Viper Aircraft Viperjet
| Viper Aircraft Viperjet | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Type: | Sport plane |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: |
Viper Aircraft Corp. |
| First flight: |
1999 |
The Viperjet is a sport aircraft designed and built by Viper Aircraft Corporation , which is supplied by the manufacturer in kits . It is a conventional low-wing aircraft with seats arranged one behind the other. The jet engine is housed in the fuselage and the nose wheel landing gear is retractable. The aircraft is made entirely of fiber composite materials .
development
The first prototype of the Viperjet MK I flew in 1999 and was presented to the public for the first time in 2000 at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh . This prototype was powered by a Turboméca Marboré engine. However, this engine was too weak for the designers and consumed too much fuel, which is why a new attempt was made with a General Electric T58 shaft engine that had been converted into a turbojet. But that didn't meet expectations either and was in turn replaced by the General Electric J85 engine, which was able to provide four times the thrust. The aircraft was then equipped with this. At the same time, the aircraft was also substantially further developed. This further development resulted in the second MK II prototype, which had its maiden flight in 2005. He had a reinforced landing gear, three times the tank volume and a pressurized cabin. An upgrade kit to the MK II version was also offered for the MK I.
In 2008 the Pasco, Washington- based company announced that it was considering a military version of the aircraft. Such a military version would include both a trainer aircraft and an unmanned version. It was also announced that a larger successor version, which would be powered by a turbofan engine, as the "Viper Aircraft FanJet" was in development.
This successor is now offered with the Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D engine.
construction
The special thing about the Viperjet is that the customer receives the jet in individual parts and has to assemble it himself. The basic MKII kit costs 182,000 USD, but with extras such as multifunction displays or leather seats, most kits are sold for around 300,000 USD. The manufacturer also offers an auxiliary program, whereby the most important parts are delivered pre-assembled and, following construction, a training program is offered in which the customer learns to fly the Viperjet.
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Viperjet MK II | Viper FanJet |
|---|---|---|
| crew | 1 (pilot) | |
| capacity | 2 people (pilot and passenger) | |
| length | 7.80 m | 9.75 m |
| span | 8.48 m | 9.75 m |
| height | 4.57 m | |
| Width of the cabin | 0.91 m | |
| Empty weight | 1,452 kg | 1,406 kg |
| Take-off mass | 2,320 kg | 2,563 kg |
| Starting distance | 366 - 457 m | |
| Landing route | 762 m | |
| Engine | 1 × General Electric J85 | 1 × Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D |
| thrust | 12.7 kN | 9.8 - 11.1 kN |
| Top speed | 700 km / h | |
| Cruising speed | 626 km / h | |
| Range | 2,400 km | 2,600 km |
| Service ceiling | 13,715 m | |
| Rate of climb | 61 m / s | |
Individual evidence
- ↑ Di Freeze: The Path to the Viperjet MkII. (PDF) In: Volume 4 • Number 10. Pacific Northwest Aviation & Business Journal, November 2005, pp. 8C-14C , accessed on October 30, 2010 (English, publication of an article from www.AirportJournals.com on the Viperjet server ).
- ^ Viper Aircraft Announces Next Generation Aircraft. (PDF) viper-aircraft.com, May 15, 2008, accessed on October 30, 2010 (English, press release).