Pipistrel Taurus

Taurus
Role Self-launching Sailplane
National origin Slovenia
Manufacturer Pipistrel
First flight 2002

The Pipistrel Taurus is a Slovenian self-launched two-seat microlight sailplane designed and built by Pipistrel.[1]

Development

Developed by Pipistrel as one of the first self-launched sailplanes in the microlight category the design used the wings of the Pipistrel Sinus with a new two-seat side-by-side fuselage.[1] To enable the Taurus to self-launch a pop-out propeller is mounted on the rear fuselage driven by a Rotax 503 piston engine.[1] In 2007 the company developed the Taurus Electro with the piston engine replaced by a permanent magnet synchronous three-phase brushless motor.[2]

Variants

Taurus 503
Variant powered by Rotax 503 pop-up piston-engine.
Taurus Electro
Variant with an electric motor replacing the piston engine; first flown in 2007.[2]
Taurus PUREGLIDER
Unpowered variant without engine fitted.
Taurus Electro G2
Introduced in February 2011 as a two-seat self-launching sailplane, powered by a 40 kW (54 hp) engine and lithium batteries. Powered endurance is 17 minutes, intending to allow for self-launching[3] to an altitude of 2000 m (6500 ft),[4] after which the engine is retracted and the aircraft then soars as a sailplane.
Taurus G4
One-off twin fuselage, four seat version, based on the Taurus Electro and acting as an engine devlopment test bed for their forthcoming Panther four seat hybrid. It has a 150 kW (201 hp) motor mounted on the central wing section between the fuselages. With two people on board, it was the winner of the Green Flight Challenge held in September 2011, covering 403.5 passenger miles per gallon equivalent and receiving the $1.35 million prize donated by NASA. [5]

Specifications

Data from [6]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2004/2005. Pagefast Ltd, England. 2004. p. p. 156. ISSN 1368-485X. 
  2. ^ a b "Pipistrel - Taurus Electro is flying". Pipistrel. http://www.pipistrel.si/news/739. Retrieved 2009-12-26. 
  3. ^ Grady, Mary (February 2011). "Pipistrel Launches Electric Motorglider". AvWeb. http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/PipistrelLaunchesElectricMotorglider_204127-1.html. Retrieved 17 February 2011. 
  4. ^ "Pipistrel Taurus Electro - Overview". http://www.pipistrel.si/plane/taurus-electro/overview. Retrieved 29 March 2011. 
  5. ^ "Those magnificent men in their green flying machines". Pilot: p.28. January 2012. 
  6. ^ "Pipistrel Taurus - Technical Data". Pipistrel. http://www.pipistrel.si/plane/taurus/technical-data. Retrieved 2009-12-26. 

External links