Titan Tornado
Encyclopedia
The Titan Tornado is large family of cantilever high-wing, pusher configuration
, tricycle gear
-equipped kit aircraft manufactured by Titan Aircraft
of Austinburg, Ohio
for amateur construction.
The Tornado borrows from the design of the Earthstar Thunder Gull J and shares a similar cantilever
wing of small area, keeping stall speeds low by use of flaps
. This low drag design manages high cross country speeds as a result. The cockpit is constructed from 4130 steel, while the fuselage
boom tube and the wings are built from aluminium
. Unlike the Gull's wing, which is aircraft fabric-covered or optionally finished in sheet aluminium, the Tornado's wing is stressed skin
. The Tornado has a tricyle undercarriage
with a supplemental tailwheel castor, as the aircraft sits on its tail when unoccupied.
1994.
Tornado Sport
Tornado MG
Tornado I
Tornado I Sport
Tornado II
Tornado II Trainer
Tornado II Sport
Tornado II 912
Tornado II FP
Tornado MG II
Tornado S
Tornado SS
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
, tricycle gear
Tricycle gear
Tricycle gear describes an aircraft undercarriage, or landing gear, arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has one wheel in the front, called the nose wheel, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity...
-equipped kit aircraft manufactured by Titan Aircraft
Titan Aircraft
Titan Aircraft is an aircraft kit manufacturer, located in Austinburg, Ohio. They produce kits for the Titan T-51 Mustang which is a 3/4 scale replica of the P-51 Mustang and several versions of the Tornado ultralight/light-sport aircraft.-External links:*...
of Austinburg, Ohio
Austinburg, Ohio
Austinburg is a census-designated place in northern Austinburg Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44010. It lies at the intersection of State Routes 45 and 307....
for amateur construction.
Design and development
The first in the Tornado series, the Tornado 103, which started development in 1990, was introduced in 1994 and designed to fit into the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, meeting the 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight limit. If equipped with a light enough engine the Tornado 103 could qualify as a US ultralight.The Tornado borrows from the design of the Earthstar Thunder Gull J and shares a similar cantilever
Cantilever
A cantilever is a beam anchored at only one end. The beam carries the load to the support where it is resisted by moment and shear stress. Cantilever construction allows for overhanging structures without external bracing. Cantilevers can also be constructed with trusses or slabs.This is in...
wing of small area, keeping stall speeds low by use of flaps
Flap (aircraft)
Flaps are normally hinged surfaces mounted on the trailing edges of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft to reduce the speed an aircraft can be safely flown at and to increase the angle of descent for landing without increasing air speed. They shorten takeoff and landing distances as well as...
. This low drag design manages high cross country speeds as a result. The cockpit is constructed from 4130 steel, while the fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
boom tube and the wings are built from aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
. Unlike the Gull's wing, which is aircraft fabric-covered or optionally finished in sheet aluminium, the Tornado's wing is stressed skin
Stressed skin
In mechanical engineering, stressed skin is a type of rigid construction, intermediate between monocoque and a rigid frame with a non-loaded covering:...
. The Tornado has a tricyle undercarriage
Tricycle gear
Tricycle gear describes an aircraft undercarriage, or landing gear, arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has one wheel in the front, called the nose wheel, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity...
with a supplemental tailwheel castor, as the aircraft sits on its tail when unoccupied.
Operational history
The Tornado 103 was named Ultralight Grand Champion at Sun 'n FunSun 'n Fun
Sun 'n Fun is a "Fly-in" and airshow held annually at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida, usually during the second or third week of April....
1994.
Variants
Tornado 103- The first version, a single seater, intended for the US ultralight category with a 20 ft (6.1 m) wingspan. Standard engine was the 28 hp Rotax 277Rotax 277|-Specifications :-See also:...
. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 300 hours. Ten were reported flying in 1998.
Tornado Sport
- Improved single seater version intended for the US homebuilt category with a 20 ft (6.1 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 52 hp Rotax 503Rotax 503|-Specifications :...
. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 300 hours. 89 were reported flying in 1999.
Tornado MG
- Single seater version intended for the US homebuilt category, with a 26 ft (7.9 m) wingspan. The wing is detachable for storage or transport. Standard engine is the 40 hp Rotax 447Rotax 447|-Specifications :...
and optional engines included the 52 hp Rotax 503Rotax 503|-Specifications :...
