TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius
| TL-3000 Sirius | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Two seat ultralight |
| National origin | Czech Republic |
| Manufacturer | TL Ultralight, Hradec Králové |
| First flight | 21 May 2008 |
| Primary user | private pilot owners |
| Number built | 100 by 2015 |
| Unit cost |
€89,000, $159,555 U.S. (2015)[1] |
The TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius is a conventional single engine high wing ultralight seating two side-by-side. It was designed and is produced in the Czech Republic.
Design and development
The Sirius programme was announced early in 2007 and an unflown prototype or mock-up appeared at Aero '07 that year. Development continued into 2010 before it was ready for production.[2]
The TL-3000 is a mostly composite aircraft with a carbon fibre wing and glass- and carbon-fibre fuselage. It shares many components with its TL-2000 Sting low wing stablemate. The high wing has a constant chord centre section and tapered outer panels with downturned tips and is braced to the lower fuselage with a pair of forward-leaning lift struts. The fin is swept, with a wide dorsal fillet, and carries a horn-balanced rudder. The tapered, mass-balanced elevators are set at mid-fuselage.[2][3]
The underwing cabin of the Sirius has a single piece windscreen, glazed side doors, rear side windows and an upper rear transparency. A choice of flat four engines offers either the 59.6 kW (80 hp) Rotax 912UL or the 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS. The Sirius is fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage with mainwheels fuselage mounted on composite cantilever spring legs. The nosewheel is steerable and the mainwheels have brakes; all wheels are almost completely enclosed in spats. The company has also developed a float installation for the TL-3000 to allow water operations.[2][3]
The Sirus first flew on 21 May 2008 but the prototype was lost in a fatal accident in July.[2]
Operational history
The Sirius was designed to fit into both the European ultralight and U.S. LSA categories. Twenty-two aircraft had been sold by September 2010 to customers in Angola, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United States.[4] Only four appeared on the European (Russia excluded) civil aircraft registers in mid-2010, three in the Czech Republic and one in Norway.[5]
Specifications
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010/11[2]
General characteristics
- Capacity: 2
- Length: 6.75 m (22 ft 2 in) excluding spinner
- Wingspan: 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
- Height: 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 11.15 m2 (120.0 sq ft) gross
- Empty weight: 297 kg (655 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 472.5 kg (1,042 lb) ultralight; LSA 598 kg (1,320 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 130 L (34.3 US gal; 28.6 Imp gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS flat four, 59.6 kW (79.9 hp)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Woodcomp
Performance
- Maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph; 121 kn)
- Stall speed: 65 km/h (40 mph; 35 kn) flaps down
- Never exceed speed: 250 km/h (155 mph; 135 kn)
- Range: 1,400 km (870 mi; 756 nmi)
- Rate of climb: 6.0 m/s (1,180 ft/min) maximum, at sea level
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius. |
- ↑ Alton K. Marsh (January 2015). "A Serious Sirius". AOPA Pilot: 51.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Jackson, Paul (2010). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11. Coulsdon, Surrey: IHS Jane's. p. 181. ISBN 978-0-7106-2916-6.
- 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 82. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- ↑ Jackson, Paul (2011). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011-12. Coulsdon, Surrey: IHS Jane's. pp. 174–5. ISBN 978-0-7106-2955-5.
- ↑ Partington, Dave (2010). European registers handbook 2010. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85130-425-0.