Windward Performance SparrowHawk
Windward Performance · United States · first flew 2002 · glider
The Windward Performance SparrowHawk is an American mid-wing, single-seat glider designed and produced by Windward Performance.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × none, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 6.3 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Mid-wing single-seat glider with a multi-tapered wing of 11.0 m span and aspect ratio 18.6:1
- Schempp-Hirth style spoilers on the top surface of the wing
- Fixed monowheel with an auxiliary tail wheel
A small carbon-fibre glider with a long slender multi-tapered wing, a monowheel and a two-part polyurethane finish.
Specifications
- The Windward Performance SparrowHawk has a length of 6.3 m (21 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11 m (36 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 228 km/h (142 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It first flew in 2002 and was designed to fit the US FAR 103 ultralight category, which requires unpowered aircraft to have an empty weight of no more than 155 lb (70 kg). It achieves this with a structure predominantly of carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer.
Variants
The wing uses five different airfoils. It can be launched by auto-tow, winch launch or aero-tow behind light aircraft.
Where you'll see it
It achieves a best glide ratio of 36:1 and a minimum sink rate of 0.60 m/s. Since 2016 it has no longer been advertised as available by the manufacturer.
Related aircraft
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