Arion Lightning

The Arion Lightning is a light-sport aircraft available as a kit aircraft or as a production Special LSA.[1]

Arion Lightning
Arion Lightning
Role Homebuilt aircraft
National origin United States of America
Manufacturer Arion Aircraft
Designer Pete Krotje, Ben Krotje and Nick Otterback
First flight March 2006
Introduction April 2006
Number built 150 (2012)

Design and development

The Lightning was developed by designers Pete Krotje, Ben Krotje and Nick Otterback.[2]

Originally designed as a high speed, low wing composite aircraft for the Jabiru series of engines, the LS-1 was redesigned to meet American light-sport requirements by extending the wings to lower the stall speed and using a fixed pitch propeller.

The aircraft is made from composites. In the homebuilt kit version its 30.5 ft (9.3 m) span wing has an area of 91 sq ft (8.5 m2) and mounts flaps. The aircraft's recommended engine power is 120 hp (89 kW) and the standard engine used is the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 four-stroke powerplant. Construction time from the supplied kit is 600 hours.[3]

Operational history

In 2007 Earl Ferguson set a record for the quickest time for a flight from Savannah to San Diego in a piston engine land plane weighing between 1,102 and 2,205 pounds using this aircraft.[4]

Variants
Arion Lightning EXP
US Experimental amateur-built category aircraft[3]
Arion Lightning XS
Variant of Lightning EXP supporting up to 160 hp engines, including the Lycoming O-320 and ULPower 390iS.[5]
Arion Lightning LS-1
Light-sport aircraft variant with a choice of engines: the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300, the 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320 or the 210 hp (157 kW) Lycoming IO-390.[3][6]

Specifications (Arion Lightning LS-1)

Data from Arion Aircraft[7]

General characteristics

  • Capacity: 2
  • Length: 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m)
  • Wingspan: 30 ft 6 in (9.30 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
  • Wing area: 104 sq ft (9.7 m2)
  • Empty weight: 820 lb (372 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,320 lb (599 kg) Kit aircraft 1530lbs
  • Fuel capacity: 22 U.S. gallons (83 L) or 30 gallon option
  • Powerplant: 1 × Jabiru 3300 , 120 hp (89 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 140 kn (160 mph, 260 km/h) 160knts KIT
  • Cruise speed: 120 kn (140 mph, 220 km/h) 140knts kit
  • Stall speed: 38 kn (44 mph, 70 km/h) 45knts clean
  • Never exceed speed: 180 kn (210 mph, 330 km/h)
  • Range: 520 nmi (600 mi, 970 km)
  • Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,900 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s) 1500 solo

See also

Related development

References
  1. "Arion Lightning LS-1". Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  2. Plane & Pilot. 9 February 2010. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 43. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  4. Mosely, Brian (29 March 2008), "A record-setting flight in a Shelbyville-made plane", Shelbyville times
  5. "Lightning XS Kit". Arion Aircraft LLC.
  6. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 28. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  7. Arion Aircraft (2011). "Specifications and Pricing" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 April 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  8. Dan Johnson (23 May 2016). "Sun Catches Lightning – Sun Flyer Rollout".

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