Arion Lightning

Design and development

The Lightning was developed by designers Pete Krotje, Ben Krotje and Nick Otterback.

Originally designed as a high speed, low wing composite aircraft for the Jabiru series of engines, the LS-1 was redesigned to meet American light-sport requirements by extending the wings to lower the stall speed and using a fixed pitch propeller.

The aircraft is made from composites. In the homebuilt kit version its 30.5 ft (9.3 m) span wing has an area of 91 sq ft (8.5 m²) and mounts flaps. The aircraft's recommended engine power is 120 hp (89 kW) and the standard engine used is the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 four-stroke powerplant. Construction time from the supplied kit is 600 hours.

Operational history

In 2007 Earl Ferguson set a record for the quickest time for a flight from Savannah to San Diego in a piston engine land plane weighing between 1,102 and 2,205 pounds using this aircraft.

Variants

Arion Lightning EXP

US Experimental amateur-built category aircraft

Arion Lightning XS

Variant of Lightning EXP supporting up to 160 hp engines, including the Lycoming O-320 and ULPower 390iS.

Arion Lightning LS-1

Light-sport aircraft variant with a choice of engines: the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300, the 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320 or the 210 hp (157 kW) Lycoming IO-390.

Specifications (Arion Lightning LS-1)

Data from Arion Aircraft

General characteristics

Capacity: 2

Length: 20 ft 8 in (6.30 m)

Wingspan: 30 ft 6 in (9.30 m)

Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Wing area: 104 sq ft (9.7 m²)

Empty weight: 820 lb (372 kg)

Gross weight: 1,320 lb (599 kg) Kit aircraft 1530lbs

Fuel capacity: 22 U.S. gallons (83 L) or 30 gallon option

Powerplant: 1 × Jabiru 3300 , 120 hp (89 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 140 kn (161 mph; 259 km/h) 160knts KIT

Cruise speed: 120 kn (138 mph; 222 km/h) 140knts kit

Stall speed: 38 kn (44 mph; 70 km/h) 45knts clean

Never exceed speed: 180 kn (207 mph; 333 km/h)

Range: 521 nmi; 966 km (600 mi)

Service ceiling: 16,000 ft (4,900 m)

Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s) 1500 solo