Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Zenair Zipper

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Top speed
  
80 km/h

Manufacturer
  
Wingspan
  
8.54 m

Designer
  
Chris Heintz

Zenair Zipper wwwlightsportaircraftpilotcomzenairzipperultr

Zenair zipper ultralight aircraft


The Zenair Zipper is a Canadian ultralight high-wing, single seat aircraft that was designed by Chris Heintz and produced by Zenair.

Contents

Zenair Zipper Zenair Zipper Wikipedia

The Zipper is a highly innovative design that strongly emphasizes portability over speed or carrying capacity.

Zenair zipper ultralight aircraft from designer chris heintz


Development

Zenair Zipper Zenair Zipper box fuselage size

The Zipper was designed in the early 1980s by established Canadian aircraft designer Chris Heintz and put into production by his company Zenair, of Midland, Ontario. Heintz's motivation for the Zipper was the ultralight aviation boom that was occurring in Canada at that time and the introduction of new aviation regulations by Transport Canada legally permitting the operation of ultralights.

Zenair Zipper Zenair Zipper ultralight aircraft pictures Zenair Zipper

The Zipper incorporates many unique features, all aimed at making the aircraft more portable. This focus was due to the nature of operations in the early days of the ultralight popularity. Aircraft were not flown great distances to fly-ins or other sites, but were transported by trailer or on car top to be flown locally at remote locations.

Zenair Zipper Zipper Series CELEBRATING 40 Years

The Zipper has a quick-folding wing, built around a D-cell leading edge and spar. There are no wing ribs and the trailing edge of the wing is established by a cable which tensions the sailcloth wing covering. The wing is folded by releasing the anti-drag cables next to the nosewheel and folding the wings back along the tailboom, still supported by their struts. The wing is designed to +6 and -3 g.

Zenair Zipper Restoring Zenair Zipper Michel39s Projects MTHomebuilt at

The Zipper features conventional three-axis controls, which was unusual in ultralights designed at this time. The all-metal, one piece, all-flying rudder and the elevator are quickly removable for transport. The tailboom is aluminum and square in cross section.

The standard powerplants provided with the Zipper kits were the JPX PUL 425 engine of 26 hp (19 kW) and the Rotax 277 of 28 hp (21 kW). Fuel capacity is 6 US gal (5 imp gal; 23 L). The twin-engined Zipper II used a similar engine configuration to its competitor, the Ultraflight Lazair, placing both engines close together to minimize engine-out requirements.

Operational history

Zenith Aircraft Company President Sebastien Heintz, son of the designer Chris Heintz, learned to fly in a Zenair Zipper.

In December 2008 there were four Zippers still registered in Canada. Consisting of two Zippers, one Zipper-RX and one Zipper II

Variants

Zipper
Powerplant is one JPX PUL 425 or 212
Zipper-RX
Powerplant is one Rotax 277 engine of 28 hp
Zipper II
Powerplants are two JPX PUL 212. There were 12 built.

Specifications (Zipper PUL 425 engine)

Data from Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Length: ()
  • Wingspan: 28 ft (8.54 m)
  • Height: ()
  • Wing area: 140 sq ft (13.25 m2)
  • Empty weight: 180 lb (82 kg)
  • Useful load: 240 lb (109 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 420 lb (190 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 420 lb (190 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × JPX PUL 425 fixed pitch, 26 hp (19 kW)
  • Propellers: one propeller, 1 per engine
  • Performance

  • Maximum speed: 50 mph (81 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 40 mph (65 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
  • Range: 100 mi (162 km)
  • Rate of climb: 700 ft/min (3.6 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 3.0 lb/sq ft (14.3 kg/m2)
  • Power/mass: 19.1 lb/hp (0.087 kW/kg)
  • References

    Zenair Zipper Wikipedia