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Starck AS-37

The Starck AS-37 is a two-seat biplane with unconventional wing and propulsion layouts. It was designed in France in the 1970s; though three were built and more than twenty sets of plans sold for home building, no AS-37s are active in 2012.

AS-37
Role Two seat single engine biplane
National origin France
Designer André Starck
First flight 13 January 1977
Number built 3

Design and development edit

The AS-37 is conventionally constructed from wood, with a spruce structure covered with acajou plywood. The small gap, high stagger wing arrangement first proposed by Nenadovitch[1] is the aircraft's most unusual feature, though one that its designer André Starck had used in two of his earlier aircraft, the AS-20 from 1942 and the AS-27 from the early 1970s. The wings have low aspect ratios; the upper one is mounted on the fuselage a little above mid-position and the lower at the bottom of the fuselage, making the gap unusually small. The stagger is sufficient to place the upper trailing edge a little ahead of the lower leading edge. Together, the two wings were intended to have some of the desirable characteristics of a single, slotted wing. The AS-37 has wings of unequal span and chord, the lower one smaller, joined not by conventional interplane struts but by wing tip "curtains". These aerodynamic surfaces, as broad in chord as the lower wings, lean outwards at 45° with ailerons attached to their trailing edges. As well as stiffening the wing structure, these curtains were said to improve lateral control and stall behaviour.[2]

The earlier AS-27 was powered by a conventionally nose-mounted engine but, though the AS-37 is also single engined, it originally had two propellers in pusher configuration, one on each upper wing. The propellers turned in the narrow gap between the two wings, with the intention that the propeller slipstream should enhance the slot effect of the wing pair. The propellers were timing belt driven, with a gear reduction of 2:1, by a 49 kW (65 hp) Citroën GS 1220 engine placed near mid-fuselage, behind the cabin.[2]

The fuselage of the AS-37 is deep and flat sided. The constant chord tailplane, placed on top of the fuselage, and the fin, which has a straight, swept leading edge, both carry balanced control surfaces. The cabin is forward of the upper wing, enclosed by a single curvature canopy which follows the straight sloping nose. Dual controls are provided for the side-by-side seating. The AS-37 had a fixed tricycle undercarriage with the mainwheels on side V-struts and half-axles and the wheels have disc brakes.[2]

The first AS-37 first flew in this form, later referred to as the AS-37A, on 15 January 1977 and by October it had logged 100 hours flying. It was built by Rudy Nickel. A second AS-37A was built by Léon Knoepfli but was modified after a short test programme into the first AS-37B. The curtains were removed and their stiffening role taken by conventional wide chord cantilever interplane struts and the ailerons moved to the upper wing. Flaps were added to the lower wings. The undercarriage V-struts were replaced with glass fibre faired cantilever legs, with fairings enclosing all three wheels. These changes increased the empty weight to 451 kg (995 lb).[2]

By about 1979 the Citroën engines of both the AS-37A and AS-37B had been replaced with more powerful 75 kW (100 hp) Porsche 2 flat-fours.[2] The first AS-37B was then heavily modified by its builder into the Knoepfli VSTOL. The wings, empennage, forward fuselage and undercarriage of the AS-37B were retained but the rear fuselage was replaced with a slim, low set, flat sided, slightly upward curved beam, allowing a new and more conventional pusher engine and propeller combination to be placed immediately behind the cabin, just above the original fuselage line. These alterations were made before the end of summer 1980 and may have included another engine change to a Renault 343.[3]

Between 1980 and 1998 the AS-37A had undergone further modifications with the installation of tractor, rather than pusher, propellers, belt driven as before. The undercarriage was altered into a similar form to that of the AS-37B though without the wheel fairings. This version was renamed the Starck-Nickel SN.01.[3]

The SN.01 was active until at least 1998[3] but is now (2012) a museum display item, see below; the third airframe (the second AS-37B) also survives in a museum (Muséum Régional de l'Air, Angers) but is not on public display.[4]

Though plans for 23 aircraft had been sold by 1980,[2] it seems only one more, the second AS-37B, was completed.[3]

Variants edit

Starck AS-37A
Original version.
Starck AS-37B
Second aircraft after curtain and undercarriage modifications; third aircraft.
Starck-Nickel SN.01
First aircraft, tractor propellers.
Knoepfli VSTOL
Second aircraft with new low set boom fuselage permitting a direct drive pusher engine installation behind cabin.

