- Source: Thatcher CX4
The Thatcher CX4 is an American-designed aircraft for amateur construction designed by David Thatcher of Pensacola, Florida and plans are supplied by Thatcher Aircraft, Inc.
Westberry Manufacturing supplies many parts and kits for the aircraft.
Design and development
The CX4 is a low wing, single-seat, conventional landing gear equipped aircraft, designed to be simple to build and safe to fly. The name of the plane, CX4, is taken from an old radio show featuring Hop Harrigan, whose plane was called CX4.
The aircraft is all metal, 6061-T6 aluminium, except the cowling. The aluminum main gear legs are sourced from a Monnett Sonerai with hydraulic disc toe brakes. It has a heater and ventilation system for all season flying. The aircraft can be built with an optional 3 gal aux fuel tank. The CX4's standard specified powerplant is a Volkswagen air-cooled engine. The design load factor is 3.8 g, with an ultimate load of 5.7 g.
The CX4 first flew in 2004. As of April, 2017, there were 55 flying CX4s in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States. The fleet had flown 3316.6 hours total.
Specifications (Thatcher CX4)
Data from Sport Aviation March 2009General characteristics
Crew: one
Length: 18 ft 3 in (5.56 m)
Wingspan: 24 ft (7.3 m)
Height: 4 ft 8 in (1.42 m)
Wing area: 84 sq ft (7.8 m2)
Empty weight: 520 lb (236 kg)
Gross weight: 850 lb (386 kg)
Fuel capacity: 10.5 gal (39.7L)
Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen horizontally opposed, automotive conversion piston engine, 65 hp (48 kW)
Propellers: 2-bladed
Performance
Cruise speed: 109 kn (125 mph, 201 km/h)
Stall speed: 35 kn (40 mph, 64 km/h)
Never exceed speed: 135 kn (155 mph, 249 km/h)
Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m)
Rate of climb: 825 ft/min (4.19 m/s)
See also
Related development
Thatcher CX5
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
BK Fliers BK-1
Corby Starlet
Hummelbird
Hummel Ultra Cruiser
Sonex Aircraft Onex
References
General Aviation News Cover Story on Thatcher CX4
Air-Britain : Photographic Images Collection
External links
Thatcher CX4 home page
Video of CX4 in flight & interview with designer, David Thatcher
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Thatcher CX4
- Volkswagen air-cooled engine
- Thatcher CX5
- BK Fliers BK-1
- List of aircraft (Th)
- Sonex Aircraft Onex
- Parker Teenie Two