The Viper Aircraft ViperJet is a small homebuilt jet aircraft by Viper Aircraft Corporation. It is a conventional, low-wing monoplane with swept wings and tail and two seats in tandem under a bubble canopy. The jet intakes are located at the sides of the fuselage and the tricycle undercarriage is retractable. Construction throughout is of composite materials.[1][2]
| ViperJet | |
|---|---|
| Role | High performance sport and aerobatic |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Viper Aircraft |
| Designer | Scott Hanchette |
| First flight | October 1999 |
| Developed from | Viper Aircraft Viperfan |
Development
editOriginally conceived to use a piston engine driving a five- or six-blade pusher propeller, brothers Scott and Dan Hanchette commenced work on the prototype, then known as the ViperFan,[3] in February 1996.[4] However, concerns about the difficulty and cost associated with eliminating vibration from the drivetrain led the Hanchettes to choose turbojet propulsion instead, and they installed a Turbomeca Marboré engine in place of the Continental flat-6 they had originally envisaged as a powerplant.[3]
The Viperjet prototype flew late in October 1999.[1] and made its public debut at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2000.[5] The Hanchette brothers, however, were unhappy with both the low power[6] and the high fuel consumption[7] of the Turbomeca engine, and soon swapped it for a General Electric T58 turboshaft engine with the power turbine removed,[7] turning it into a turbojet. While this worked, it still did not produce as much thrust as the Hanchettes hoped for, and eventually, they selected the General Electric J85.[7] With this engine producing around four times the thrust of the previous powerplants tested in the Viper, the Hanchettes substantially redesigned the aircraft, dubbing the J85-powered version the MKII.[7] The prototype was dismantled and rebuilt, with parts of the canopy and fuselage center section all that remained of the original design.[7] The slightly larger MKII also features a pressurized cabin,[8] nearly three times the fuel tankage,[9] stronger undercarriage,[9] and optional tip tanks.[9] The MKII prototype flew on 12 June 2005 and Viper Aircraft offered replacement MKII parts to all customers who had purchased kits of the original version,[7] now dubbed the MKI.
In 2006, the base MKII kit cost US$182,000, but since builders can purchase additional components already pre-made by Viper Aircraft, customers spent an average of $350,000 on their kits.[6] They would then have to spend approximately another $300,000[6] and around 3,000 to 3,500 hours to complete the aircraft.[4] The company also offers customers a builder assistance program to help them assemble the major airframe components and a training program to help them learn to fly their ViperJet once it is complete. Zero Gravity Builders provides builder assistance for the ViperJet MKII, ViperJet LXR and Viper FanJet.[10] Viper Aircraft had sold 21 kits by September 2006.[4]
In 2008, Viper Aircraft announced an enlarged, turbofan-powered follow-on design as the Viper Aircraft FanJet. The company has also proposed a military trainer version of the ViperJet, as well as a UAV version.[11]
Operational history
editBy April 2020 seven examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.[12]
Specifications (MKII, preliminary specifications)
editData from White 2006, p.13
General characteristics
- Crew: One pilot
- Capacity: 2 (1 pilot & 1 passenger)
- Length: 25 ft 6 in (7.80 m)
- Wingspan: 27 ft 10 in (8.48 m)
- Empty weight: 3,200 lb (1,452 kg)
- Gross weight: 5,100 lb (2,320 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × General Electric CJ-610 , 2,850 lbf (12.7 kN) thrust
Performance
- Maximum speed: 500–525 mph (804–845 km/h, 434–456 kn)
- Cruise speed: 375 mph (603 km/h, 326 kn)
- Stall speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn)
- Range: 920 mi (1,480 km, 800 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 35,000 ft (10,500 m)
- Rate of climb: 12,000 ft/min (61 m/s)
See also
editRelated lists
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b "ViperJet kit aircraft makes maiden flight", Flight international, Flight global, 10 November 1999,
The composite ViperJet…
. - ^ Bayerl, Robby; Berkemeier, Martin; et al. (2011–2012), World Directory of Leisure Aviation, Lancaster, UK: WDLA, p. 126, ISSN 1368-485X
- ^ a b Freeze 2005, p. 10C
- ^ a b c Saywers 2006, p. 14
- ^ Hitchman 2000, p. 44.
- ^ a b c Saywers 2006, p. 1
- ^ a b c d e f Freeze 2005, p.11C
- ^ Joshi 2007, p. B6
- ^ a b c White 2006, p. 11.
- ^ White 2006, p. 12
- ^ White 2006, p. 13
- ^ Federal Aviation Administration (27 October 2012). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". Retrieved 8 April 2020.
Bibliography
edit- Freeze, Di (November 2005). "The Path to the Viperjet MkII – The Trickest Jet on the Block". Pacific Northwest Aviation & Business Journal. 4 (10). Airport Journals: 8C–14C.
- Hitchman, Nigel (5–11 September 2000). "Travelling Light". Flight International: 44–46. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
- Joshi, Pratik (21 October 2007). "The right brothers". Tri-City Herald. pp. B5–B6.
- Saywers, Karisa (September 2006). "Local kit plane company provides opportunity for aircraft ownership". Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business. 5 (9): 1, 14.
- "ViperJet kit aircraft makes maiden flight" (PDF). Flight International: 32. 10–16 November 1999. Retrieved 2009-02-21.
- White, Diane (February 2006). "The ViperJet MKII". Twin & Turbine: 8–13.
External links
edit
Media related to Viperjet at Wikimedia Commons