Aircraft on display edit

The Starck-Nickel SN.01 is on display in the Musée Aéronautique Presqu'île Côte d'Amour at la Baule aerodrome.[4]

Specifications (AS-37A) edit

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980/81[2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 6.00 m (19 ft 8 in)
  • Wingspan: 6.30 m (20 ft 8 in)
  • Height: 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
  • Wing area: 13.60 m2 (146.4 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 400 kg (882 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 620 kg (1,367 lb)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Citroën GS 1220 4-cylinder air-cooled, 48 kW (65 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 185 km/h (115 mph, 100 kn) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 170 km/h (110 mph, 92 kn) at sea level
  • Range: 1,500 km (930 mi, 810 nmi) with 90 L (24 US gal; 20 Imp gal) fuel
  • Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,800 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 3.5 m/s (690 ft/min) at sea level
  • Take-off run: 200 m (655 ft)
  • Landing run: 140 m (460 ft)

References edit

  1. ^ "Nenadovitch effect" (PDF). Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Taylor, John W. R. (1980). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980-1981. London: Jane's Information Group. p. 486. ISBN 0710607059.
  3. ^ a b c d Chillon, Jacques (2010). Fox Pappa - Registre des avions Français amateur (2009 ed.). Brive: Ver Luisant. p. 171; 220; annexe 4, images 132, 140. ISBN 9782357430488.
  4. ^ a b Ogden, Bob (2009). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85130-418-2.

