Moyes Tempest

Tempest
Role	Glider
National origin	Australia
Manufacturer	Moyes Microlights
Designer	Bob Bailey
Status	Production completed
Number built	12 (2001)
Unit cost	US$12,500 (complete aircraft, 1998)
Developed from	Advanced Aeromarine Sierra

The Moyes Tempest, also referred to as the Bailey/Moyes Tempest, is an Australian high-wing, strut-braced, single-seat, microlift glider that was designed by Bob Bailey of Florida, United States and produced by Moyes Microlights of Waverley, New South Wales, Australia.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Design and development

The Tempest is a development of the Advanced Aeromarine Sierra and was designed to be towed aloft behind an ultralight aircraft.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The aircraft's 42 ft (12.8 m) span wing is made from aluminium tubing covered in Dacron and is supported by a single lift strut on each side, plus a jury strut. The fuselage is made from fiberglass and features a canopy that is hinged on one side for cockpit access. The cockpit is 22 in (56 cm) wide. The landing gear is either a monowheel gear or, optionally, bicycle gear.^[1][5]

Although very light, with a standard empty weight of 200 lb (91 kg), the Tempest does not qualify under the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations as a hang glider, neither is it foot-launchable. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit, that required an estimated 200 hours to complete, or as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft. In 1998 the kit was US$10,000 and the complete aircraft was US$12,500. Twelve were reported as flying by the end of 2001.^[1][4][5]

Aircraft on display

• Massey Air Museum, Massey, Maryland, United States^[6]

Specifications (Tempest)

Data from Purdy, Bertrand and KitPlanes^[1][2][4][5]

General characteristics

• Crew: one
• Length: 20 ft (6.1 m)
• Wingspan: 42 ft (13 m)
• Height: 5 ft (1.5 m)
• Wing area: 150 sq ft (14 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 12:1
• Empty weight: 200 lb (91 kg)
• Gross weight: 400 lb (181 kg)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 90 mph (140 km/h; 78 kn)
• Stall speed: 27 mph; 23 kn (43 km/h)
• Maximum glide ratio: 23:1 at 37 mph (60 km/h)
• Rate of sink: 170 ft/min (0.86 m/s) at 25 mph (40 km/h)
• Wing loading: 2.67 lb/sq ft (13.0 kg/m²)

See also

Related lists

• List of gliders
  

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 311. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
2. ^ ^{a b c} Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 57. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
3. ^ ^{a b} Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 32. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 25. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
5. ^ ^{a b c d e} Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 58. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
6. ^ Massey Air Museum (2011). "Airplanes you can see at the Museum". http://www.masseyaero.org/airplanes.html. Retrieved 26 September 2011. 

External links

• Photo of the Tempest in the Massey Air Museum