Engineering:Let L-33 Solo

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L-33 Solo
General information
TypeGlider
National originCzech Republic
ManufacturerLet Kunovice
Designer
Marian Meciar and Vaclav Zajic
Number built94 (2011)
History
Manufactured1992–present
Introduction date1992
First flight1992

The Let L-33 Solo is a Czech shoulder-wing, single-seat, glider, designed by Marian Meciar and Vaclav Zajic, and produced by Let Kunovice. The L-33 first flew in 1992 and remained in production through 2012, supplied as a ready-to-fly aircraft.[1][2][3]

Design and development

The L-33 was a developed as the single-seat "natural step" for early solo students to fly after dual training on the two-seat LET L-23 Super Blaník. The L-33 features a cantilever wing, a T-tail, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy and fixed monowheel gear.[1][2]

The semi-monocoque design is made from flush riveted aluminum sheet. The rudder is covered with doped aircraft fabric. Its 14.12 m (46.3 ft) span, semi-tapered wing employs a Wortmann FX-60-17A11-182 airfoil at the wing root, transitioning to an FX-60-126 at the wing tip. The wing has an area of 11 m2 (120 sq ft) and mounts top surface Schempp-Hirth-style air brakes.[1][2][4]

The L-33 was a competitor in the IGC World Class sailplane design competition, but lost to the Polish Politechnika Warszawska PW-5. The design is type certified to JAR 22 in Argentina, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.[1][2][3]

Operational history

By November 2012, 92 examples had been produced. In March 2025, 42 examples are registered with the Federal Aviation Administration in the United States, 4 with Transport Canada and one with the British Civil Aviation Authority.[1][5][6][7]

Specifications (L-33 Solo)

Data from Bayerl and the Sailplane Directory[1][2]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Wingspan: 14.12 m (46 ft 4 in)
  • Wing area: 11 m2 (120 sq ft)
  • Aspect ratio: 18.12:1
  • Empty weight: 210 kg (463 lb)
  • Gross weight: 340 kg (750 lb)

Performance

  • Stall speed: 65 km/h (40 mph, 35 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 248 km/h (154 mph, 134 kn)
  • Maximum glide ratio: 33:1 at 83 km/h (52 mph)
  • Rate of sink: 0.66 m/s (130 ft/min)
  • Wing loading: 30.9 kg/m2 (6.3 lb/sq ft)

See also

Related lists

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 146. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Activate Media (2006). "Solo L 33 LET". Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120308060224/http://www.sailplanedirectory.com/PlaneDetails.cfm?planeID=331. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Let Kunovice (n.d.). "L-33 Solo". http://www.let.cz/?sec=59. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 
  4. ↑ Lednicer, David (2010). "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". http://www.ae.illinois.edu/m-selig/ads/aircraft.html. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 
  5. ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (12 December 2012). "Make / Model Inquiry Results". http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/AcftRef_Results.aspx?Mfrtxt=&Modeltxt=L+33&PageNo=1. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 
  6. ↑ Transport Canada (12 December 2012). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718042755/http://wwwapps2.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/ccarcs/aspscripts/en/quicksearch.asp. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 
  7. ↑ Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) (12 December 2012). "GINFO Search Results Summary". http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=CFZZ. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 

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