Druine Turbulent

Development

The D.31 Turbulent was designed to be amateur-built and is a single-seat ultra-light aircraft with cantilever low-wing and fixed tailwheel landing gear. Designed to be powered by a 30hp (1200cc) Volkswagen or similar engine. The fuselage uses wood construction. Rollason Aircraft & Engines Limited produced 29 factory-built D.31 aircraft in the United Kingdom and three D.31A models with strengthened wing spar in order to get a full British certificate of Airworthiness. Five Turbulents are operated by the Tiger Club in 2008.

The rights to plans for the design are held by the UK Light Aircraft Association.

Variants

D.3

Original design and prototypes

D.30

powered by 25 hp (19 kW) Ava 4A-00

D.31

Standard home-built and factory built variant

D.31A

Factory & homebuilt aircraft incorporating factory designed (Rollason of Croydon) strengthened main spar to allow C of A certification. Top speed = 115 Knots. Max weight = 317 kg

D.32

powered by Sarolea Epervier

D.35

powered by Porsche

Specifications (D.31)

Data from A.J.Jackson, British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2, Putnam & Company, London, 1974, ISBN 0-370-10010-7

General characteristics

Crew: 1

Length: 17 ft 4½ in (5.30 m)

Wingspan: 21 ft 5 in (6.53 m)

Empty weight: 349 lb (158 kg)

Gross weight: 620 lb (281 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Volkswagen, 30 hp (22 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 125 mph (201 km/h)

Rate of climb: 400 ft/min ( m/s)