PC-Flight Pretty Flight
| Pretty Flight | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Role | Two-seat ultralight |
| National origin | Germany |
| Manufacturer | Original: PC-Flight Present: GM&T International |
| Designer | Calin Gologan |
| First flight | November 1996 |
| Status | In production (2011)[1] |
| Number built | At least 5 |
|
| |
The PC-Flight Pretty Flight is a single-engined, two-seat ultralight aircraft, designed in Germany and built in Romania in the 1990s. Few were built.
In 2011 the aircraft was listed as back in production as the GM&T International Pretty Flight.[1]
Design and development
Production rights to the Pretty Flight have been held by several companies. It was designed by Calin Gologan and test flown by Peter Maderitch, whose first initials formed the original company name, PC-Flight. This company ceased trading in 2005 but reformed as PCH-Flugzeubau to continue marketing. Production rights went to PC-Aero in Germany but were quickly taken on by GM&T International of Romania in 2005.[1][2][3]
The Pretty Flight is a conventionally laid out, high-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, fitted with a single engine and seating two in side by side. The wing is braced with a single, faired lift strut on either side. Its skin is mostly metal apart from the rear part of the wings and the control surfaces. The wing tips are upturned and the fin swept. The wing carries full span flaperons and the fin a horn-balanced rudder. The cabin seats two side-by-side. Its tricycle gear has cantilever spring main legs and a cantilever nose leg, with wheels in fairings. The Pretty Flight has a ballistic recovery parachute.[4]
The first flight was in November 1996. Pretty Flight parts were produced by Star Tech Impex of Romania and assembled by Nitsche Flugzeubau in Germany. One prototype, one production aircraft and three pre-series aircraft had been built when German certification was achieved in September 1998. A batch of ten production aircraft was established in November 1998 but later suspended at least until the rights change to GM&T; it is not known how many production Pretty Flights were completed.[2][3] The GM&T demonstrator D-MNPF was the 1996 first prototype.[2]
Operational history
The GM&T aircraft was exhibited at Aero '05, Friedrichshafen, in April 2005, but was not present in 2007.[3] By mid-2010 there were 5 Pretty Flights on the German civil aviation register but none elsewhere in Europe.[5]
Specifications
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1999/2000[4]
General characteristics
- Capacity: 2
- Length: 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in)
- Wingspan: 10.00 m (32 ft 10 in)
- Height: 2.57 m (8 ft 5 in)
- Wing area: 11.66 m2 (125.5 sq ft)
- Airfoil: GAW PC-1
- Empty weight: 270 kg (595 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 58 L (15.3 US gal, 12.8 Imp gal) standard
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912UL flat four, 60 kW (80 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed fixed pitch
Performance
- Maximum speed: 210 km/h (130 mph; 113 kn)
- Cruising speed: 195 km/h (121 mph; 105 kn) at 75% power
- Stall speed: 63 km/h (39 mph; 34 kn)
- Range: 2,000 km (1,243 mi; 1,080 nmi) at 40% power
- Rate of climb: 5.6 m/s (1,100 ft/min) maximum, at sea level
References
- 1 2 3 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 56. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
- 1 2 3 Jackson, Paul (2005). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2005-2006. Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p. 184. ISBN 0-71-062684-3.
- 1 2 3 Jackson, Paul (2009). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2009-2010. Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-71-062880-0.
- 1 2 Jackson, Paul (1999). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1999-2000. Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. p. 162. ISBN 0-71-061898-0.
- ↑ Partington, Dave (2010). European registers handbook 2010. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. p. 286. ISBN 978-0-85130-425-0.