Valentin Typhoon

Valentin Typhoon
Type:	Touring motor sailer
Design country:	BR Germany
Manufacturer:	Valentine
First flight:	February 28, 1981
Commissioning:	1981
Production time:	1981 to 1990
Number of pieces:	136

The Valentin Taifun is a touring motor glider from the German manufacturer Valentin Flugzeugbau GmbH in Haßfurt . In the production period from 1981 to 1990 a total of 136 copies were made. The prototype with the registration D-KONO took off for the first time on February 28, 1981.

construction

At the time of its development, the Taifun belonged to the new class of motor gliders in plastic construction with seats arranged next to each other and T-tail unit . In contrast to its direct competitors in this class - the Hoffmann Dimona , the Grob G 109 and the disc SF 36 - it has a retractable landing gear . In addition, the wings can be folded back onto the fuselage by one person to save space for easier storage in the hangar ; the space requirement is then only about 8.5 × 3 meters.

The typhoon has both the in gliders usual airbrake and over, to the ailerons coupled, flaps . The fuel supply of a total of 90 liters is located in two tanks in the wings. Like the Grob G 109A, which was released at the same time, the Taifun in the original version is powered by a Limbach aircraft engine with 80 hp.

Versions

Typhoon 17E

The Taifun was originally offered in four versions: the versions Taifun 17E and Taifun 17S with a wingspan of 17 meters and the versions Taifun 15E and Taifun 15S with a wingspan of 15 meters. The E stands for the standard version with fully retractable nose wheel landing gear , the S for the version with tail wheel landing gear , whereby the tail wheel is not retractable.

In the original version, the landing gear was retracted mechanically using a hand crank, which made certain demands on the fitness of the pilot. A Limbach L 2000 in connection with a Hoffmann controllable pitch propeller with the three stages start , cruise and glider was used as the drive . The motorization of this version was felt by many pilots to be insufficient, especially because the rated output of 59 kW (80 hp) was only achieved at 3400 rpm. However, due to its diameter, the propeller used only allowed a maximum speed of 3200 rpm, so effectively only 50 kW (68 hp) were available. Therefore, under the leadership of the aeronautical engineering company Korff, a conversion to the later released Limbach L 2400 with 90 HP with subsequent type approval was carried out. To increase the efficiency of this motor, an electrically adjustable, infinitely variable constant-speed propeller from Mühlbauer was used.

Typhoon 17E II

In this revised version, the 90 hp Limbach L 2400 was installed again in conjunction with the electrically controlled Mühlbauer Constant Speed propeller. Another point of criticism has been eliminated with the electrically retractable landing gear. In order to save weight, the lever for the airbrakes was moved to the center console in this version, whereas previously there was one lever for each of the pilot's seats.

Typhoon 12E and 11S

The Taifun 12E was a variant with a shortened wingspan of 12 meters. Two copies were made of this version, which was approved in Germany as a normal light aircraft.

Valentin also made at least one example of the four-seater Taifun 11S (registration D-EVFB ), powered by a Lycoming O-235 and equipped with a rigid chassis. Like the 12E , this variant never went into series production and was discarded at the end of 1987.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data Typhoon 17E	Data Typhoon 17E II
length	7.9 m
span	17.0 m
height	2.3 m
Wing area	17.6 m²
Wing extension	16.4
Wing profile	Wortmann FX-67-K-170/17
Flap positions	30 °, 15 °, 8 °, 0 °, −8 °
Glide ratio	28.6 at 110 km / h
Slightest sinking	1.15 m / s at 95 km / h
Empty mass	580 kg
Max. Takeoff mass	820 kg
Max. Wing loading	46.6 kg / m²
Top speed	245 km / h
Max. Speed in gusty weather	185 km / h
Cruising speed	205 km / h
Range	1150 km	1050 km
Engine	Limbach L 2000	Limbach L 2400
power	80 hp	90 hp

Web links

Commons : Valentin Taifun - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Type certification of Taifun 17 E - EASA-TCDS-A.299 (PDF; 57 kB)

Pictures of the Taifun 17E at Airliners.net

Website with technical data

Former manufacturer brochure of the Taifun

Individual evidence

^ ^A ^b ^c ^d ^e RW Simpson: Airlife's General Aviation . A guide to Postwar General Aviation Manufacturers and their aircraft. 2nd Edition. Airlife Publishing, 1995, ISBN 1-85310-577-5 , pp. 435 .
↑ ^a ^b Explanation board for the exhibit in the Flugwerft Schleißheim ( online version , accessed on March 7, 2010)
↑ Typhoon motorglider airborne . In: JM Ramsden (Ed.): Flight International . Volume 119, No. 3754 . IPC Transport Press, April 18, 1981, ISSN 0015-3710 , p. 1112 (English, available online [accessed February 7, 2012]).
^ Derek Pigott: Typhoon riding the wind . In: Flight International . IPC Transport Press, April 13, 1985, ISSN 0015-3710 , p. 18–21 (English, available online [accessed February 7, 2012]).
↑ Taifun - motor glider with retractable landing gear (information brochure from the manufacturer Valentin)
↑ ^a ^b Flight Manual TAIFUN 17E , April 1983 edition

[simpson-1] A ^b ^c ^d ^e RW Simpson: Airlife's General Aviation . A guide to Postwar General Aviation Manufacturers and their aircraft. 2nd Edition. Airlife Publishing, 1995, ISBN 1-85310-577-5 , pp. 435 .

[schleißheim-2] Explanation board for the exhibit in the Flugwerft Schleißheim ( online version , accessed on March 7, 2010)

[FLint_apr1981-3] Typhoon motorglider airborne . In: JM Ramsden (Ed.): Flight International . Volume 119, No. 3754 . IPC Transport Press, April 18, 1981, ISSN 0015-3710 , p. 1112 (English, available online [accessed February 7, 2012]).

[FLint_apr1985-4] Derek Pigott: Typhoon riding the wind . In: Flight International . IPC Transport Press, April 13, 1985, ISSN 0015-3710 , p. 18–21 (English, available online [accessed February 7, 2012]).

[Broschüre-5] Taifun - motor glider with retractable landing gear (information brochure from the manufacturer Valentin)

[Handbuch-6] Flight Manual TAIFUN 17E , April 1983 edition