V-STOL Solution

Solution
General information
Type	Ultralight aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	V-STOL Aircraft
Designer	Dick Turner
Status	Production completed
History
Introduction date	1998

The V-STOL Solution is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Dick Turner in 1998 and produced by V-STOL Aircraft. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. ^{[1] [2]}

Design and development

The design goal of the Solution was to produce a legal US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations compliant single seat ultralight that could be easily converted to a two-seater with the addition of a second seat and a larger engine. FAR Part 103 specifies a maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg) and the Solution has a standard empty weight of 246 lb (112 kg). It features a cable-braced high-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. ^{[1] [2]}

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 33 ft (10.1 m) span wing has a wing area of 183 sq ft (17.0 m²), which is large enough to support a second person. The second seat would be installed behind the first, in tandem, and could be optionally equipped with dual controls. ^{[1] [2]}

The pilot is accommodated on an open seat and has conventional three-axis controls in the form of a centre stick and rudder pedals. The standard engine provided for single seat flying was the single cylinder two-stroke Rotax 277 of 28 hp (21 kW), while larger engines could be installed for two-seat operations. ^[1]

V-STOL Aircraft had the design on the market for only a short period before the company went out of business. Assembly time from the kit is estimated at 50 hours. ^{[1] [2]}

Specifications (Solution single-seat)

Data from Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum ^{[1] [2]}

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Wingspan: 33 ft (10 m)
• Wing area: 183 sq ft (17.0 m²)
• Empty weight: 246 lb (112 kg)
• Gross weight: 498 lb (226 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 277 single cylinder two-stroke aircraft engine, 28 hp (21 kW)

Performance

• Cruise speed: 45 mph (72 km/h, 39 kn)
• Stall speed: 22 mph (35 km/h, 19 kn)
• Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s)
• Wing loading: 2.7 lb/sq ft (13 kg/m²)

References

1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-37 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN   0-9680628-1-4
2. Virtual Ultralight Museum (n.d.). "Solution". Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2011.