Spartan DFS Trike

The Spartan DFS Trike is an American ultralight aircraft designed and produced by Spartan Microlights. The aircraft was the first ultralight introduced that could be flown with a hang glider-style wing as an ultralight trike or with a powered parachute wing.[1][2][3]

DFS Trike
Role Ultralight trike and powered parachute
National origin United States
Manufacturer Spartan Microlights
Status In production

The designation of DFS stands for Dual Face System, referring to its ability to mount either hang glider or powered parachute wings.[3]

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 212 lb (96 kg) with a Daedalus 190 hang glider wing. It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. In powered parachute mode it uses a Shuttle GRX canopy and is controlled with aerodynamic brakes.[1][2]

The aircraft fuselage is made from aluminum tubing, while the hang glider wing is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing and covered in Dacron sailcloth. The hang glider wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame control bar. A fiberglass cockpit fairing, windshield, brakes and floats are optional. The original engine supplied was the Rotax 277 single cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine of 28 hp (21 kW), which is now out-of-production. Present engines available include the 28 hp (21 kW) Zanzottera MZ 34, 28 hp (21 kW) Hirth F-33 and the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447.[1][2]

In 2012 the aircraft was marketed under the name DFS Single.[4]

Specifications (DFS with hang glider wing)

Data from Cliche[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wing area: 199 sq ft (18.5 m2)
  • Empty weight: 212 lb (96 kg)
  • Gross weight: 462 lb (210 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 277 single cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine, 28 hp (21 kW)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 34 mph (55 km/h, 30 kn)
  • Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)

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References
  1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page C-27. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  2. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 111. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. Downey, Julia: 2000 Trike and 'Chute Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 2, February 2000, page 54. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
  4. Spartan Microlights (1998). "Products". Archived from the original on 15 January 2012. Retrieved 26 January 2012.
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