| Roger
Bitton first introduced the Talon line of ultralight aircraft in mid
90's. The craft finds it's heritage in the Maxair Drifter, and
Advanced Aviation Explorer/Zephyr and Aero Adventure's Toucan.
Construction uses a center
main boom with the pilot seated behind a pod located in front of the
wing, with literally nothing on either side. While this give a great
view and visibility it can be a little disconcerting for
conventional pilot use to being a little more enclosed. It can also
be a little disorienting for pilots use to using the wings for
judging flight attitudes.
Entrance to the cockpit area is accomplished via a step located on
the aircrafts right side, and grasping the front seat down tube.
Once in you are secured by a four point seat belt. Throttle, flap
handle and trim are located on the left hand side of the cockpit,
with the ignition switch normally located on the lower left hand
side of the instrument panel.
The application of pressure to
the long throttle lever brings the Rotax 582 to life, and in flight
allows you support your hand on the forward cockpit tube. Steering
is via a Matco full swivel tail wheel, and brakes produced in house.
Take off roll with one on
board is less than 50 feet, and climb comes in at around 1,000 feet
per minute. Stick pressure is moderate, with a brisk roll rate. The
craft side slips well and handles a 20 mph 90 degree crosswind with
ease.
Landing using both flaps and
side slip will get you into very short fields. The stall is straight
forward with the Talon just dropping it's nose with no tendency to
drop a wing. BUT in tight turns application of opposite stick and
rudder is required to bring it out.
The addition of power in
flight, especially during an approach for landing where power has
been reduced and then reapplied will result in the nose being forced
downward, due to the rear mounted, over the wing engine mount. In
flight this can be adjusted with trim but on final it has to be
controlled via pilot input. |
