The Titan Tornado is large family of cantilever high-wing, pusher configuration, tricycle gear-equipped kit aircraft manufactured by Titan Aircraft of Austinburg, Ohio, for amateur construction.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, pages B-62 and B-108. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, pages 274-275. BAI Communications. Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, pages 72-73. Primedia Publications. Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 78. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 70. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. Newby-Gonzalez, Tori: 2004 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 20, Number 12, December 2003, page 80. Belvoir Publications. Downey, Julia: 2005 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 83-84. Belvoir Publications. Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, pages 75-76. Primedia Publications. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 164. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 73. Belvoir Publications.

Design and development The first in the Tornado series, the Tornado 103, which started development in 1990, was introduced in 1994 and designed to fit into the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, meeting the empty weight limit. If equipped with a light enough engine the Tornado 103 could qualify as a US ultralight.

The Tornado borrows from the design of the Earthstar Thunder Gull J and shares a similar cantilever wing of small area, keeping stall speeds low by use of flaps. This low drag design manages high cross country speeds as a result. The cockpit is constructed from 4130 steel, while the fuselage boom tube and the wings are built from aluminium. Unlike the Gull's wing, which is aircraft fabric-covered or optionally finished in sheet aluminium,Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-61. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. the Tornado's wing is stressed skin. The Tornado has a tricycle undercarriage with a supplemental tailwheel castor, as the aircraft sits on its tail when unoccupied.

Operational history The Tornado 103 was named Ultralight Grand Champion at Sun 'n Fun 1994.

Variants Tornado 103 The first version, a single seater, intended for the US ultralight category with a wingspan. Standard engine was the Rotax 277. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 300 hours. Ten were reported flying in 1998. Tornado Sport Improved single seater version intended for the US homebuilt category with a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 503. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 300 hours. 89 were reported flying in 1999. Tornado MG Single seater version intended for the US homebuilt category, with a wingspan. The wing is detachable for storage or transport. Standard engine is the Rotax 447 and optional engines included the Rotax 503, Rotax 582, Rotax 618 and the Rotax 912UL. No longer in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. Five were reported flying in 2011. Tornado I Improved version of the Tornado Sport, intended for the US homebuilt category or light-sport aircraft category as its standard empty weight is . Standard engine is the Rotax 503. Still in production. Tornado I Sport Single seat version, intended for the US homebuilt category as its standard empty weight is . Standard engine is the Rotax 503. No longer in production. 180 were reported flying in 2011. Reported stall speed 30mph; cruise 95mph; max speed 113mph.Kitplanes 2015 Buyers Guide, p.51

Tornado II Two seats in tandem version, intended for the previous US ultralight trainer category and presently for the US homebuilt and light-sport categories. It has a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 582 and cruise speed is with that engine. Acceptable power range is . The HKS 700E four-stroke engine has also been used. Still in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 120 were reported flying in 1998.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 124. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. Tornado II Trainer Two seats in tandem version, intended for the previous US ultralight trainer category. It has a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 582. Acceptable power range is . No longer in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 510 were reported flying in 2011. Tornado II Sport Two seats in tandem version, intended for the US homebuilt category. It has a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 912UL. Acceptable power range is . No longer in production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. 500 were reported flying in 2003. Tornado II 912 Two seats in tandem version, intended for the US homebuilt category. It has a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 912 and cruise speed is with that engine. Acceptable power range is . No longer in production. 145 were reported flying in 1999. Tornado II FP Two seats in tandem amphibious floatplane version, intended for the US homebuilt category with a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 618 and cruise speed is with that engine. Out of production. Reported construction time is 350 hours. Twelve were reported flying in 2001. Tornado MG II Two seats in tandem version, with a wingspan. The wing is detachable for storage or transport. Standard engine is the Rotax 447 and the acceptable power range is . No longer in production. Reported construction time is 400 hours. Eight were reported flying in 2001. Tornado S Two seats in tandem "stretched" fuselage version, intended for the US homebuilt and light-sport categories. It has a wingspan. Standard engine is the Rotax 912ULS and cruise speed is with that engine. Acceptable power range is and alternate engines include the Rotax 503, Rotax 582, Rotax 912UL, Jabiru 2200, or the Jabiru 3300. Still in production. Reported construction time is 300 hours. 55 reported flying in 2011.

Tornado SS Two seats in tandem "super stretched" fuselage version, intended for the US homebuilt and light-sport categories. It features a longer and higher cockpit area with more headroom that the Tornado II along with a bigger rear door and a full-sized back seat. It has a wingspan. Acceptable power range is and engines include the Rotax 912UL, Rotax 912ULS, Jabiru 2200, or the Jabiru 3300. Still in production. Twenty reported as flying in 2011.

Specifications (Tornado 103)

See also

References

External links