Shark.Aero Shark

Shark
Role Tandem seat ultralight aircraft
National origin Slovakia
Manufacturer Shark.Aero s.r.o.
Designer Jaroslav Dostál, Vlado Pekár
First flight 19 August 2009




Shark instrument panel

The Shark.Aero Shark is a conventionally laid out, single engine, low wing light aircraft which seats two in tandem. It was first flown on 19 August 2009 and is built in Slovakia by Shark.Aero s.r.o.. It has optionally fixed or retractable landing gear.

Design and development

The Shark, which was formally announced at AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2007, was designed to fit into both European UL and US LSA categories. Structurally it is a mixture of glass- and carbon-fibre composites (whilst fibreglass is utilised to a very limited extent), with PVC foam filled aramid honeycomb structures sandwiched between panels. The wing main spar is a dismountable two piece carbon fibre beam which joins under the front seat; an auxiliary spar carries the aileron and flap mountings. In plan the leading edge is elliptical and there is slight taper on the outer trailing edge where the ailerons are mounted. Single slotted, electrically operated flaps occupy the rest of the trailing edge. Like the wings, the slightly swept tailplanes are easily detached for storage of transport. There is an electrically operated trim tab in the elevator.[1]

The fuselage of the Shark is formed with integral fin, seat backs, floors and instrument panel. The fin, set forward so the rudder trailing edge is above the elevator hinge line, is shaped like a shark's back fin, strongly swept and with a curved leading edge. There is also a small ventral fin. From the fin forward the upper fuselage line rises rapidly to merge into that of the side hinged, single piece canopy. There is a big baggage space behind the cockpit. Both of the adjustable tandem seats have flight controls; the Shark is flown by a sidestick. It is powered by a 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912ULS driving a three-blade or a two-blade propeller. The Shark UL has retractable gear and a variable-pitch propeller.[1]

The prototype Shark, Czech registered as OK-OUR01, first flew on 19 August 2009. The first flight of the UL was expected early in 2010 but had not happened by January 2011.[1]

Operational history

The third Shark was registered in France as F-JSOR in early 2011[2] but was destroyed whilst competing in the Paris-Madrid air race on 26 June 2011.[3] The fourth appears on the Czech register,[4] flying as a demonstrator in Germany.[5]

Variants

Shark UL
Shark LS
European UL, fixed undercarriage, fixed-pitch propeller.
Shark UL
European UL, retractable undercarriage, variable-pitch propeller.[6]
SportShark
Planned US light-sport aircraft (LSA), longer span and heavier, with fixed undercarriage.[6]

Specifications (UL)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011/12[1]

General characteristics

Performance

Avionics


References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Jackson, Paul (2011). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011-12. Coulsdon, Surrey: IHS Jane's. p. 533. ISBN 978-0-7106-2955-5.
  2. ↑ "Overseas Registrations". Air Britain News: 1036. July 2011.
  3. ↑ "Overseas Registrations". Air Britain News: 1727. November 2011.
  4. ↑ "Overseas Registrations". Air Britain News: 1575. October 2011.
  5. ↑ "Flugsportzentrum Shark". Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  6. 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 75. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
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