Aviastroitel AC-7M

Russian motorglider

AC-7M
Role	Motor glider Type of aircraft
National origin	Russia
Manufacturer	Aviastroitel
Designer	Vladimir Egorovich Fedorov
First flight	2005
Introduction	2006
Status	In production (2011)
Number built	at least two
Variants	Aviastroitel AC-7

The Aviastroitel AC-7M is a Russian mid-wing, T-tailed, two-seats in side-by-side configuration motor glider that was designed by Vladimir Egorovich Fedorov and produced by Aviastroitel, now Glider Air Craft.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Design and development

Development of the AC-7M was started in 2002, it was first flown in 2005 and by 2006 two prototypes had been completed.^[1]^[3]

The AC-7M is a conventional self-launching sailplane, but is equipped with a more powerful retractable pusher configuration Hirth F30A25A 77.2 kW (104 hp) two stroke engine than is normal in these types, allowing it to be also used as a glider tug and as touring motor glider. The aircraft is capable of cruising at 180 km/h (112 mph) for 1,800 km (1,118 mi) while burning only 9 litres per hour (2.0 imp gal/h; 2.4 US gal/h) of fuel.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The AC-7M uses a two bladed wooden propeller of 1.18 m (46 in) diameter. The 18 m (59.1 ft) span wing employs a Wortmann FX60-157 airfoil and mounts Fowler flaps. The wings are mounted on the fuselage with a single cam-pin and the ailerons and air brakes hook-up automatically. The fixed landing gear consists of a narrow track pair of rubber-suspended 360 mm (14.2 in) main wheels, a 310 mm (12.2 in) nose wheel and a 200 mm (7.9 in) tail caster. The main wheels incorporate lever-actuated drum brakes. The cockpit can accommodate pilots up to 190 cm (74.8 in) in height. The canopy provides 300° field of view and is jettisonable. Assembly from its trailer takes four people 20 minutes.^[1]^[2]^[3]

The AC-7M was later developed into the unpowered and redesigned AC-7.^[4]

Variants

AC-7M: Side-by-side, two seat motor glider with a retractable Hirth F30A25A 77.2 kW (104 hp) two stroke engine.^[1]^[2]
AC-7K: Development of the AC-7M, but with a fuselage-mounted Rotax 912ULS 73.5 kW (99 hp) four stroke engine, driving a retractable 1.18 m (46 in) diameter, two bladed wooden propeller.^[5]

Specifications (AC-7M)

Data from Company^[1]^[2]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: one passenger
Length: 7.15 m (23 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 18 m (59 ft 1 in)
Height: 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 13.5 m² (145 sq ft)
Aspect ratio: 24:1
Empty weight: 490 kg (1,080 lb)
Gross weight: 680 kg (1,499 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Hirth F30A25A , 77.2 kW (103.5 hp)
Propellers: 2-bladed, 1.180 m (3 ft 10 in) diameter

Performance

Cruise speed: 180 km/h (110 mph, 97 kn)
Stall speed: 74 km/h (46 mph, 40 kn)
Never exceed speed: 220 km/h (140 mph, 120 kn)
Range: 1,800 km (1,100 mi, 970 nmi)
g limits: +5.3/-2.65
Maximum glide ratio: 38:1 at 105 km/h (65 mph)
Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min)
Rate of sink: 0.8 m/s (160 ft/min) at 110 km/h (68 mph)
Wing loading: 50 kg/m² (10 lb/sq ft)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Aviastroitel (2006). "This Russian enterprise Aviastroitel". Retrieved 5 October 2011.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Glider Air Craft (n.d.). "Motorglider AC-7M". Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 174. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
^ Glider Air Craft (n.d.). "Double seated glider AC-7". Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2011.
^ Glider Air Craft (n.d.). "Motorglider AC-7K". Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 10 October 2011.