Viper Aircraft Viperfan

Last updated

Viperfan
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Viper Aircraft
Introductionlate 1990s
StatusProduction completed
Number builtone
Variants Viper Aircraft ViperJet

The Viper Aircraft Viperfan was an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed and produced by Viper Aircraft of Kennewick, Washington, introduced in the late 1990s. It was intended to be supplied as a kit for amateur construction, but only one was ever built. [1] [2]

Contents

Design and development

The Viperfan was designed to resemble a military jet trainer, but powered by a pusher piston engine. It featured a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. [1]

The aircraft was made from composite materials. Its 24.5 ft (7.5 m) span wing-mounted flaps and had a wing area of 85.0 sq ft (7.90 m2). The cabin width was 31 in (79 cm). The acceptable power range was 240 to 350 hp (179 to 261 kW) and the standard engines envisioned to be used were the 285 to 310 hp (213 to 231 kW) Continental IO-520 and TSIO-520, or the 350 hp (261 kW) Continental TSIOL-550 powerplant, driving the tail-mounted propeller through an extension shaft. [1]

The Viperfan had a typical empty weight of 1,450 lb (660 kg) and a gross weight of 2,500 lb (1,100 kg), giving a useful load of 1,050 lb (480 kg). With full fuel of 100 U.S. gallons (380 L; 83 imp gal) the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage was 450 lb (200 kg). The aircraft was fully aerobatic and stressed to +/-6g. [1]

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 350 hp (261 kW) engine was 1,000 ft (305 m) and the landing roll was 1,600 ft (488 m). [1]

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the planned kit to be 2000 hours. [1]

The aircraft was not a success due to problems with vibrations in the engine-to-propeller extension shaft and so the aircraft was converted to turbojet power. Eventually it was completely redesigned to become the Viper Aircraft ViperJet MKII. [2]

Operational history

By 1998 the company reported that one aircraft had been completed and was flying. [1]

In May 2015 no examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration and it is unlikely any exist anymore. [3]

Specifications (Viperfan)

Data from AeroCrafter [1]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 361. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN   0-9636409-4-1
  2. 1 2 Freeze, Di (November 2005). "The Path to the Viperjet MkII – The Trickest Jet on the Block". Pacific Northwest Aviation & Business Journal (Airport Journals) 4 (10): 8C–14C.
  3. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (May 9, 2015). "Make / Model Inquiry Results" . Retrieved May 9, 2015.
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