PIK-20E

The PIK motorized glider has a manually retractable engine and propeller. The Rotax 503 500cc two-stroke two-cylinder engine produces 43 hp at 6,200 RPM. With double carburetors and resonance exhaust system, the whole snowmobile engine has been redesigned and built to aircraft requirements. The propeller is belt driven giving a 1:2 reduction. When not in use, the power plant is retracted into the fuselage by a manual crank and lever in the cockpit wall. The glider features fiberglass monocoque construction. Half of the fuselage/
wing fairing has been taken to the wing so that the main rib and wing spar are 20 nm higher in order to save weight. The wings, flaps, and complete tail are of sandwich construction with fiberglass skin and PVCfoam core. Wing spars are made of carbon fiber. The PIK boasts a maximum L/D ratio of 40 to 1. With power on, takeoff can be accomplished in less than 1,000 feet if a 50' obstacle has to be cleared and rate of climb is 787 fpm. Cruising speed is 84 mph at 75 percent power, burning 4.4 gph from the 8.7-gallon fuel tank.