The Phoenix Industries TZ-1 ParaFlyer is an American

powered parachute A powered parachute, often abbreviated PPC, and also called a motorized parachute or paraplane, is a type of aircraft that consists of a parafoil with a motor and wheels. The FAA defines a powered parachute as ''a powered aircraft a flexible o ...

that was designed and produced by

Phoenix Industries Phoenix Industries, Inc. was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Southampton, New Jersey. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of powered parachutes and paramotors in the form of ready-to-fly aircraft in the US FAR 103 U ...

Southampton, New Jersey Southampton Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Burlington County, New Jersey, Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 10,464 reflecting an increase of 76 (+ ...

. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 342. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998.

Design and development

The TZ-1 ParaFlyer was designed to comply with the US

FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles Ultralight aircraft in the United States are much smaller and lighter than ultralight aircraft as defined by all other countries. In the United States, ultralights are described as "ultralight vehicles" and not as aircraft. They are not req ...

rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of . The aircraft has a standard empty weight of and was marketed as the lightest powered parachute design available. It features a

parachute A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, who ...

-style wing single-place accommodation,

tricycle landing 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 g ...

and a single

Zenoah G-25 The Zenoah G-25 is a single cylinder, two stroke, carburetted aircraft engine, with optional fuel injection, designed for use on ultralight aircraftCliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page G-8 Cybair Limited Publi ...

engine in

pusher configuration In an aircraft with a pusher configuration (as opposed to a tractor configuration), the propeller(s) are mounted behind their respective engine(s). Since a pusher propeller is mounted behind the engine, the drive shaft is in compression in nor ...

. The aircraft carriage is built from bolted

aluminium 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. I ...

tubing. In flight steering is accomplished via handles that actuate the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw. On the ground the aircraft has foot pedal-controlled nosewheel steering. The main landing gear incorporates spring rod suspension. An instrument pod, including a tachometer, cylinder head temperature gauge and exhaust gas temperature gauge, was a factory option. The aircraft has a typical empty weight of and a gross weight of , giving a useful load of . With full fuel of the payload for the pilot and baggage is . The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a engine is and the landing roll is . The aircraft can be folded up and transported in most automobiles. The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as 10 hours.

Specifications (TZ-1 ParaFlyer)

References

{{Phoenix Industries aircraft TZ-1 1990s United States sport aircraft 1990s United States ultralight aircraft Single-engined pusher aircraft Powered parachutes