Polaris Skin

{{Short description|Italian ultralight trike}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use British English|date=January 2022}}  {{Infobox aircraft | name = Skin | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Ultralight trike]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[Italy]] | manufacturer = [[Polaris Motor]] | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = Production completed (2014) | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = early 1980s | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Polaris Skin''' is an Italian [[ultralight trike]], that was designed and produced by [[Polaris Motor]] of [[Gubbio]]. The aircraft was supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.<ref name="WDLA11">Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 218. 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 107. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster UK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X</ref>

By 2014 the company website was listed as "under construction", then was taken down and the company went out of business.<ref name="Official">{{cite web|url= http://www.polarismotor.eu/|title= Polaris Motor|access-date= 12 February 2022|author= Polaris Motor|work= polarismotor.eu|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140719115541/http://www.polarismotor.eu/|archive-date= 19 July 2014|url-status= dead}}</ref>

==Design and development== Designed and first flown in the early 1980s, the Skin complies with the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale]] [[microlight]] category, including the category's maximum gross weight of {{convert|450|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. The Skin has a maximum gross weight of {{convert|360|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. It features a [[Flying wires|cable-braced]] [[hang glider]]-style [[high-wing]], weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-[[tandem]] open cockpit with an optional [[cockpit fairing]], [[tricycle landing gear]] with [[wheel pants]] and a single engine in [[pusher configuration]].<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA04" />

The aircraft is made from [[steel]] and bolted-together [[aluminum]] tubing, with its double surface wing covered in [[Dacron]] sailcloth. Its {{convert|10.60|m|ft|1|abbr=on}} span wing is supported by a single tube-type [[kingpost]] and uses an "A" frame weight-shift control bar. The powerplant is a twin cylinder, air-cooled, [[two-stroke]], [[dual-ignition]] {{convert|50|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} [[Rotax 503]] or the liquid-cooled {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} [[Rotax 582]] engine. With the Rotax 503 powerplant the aircraft has an empty weight of {{convert|155|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|360|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|205|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|60|L}} the payload is {{convert|162|kg|lb|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref name="WDLA04" />

A number of different wings can be fitted to the basic carriage, including the [[Gryps 14]], [[Gyps 16]], [[Gyps 19]] and the [[Ares 21]].<ref name="WDLA11" />

==Specifications (Skin with Gyps 16 wing) == {{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=10.60 |span ft= |span in= |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm=15.8 |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=155 |empty weight lb= |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=360 |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|60|L}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Rotax 503]] |eng1 type=twin cylinder, air-cooled, [[two stroke]] [[aircraft engine]] |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=50

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=93 |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh=45 |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=3.5 |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=22.8 |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics= }}

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:1980s Italian sport aircraft]] [[Category:1980s Italian ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:Homebuilt aircraft]] [[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]] [[Category:Ultralight trikes]]