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The Windward Performance SparrowHawk is an American mid-wing, single-seat glider that was designed and produced by Windward Performance.
Contents
Since 2016 the aircraft has been no longer advertised as available by the manufacturer.
Design and development
The SparrowHawk was designed to fit into the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, including that category's requirement that unpowered aircraft have a maximum empty weight of 155 lb (70 kg). The sailplane achieves this by utilizing a structure that is predominantly made from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer.
The SparrowHawk's multi-tapered, 36.1 ft (11.0 m) span wing employs five different airfoils and has an aspect ratio of 18.6:1. The wing features Schempp-Hirth style spoilers on the top surface. The cockpit can accommodate pilots who range in height from 63 to 75 in (160 to 191 cm). The landing gear is a fixed monowheel gear with an auxiliary tail wheel. The glider is finished with a two part polyurethane paint. The aircraft can be launched by auto-tow, winch-launch, or aero-tow by both light aircraft and ultralight aircraft. Aerobatics are not recommended.
The SparrowHawk achieves a best glide ratio of 36:1 and a minimum sink rate of 119 ft/min (0.60 m/s).
Specifications (SparrowHawk)
Data from Bertrand and company website
General characteristics
Performance