Article Update — Photos of the designer’s own project… see at bottom. —DJ 3/2/22 A steady stream of readers ask about motorgliders. This is one of recreational aviation’s most interesting aircraft types. Motorgliders can soar reasonably well for those interested in working thermals or ridge lift to ascend without motor noise. Many others might never shut down the engine and soar but are intrigued with efficient cross country flying. In a motorglider, a pilot can be more confident as the aircraft can glide far further than other types, providing a broader safety margin. From a one-man operation comes the Italian Piuma Project. Designer and builder Tiziano Danieli describes his creations as “a friendly family of ultralight* motor gliders.” Trouble Is… Motorgliders Are Expensive …Or, Are They? Fully manufactured LSA motorgliders may get you airborne quickly whereas you need to build your Piuma, but the factory-built version will cost substantially more.
Affordable Motorgliders? Yes, a Whole Family of Them You Can Build
A steady stream of readers ask about motorgliders. This is one of recreational aviation's most interesting aircraft types. Motorgliders can soar reasonably well for those interested in working thermals or ridge lift to ascend without motor noise.
Trouble Is… Motorgliders Are Expensive …Or, Are They?
Fully manufactured LSA motorgliders may get you airborne quickly whereas you need to build your Piuma, but the factory-built version will cost substantially more. I've written about Pipistrel's Sinus, Ekolot's Elf, Distar's SunDancer, the Phoenix Air motorglider, and even the kit-built Sonex Motorglider, among several others (even more here). Most of these will cost multiples of the cost of a Piuma homebuilt motorglider.Piuma designs have a significant history, yet Tiziano saw value in upgrading his plans and info package. "Given growing interest in minimal ultralights,” Tiziano reported, “in 2021, the drawings of the Original Piuma, the Construction Manual, and also the Project Book were improved with new photos, all now available also in English language." Based on my scouring every page of his website, I can attest his command of English is excellent. When you examine Piuma's website, you will even find English measurements, unusual for a European developer.
Touring Piuma Motorglider
Perhaps a majority of pilots interested in motorgliders will rarely fly them as soaring machines. With long, slender wings, gliders and motorgliders have an elegant, graceful look and are efficient aircraft with low fuel usage per mile flown.Constructing Piuma
Tiziano sells neither completed motorgliders nor kits. These are "scratch-built" aircraft, meaning that builders have to acquire all the materials and follow drawings to build any of the Piuma models.How This Gets Interesting After Mosaic Is Released
- Wing span — 38.4 feet(34.1 feet)
- Total wing area — 125 square feet (99 square feet)
- Aspect ratio — 11.2:1
- Dihedral — 3°
- Total tailplane area — 17.2 square feet
- Length overall — 19.4 feet
- Height — 4.6 feet
- Empty weight — 320 pounds
- Max take-off weight — 518 pounds (550 pounds)
- Useful load — 198 pounds
- Max wing loading — 4.14 pounds per square foot
- Recommended load factors — +3.4 / –1.2
- Ultimate load factors — +6.8 / 2.5
- Max level speed — 51 knots (81 knots)
- Normal cruising speed — 43 to 48 knots (73 knots)
- Stalling speed — 26 knots (34 knots)
- Never exceed speed — 65 knots
- Best glide ratio with power off — 17:1
- Take-off — 330 feet
- Landing — 330 feet
- Max climb rate at sea level — 390 feet per minute (1,000 fpm)
- Min sink rate (at 31 knots) — 200 feet per minute (235 fpm)
- Engine — 25 horsepower (40 horsepower; Rotax 447)
To help you find lots more information and details plus more photos for each model click or tap any of the several links below. (Note: English is used and is very good.) * European use of "ultralight" does not mean FAR Part 103 parameters. While light, these are not Part 103 ultralight vehicles.
This March 2, 2022 update provides photos of designer / builder Tiziano Danieli's own project. Here's a few words from him about it. "I personally am still flying with my Original Piuma and I am completing the construction of the Almerico (images below), which I modified into a single-seater for personal use." "The construction plans of the Piuma Almerico single-seater that I used for my personal use are not yet completed [but] I intend to make them available to the builders, together with hundreds of photos of the details under construction, in the coming months."