Aviastroitel AC-7M

The Aviastroitel AC-7M is a Russian mid-wing, T-tailed, two-seats in side-by-side configuration motor glider that was designed by Vladimir Egorovich Fedorov and produced by Aviastroitel, now Glider Air Craft.

Design and development
Development of the AC-7M was started in 2002, it was first flown in 2005 and by 2006 two prototypes had been completed.

The AC-7M is a conventional self-launching sailplane, but is equipped with a more powerful retractable pusher configuration Hirth F30A25A 77.2 kW two stroke engine than is normal in these types, allowing it to be also used as a glider tug and as touring motor glider. The aircraft is capable of cruising at 180 km/h for 1800 km while burning only 9 l/h of fuel.

The AC-7M uses a two bladed wooden propeller of 1.18 m diameter. The 18 m span wing employs a Wortmann FX60-157 airfoil and mounts Fowler flaps. The wings are mounted on the fuselage with a single cam-pin and the ailerons and air brakes hook-up automatically. The fixed landing gear consists of a narrow track pair of rubber-suspended 360 mm main wheels, a 310 mm nose wheel and a 200 mm tail caster. The main wheels incorporate lever-actuated drum brakes. The cockpit can accommodate pilots up to 190 cm in height. The canopy provides 300° field of view and is jettisonable. Assembly from its trailer takes four people 20 minutes.

The AC-7M was later developed into the unpowered and redesigned AC-7.

Variants

 * AC-7M
 * Side-by-side, two seat motor glider with a retractable Hirth F30A25A 77.2 kW two stroke engine.


 * AC-7K
 * Development of the AC-7M, but with a fuselage-mounted Rotax 912ULS 73.5 kW four stroke engine, driving a retractable 1.18 m diameter, two bladed wooden propeller.