The InterPlane Griffon is a single seat, high wing, single engine, pusher configuration,

tricycle gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle ...

ultralight aircraft, that was produced in kit form from

InterPlane Aircraft InterPlane Aircraft sro, also called InterPlane Aircraft, Inc., was a Czech aircraft manufacturer based in Zbraslavice and founded in 1992. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of kits for ama ...

Zbraslavice Zbraslavice (german: Sbraslawitz) is a municipality and village in Kutná Hora District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historicall ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

.Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 181. BAI Communications. Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-27 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.

Development

The Griffon was the first design produced by InterPlane when they opened for business in 1992. The Griffon was designed for the requirements of the US FAR 103 ''Ultralight Vehicles'' category, including that category's maximum empty weight. The Griffon airframe is constructed 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, with the wings and tail covered with doped

aircraft fabric Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...

. The wing is supported by a "V"

strut A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension. Human anatomy Part of the functionality o ...

and utilizes

jury struts In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...

. It features a three tube tail that allows the pusher propeller to be located in between the tail booms. Standard features supplied included brakes, electric starting,

wheel pants An aircraft fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and reduce drag.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, Third Edition'', page 206. Aviation Supplies & Academics Inc, Newcastle Washington, 1997. ...

, elevator trim system and a plastic cockpit pod fairing with a windshield. The wings and tail surfaces can be folded for trailering or storage. Available engines included the

Rotax 447 The Rotax 447 is a , inline 2-cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine, built by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG of Austria for use in ultralight aircraft.Raisner, William: ''LEAF catlog'', pages 6-105. Leading Edge Airfoils, 1995. Design and development ...

and the

Rotax 503 The Rotax 503 is a , inline 2-cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine, built by BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co. KG of Austria for use in ultralight aircraft.Raisner, William: ''LEAF catlog'', pages 6-105. Leading Edge Airfoils, 1995. As of 2011 the Rot ...

Variants

;Griffon :Basic version equipped with

, empty weight . ;Griffon EX :Deluxe version equipped with

, empty weight .

Specifications (Griffon EX)

References

{{InterPlane Aircraft Griffon 1990s Czech and Czechoslovakian ultralight aircraft Single-engined pusher aircraft

Development

Variants

Specifications (Griffon EX)

See also

References