Airkraft Sunny

{{Short description|Swiss ultralight aircraft}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Use British English|date=August 2022}}  {{Infobox aircraft | name = Sunny | logo = | logo_size = | image = Sunny Myx.jpg | alt = | caption = Sunny Sport | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Ultralight aircraft]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[Switzerland]] | manufacturer = [[Tandem Aircraft KG]]<br />[[Dewald Leichtflugzeugbau Gmbh]]<br />[[Airkraft Gmbh Leichtflugzeugbau]] | design_group = | designer = Dieter Schulz | builder = | issuer = | status = Production completed | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 250 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Airkraft Sunny''' is an [[ultralight aircraft]] that was designed by Dieter Schulz. The aircraft was initially produced by his company, [[Tandem Aircraft KG]] of [[Saulgau]], [[Germany]], which built about 150 examples between 1989 and 1999. After he sold the rights in 1999, it was then produced by [[Dewald Leichtflugzeugbau Gmbh]] of [[Bad Schönborn]], [[Germany]] and more recently by [[Airkraft Gmbh Leichtflugzeugbau]] of [[Beringen, Switzerland]], who seem to have gone out of business in about 2010 and production ended. Originally supplied ready-to-fly, later the aircraft was supplied as a kit for [[Homebuilt aircraft|amateur construction]] or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.<ref name="WDLA11">Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 23. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X</ref><ref name="WDLA04">Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 135. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X</ref><ref name="WDLA15">Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 23. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}</ref><ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 266. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}</ref><ref name="Schulz">{{cite web|url = http://www.sunny-boxwing.de/1985-1999%20neu.html|title = The complete history of the Sunny-Boxwing by Tandem Aircraft KG |access-date = 24 April 2018|last = Schulz|first = Dieter|work = www.sunny-boxwing.de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.airkraft-gmbh.com/ |title=Airkraft |website=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |access-date=24 April 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Design and development== The aircraft complies with the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] microlight category rules. It features an unusual diamond-shaped [[biplane]], [[strut-braced]] [[closed wing]] layout, a two-seats-in-[[tandem]] enclosed or open cockpit, fixed [[tricycle landing gear]] and a single engine in [[pusher configuration]]. The upper wing is swept back, while the lower wing is straight, but mounted further aft. The two wings are joined by swept tip [[rudder]]s. The [[elevon]]s are mounted to the lower wing only.<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA15"/>

The aircraft is made from bolted-together [[aluminium]] tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in [[Dacron]] sailcloth. Standard engines available include many models of [[Hirth]], [[Rotax]], [[BMW]] and [[Verner 133M]] powerplants, ranging from {{convert|65|to|80|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA15"/>

==Variants== [[File:Sunny Side-by-Side.jpg|thumb|Sunny side-by-side]] ;Sunny Light :Version with open cockpit<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA15"/> ;Sunny Sport :Two seat [[tandem]] version with enclosed or semi-enclosed cockpit<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA15"/><ref name="WDLA04"/><ref name="Schulz"/> ;Sunny Side-By-Side :Version with [[side-by-side configuration]] seats<ref name="Schulz"/> ;Sunny Targa :Fully enclosed version.<ref name="Schulz"/> ;Sunny Amphibian :Version with amphibious floats<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA15"/>

==Specifications (Sunny Light) == {{Aircraft specs |ref=Bayerl<ref name="WDLA11" /> |prime units?=met  |genhide=

|crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m= |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m=7 |span ft= |span in= |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm=17 |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=220 |empty weight lb= |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=450 |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|44|L}} or optionally {{convert|80|L}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Rotax 582]] |eng1 type=twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, [[two stroke]] |eng1 kw=48 |eng1 hp=

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=145 |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh=100 |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh=55 |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms=4 |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics= }}

{{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists= }}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} *{{Official website|http://www.airkraft-gmbh.com/}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100615004247/http://www.airkraft-gmbh.com/ Official website archive] on [[Archive.org]]

[[Category:1980s German ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:1980s Swiss ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:Homebuilt aircraft]] [[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]] [[Category:Closed-wing aircraft]]