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The Aeroprakt A-32 is an Ukrainian-designed, metal-structured,
side-by-side two-seater ultralight aircraft, with an excellent short
take-off and landing (STOL) performance. The A-32 is a development of
the A22 Foxbat, however, unlike the A-22 which can be purchased
in kit form or fully assembled, the A-32 Vixxen is supplied only as a ready-to-fly
factory-built aircraft. The A-32 was developed from the smaller Aeroprakt A22 during three years
of research and development. The A-32 has a new flush wing to body fairing design and all horizontal
stabilizers as well as moulded baffling for improved engine airflow and cooling. Other changes
include a wing that is 10 cm shorter, shorter lift struts and better wing tank fairing. Employing the same 100 hp
Rotax 912ULS engine, the improvements results in a cruise speed that is 37 km/h faster than the A-22. The prototype
A-32 was completed in January 2014 and the first production aircraft was shown in April 2015. History of Aeroprakt
Kiev began in 1986 when Yuri Yakovlev, after graduating from Kuybyshev (now Samara) aviation
institute, was invited to work at the Antonov Design Bureau in Kiev.
Having met the fellows in his hobby Yuri founded together with them an
amateur aircraft design club which received the name Aeroprakt nearly
similar named as the Aeropract in Kuybyshev the club where Yuri begun
his activity as aircraft designer and made his first successful steps in
this area. Kiev Aeroprakt began its activity from aerodynamic research
of Aeroprakt-8 aeroplane built by Yuri Yakovlev during his work in
Kuybyshev Aeropract. The research was carried out in a wind tunnel of
the Central Hydro-Aerodynamic Institute in Moscow. In winter of 1987
Kiev Aeroprakt started designing and building the two-seat primary
trainer Aeroprakt T-8, and in 1991 the prototype A-20 was built by
members of the Aeroprakt Aero Club at Kiev. Among the club members were
aeronautical engineers employed by the Antonov company. The airplanes
were designed by Yuri Yakolev, Aeroprakt started production of the A-20 "Chervonets"
in 1993, initially with Finnish funding. The prototype of the A22 first
flew in November 1996 and was designated the A-22 "Sharik". The A-22 was
a two-seat ultralight airplane combining the advantages of a traditional
airplane layout (strut-braced highwing side-by-side two-seater with
engine in front and tricycle undercarriage with steerable nose-wheel and
traditional all-metal design. The continuity in structure of A-20 and
A-22 (wing and tail), wide-scale use of traditional and reliable "metal"
technology, high level of pilot comfort, excellent flight performance
and "classic" appearance of A-22 are the warrants of its success in the
light airplane market. At the present as well as the A22 and A32 are produced in series.
When the conditions are met, the Aeroprakt A-32 L is approved as glider tug for gliders
with a maximum take-off mass of 700 kg.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the Aeroprakt A-32 is AP32 |
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On i September 2022, Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen s/n 240 was registered PH-0B4 with 'Twentse Ultralichte Vliegclub'.
However registered in the Netherlands and operated by Twentse Ultralichte Vliegclub, the aircraft has its home
at Flugplatz Nordhorn-Lingen in Germany. When needed, Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen PH-0B4 is used by the Aeroprakt' BeNeLux
dealer Airnl, Lutte, as demonstrator.
On 7 September 2024, the TULV' Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen PH-0B4 was seen
at it's home-base Flugplatz Nordhorn-Lingen (EDWN). |
