Valentin Taifun 17E, showing its 17-metre (55 foot) wingspan

The Valentin Taifun is a two-seat self-launching sailplane designed and built by Valentin Flugzeugbau GmbH of Hasfurt, Germany.

Design and development

The Taifun is an all glass-fibre low-wing cantilever monoplane with a T-tail and side-by-side seating for two occupants. It has a manually operated retractable tricycle landing gear. The Taifun is powered originally by an 80hp (60kW) Limbach L2000EB (Volkswagen) engine with later production aircraft being fitted with 90hp (67kW) Limbach L2400EB engine. The wings fold back along the fuselage sides for transportation and storage. The prototype, registered D-KONO, first flew on the 28 February 1981. The main production aircraft had a 17-metre wingspan and was designated the Taifun 17E. Two examples of aircraft with a 12-metre wingspan were built as the Taifun 12E which were classed as light-aircraft rather than a motor glider. An improved four-seat Taifun 11S was studied with a 115hp (86kW) Lycoming O-235 engine and fixed landing gear but the design was abandoned.

Variants

Taifun 17E

Main production variant with a 17 metre wingspan and a Limbach flat-four engine.

Taifun 17E II

Later production variant with a 17 metre wingspan and a Limbach flat-four engine or can be retrofitted with a Rotax 914, hydraulically operated landing gear, double panel Schempp-Hirth type airbrakes on the upper wing surface. a.k.a. WI Taifun 17 EII

Taifun 12E

Variant with a 12 metre wingspan, two built.

Taifun 11S

Planned variant with four-seats, not built.

Aircraft on display

Specifications (17E)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1985–86, Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 7.782m (25ft 6in)
  • Wingspan: 17m (55ft 9in)
  • Height: 2.48m (8ft 2in)
  • Wing area: 17.6m2 (189sqft)
  • Aspect ratio: 16.4
  • Airfoil: Wortmann FX-67-K-170/17
  • Empty weight: 610kg (1,345lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 850kg (1,874lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 90L (24USgal; 20impgal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Limbach L.2000EB 4-cyl. air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 60kW (80hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Mühlbauer MTV-1-A variable-pitch feathering propeller, 1.6m (5ft 3in) diameter

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 220km/h (140mph, 120kn) max
  • Stall speed: 72km/h (45mph, 39kn) un-powered
  • Never exceed speed: 250km/h (160mph, 130kn) in smooth air

185km/h (100kn; 115mph) in rough air

  • Range: 1,250km (780mi, 670nmi) with maximum fuel
  • Service ceiling: 5,000m (16,000ft)
  • g limits: +5.3 -2.65
  • Maximum glide ratio: 30 at 105km/h (57kn; 65mph)
  • Rate of climb: 3.2m/s (630ft/min) max at Sea level
  • Rate of sink: 0.95m/s (187ft/min) at 75km/h (40kn; 47mph)
  • Wing loading: 48.3kg/m2 (9.9lb/sqft)
  • Power/mass: 12.67 kg/kW (20.82 lb/hp)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Bibliography

  • Taylor, John W.R.; Munson, Kenneth, eds. (1985). Jane's all the world's aircraft, 1985-86 (76ed.). London: Jane's Pub. p.744. ISBN978-0-7106-0821-5.
  • Taylor, Michael J.H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopaedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. ISBN978-0-517-69186-1.
  • John W.R. Taylor, ed. (1988). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. London: Jane's Information Group. ISBN0-7106-0867-5.
  • Simpson, R.W. (1991). Airlife's General Aviation. England: Airlife Publishing. ISBN1-85310-194-X.

External links

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