CSIR SARA II
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research · South Africa · first flew 1972 · light aircraft
The CSIR SARA II (South African Research Autogyro) was a two-seat experimental autogyro built by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Two-bladed teetering rotor above an enclosed box-like fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Two-bladed teetering rotor above an enclosed box-like fuselage
- Twin fins and rudders with a tailplane between them
- Rear-mounted engine driving a pusher propeller
An autogyro with a box-like light-alloy fuselage, side-by-side seating, a fixed tricycle undercarriage and a pusher propeller behind the cabin.
Specifications
- The CSIR SARA II has a length of 4.65 m (15 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.13 m (37 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 154 km/h (96 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Design began in 1965 and construction in April 1967. After tethered tests on a lorry platform it made its first free flight on 30 November 1972 at Swartkop Air Force Base.
Variants
Only one was built, registered ZS-UGL, and it was modified after the test flights.
Where you'll see it
It served as a research vehicle for the South African aircraft industry, flown by the Aeronautics Research Unit of the CSIR.
Related aircraft
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