The Aviamilano A2 or A2 Standard is an Italian high performance Standard Class sailplane first flown in 1964 and returned to production in 1966.[1][2]
The A2 was designed in the early 1960s at the Polytechnic University of Milan by Carlo Ferrarin, his cousin Francis Ferrarin and Livio Sonzio. Their aim was to build a low cost, light weight but high performance glider.[3]
The A2 is a single-seat cantilever mid-wing monoplane, its high-aspect-ratio wing built around an all-metal torsion box and spar.[4] It is skinned with light alloy and has significant dihedral.[3] In plan the wing has a constant chord central section occupying about half the span, with separable straight tapered outer panels. The centre section trailing edges carries air brakes.[4]
Its fuselage is similar to that of the Aviamilano CPV1, with a wooden structure and ovoid cross-section. As before, the rear part is plywood skinned, but the forward part is covered with glass fibre.[4] A long, single, semi-reclining seat[3] cockpit with a single piece canopy following the fuselage contours is placed ahead of the leading edge. Under it, a rubber-sprung landing skid reaches aft to a retractable single wheel under the forward wing. The fuselage tapers rearwards to a T-tail quite different from the CPV1's conventional empennage, with a swept, straight tapered fin and rudder carrying a cantilever, tapered, one-piece all-moving horizontal tail fitted with a central anti-balance tab.[4]
The A2 first flew in 1964[2] and a short production run began in 1966.[1] In all, five were built,[2] one of which remained on the Italian civil register in 2010.[5]
An Open-class version of the A2 was produced with 18 m (59 ft 1 in) wings as the Aviamilano A3.
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1966-67 p.394[4]
General characteristics
Performance
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Powered aircraft |