Jump to content
Touring Motor Gliders Association (TMGA)

Leaderboard

Popular Content

Showing content with the highest reputation since 03/28/2023 in Articles

  1. This information is reprinted form the XimangoUSA.com website circa 2008: AMT-200 Super XIMANGO Touring Motorglider Designed by the world-famous French motorglider expert, Rene Fournier, the Super Ximango is the most modern and beautiful example of the class of two-place side-by-side poweredgliders with front-mounted engines. The Ximango has the lines and the aeronautical performance which allow it to excel among other European-designed machines. Refined and put into production for the world market by Grupo Aeromot of Brazil, the Super Ximango benefits from the craftmanship and world-wide support capabilities of this major aeronautical manufacturing company. From a pilot's standpoint, the performance and refinement of the Super Ximango are evident in every phase of flight. The side-by-side cockpit provides the pilots with a well-engineered layout and unsurpassed visibility. The instrument panel is able to accommodate a large number of alternate configurations of instruments and avionics for powered flight and soaring. The position and construction of the seating are optimized for comfort on long-duration flights. The flight controls of the Super Ximango, stick and rudder, spoiler handle and throttle, are a delight to both experienced pilots and novices. The aircraft may be flown from either seat, as the pilot chooses. Stick control forces are moderate and pilots report unanimously that the controls are well-harmonized in both soaring and powered phases of flight. With a best L/D ratio of 31:1 and a minimum sink rate of 184 fpm, the Super Ximango is the highest performance design of all motorgliders in its class. Its retractable gear, its 57.3-foot super-smooth laminar-flow wing, its efficient cowl design and its full-feathering Hoffman prop all contribute to this achievement. The Super Ximango is a very capable thermalling aircraft with its harmonized aileron and rudder controls and its honest flight characteristics at near-stall speeds. It is also an extremely capable cross-country soaring machine with the ability to soar fast and flat between thermals and in wave lift. Highly-experienced sailplane pilots, such as Derek Piggott and Tom Knauff, have been generous in their praise of the Super Ximango when flown as a sailplane. In powered flight, the Super Ximango is a fast, quiet and comfortable platform for long cross-countries or a maneuverable, well-coordinated machine for sport flying. Its highly-reliable and efficient powerplant, the 81hp liquid-cooled four-stroke Rotax 912A, is a delight to operate and fly. Cockpit noise level and vibration are extremely low. Cruise speeds of up to 115 knots can be selected by the pilot and the 23-gal. fuel supply provides over 600 nm. of range at high-speed cruise and over 7 hours duration at lower cruise speeds. With its wide gear stance and steerable tailwheel, the Super Ximango is highly stable and easy to control during takeoff and landing. Powerful Schempp-Hirth spoilers provide extremely precise control in the pattern for both powered or unpowered landings. Raising or lowering the mechanically-retractable gear requires only a low-effort push or pull on the cockpit lever. Excellent over-the-nose visibility from the cockpit eliminates the need for S-turns during taxiing. Glider pilots and power pilots alike find the transition checkout to be a straightforward and rewarding experience. On the ground, the Super Ximango is also in a class by itself because of the unique Fournier trademark, wings which can be easily and quickly folded at mid-span by thepilot alone. Fournier's wing-hinge design has been proven over many years of experience by his previous motorglider creations and has reached a new level of refinement in the Super Ximango. With the wings folded, a total wingspan of 33.3 feet permits the pilot to taxi the aircraft easily in tight situations on the ramp. And, most importantly, hangar space required for the aircraft shrinks to that of a conventional small airplane. Because the folding procedure is easy and quick, the aircaft can be taken out or returned to the hangar by a single person. The Super Ximango is truly a world-design aircraft, using the best components and materials from around the globe. The airframe is an all-composite structure constructed from high-quality Ciba-Geigy resins and fibers. Its carbon-fiber spar caps are of the highest quality Japanese materials. The modern and efficient powerplant, the 81 hp Certified Rotax 912A, is from Austria. The optically-perfect canopy is from Switzerland. Brakes, instruments, avionics and other key components are of USA origin. The integration of the entire aircraft, the fabricated parts and its fit and finish are all the product of the Grupo Aeromot organization. Grupo Aeromot has many decades of aeronautical experience as one of Brazil's finest aeronautical manufacturing companies. Grupo Aeromot produces a wide range of military and commercial aviation products which are in use worldwide. The overall level of quality and refinement of the Super Ximango convincingly demonstrates Aeromot's strong aeronautical engineering and manufacturing capabilities. Certified under the stringent European JAR-22 Standards for Airworthiness, the Super Ximango is an extremely robust aircraft. Its U.S. Certificate of Airworthiness is in the Utility Category, meaning that the allowable stress levels met during certification are higher than for Normal Category aircraft. Allowable g's, for example, are plus 5.3 and minus 2.65. The reliability of the powerplant is extremely high. The Super Ximango is equipped with the Certified version of the liquid-cooled four-stroke Rotax 912 which has numerous additional quality controls beyond the already-robust non-certified version. The Certified Rotax 912 is now in widespread use in the Katana trainer airplane and, as additional fleet experience is gained, the TBO will be raised to 2000 hours from the current already-impressive 1800 hours. It is also noted that, during the 1995 World-Record flight of three Super Ximango's from Southern Brazil to Oshkosh in the USA, all three engines ran perfectly for the entire 7000 nm trip. The cost of operating the Super Ximango is very low when compared with normal aircraft. Fuel consumption is 3.5 to 3.8 gph under powered flight and, of course, zero when soaring. Other consumables, including oil, are negligible in cost per hour. Because of its simplicity and design, periodic inspections are very low-effort. The all-composite airframe is extremely low-maintenance. Tires, brake parts, batteries and other normal replacement items are US-made for the most part and are all easily available in the world market. The all-mechanical retractable gear is very simple to inspect and maintain. The engine and propeller are both long-life items with readily-available overhaul facilities worldwide All in all, the Super Ximango is capable, beautiful and a tremendous value. Derek Piggott perhaps put it best in his recent writing: "Top marks to Rene Fournier and the Brazilian team for producing such a lovely little motorglider." Specifications Performance Cruise speed 110 Kts. Stall speed 39 Kts. Best L/D speed 59 Kts. Takeoff distance 738 Ft. Fuel consumption 4.5 GPH Glide ratio 31:1 Load limits:+5.3G / -2.65G Minimum sink rate 184 FPM Fuel capacity 23 Gal. Max range 650+ NM Max endurance 7 Hrs. Dimensions Max gross wt 1874 Lb. Basic empty wt 1331 Lb. Useful load 539 Lb. Wingspan 57.3 Ft. (folded) 33.3 Ft. Length 26.4 Ft. Height 6.33 Ft. For further information, visit www.XimangoUSA.com E-mail: XimangoUSA@aol.com tel/fax: (386) 760-4072
    1 point
×
×
  • Create New...