/aviation/activepages/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/current.asp|archive-date = 2008-12-20}}
Variants
;Zipper
:Powerplant is one JPX PUL 425 or 212
;Zipper-RX
:Powerplant is one Rotax 277 engine of 28 hp
;Zipper II
:Powerplants are two JPX PUL 212. There were 12 built.{{cite web|url = http://mthobby.pcperfect.com/ch601/ev_osh2000a.htm|title = Zodiac's Tips|access-date = 2008-12-02|last = Therrien|first = Michel|year = 2003}}
Specifications (Zipper PUL 425 engine)
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = imp
|ref= Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition
|crew=One
|capacity=240 lb (109 kg) useful load
|span ft=28
|span m=8.54
|wing area sqft= 140
|wing area sqm= 13.25
|empty weight lb= 180
|empty weight kg= 82
|gross weight lb= 420
|gross weight kg= 190
|max takeoff weight lb= 420
|max takeoff weight kg= 190
|eng1 name=JPX PUL 425
|eng1 type=fixed pitch
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 hp= 26
|eng1 kw=19
|max speed mph= 50
|max speed kmh=81
|cruise speed mph= 40
|cruise speed kmh=65
|stall speed mph= 20
|stall speed kmh= 32
|range miles= 100
|range km=162
|climb rate ftmin= 700
|climb rate ms= 3.6
|wing loading lb/sqft=3.0
|wing loading kg/m2=14.3
|power/mass=19.1 lb/hp (0.087 kW/kg)
}}
See also
{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
- AmEagle American Eaglet
- Avid Champion
- Beaujon Enduro
- Beaujon Mach .07
- Birdman TL-1
- Chotia Gypsy
- Chotia Weedhopper
- Eipper Quicksilver
- Kolb Flyer
- Milholland Legal Eagle
- Mitchell U-2 Superwing
- Pterodactyl Ascender
- Ultraflight Lazair
- Wings of Freedom Flitplane
|lists=
}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110715055827/http://mthobby.pcperfect.com/ch601/images/Dcp00355.jpg Photo of twin-engined Zipper II]
- [http://forums.matronics.com/download.php?id=2961&sid=74c28b4ea5cd768dd25b699a2a7375b1 Photo of twin-engined Zipper II in flight]
- [http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1091153/ Photo of single engined Zipper]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110715055853/http://mthobby.pcperfect.com/ch601/images/Dcp00354.jpg Detail photo of Zipper tail boom and controls]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1jOlp_W5Uk Documentary about the Zenair Zipper from 1984]
{{Zenair}}