Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-7 Orange
# Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-7 Orange

The Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-7 Orange (also called the Muse, Fly and Bite) is a Lithuanian ultralight aircraft, designed and produced by Rolandas Kalinauskas, of Prienai. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft and has been noted for its very low price.

## Design and development

A simplified single-seat version of the Rolandas Kalinauskas RK-6 Magic, the RK-7 was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a strut-braced high wing, a single-seat enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft forward fuselage is made from welded steel with a wooden laminate covering in the cockpit area, with the tailboom made from aluminum tube. The tail surfaces are built up from aluminum tubing, strut-braced, covered in Dacron sailcloth and protected with a small tailskid. The wings are wooden and equipped with Junkers style ailerons. Its 8.2 m (26.9 ft) span wing has an area of 11.5 $m^2$ (124 sq ft). The standard engine available is the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplant, although the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 has also been used. The aircraft can be flown without the canopy fitted, if desired.

The RK-7 has been noted for its low retail price. In 2011 it was advertised at €11,000 for an assembled, ready-to-fly aircraft and €6,500 for a kit.

## Specifications (RK-7 Orange)

Data from Bayerl

General characteristics

* Crew: one
* Capacity: one passenger
* Wingspan: 8.2 m (26 ft 11 in)
* Wing area: 11.5 $m^2$ (124 sq ft)
* Empty weight: 150 kg (331 lb)
* Gross weight: 250 kg (551 lb)
* Fuel capacity: 20 litres (4.4 imp gal; 5.3 US gal)
* Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 503 twin cylinder, air-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 37 kW (50 hp)
* Propellers: 2-bladed wooden fixed pitch, 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) diameter

Performance

* Maximum speed: 120 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn)
* Cruise speed: 100 km/h (62 mph, 54 kn)
* Stall speed: 59 km/h (37 mph, 32 kn)
* Rate of climb: 4 m/s (790 ft/min)
* Wing loading: 21.7 $kg/m^2$ (4.4 lb/sq ft)
