Storm 320E

The Storm 320E, sometimes written Storm 320 E, is an Italian microlight aircraft that was designed and produced by Storm Aircraft of Sabaudia. Storm Aircraft was originally called SG Aviation srl. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

Design and development
Designed for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale European microlight class, the Storm 320E features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a forward-hinged bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear with wheel pants, and a single engine in tractor configuration. A conventional landing gear version is designated the Storm 280.

The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet with some fibreglass parts. Its 8.60 m span wing employs a NACA 4415 airfoil, mounts flaps and has a wing area of 11.065 m2. The wing planform is rectangular, but the ailerons taper outboard, giving an overall tapered result. The cabin width is 112 cm. The acceptable power range is 80 to 115 hp and the standard engine used is the 80 hp Rotax 912UL powerplant.

The Storm 320E has a typical empty weight of 280 kg and a gross weight of 450 kg, giving a useful load of 170 kg. With full fuel of 61 L the payload for pilot, passenger and baggage is 126 kg.

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 80 hp engine is 122 m and the landing roll is 152 m.

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 400 hours or 250 hours from the quick-build kit.

Operational history
By 1998 the company reported that 100 of the 280 and 320E model kits combined had been sold and 70 aircraft were completed and flying.

Variants

 * Storm 320E
 * Tricycle landing gear version


 * Storm 280
 * Conventional landing gear version