The Rensselaer RP-3 (for ''Rensselaer Polytechnic design 3'') is an American
mid-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 con ...
,
T-tail
A T-tail is an empennage configuration in which the tailplane is mounted to the top of the fin. The arrangement looks like the capital letter T, hence the name. The T-tail differs from the standard configuration in which the tailplane ...
ed single-seat,
glider
Glider may refer to:
Aircraft and transport Aircraft
* Glider (aircraft), heavier-than-air aircraft primarily intended for unpowered flight
** Glider (sailplane), a rigid-winged glider aircraft with an undercarriage, used in the sport of glidin ...
that was designed by
Brian E. Thompson and produced by the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute of
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the U.S. state of New York and the county seat of Rensselaer County. The city is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany ...
.
It first flew in 1998.
Design and development
The RP-3 was the third aircraft design in Rensselaer's Composite Aircraft Program and was completed in 1998.
The aircraft is of composite construction. Its span wing employs a Wortmann FX-67-K170/17
airfoil and features
split flaps. The landing gear is a retractable monowheel, with an auxiliary tailwheel. The aircraft is considerably larger and heavier than its predecessors, the
RP-1
RP-1 (alternatively, Rocket Propellant-1 or Refined Petroleum-1) is a highly refined form of kerosene outwardly similar to jet fuel, used as rocket fuel. RP-1 provides a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen (LH2), but is cheaper, is s ...
and
RP-2, with an empty weight of and a gross weight of . Despite its large wingspan the RP-3 achieved only a 32:1
glide ratio
In aerodynamics, the lift-to-drag ratio (or L/D ratio) is the lift generated by an aerodynamic body such as an aerofoil or aircraft, divided by the aerodynamic drag caused by moving through air. It describes the aerodynamic efficiency under giv ...
.
Only one RP-3 was built and it was
registered with the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...
in the ''
Experimental - Amateur-built'' category.
Aircraft on display
*
New York State Museum
The New York State Museum is a research-backed institution in Albany, New York, United States. It is located on Madison Avenue, attached to the south side of the Empire State Plaza, facing onto the plaza and towards the New York State Capitol ...
Specifications (RP-3)
See also
References
External links
Photo of the RP-3 in the NY State Museum{{Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute aircraft
1990s United States sailplanes
Aircraft first flown in 1998
T-tail aircraft
Mid-wing aircraft