PIK-3a "Kanttikolmonen" (Angular Three) is a 1940s/1950s Finnish wooden single-seat glider.
Description[]
PIK-3a was designed to be a small, simple, cheap high-performance glider that would become the standard glider for Finnish clubs. It was designed by Lars Norrmén and was originally designated LHN-3. Design work began in 1942, but the prototype didn't fly before 1950. PIK-3a was the first PIK aircraft to be actually built.
PIK-3 has large flaps that extend by 25 degrees, while the ailerons connected to them simultaneously extend by 10 degrees, improving the type's slow-speed performance.
Only one PIK-3a, which carried the registration code OH-YKA (also OH-PCA), was built before Antti Koskinen upgraded the type into the PIK-3b with shallower wing joints and air brakes instead of flaps.
Specifications[]
- Crew: 1
- Length: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 13 m (42 ft 8 in)
- Height: 1 m (3 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 13 m2 (140 sq ft)
- Aspect ratio: 13
- Airfoil: Göttingen 693
- Empty weight: 135 kg (298 lb)
- Max takeoff weight: 240 kg (530 lb)
- Stall speed: 55 km/h (34 mph, 30 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 200 km/h (124.3 mph; 108.0 kn)
- Rough air speed max: 130 km/h (80.8 mph; 70.2 kn)
- Aerotow speed: 130 km/h (80.8 mph; 70.2 kn)
- Winch launch speed: 100 km/h (62.1 mph; 54.0 kn)
- Terminal velocity: with full air-brakes at max all-up weight 180 km/h (111.8 mph; 97.2 kn)
- g limits: +4 -2
- Rate of sink: 0.76 m/s (149.6 ft/min) at 61 km/h (37.9 mph; 32.9 kn)
- Lift-to-drag: 25:1 at 72 km/h (44.7 mph; 38.9 kn)
- Wing loading: 18.5 kg/m2 (3.79 lb/sqft)