starck, seat, biplane, with, unconventional, wing, propulsion, layouts, designed, france, 1970s, though, three, were, built, more, than, twenty, sets, plans, sold, home, building, active, 2012, role, seat, single, engine, biplane, national, origin, france, des. The Starck AS 37 is a two seat biplane with unconventional wing and propulsion layouts It was designed in France in the 1970s though three were built and more than twenty sets of plans sold for home building no AS 37s are active in 2012 AS 37 Role Two seat single engine biplane National origin France Designer Andre Starck First flight 13 January 1977 Number built 3 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Aircraft on display 4 Specifications AS 37A 5 ReferencesDesign and development editThe AS 37 is conventionally constructed from wood with a spruce structure covered with acajou plywood The small gap high stagger wing arrangement first proposed by Nenadovitch 1 is the aircraft s most unusual feature though one that its designer Andre Starck had used in two of his earlier aircraft the AS 20 from 1942 and the AS 27 from the early 1970s The wings have low aspect ratios the upper one is mounted on the fuselage a little above mid position and the lower at the bottom of the fuselage making the gap unusually small The stagger is sufficient to place the upper trailing edge a little ahead of the lower leading edge Together the two wings were intended to have some of the desirable characteristics of a single slotted wing The AS 37 has wings of unequal span and chord the lower one smaller joined not by conventional interplane struts but by wing tip curtains These aerodynamic surfaces as broad in chord as the lower wings lean outwards at 45 with ailerons attached to their trailing edges As well as stiffening the wing structure these curtains were said to improve lateral control and stall behaviour 2 The earlier AS 27 was powered by a conventionally nose mounted engine but though the AS 37 is also single engined it originally had two propellers in pusher configuration one on each upper wing The propellers turned in the narrow gap between the two wings with the intention that the propeller slipstream should enhance the slot effect of the wing pair The propellers were timing belt driven with a gear reduction of 2 1 by a 49 kW 65 hp Citroen GS 1220 engine placed near mid fuselage behind the cabin 2 The fuselage of the AS 37 is deep and flat sided The constant chord tailplane placed on top of the fuselage and the fin which has a straight swept leading edge both carry balanced control surfaces The cabin is forward of the upper wing enclosed by a single curvature canopy which follows the straight sloping nose Dual controls are provided for the side by side seating The AS 37 had a fixed tricycle undercarriage with the mainwheels on side V struts and half axles and the wheels have disc brakes 2 The first AS 37 first flew in this form later referred to as the AS 37A on 15 January 1977 and by October it had logged 100 hours flying It was built by Rudy Nickel A second AS 37A was built by Leon Knoepfli but was modified after a short test programme into the first AS 37B The curtains were removed and their stiffening role taken by conventional wide chord cantilever interplane struts and the ailerons moved to the upper wing Flaps were added to the lower wings The undercarriage V struts were replaced with glass fibre faired cantilever legs with fairings enclosing all three wheels These changes increased the empty weight to 451 kg 995 lb 2 By about 1979 the Citroen engines of both the AS 37A and AS 37B had been replaced with more powerful 75 kW 100 hp Porsche 2 flat fours 2 The first AS 37B was then heavily modified by its builder into the Knoepfli VSTOL The wings empennage forward fuselage and undercarriage of the AS 37B were retained but the rear fuselage was replaced with a slim low set flat sided slightly upward curved beam allowing a new and more conventional pusher engine and propeller combination to be placed immediately behind the cabin just above the original fuselage line These alterations were made before the end of summer 1980 and may have included another engine change to a Renault 343 3 Between 1980 and 1998 the AS 37A had undergone further modifications with the installation of tractor rather than pusher propellers belt driven as before The undercarriage was altered into a similar form to that of the AS 37B though without the wheel fairings This version was renamed the Starck Nickel SN 01 3 The SN 01 was active until at least 1998 3 but is now 2012 a museum display item see below the third airframe the second AS 37B also survives in a museum Museum Regional de l Air Angers but is not on public display 4 Though plans for 23 aircraft had been sold by 1980 2 it seems only one more the second AS 37B was completed 3 Variants editStarck AS 37A Original version Starck AS 37B Second aircraft after curtain and undercarriage modifications third aircraft Starck Nickel SN 01 First aircraft tractor propellers Knoepfli VSTOL Second aircraft with new low set boom fuselage permitting a direct drive pusher engine installation behind cabin Aircraft on display editThe Starck Nickel SN 01 is on display in the Musee Aeronautique Presqu ile Cote d Amour at la Baule aerodrome 4 Specifications AS 37A editData from Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1980 81 2 General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 6 00 m 19 ft 8 in Wingspan 6 30 m 20 ft 8 in Height 1 60 m 5 ft 3 in Wing area 13 60 m2 146 4 sq ft Empty weight 400 kg 882 lb Max takeoff weight 620 kg 1 367 lb Powerplant 1 Citroen GS 1220 4 cylinder air cooled 48 kW 65 hp Propellers 2 bladed Performance Maximum speed 185 km h 115 mph 100 kn at sea level Cruise speed 170 km h 110 mph 92 kn at sea level Range 1 500 km 930 mi 810 nmi with 90 L 24 US gal 20 Imp gal fuel Service ceiling 4 500 m 14 800 ft Rate of climb 3 5 m s 690 ft min at sea level Take off run 200 m 655 ft Landing run 140 m 460 ft References edit Nenadovitch effect PDF Retrieved 21 May 2012 a b c d e f g Taylor John W R 1980 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1980 1981 London Jane s Information Group p 486 ISBN 0710607059 a b c d Chillon Jacques 2010 Fox Pappa Registre des avions Francais amateur 2009 ed Brive Ver Luisant p 171 220 annexe 4 images 132 140 ISBN 9782357430488 a b Ogden Bob 2009 Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe Air Britain Historians Ltd ISBN 978 0 85130 418 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Starck AS 37 amp oldid 1161087920, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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