Engineering:Lake Renegade
| Renegade, Seafury, Seawolf | |
|---|---|
| |
| Seawolf operated by NOAA | |
| Role | Utility amphibian |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Lake Aircraft |
| First flight | 1982 |
| Developed from | Lake Buccaneer |
The Lake LA-250 Renegade is a six-seat amphibious utility aircraft produced in the United States by Lake Aircraft since 1982.[1]
Design and development
The Renegade is a lengthened and more powerful version of the Lake Buccaneer. They share the Buccaneer's type certificate, and Buccaneer production was terminated.[2] In turn, it gave rise to a number of variants, including the militarised LA-250 Seawolf, the turbocharged LA-270 Turbo Renegade, and the LA-270 Seafury optimised for marine environments.[1][2] Like the Buccaneer, it is a conventional mid-wing design with retractable tricycle undercarriage and a single engine mounted in pusher configuration in a pod on a pylon above the fuselage.[3]
The Seawolf version was designed for light maritime patrol duties and features a hardpoint under each wing to carry external stores, including bombs, rocket pods, gun pods, or rescue equipment.[3] Provision for a radar unit was made on the forward end of the engine pod.[3][4] The Seafury includes improved anti-corrosion measures and a hardened interior to improve its serviceability in saltwater environments, as well as a storage compartment carrying survival gear.[5]
Operational history
On August 31, 1988, Peter Foster and Robert Mann departed Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport in a Lake Turbo Renegade, flying to a maximum altitude of 24,600 feet and then leveling off at 24,500 feet. This flight set new world records for altitude and sustained flight at altitude for single-engine amphibians, FAI class C-3C-08.[6][7]
A year later on November 2, 1989, two more flights departed from Bauneg Beg Lake in Sanford, Maine, setting four more world records for single-engine seaplanes. In the first flight of the day, Robert Mann flew a Lake Turbo Renegade N270TL with co-pilot Gordon Collins to an altitude of 25,500 feet. They were able to sustain this altitude, setting two records for FAI class C-2C-08.[8][9] Later in the day, Robert Mann flew N250L solo from Bauneg Beg Lake to an initial altitude of 27,300 feet, and then leveling off at a sustained altitude of 27,100 feet for two more world records in FAI class C-2B-08.[10][11]
Variants
- LA-250 Renegade — Buccaneer with 38-inch (97-cm) fuselage stretch, six seats, and Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 engine
- LA-250 Seawolf — militarised Renegade with hardpoints and provision for radar
- LA-270 Turbo Renegade — Renegade with Lycoming TIO-540-AA1AD engine uprated to 270 hp (200 kW)
- LA-270 Seafury — Renegade for saltwater conditions
Specifications (LA-250)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1984–85, 431 and The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage[12]
General characteristics
- Crew: one pilot
- Capacity: five passengers
- Length: 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
- Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m)
- Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
- Wing area: 170 sq ft (15.8 m2)
- Airfoil: NACA 4418 (root), NACA 4412 (tip)
- Empty weight: 1,850 lb (839 kg)
- Gross weight: 3,050 lb (1,383 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 , 250 hp (186 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 160 mph (258 km/h, 140 kn)
- Range: 1,036 mi (1,668 km, 900 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 14,700 ft (4,480 m)
- Rate of climb: 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Taylor 1989, 932
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Simpson 1995, 226
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1984–85, 432
- ↑ Simpson 1995, 227
- ↑ Simpson 1995, 228
- ↑ "Peter L. Foster (USA) (3934)" (in en). 2017-10-10. https://www.fai.org/record/3934.
- ↑ "Peter L. Foster (USA) (3933)" (in en). 2017-10-10. https://www.fai.org/record/3933.
- ↑ "Robert Mann (USA) (2283)" (in en). 2017-10-10. https://www.fai.org/record/2283.
- ↑ "Robert Mann (USA) (2284)" (in en). 2017-10-10. https://www.fai.org/record/2284.
- ↑ "Robert Mann (USA) (2281)" (in en). 2017-10-10. https://www.fai.org/record/2281.
- ↑ "Robert Mann (USA) (2282)" (in en). 2017-10-10. https://www.fai.org/record/2282.
- ↑ Lednicer, David (2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html.
References
- Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1984–85. London: Jane's Publishing. 1984. ISBN 9780710608017. https://archive.org/details/janesallworldsai8485john.
- Simpson, R. W. (1995). Airlife's General Aviation. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing.
- Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions.
External links
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