The Aviastroitel AC-5M is a Russian mid-wing, single-seat, T-tailed motor glider and unmanned aerial vehicle that is produced by

Aviastroitel Aviastroitel Ltd. (russian: ООО "Авиастроитель", in English literally ''Aircraft Manufacturers'') is a manufacturer of sailplanes that was originally based in Penza, Russia. Since 2010, the company has been known as ''Glider Air C ...

, now Glider Air Craft.Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 54. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X

Design and development

The AC-5M is derived from the motorized version of the

Aviastroitel AC-4 Russia The Aviastroitel AC-4 Russia is a Russian mid-wing, single-seat glider designed by Vladimir Egorovich Fedorov and produced by Aircraft Cooperative Mechta, which became Aviastroitel, now Glider Air Craft. The aircraft is sometimes referred ...

. Its design goals were to produce a simple and inexpensive self-launching sailplane. It had its first flight in December 1999 and production commenced in 2000 with a total of 35 completed. The AC-5M features a span wing that employs a Wortmann FX60-157

airfoil An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is the cross-sectional shape of an object whose motion through a gas is capable of generating significant lift, such as a wing, a sail, or the blades of propeller, rotor, or turbine. ...

. The wings are mounted on the fuselage with a single cam-pin and the

aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

s and air brakes hook-up automatically. Assembly can be accomplished by one person in five minutes. The engine is a Zanzottera MZ-35R, which is a special narrow engine design developed specifically for retractable engine motor gliders. The engine retracts rearwards into a bay behind the cockpit and is closed by two doors for drag reduction. The propeller is a two bladed wooden design of diameter. The landing gear is a retractable monowheel gear with a lever-actuated

drum brake A drum brake is a brake that uses friction caused by a set of shoes or pads that press outward against a rotating cylinder-shaped part called a brake drum. The term ''drum brake'' usually means a brake in which shoes press on the inner surfac ...

, but without suspension. The

cockpit A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a Pilot in command, pilot controls the aircraft. The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the ...

can accommodate pilots up to in height. The canopy provides 300° field of view and is jettisonable. In 2003 the aircraft sold for

US$ The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

33,000.

Operational history

In October 2011 there were 22 AC-5Ms registered with the US Federal Aviation Administration and one registered with Transport Canada. Because the aircraft was never type certified all American examples are in the ''Experimental - Racing/Exhibition'' category, while Canadian are in the ''Limited Category''.

Variants

;AC-5M :Single seat motor glider powered by a Zanzottera MZ-35R two-stroke powerplant. ;AC-5MP :Unmanned aerial vehicle version powered by a Rotax 912UL four stroke powerplant mounted on a fixed, non-retractable pylon. This version mounts equipment for satellite navigation, radio remote control, TV monitoring and autonomous operation and was intended to operate at altitudes from . ;AC-5K :Version of the 5M, but with a fixed Simonini Victor 1 engine and a retractable two-blade wooden propeller. ;AC-5Me :American developed prototype electric propulsion variant powered by a 25 kW (33.5 hp) Rotex RET-60, MGM-Compro HBC-280120-3EI controller and proprietary 4.4 kWh battery pack incorporating 448 Molicel P-26A cells.

Specifications (AC-5M)

References

External links