|
The S-12 introduced in 1990 is a side by
side seating two place trigear in a pusher configuration. Construction is
bolt and rivet together aluminum tube construction, with a front pilot
enclosure constructed of welded steel tubing. This enclosure is then
attached to a main boom tube which runs to the tail assembly.
The craft is covered in dacron sail cloth and can be
purchased with a full enclosure, partial enclosure or just a windscreen.
Building times are in the 150 to 200 hour range. The craft has dual stick,
throttle and rudder controls. Assembly manuals and instructions are good,
and kit comes well labelled.
The factory rates an A+ for customer service and
quality of kit.
The S-12 XL Airaile can be powered
with the 503 and 582 Rotax. two stroke engines or the 912 4 stroke. Climb
even with the 582 is only about 600 feet per minute, with a cruise of
around 75 m.p.h. at 5800 R.P.M..
Cabin noise is loud, but
visibility is excellent, as long as the windshield hasn't been scratched.
Trim adjustments are required for increase or decrease in throttle
settings, and a considerable amount of input is needed to do coordinated
turns. This baby is a rock in the sky when it looses an engine.
The Ultralight Flyer rates
The
Factory 9.0
The S-12 Airaile
6.0
|
