FLS Sprint 160

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FLS Sprint 160
Sprint 160 G-OAGI, Seen at LAA Flyin at Bodmin Airfield on 3rd May 2008
Type	Sports plane
Manufacturer	FLS, Trago Mills
Designed by	Sydney A. Holloway
Maiden flight	23 August 1983
Number built	5 (3 completed) (2 Club Sprint)

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Development 3 Variants 4 Specifications FLS Sprint 160 5 References

[edit] Introduction

The FLS Sprint 160 is a low wing, two seat, monoplane designed as an advanced aerobatic trainer with +6/-3 g capability.^[1] The aircraft is a fully aerobatic trainer simmilar to the Grob G 115 or the Slingsby Firefly, although it is of conventional riveted aluminium constructuion rather than the composite construction of the other two aircraft. The Sprint is considered to be, although very simmilar in design to the Grob and the Slingsby, a much nicer aircraft to fly. AFC Bedford, BAe Dunsfold's Ex. Chief Test Pilot said of the Sprint, 'It has made a great impression upon me and I am absolutely convinced that it is the best modern trainer yet produced. The Tiger-Moth of the 21st Centuary.'^[2]

[edit] Development

The FLS Sprint 160 was origonally designed by Sydney A. Holloway while he was working for the British Department Store chain Trago Mills. The original aircraft was designated the SAH-1 in honour of Mr. Holloway. The production and design of the 120hp SAH-1 (now the FLS Club Sprint) was undertaken at Bodmin Airfield. The Prototype first flew with Vice Air Marshal Geoffrey Cairns at the controls on the 23rd of August 1983. Two years later the SAH-1 gained its type certificate and the design was sold to Orca Aviation, unfortunately the slump in the world's economy, meant that general aviation was on the decrease, which left Orca Aircraft bankrupt in 1989. The plans for the SAH-1 were then sold to FLS Aerospace.

FLS Aerospace began modifying the basic SAH-1 and came up with two models, the Club Sprint, essentially the origonal SAH-1 and the Sprint 160, a re-engined Club Sprint, with a 160hp aerobatic Lycoming and a Hoffman constant speed prop. FLS got as far as building a first run of 5 of these aircaft (of which 3 are complete and airworthy - the others are in storage) while negotiating a building contract. However before the Sprint could be produced FLS went bankrupt and the Sprint program was put into storage.

The Sprint program has gone through the hands of several owners before it reached where it is today. The design was bought in 2007 by John Edgley, the designer of the Edgley Optica, who with his company Aero Elvira intends to put the Sprint back into production.^[3]

[edit] Variants

• Club Sprint 001 - G-SAHI: The Origonal Prototype
• Sprint 160 001 - G-OAGI Ex G-FLSI: This aircraft is the most recently restored, it began flying again in 2007. Before that it was the Prototype.
• Sprint 160 002 - G-SCLX Ex G-PLYM: The First Production 160.
• Sprint 160 003 - G-BXWU: In Storage, incomplete
• Club Sprint 004 - G-BVNU: FLS' Club Sprint
• Sprint 160 005 - G-BXWV: In Storage, incomplete

The Above is from the CAA's G-INFO service.^[4]

[edit] Specifications FLS Sprint 160

Data from FLS Sprint 160 Pilot's Operating Handbook^[5]

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Length: 22 ft (6.7 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 8 in (9.36 m)
• Height: 7 ft 8 in (2.33 m)
• Empty weight: 1,425 lb (650 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,050 lb (930 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Textron Lycoming AEIO-320-D1B 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed engine, 160 hp ()

Performance

• Never exceed speed: 181 knots (208mph, 335 km/h)
• Maximum speed: 140 knots (175mph, 259 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 126 knots (145 mph, 233 km/h)
• Stall speed: 50 knots (58 mph, 92 km/h) (with flaps)
• Range: 500 nm (575 mi, 926 km)
• Service ceiling 10,000 ft (Club Sprint) (5,790 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.2 m/s)

[edit] References