Flight Team Spider

Spider
Role Ultralight trike
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Flight Team UG & Company AG
Status In production (2013)
Produced 1992-present
Number built several hundred
Variants Flight Team Twister

The Flight Team Spider is a German ultralight trike, designed by Flight Team UG & Company AG of Ippesheim and produced under subcontract by Pipistrel of Ajdovščina, Slovenia. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.[1]

In production since 1992, several hundred Spiders have been delivered to customers.[1]

Design and development

The Spider was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb). It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit with a cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in pusher configuration.[1]

In its Spider XL version the aircraft is made from TIG-welded, powder coated steel tubing, with its double surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 9.5 m (31.2 ft) span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. The main landing gear is suspended by fibreglass gear legs. The powerplant is a twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two-stroke, dual-ignition 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 engine.[1]

The aircraft has an empty weight of 180 kg (397 lb) and a gross weight of 450 kg (992 lb), giving a useful load of 270 kg (595 lb). With full fuel of 42 litres (9.2 imp gal; 11 US gal) the payload is 240 kg (529 lb).[1]

A number of different wings can be fitted to the basic carriage, including those built by Air Creation. Flight Team is the Air Creation importer for Germany.[1]

Variants

Spider XL
Current production model.[1]

Specifications (Spider XL)

Data from Bayerl[1]

General characteristics

Performance

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 211. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X

External links