Grob Strato 2C
Grob Aerospace · Germany · first flew 1995 · light aircraft
The Grob Strato 2C is a German experimental high-altitude research aircraft with two turbocharged piston engines and a very long composite wing.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Extremely long straight wing of 56.5 m span carrying winglets, mounted across the top of the fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Extremely long straight wing of 56.5 m span carrying winglets, mounted across the top of the fuselage
- Two wing-mounted pusher engines driving five-bladed propellers
- Fuselage ending in a T-tail
A very long, slender straight wing with winglets set on top of a slim fuselage, two pusher propellers on the wing, and a T-tail.
Specifications
- The Grob Strato 2C has a length of 23.98 m (79 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 56.5 m (185 ft).
- Typical crew: 4.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The German Aerospace Center began the programme in April 1992 and chose Grob to build the aircraft. It was to operate at 24,000 m for 48 hours. The prototype first flew on 31 March 1995.
Variants
Only one aircraft was built. Its engines were turbocharged six-cylinder Teledyne Continental piston units, with low-pressure turbocharging derived from a PW127 turboprop.
Where you'll see it
Costs overran and the prototype was late and did not deliver the expected performance. The development programme was abandoned, but on its final flight the aircraft set a world altitude record for piston-engined aircraft.
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