SIPA S.90

S.90 series
SIPA S.901 at Berck-sur-Mer in May 1957
Role	Personal and trainer aircraft
National origin	France
Manufacturer	SIPA
First flight	15 May 1947
Introduction	1948
Primary users	private owners French aero clubs
Produced	1948 - early 1950s
Number built	113

The SIPA S.90 was a French-built two-seat light touring and training aircraft of the 1940s and 1950s.

Design

The SIPA S.90 was designed by Yves Gardan for the Societe Industrielle pour l'Aeronautique (SIPA). The prototype first flew on 15 May 1947, winning a French government competition for a new light two-seat aircraft for operation by the French aero clubs.

The initial production S.90 was a low-wing aircraft with fixed tailwheel undercarriage and side-by-side seating for two. It was powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Mathis G4F engine. Four examples were built.^[1]

Production and service

100 aircraft were ordered by the French government, on behalf of the aero clubs, and these were powered by the 75 hp (56 kW) Minie 4DC engine as the SIPA S.901. The first made its initial flight on 25 June 1948. Deliveries were completed in the early 1950s. Various engines were later installed in the S.901, giving rise to new model numbers.^[2]

In later years, the S.90 series readily found buyers in the secondhand market and examples have flown with private owners in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Nine further aircraft were built later with plywood covering in lieu of fabric, receiving new designations. In 2001, 15 examples remained airworthy in France, Switzerland and the UK.

Total production of all models was 113 aircraft.

Variants

A SIPA S.903 in 1989; this Swiss-registered variant was powered by the 90 hp (67 kW) Continental C90 engine

SIPA 903 at Old Warden, June 2014

The following variants were produced:^[3]

S.90

4 aircraft with 75 hp (56 kW) Mathis G4F engine

S.901

100 aircraft with 75 hp (56 kW) Minie 4Dc-32 engine. Most were re-engined as follows.

S.902

S.901 with 85 hp (63 kW) Continental C85-12F engine

S.903

S.901 with 90 hp (67 kW) Continental C90-14F engine

S.904

S.901 with 75 hp (56 kW) Salmson 5AQ-01 engine

S.91

2 new aircraft as S.902 but with plywood-covered fuselage and wings

S.92

1 new aircraft as S.91 with 85 hp (63 kW) Mathis 4GB-62 engine

S.93

1 new aircraft as S.91 with 75 hp (56 kW) Salmson 5AQ-01 engine

S.94

5 new aircraft as S.91 with 90 hp (67 kW) Continental C90-8F engine

Specifications (SIPA S.902)

Data from Simpson^[4]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Capacity: one passenger
• Length: 18 ft 10 in (5.74 m)
• Wingspan: 28 ft 8 in (8.74 m)
• Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
• Empty weight: 807 lb (366 kg)
• Useful load: 516 lb (234 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 1,323 lb (600 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85-12F, 85 hp (64 kW)
• Propellers: 1 prop, 1 per engine

Performance

• Maximum speed: 134 mph (117 kn) 217 km/h
• Cruise speed: 120 mph (104 kn) 194
• Range: 315 miles (273 nmi) 510 km
• Power/mass: 15.6 lb/hp (0.11 kW/kg)

References

Notes

1. Simpson, 2005, p. 280
2. Green, 1955, p. 171
3. Simpson, 2005, p. 280-281
4. Simpson, 2001, p. 508

Bibliography

• Green, William (1955). The Aircraft of the World. Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd.
• Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-115-3.
• Simpson, Rod (2005). The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-222-5.