The Ruschmeyer R 90 is a four-seat light aircraft designed and produced in Germany in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Design and development

MF-85

Ruschmeyer Luftfahrttechnik The Ruschmeyer R 90 is a four-seat light aircraft designed and produced in Germany in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Design and development MF-85 Ruschmeyer Luftfahrttechnik initially designed the Ruschmeyer MF-85, intended to be powered by Po ...

initially designed the Ruschmeyer MF-85, intended to be powered by Porsche PFM 3200 derivatives, which was debuted at the 1987 Hannover Air Show. The MF-85 was a composite four seat aircraft, planned to be offered with engines, priced at DM245,000 to DM325,000 (excluding avionics), with optional fixed or retractable undercarriage. The prototype (V001 D-EEHE) first flew with a Porsche PFM 3200N, driving a 3-bladed Mühlbauer MTV.9 constant speed propeller, on 8 August 1988, piloted by Horst Ruschmeyer. The second and third aircraft, V002 (D-EERO) and V003 (D-EERH), on flew on 23 September 1990 and 12 February 1992 respectively. Despite promising flight test results, the unavailability of Porsche engines led to the development of the Textron Lycoming powered R 90.

R 90

Powered by a Lycoming IO-540-C4D5 driving a Mühlbauer MTV.14-B constant speed propeller, the production R 90-230RG was built from 1988 to the mid-1990s in Germany. The engine is de-rated to to reduce noise, but still enables the R 90 to reach a maximum cruising speed of . German certification was awarded in June 1992, with 28 production aircraft built when Ruschmeyer Luftfahrttechnik filed for bankruptcy in June 1996. In 1999, the assets of Ruschmeyer were purchased by

Solaris Aviation Solaris may refer to: Arts and entertainment Literature, television and film * ''Solaris'' (novel), a 1961 science fiction novel by Stanisław Lem ** ''Solaris'' (1968 film), directed by Boris Nirenburg ** ''Solaris'' (1972 film), directed by ...

of West Palm Beach, Florida, marketing the R90 as the Solaris Sigma. In 2004, the project passed to Aircraft Technology Consulting, which restarted production in Germany, building two more aircraft by mid 2005.

Variants

Data from: ;MF-85: The first three prototypes powered by Porsche PFM 3200 engines. ;R 90: Production aircraft powered by Lycoming IO-540-C4D5 engines ::R 90-230-RG: The main variant with retractable undercarriage ::R 90-230-FG: Variant with fixed undercarriage, powered by

Lycoming O-540-J The Lycoming O-540 is a family of air-cooled six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter engines of displacement, manufactured by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming ...

engines. ::R 90-180-FG: Variant with fixed undercarriage, powered by Lycoming IO-360 engines. ::R 90-350T-RG: High performance variant with retractable undercarriage, powered by turbo-charged engines. ::R 90-420AT-RG:High performance variant with retractable undercarriage, powered by

Allison 250-B17 The Allison Model 250, now known as the Rolls-Royce M250, (US military designations T63 and T703) is a highly successful turboshaft engine family, originally developed by the Allison Engine Company in the early 1960s. The Model 250 has been pro ...

turboprop engines ;R 95: 5/6 seat variant with retractable undercarriage. ;Solaris Sigma: Production and marketing in the United States

Specifications (R 90-230 RG)

References

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External links

{{commons category, Ruschmeyer R90
Airliners.net
1980s German civil utility aircraft 1990s German civil utility aircraft Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1988