Aviastroitel AC-5M
Aviastroitel · Russia · first flew 1999 · light aircraft
The AC-5M is a Russian single-seat, T-tailed motor glider, also built in an unmanned form. It was intended as a simple and inexpensive self-launching sailplane.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | T-tail on a single-seat sailplane-style fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Mid-set wing of 12.6 m span with a Wortmann FX60-157 section
- T-tail on a single-seat sailplane-style fuselage
- Engine and propeller retract rearwards into a bay behind the cockpit
Look for a long mid-set wing, a T-tail and a single-seat glider fuselage with a small engine that folds away behind the cockpit. It has a retractable monowheel.
Specifications
- The Aviastroitel AC-5M has a length of 5.3 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.6 m (41 ft).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was derived from the motorised version of the Aviastroitel AC-4 Russia and first flew in December 1999. Production began in 2000 and 35 had been completed.
Variants
The AC-5MP is an unmanned version with a Rotax 912UL on a fixed pylon, the AC-5K has a fixed Simonini engine with a retractable propeller, and the AC-5Me is an electric prototype.
Where you'll see it
By October 2011 there were 22 AC-5Ms on the US register and one in Canada. The type was never certified, so American examples fly as Experimental and Canadian ones as Limited-class aircraft.
Related aircraft
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