Shark.Aero Shark

The Shark.Aero Shark is a conventionally laid out, single engine, low wing ultralight aircraft and light-sport aircraft which seats two in tandem. It was first flown on 19 August 2009 and is built in both Slovakia and the Czech Republic by Shark.Aero. It has optionally fixed or retractable landing gear.

Shark
Role Tandem seat ultralight aircraft
National origin Slovakia
Manufacturer Shark.Aero
Designer Jaroslav Dostál, Vlado Pekár
First flight 19 August 2009
Status In production
Produced mid-2011-present
Shark instrument panel

Design and development

The Shark, which was formally announced at AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2007, was designed to fit into both European UL and US LSA categories. Structurally, it is a mixture of carbon-fibre and a small amount of glass fibre composites, with PVC foam filled aramid honeycomb structures sandwiched between panels. The wing main spar is a dismountable two-piece carbon fibre beam which joins under the front seat; an auxiliary spar carries the aileron and flap mountings. In plan, the leading edge is elliptical, and there is slight taper on the outer trailing edge where the ailerons are mounted. Single slotted, electrically-operated flaps occupy the rest of the trailing edge. Like the wings, the slightly swept tailplanes are easily detached for storage or transport. There is an electrically operated trim tab in the elevator.[1]

The fuselage of the Shark is formed with integral fin, seat backs, floors and instrument panel. The fin, set forward so the rudder trailing edge is above the elevator hinge line, is shaped like a shark's dorsal fin, strongly swept and with a curved leading edge. There is also a small ventral fin. From the fin forward the upper fuselage line rises rapidly to merge into the side hinged, single piece canopy. There is baggage space behind the cockpit. Both of the adjustable tandem seats have flight controls; the Shark is flown by a sidestick. It is powered by a 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS or 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 turbocharged powerplant, driving a three-blade or a two-blade propeller. The Shark UL has retractable gear and a variable-pitch propeller.[1][2]

The prototype Shark, Czech registered as OK-OUR01, first flew on 19 August 2009. The first flight of the UL was expected early in 2010 but had not happened by January 2011.[1]

The design entered production in mid-2011.[2]

The Shark's wings and tail were adapted for use on the Slovenian OneAircraft One design.[2]

Operational history

The third Shark was registered in France as 83AJR with callsign F-JSOR in early 2011.[3] It was destroyed whilst competing in the Paris-Madrid air race on 21 June 2011.[4] It appears, however, that this aircraft was later rebuilt, as the callsign was noted using hex-code 381BBD from May 2015. The fourth appears on the Czech register,[5] flying as a demonstrator in Germany.[6]

In 2015, the design, equipped with a modified engine and a special DUC propeller, set a world record for class RAL2T (Microlights: Movable Aerodynamic Controls/Landplane/Flown with two persons/Thermal Engine) for speed over a straight course at 303.00 km/h (188.28 mph).[7]

In 2021 and early 2022, 19-year-old British-Belgian pilot Zara Rutherford flew a Shark UL variant on an around-the-world flight. Rutherford set a new record for the youngest woman in history to carry out a solo circumnavigation and also the first woman to complete a circumnavigation in a microlight aircraft.[8][9][10][11]

On 24 August 2022, Zara's brother, Mack Rutherford, age 17, landed in Sofia, Bulgaria, thus becoming the youngest pilot to fly solo around the world. Like his sister, Rutherford flew a modified Shark.[12][13]

Variants
Shark UL
Shark LS
European UL, fixed undercarriage, fixed-pitch propeller.
Shark UL
European UL, retractable undercarriage, variable-pitch propeller.[14]
SportShark
Planned US light-sport aircraft (LSA), longer span and heavier, with fixed undercarriage. Announced in 2011, by June 2022 it was not listed as an accepted US LSA.[14][15]

Specifications (UL)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011/12[1] and manufacturer[16]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Length: 6.715 m (22 ft 0 in)
  • Wingspan: 7.90 m (25 ft 11 in)
  • Height: 2.51 m (8 ft 3 in)
  • Wing area: 9.50 m2 (102.3 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 275 kg (606 lb)
  • Max takeoff weight: 472.5 kg (1,042 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 100 L (26.4 US gal, 22.0 Imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS flat-four, air and liquid cooled., 73.5 kW (98.6 hp)
  • Propellers: 3-bladed Duc Hélices variable pitch composite

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 300 km/h (190 mph, 160 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 250 km/h (160 mph, 130 kn) economical
  • Stall speed: 64 km/h (40 mph, 35 kn) flaps down
  • Never exceed speed: 333 km/h (207 mph, 180 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 4,100 m (13,500 ft)
  • g limits: +4/-2
  • Rate of climb: 7.4 m/s (1,460 ft/min) max, at sea level

Avionics

References
  1. Jackson, Paul (2011). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011-12. Coulsdon, Surrey: IHS Jane's. p. 533. ISBN 978-0-7106-2955-5.
  2. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 79. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. "Overseas Registrations". Air Britain News: 1036. July 2011.
  4. "Overseas Registrations". Air Britain News: 1727. November 2011.
  5. "Overseas Registrations". Air Britain News: 1575. October 2011.
  6. "Flugsportzentrum Shark". Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  7. "Eric Barberini reached FAI record 303 km/hour". www.gryfair.cz. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  8. "Teenage pilot Zara Rutherford begins solo round-world record bid". BBC.com (BBC News). 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  9. "A teen pilot flies around the world and into the record books". FT.com (The Financial Times). 6 January 2022. Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  10. "Solo Around the World". FlyZolo.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  11. Levaux, Christian; Cotton, Johnny (20 January 2022). "British-Belgian teen becomes youngest woman to fly solo round the world". Reuters. Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  12. KUCB-Unalaska, Laurelin Kruse (3 August 2022). "Youngest pilot to attempt solo flight around the world lands in Unalaska". Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  13. "MackSolo – The Youngest Man To Fly Around The World Solo". Retrieved 7 August 2022.
  14. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 75. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  15. Federal Aviation Administration (1 June 2022). "SLSA Make/Model Directory". Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  16. Shark.Aero (2019). "Technical Specifications". www.shark.aero. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
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