NIPPER Mk IIIb

This light aircraft was developed and manufactured originally by Avions Fairey in Belgium. Plans, kits of component parts and an advisory service are available. Approximately 60 Nippers are flying worldwide, with three under construction in early 1991. All non-wooden components are available prefabricated.

TYPE: Single-seat aerobatic homebuilt.

AIRFRAME: Wooden wing, aileron, tailplane and elevator structures, and welded steel tube fuselage and rudder structures, all fabric covered except for glassfibre underfuselage fairing and wood skins on tailplane and elevators. No fin. Modified NACA 43012A wing section. Non-retractable tricycle landing gear.

POWER PLANT: One 41 kW (55 hp) Rollason Ardem XI. Alternatively, Nipper recommends the 48.5 kW (65 hp) Barry Smith aerobatic engine of 1,834 cc, with fuel and oil systems for inverted flight. Fuel capacity 34 litres (9 US gallons; 7.5 Imp gallons). Provision for two 16.5 litre (4.3 US gallon; 3.6 Imp gallon) wingtip fuel tanks.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

  • Wing span, without tip tanks: 6.00 m (19 ft 8 in)
    • with tip tanks: 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in)
  • Length overall: 4.56 m (15 ft 0 in)
  • Height overall: 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)

AREA:

  • Wings, gross: 7.50 m² (80.70 sq ft)

WEIGHTS (Ardem engine):

  • Weight empty: 210 kg (465 lb)
  • Max T-0 weight: Aerobatic: 310 kg (685 lb)
    • Normal: 340 kg (750 lb)

PERFORMANCE (Ardem engine at max T-O weight, unless stated otherwise):

  • Max level speed at S/L:
    • without tip tanks: 93 knots (173 km/h; 107 mph)
    • Barry Smith engine: 113 knots (209 km/h; 130 mph)
  • Econ cruising speed at S/L: 78 knots (145 km/h; 90 mph)
  • Stalling speed, power off: 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
  • Max rate of climb at S/L: 198 m (650 ft)/min
    • Barry Smith engine: 305 m (1,000 ft)/min
  • Service ceiling: 3,660 m (12,000 ft)
  • T-O run: 85 m (280 ft)
  • Landing run: 110 m (360 ft)
  • Range with tip tanks: 390 nm (720 km; 450 miles)
  • g limits: +6/-3

The article appears in the following publication:
Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1991-92. Jane's Information Group Ltd. 1991. ISBN: 0-7106-0965-5

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