The Bautek Astir is a German
high-wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing co ...
, single-place,
hang glider
Hang gliding is an air sport or recreational activity in which a pilot flies a light, non-motorised foot-launched heavier-than-air aircraft called a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminium alloy or composite frame cover ...
designed and produced by
Bautek, of
Kenn, Germany
Kenn is a municipality of the Verbandsgemeinde Schweich on the banks of the Moselle in the Trier-Saarburg district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
History
It can be assumed that the Celts began to live around today's Kenn as early as 250 BC. ...
.
[Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 43. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X]
Design and development
The Astir is an intermediate glider for recreational flying. It has an unusual
bowsprit
The bowsprit of a sailing vessel is a spar extending forward from the vessel's prow. The bowsprit is typically held down by a bobstay
A bobstay is a part of the rigging of a sailing boat or ship. Its purpose is to counteract the upward tensio ...
designed to crumple during a crash landing, preventing damage to the glider structure.
The aircraft is made from
aluminum
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It ha ...
tubing. The wing is covered in
Dacron
Polyethylene terephthalate (or poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is the most common thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing, containers for liquids and foo ...
sailcloth and has a Mylar
leading edge
The leading edge of an airfoil surface such as a wing is its foremost edge and is therefore the part which first meets the oncoming air.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 305. Aviation Supplies & Academics, ...
. Its span wing is
cable braced. The nose angle is 130° and the
aspect ratio is 7.6:1. Unlike many hang glider designs, the Astir comes in one size only with a wide hook-in weight range of . The Astir is certified by DHV as a class 2 glider.
Specifications (Astir)
References
External links
Official website(German language)
{{Bautek aircraft
Hang gliders