Halton Jupiter

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Use British English|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox aircraft | name = | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Human-powered aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United Kingdom | manufacturer = | design_group = | designer = Chris Roper | builder = | issuer = | status = In storage | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = 1 | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = 9 February 1972 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}

The '''Halton ''Jupiter''''' was a human-powered aircraft which established distance and duration records in the early 1970s.

==Background== The aircraft was originally designed in 1963 by Chris Roper of Woodford, Essex. Construction by Roper, and others, continued through to 1968, when ill-health halted work. In 1969, a workshop fire partially destroyed the craft. In 1970, the remains were handed over to Flight Lieutenant John Potter, based at RAF Halton, Buckinghamshire.<ref name=SHERWINTFLAB/>

==Development and description== The aircraft was rebuilt at Halton, by an informal group of RAF staff and apprentices, led by Potter. Some 100 individuals were involved with the construction, contributing 4,000 hours towards it.<ref name=REAY/> The aircraft was substantially similar to that originally constructed by Roper et al, but with a number of detail changes.<ref name=HPF/>

The ''Jupiter'' was a single-place shoulder-wing monoplane, with a pylon-mounted pusher propeller. The wing's primary structure was a spruce and balsa spar, with the secondary structure being made up of balsa ribs spaced {{convert|3|in|cm|abbr=on}} apart.<ref name=SHERWINTFLAB/><ref name=JAWA72/> The wing had a constant chord centre section, with no dihedral, with the wing's outer panels having both taper and dihedral. Differential ailerons were incorporated into the outer wing panels. The fuselage was of the pod and boom type. The forward structure, used to support the pilot and the drive system, was made of steel tubing, with the rest of the fuselage being made of spruce and balsa.<ref name=JAWA72/> The pilot was placed in a conventional cycling position, and powered a pylon-mounted pusher propeller via a chain drive. The undercarriage consisted of a single geared bicycle wheel. The empennage consisted of a fin and rudder, and an all-flying tail-plane.<ref name=JAWA72/> Lateral and directional control was through a horizontal control bar which could be pivoted in two dimensions, and pitch control was by a twist grip to the starboard side of the bar. The entire aircraft was covered in a silver Melinex plastic film, with the exception of the top forward section of the fuselage which is covered with a transparent film.<ref name=JAWA72/>

Due to RAF Halton having only grass airfields, the aircraft was transferred over to RAF Benson, South Oxfordshire to take advantage of the latter's paved runways.<ref name=HPF/> The ''Jupiter'' first flew on 9 February 1972, covering approximately {{convert|200|yd|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name=JAWA72/> In a flight programme which continued through to the end of May 1972, and with Potter as a pilot, 60 flights were made. During that period, Potter amassed approximately 1 hour's worth of flying time.<ref name=SHERWINTFLAB/>

On 29 May 1972, Potter flew a distance of {{convert|1171|yd|m|abbr=on}}, in a flight which lasted 1 minute 47.4 seconds. This flight, which was officially observed, set new distance and duration records for a human-powered aircraft.<ref name=JAWA72/> Another, not officially observed, covered {{convert|1355|yd|m|abbr=on}}, and ended only due to the ''Jupiter'' having reached the end of the runway.<ref name=SHERWINTFLAB/>

The aircraft is now in storage at the Foulton Halbard collection at Filching Manor, Wealden, East Sussex.<ref name=ELLIS/>

==Specifications== {{Aircraft specs|ref=Jane's all the world's aircraft 1972-73<ref name=JAWA72/> |prime units?=imp |crew=1 |capacity= |length m= |length ft=29 |length in=6 |span m= |span ft=80 |span in= |span note= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |mid span m= |mid span ft= |mid span in= |mid span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |swept m= |swept ft= |swept in= |swept note= |dia m= |dia ft= |dia in= |dia note= |width m= |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m= |height ft=10 |height in= |height note=(propeller blades horizontal) |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=300 |wing area note= |swept area sqm= |swept area sqft= |swept area note= |volume m3= |volume ft3= |volume note= |aspect ratio=20.7 |airfoil=NACA 65<sub>3</sub>618 |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=146 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=300 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |more general=

}}

==See also== {{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= * HMPAC Puffin * Malliga 1 * MacCready ''Gossamer Albatross'' * MacCready ''Gossamer Condor'' * Paxton man-powered aircraft * Weybridge ''Mercury'' * Wright ''Micron'' |sequence= |lists= * List of Human-powered aircraft }}

==References== <references>

<ref name=ELLIS>{{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Ken |title=Wrecks & relics|publisher=Midland Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=1857802357 |location=Hinckley, England |page=217 |language=en |edition=20th| url=https://archive.org/details/wrecksrelics0000elli/page/216/mode/2up |access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=HPF>{{cite web |title=Jupiter Continued |url=https://www.humanpoweredflight.co.uk/page/human-powered-flight-jupiter-part-2 |website=Human Powered Flight |access-date=30 April 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=JAWA72>{{cite book |editor-last1=Taylor |editor-first1=John W. R. |date=1972 |title=Jane's all the world's aircraft 1972-73 |location=London |publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |page=209-210 |isbn=0354001094|url=https://archive.org/details/janesallworldsai0000unse_q4v6/page/208/mode/2up|access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=REAY>{{cite book |last=Reay |first=D.A. |date=1977 |title=The history of man-powered flight |location=Oxford, England |publisher=Pergamon Press Ltd |pages=293–294 |isbn=0080217389}}</ref>

<ref name=SHERWINTFLAB>{{Cite book |last=Sherwin |first=Keith |author-link=Keith Sherwin |title=To fly like a bird: The story of man-powered aircraft |publisher=Bailey Brothers and Swinfen Limited |year=1976 |isbn=0561002835 |location=Folkestone, England |pages=81–85 |language=en}}</ref>

</references>

Category:Human-powered aircraft Category:Shoulder-wing aircraft Category:Pusher aircraft Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1972 Category:1970s British experimental aircraft Category:Aircraft with fixed landing gear

Halton Jupiter

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