TYPE: Side-by-side kitbuilt.
PROGRAMME: Questair M20 Venture designed by Jim Griswald and associates. Prototype (N62V) first flew 1 July 1987; made public debut at Oshkosh in same month; several improvements introduced in following year. Marketed in kit form; some 100 sold, of which about half completed during early 1990s and 36 remained on US civil register in 2002. Further five of fixed landing gear version, known as Spirit, also produced, first having flown in February 1991. Venture established nine speed and climb records in FAI Class C1b during 1989 and 1990; inaugurated Sport Class in Reno air races.
Kit production resumed by NuVenture; Spirit also available.
COSTS: US$49,900 in kit, excluding engine (2002).
DESIGN FEATURES: Optimised for high-speed flight, but with comfortably large cockpit in spite of overall small size. 'Egg shape' fuselage; high-aspect ratio wings; narrow-chord fin and tapered tailplane.
Wing section NACA 23017 at root; 23010 at tip; twist 3°. Landing-edge cuff on each wing, from 60 per cent semi-span to tip, adds droop; leading-edge slots at cuff end and 40 per cent span generate vortices at high AoA to retard stalled airflow spreading from root to tip.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. No flaps, but ailerons droop when landing gear extended. Electrically operated trim tabs on ailerons and elevators.
STRUCTURE: All-aluminium.
LANDING GEAR: Retractable tricycle type. Single, small wheel on each leg. Electric retraction; separate systems for mainwheels and nosewheel. Steerable nosewheel. All wheels retract rearwards. Hydraulic brakes.
POWER PLANT: One 231 kW (310 hp) Teledyne Continental IO-550-N6B flat-six, derated to 209 kW (280 hp), driving a McCauley two-blade, constant-speed propeller. Fuel capacity 212 litres (56.0 US gallons; 46.6 Imp gallons).