Ligeti Stratos
Ligeti Aero-Nautical · Australia · first flew 1985 · light aircraft
The Stratos was an Australian single-seat ultralight aircraft developed by Charles Ligeti in the 1980s. It was a high-performance aircraft of radical design.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 2.49 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | No tailplane |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Closed wing layout: a sweptback foreplane and a high-mounted mainplane joined at the tips by vertical fins
- Rear-mounted engine driving a three-bladed ducted fan
- Recumbent pilot in a streamlined nacelle with no empennage
The aircraft can be stored and transported fully assembled. It has a 21 kW König two-stroke engine, tandem non-retractable wheels and balancer wheels under the wingtips.
Specifications
- The Ligeti Stratos has a length of 2.49 m (8 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 5.36 m (18 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 200 km/h (124 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Ligeti began design studies in the 1970s, and design work resumed in May 1983 after he migrated to Australia. The prototype first flew on 25 April 1985 and was taken to the 1986 EAA Convention at Oshkosh, where it flew every day for a week.
Variants
Three were built; the prototype flew extensively.
Where you'll see it
On 22 September 1987, during testing at Penfield near Sunbury, Victoria, Ligeti lost control and the aircraft fell vertically to the ground, destroying it and killing him. The investigation focused on a change that gave the forward wings full-span elevators.
Related aircraft
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 8,606 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.