Sportavia-Pützer RS 180 Sportsman

RS-180 Sportsman
Role	Sport aircraft
National origin	Germany
Manufacturer	Sportavia-Pützer
Designer	René Fournier
First flight	1978^[1]
Number built	18^[2]
Unit cost	DM 92,500 in 1978^[3]
Developed from	Fournier RF-6

The Sportavia-Pützer RS-180 Sportsman is a four-seat sport aircraft that was produced in Germany in the late 1970s.^[4]

The aircraft is a conventional, low-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tricycle undercarriage.^[1] The pilot and passengers are seated in 2+2 configuration under a large bubble canopy.^[5] The structure is of wood, covered in plywood and given an outer skin of fibreglass.^[1]

The RS-180 was developed from the RF-6C after the fatal crash of one of the RF-6C prototypes in May 1977.^[3] The extensive redesign included reshaping the horizontal tail and relocating it part-way up the fin,^[3] changing the wing profile,^[3] and removing the turned-down wingtips of the RF-6C.^[3] In this form, the RS-180 gained German type certification in 1978.^[6] The Sportsman was not a commercial success and Sportavia-Pützer built only 18 examples before ceasing production in 1979.^[2]

Specifications (RS 180)

Data from Wurster 2001, p.89

General characteristics

Crew: one pilot
Capacity: three passengers
Length: 7.15 m (23 ft 5 in)
Wingspan: 10.5 m (34 ft 5 in)
Height: 2.56 m (8 ft 5 in)
Wing area: 14.5 m² (156 ft²)
Empty weight: 640 kg (1,410 lb)
Gross weight: 1,100 kg (2,420 lb)
Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360-A3A, 132 kW (177 hp)

Performance

Maximum speed: 320 km/h (200 mph)
Range: 1,210 km (746 miles)
Service ceiling: 5,400 m (17,700 ft)

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c "Team Test 43: Sportavia RS 180", p.88
^ ^a ^b Simpson 1995, p.378
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Barnett, Field, Hurst et al. 1978, p.1438
^ Taylor 1989, p.839
^ "Team Test 43: Sportavia RS 180", p.89
^ "Certification du RS 180 Sportsman", p.42

References

Barnett, Cliff; Hugh Field, Mike Hurst, Mark Lambert, Nigel Moll, Doug Richardson (13 May 1978). "Hanover Review". Flight International: 1436–48. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1978/1978%20-%200766.html. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
"Certification du RS 180 Sportsman". Aviation Magazine International: 42. 1978.
Simpson, R.W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife.
Taylor, John W.R. (1977). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Yearbooks.
Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
"Team Test 43: Sportavia RS 180". Flight International: 88–95. 12 January 1980. http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%200094.html. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
Wurster, Rolf (2001). 50 Jahre Deutsche Motorflugzeuge. Norderstedt: Books on Demand.

Aircraft designed by René Fournier

RF-1 • RF-2 • RF-3 • RF-4 • RF-5 • RF-6 • RF-7 • RF-8 • RF-9 • RF-10 • RF-47

Aircraft produced by Sportavia-Pützer

RF-4D • RF7 • RS 180 Sportsman • SFS 31 Milan

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