Grinvalds Orion

Orion
Grinvalds G.801 Orion
Role	4-seat homebuilt aircraft
National origin	France
Designer	Jean Grinvalds
First flight	2 June 1981
Number built	more than about 17

The Grinvalds Orion is one of the earliest (1981) composite kit- and homebuilt aircraft. A 2/4 seater with a single pusher engine, it was built in France and the USA in small numbers with several variations.

Design and development

Designed in 1975 and first flown in 1981,^[1] the Orion was one of the earliest kitbuilt aircraft to be constructed from composite materials.^[2] It is a low wing cantilever monoplane with a T-tail, of conventional layout except for its pusher configuration; this places with the cabin well ahead of the leading edge and provides an excellent downward view. The Orion is built from Kevlar reinforced glassfibre shells, with foam filling in the wings.^[2] The latter, which have 4.5° of dihedral, are straight edged and only slightly tapered, with blunt tips. They carry electrically driven split flaps.^[3] Its cabin seats four in two side-by-side rows and is entered by centrally hinged gull wing doors. The engine, a Lycoming O-360 variant of either 180 hp or 200 hp (134/149 kW) is mounted over the wing trailing edge line and drives a three-bladed propeller, mounted at the extreme tail, via a long shaft.^[4] Behind the wing the fuselage tapers on its underside; it carries a broad fin with a straight, swept leading edge and rudder, on top of which is the straight tapered tailplane and horn balanced elevators. Below the fuselage is a long, shallow ventral strake. The tricycle undercarriage is electrically retractable. The main legs fold inward; when deployed, they splay out strongly.^[3]

The first prototype of the plan-built G-801 Orion flew for the first time on 2 June 1981, configured as a two seater and powered by a 65 hp (48.5 kW) engine.^[3] The first kit-production aircraft, designated G-802 Orion, differed from the G-801 chiefly in having a wider cabin and a slightly longer fuselage (increased by 140 mm or 5.5 in).^[4][2] This first flew in November 1983, powered by a 180 hp Lycoming.^[3] By early 1985 140 plans for G-801s and 80 G-802 kits had been sold, but the development programme was halted by the death of its designer on 3 April 1985 whilst demonstrating the aircraft.^[5]

Plans and kits were distributed by Aérodis in France and by Aerodis America Inc. in the USA.^[3] Individual builders, often using the original moulds at Brienne-le-Chateau, continued to innovate.^[4] Around 1990 Jaques Darcissac built an Orion with a fuselage strengthened with wire mesh and with a more robust undercarriage, which he named the Darcissac-Grinvalds DG-87 Goéland (Seagull in English) and this name has been used by three other builders.^[5][6] Other builders have also given their aircraft different names, such as Gerfaut, Gypaète and Sylphide. In the USA the Orion was known as the AA200.^[4][5]

Orion marketing was taken over by Avyron, who restarted its development. At the 2005 Paris Air Show they announced the unfinished JG 203, which was to have carbon fibre added to the glassfibre and Kevlar structure. The long drive shaft and its propeller were also to be made from carbon fibre, with integral wing tanks and with the main undercarriage attached to the rear wing spar. Control was fly by wire. Two versions were proposed: the JG 203G-190, with a 142 kW (190 hp) Mazda rotary diesel engine, and the JG 203G-230 with a 172 kW (230 hp) Innodyn turboprop. Kits were to be produced in Switzerland.^[7] However, two years on at the 2007 Paris show Avyron stated that they were concentrating on two versions of the original 802 Orion and that the JG 803G-230 was for longer term development. The former were the JG 802L, with a 149 kW (200 hp) Lycoming similar to that used by some of the original 802 Orions, and the JG 802M with a 172 kW (230 hp) Mazda rotary diesel.^[3] The prototype JG 203G-230 appeared at this show, though without its engine.^[3][5] No kits are known to have been made by Avyron before the end of 2008.^[3]

Operational history

By the end of 2008 about 17 Orion variants had been flown, with another 9 under construction.^[1] Most have been registered in France,^[8] though 3 are on the US register.^[9]

Aircraft on display

The first prototype 801 Orion, F-PYKF, is normally in the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace, Le Bourget Airport, Paris where it can be viewed with advance permission,^[10] though Avyron borrowed it to hang over their stand at the 2005 Paris Air Show.^[7]

Specifications (Avyron JG 802L)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11: performance estimated^[3]

General characteristics

• Capacity: 4
• Length: 7.75 m (25 ft 5 in)
• Wingspan: 8.90 m (29 ft 2 in)
• Height: 2.60 m (8 ft 6 in)
• Wing area: 11.22 m² (120.8 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 7.1
• Airfoil: NACA 43015 root, NACA 43012 tip
• Empty weight: 655 kg (1,444 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 1,050 kg (2,315 lb)
• Fuel capacity: 200 L (44.0 imp gal, 52.8 US gal)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-360 flat four cylinder, air cooled, 150 kW (200 hp)
• Propellers: 3-bladed MT-Propeller pusher

Performance

• Maximum speed: 330 km/h (210 mph; 180 kn)
• Stall speed: 90 km/h (56 mph; 49 kn) flaps down
• Range: 1,250 km (777 mi; 675 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 4,500 m (14,764 ft) service
• Rate of climb: 4.50 m/s (885 ft/min) initial

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Jones, Geoff (29 June 2009). "Grinvalds Orion.". Kitplanes. http://www.kitplanes.com/magazine/fixedwing/8869-1.html. Retrieved 2011-011-05. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing Ltd. p. 189. ISBN 1 84037 115 3. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Jackson, Paul (2010). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2010-11. Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Information Group. pp. 194. ISBN 13 9780 7106 2916 6. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} "Le Club Orion". http://cluborion.free.fr/caracteristiques_g_801_et_g_802_048.htm. Retrieved 2011-02-20. 
5. ^ ^{a b c d} Perrier, Patrick (2010). Fox-Papa Les avions de construction amateur. Rennes: Marines Edition. pp. 48–9. ISBN 9 782357 43048 814. 
6. ^ "DG 87 Goéland". http://oriong802.chez.com/new/histoire.html. Retrieved 2011-02-20. 
7. ^ ^{a b} Jackson, Paul (2006). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2006-7. Coulsdon, Surrey: IHS Jane's. pp. 154. ISBN 10 07106 2745 9. 
8. ^ Partington, Dave (2010). European registers handbook 2010. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978 085130 425 0. 
9. ^ "Aerodis registrations, USA". http://www.airport-data.com/manuf/Aerodis_America_Inc.html. Retrieved 2011-02-20. 
10. ^ Ogden, Bob (2009). Aviation Museums and Collections of Mainland Europe. Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978 0 85130 418 2.