, 64 hp Rotax 582Rotax 582|-Specifications :-External links:*...
, 74 hp Rotax 618 and the 80 hp Rotax 912UL. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 15 were reported flying in 2007.
Tornado I
- Improved version of the Tornado Sport, intended for the US homebuilt category or light-sport aircraftLight-sport AircraftA Light-sport aircraft, also known as light sport aircraft or LSA, is a small aircraft that is simple to fly and which meets certain regulations set by a National aviation authority restricting weight and performance...
category as its standard empty weight is 375 lb (170 kg). Standard engine is the 52 hp Rotax 503Rotax 503|-Specifications :...
. Still in production.
Tornado I Sport
- Single seat version, intended for the US homebuilt category as its standard empty weight is 320 lb (145 kg). Standard engine is the 52 hp Rotax 503Rotax 503|-Specifications :...
. No longer in production. 95 were reported flying in 2007.
Tornado II
- Two seats in tandemTandemTandem is an arrangement where a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction....
version, intended for the previous US ultralight trainer category and presently for the US homebuilt and light-sport categories. It has a 23.5 ft (7.2 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 64 hp Rotax 582Rotax 582|-Specifications :-External links:*...
and cruise speed is 100 mph (161 km/h) with that engine. Acceptable power range is 52 hp. The 60 hp HKS 700EHKS 700E|-See also:...
four-stroke engine has also been used. Still in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 120 were reported flying in 1998.
Tornado II Trainer
- Two seats in tandem version, intended for the previous US ultralight trainer category. It has a 23.5 ft (7.2 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 64 hp Rotax 582Rotax 582|-Specifications :-External links:*...
. Acceptable power range is 52 hp. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 500 were reported flying in 2007.
Tornado II Sport
- Two seats in tandem version, intended for the US homebuilt category. It has a 23.5 ft (7.2 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 80 hp Rotax 912UL. Acceptable power range is 50 hp. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 500 were reported flying in 2003.
Tornado II 912
- Two seats in tandem version, intended for the US homebuilt category. It has a 23.5 ft (7.2 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 80 hp Rotax 912 and cruise speed is 120 mph (193 km/h) with that engine. Acceptable power range is 52 hp. No longer in production. 145 were reported flying in 1999.
Tornado II FP
- Two seats in tandem amphibious floatplaneFloatplaneA floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
version, intended for the US homebuilt category with a 23.5 ft (7.2 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 74 hp Rotax 618 and cruise speed is 105 mph (169 km/h) with that engine. Out of production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. Twelve were reported flying in 2001.
Tornado MG II
- Two seats in tandem version, with a 26 ft (7.9 m) wingspan. The wing is detachable for storage or transport. Standard engine is the 40 hp Rotax 447Rotax 447|-Specifications :...
and the acceptable power range is 40 hp. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 400 hours. Eight were reported flying in 2001.
Tornado S
- Two seats in tandem "stretched" fuselage version, intended for the US homebuilt and light-sport categories. It has a 23.5 ft (7.2 m) wingspan. Standard engine is the 100 hp Rotax 912ULS and cruise speed is 120 mph (193 km/h) with that engine. Acceptable power range is 52 hp and alternate engines include the 52 hp Rotax 503Rotax 503|-Specifications :...
, 64 hp Rotax 582Rotax 582|-Specifications :-External links:*...
, 80 hp Rotax 912UL, 85 hp Jabiru 2200Jabiru 2200| -See also:-External links:* *...
, or the 120 hp Jabiru 3300Jabiru 3300-References:* *...
. Still in production. Reported construction time is 300 hours. 145 reported flying in 2007.
Tornado SS
- Two seats in tandem "super stretched" fuselage version, intended for the US homebuilt and light-sport categories. It features a longer and higher cockpit area with 4 in (10 cm) more headroom that the Tornado II along with a bigger rear door and a full-sized back seat. It has a 26 ft (7.9 m) wingspan. Acceptable power range is 80 hp and engines include the 80 hp Rotax 912UL, 100 hp Rotax 912ULS, 85 hp Jabiru 2200Jabiru 2200| -See also:-External links:* *...
, or the 120 hp Jabiru 3300Jabiru 3300-References:* *...
. Still in production. One reported as flying in 2007.