Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-7 Orange explained

The Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-7 Orange (also called the Muse, Fly and Bite) is a Lithuanian ultralight aircraft, designed and produced by Rolandas Kalinauskas, of Prienai. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft and has been noted for its very low price.[1] [2]

Design and development

A simplified single-seat version of the Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-6 Magic, the RK-7 was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a strut-braced high wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.[1] [2]

The aircraft forward fuselage is made from welded steel with a wooden laminate covering in the cockpit area, with the tailboom made from aluminum tube. The tail surfaces are built up from aluminum tubing, strut-braced, covered in Dacron sailcloth and protected with a small tailskid. The wings are wooden and equipped with Junkers style ailerons. Its 8.21NaN1 span wing has an area of 11.5m2. The standard engine available is the 500NaN0 Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplant, although the 400NaN0 Rotax 447 has also been used. The aircraft can be flown without the canopy fitted, if desired.[3]

The RK-7 has been noted for its low retail price. In 2011 it was advertised at 11,000 for an assembled, ready-to-fly aircraft and €6,500 for a kit.

Notes and References

  1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 74. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 78. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.
  3. Web site: RK-7 Orange . Kalinauskas . Rolandas . Wings.lt . 30 August 2012 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140504035740/http://www.wings.lt/en/rk-7-bite/ . 4 May 2014 .