Apis/Bee
Apis/Bee is a single-seat middle-wing ultralight self-launching glider with T-shaped tail. Featuring the same wing- and tail section aerodynamics as the Sinus and Taurus, you can be positive of Apis-Bee stellar gliding performance. In fact, the Apis-Bee holds several World Records!
Construction
All plastic parts are made in AFK, GFK and CFK technology while all main parts are LN certified. The plane itself is made of armored plastic in a combination of epoxy resin enforced with honeycomb, glass, carbon and kevlar fibers.
Wings are made in sandwich construction. Top and lower surfaces are made first then all additional elements (main spare, basic ribs, air-brake enclosure) are glued into the top half. Air-brakes expand from top half of the wing only. Rudder is built the same way from two halves with built-in control connections and hinges.
Fuselage is built in combined AFK and CFK manner as a combination of shell and sandwich construction. Two halves are built so that most of the elements are glued into one of them and then both are put together. Carbon and kevlar are used from nose to wing section, while the rest is made in sandwich construction. Cockpit is covered with single piece Plexiglass canopy opening in forward direction. Pitot tube and air vent (for airing cockpit) are built into the nose. Static pressure is measured on the side of the fuselage. Radio antenna is built into aft vertical stabilizer. Tow tie is mounted on the lower front part of the fuselage. Rudder pedals are adjustable.
Tail section: Horizontal stabilizer and rudder are made the same way as wings: in sandwich construction.
Controls
The Apis/Bee handles with ease and elegance like all Pipistrel aircraft! Vertical rudders, air-brakes and ailerons use rigid connections (tubes and bearings) while vertical rudder is connected by steel cable.
All controls hook up automatically, so you will have no problem assembling and dissembling the aircraft for storage in a trailer.
Landing gear is a retractable wheel with disk brake under the cockpit and a small one on the tail. The wheel brake is accessible by air-brake handle.
World records
Apis-Bee is a top performer and holds several World Records in its class.
Apis/Bee Technical data
Apis/Bee is made in GFK (epoxy resin, glass, carbon, kevlar). The airfoil used on wings is IMD029
| Model | APIS/BEE M 14,97 WING SPAN Motor Version | APIS/BEE M 13,47 WING SPAN Motor Version | APIS/BEE PG Pure Glider Version 14,97 WING SPAN | APIS/BEE PG Pure Glider Version 13,47 WING SPAN (new FAI class) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | HIRTH F33 BS | HIRTH F33 BS | N/A | N/A |
| max power(with 2 carb.) | 21 Kw (28 HP) | 21 Kw (28 HP) | N/A | N/A |
| PROPELLER 2 BLADE | Pipistrel 1600 mm diam | Pipistrel 1600 mm diam | N/A | N/A |
| SIZES | ||||
| wing span | 14.97 m | available soon | 14.97 m | available soon |
| length | 6.26 m | 6.26 m | 6.26 m | 6.26 m |
| height | 1.34 m | 1.34 m | 1.34 m | 1.34 m |
| wing area | 12.24 m2 | available soon | 12.24 m2 | available soon |
| vertical tail area | 0,9 m2 | 0,9 m2 | 0,9 m2 | 0,9 m2 |
| horizontal tail area | 1,36 m2 | 1,36 m2 | 1,36 m2 | 1,36 m2 |
| aspect ratio | 18.35 | available soon | 18.35 | available soon |
| positive flaps | 0,+5,+9,+18 deg | 0,+5,+9,+18 deg | 0,+5,+9,+18 deg | 0,+5,+9,+18 deg |
| negative flaps | - 7, - 5 deg (up) | - 7, - 5 deg (up) | - 7, - 5 deg (up) | - 7, - 5 deg (up) |
| centre of gravity | 23% - 45% | 23% - 45% | 23% - 45% | 23% - 45% |
| WEIGHTS | ||||
| empty weight, approx. | 220 kg | 210 kg | 150 kg | 140 kg |
| max take off weight (MTOW) | 322.5 kg | 322.5 kg | 300 kg | 300 kg |
| fuel tank capacity | 18 l (18 usable) | 18 l (18 usable) | N/A | N/A |
| consumption | 9 l /h | 9 l /h | N/A | N/A |
| LI-PO battery capacity | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| PERFORMANCES | ||||
| stall with flaps | 60 km/h | 63 km/h | 60 km/h | 63 km/h |
| stall without flaps | 62 km/h | 65 km/h | 62 km/h | 65 km/h |
| manoeuvring speed | 144 km/h | 144 km/h | 144 km/h | 144 km/h |
| max speed with airbrakes out | 220 km/h | 220 km/h | 220 km/h | 220 km/h |
| VNE | 220 km/h | 220 km/h | 220 km/h | 220 km/h |
| min.sink | 0,59 m/sec | 0,67 m/sec | 0,59 m/sec | 0,67 m/sec |
| min.sink speed | 80 km/h | 85+-5 km/h | 80 km/h | 85+-5 km/h |
| best glide | 1: 39 | 1: 36.5 | 1: 39 | 1: 36.5 |
| best glide ratio speed | 98 km/h | 103 km/h | 98 km/h | 103 km/h |
| max aerotow speed | 131 km/h | 131 km/h | 131 km/h | 131 km/h |
| 45°-45° roll time | 3,9 sec | 3,4+-0.2 sec | 3,9 sec | 3,4+-0.2 sec |
| take off run MTOW | 112 m | 126+-5 m | N/A | N/A |
| take off over 15 m MTOW | 213 m | 240+-10 m | N/A | N/A |
| landing distance over 15 m obstacle | 237 m | 267+-10 m | 237 m | 267+-10 m |
| best climb speed | 82 km/h | 85+-5 km/h | N/A | N/A |
| max climb rate (MTOW) | 2,8 m/s | 2,7 m/s | N/A | N/A |
| max load factor permitted (x1,8) | 5.33 G, -2.65 G | 5.33 G, -2.65 G | 5.33 G, -2.65 G | 5.33 G, -2.65 G |
| design safety factors & tested | minimum 1.875 | minimum 1.875 | minimum 1.875 | minimum 1.875 |
Note: Pipistrel reserves the right to revise this data sheet whenever occasioned by product improvement, government/authority regulations or other good cause.
Included in the Basic price
| Ready to fly, test flown | All Models |
| Inner shell bonded to fuselage shell - safety cockpit concept | All Models |
| Outside surfaces in white, cabin interior in grey | All Models |
| Acrylic paint, finishing and polishing of joints on all plastic parts | All Models |
| Light cabin upholstery in blue colour with large side pockets | All Models |
| In-flight adjustable backrest with headrest | All Models |
| 4 point seat belts with automatic closure | All Models |
| Sliding air vent window | All Models |
| Defogging system for canopy | All Models |
| Adjustable cabin fresh air-vent system | All Models |
| Mirror on instrument panel (for prop position monitoring) | Only M |
| Noise reducing firewall | Only M |
| 6 stage positive and negative deflecting flaperons | All Models |
| Flaperon, elevator & rudder gap seals | All Models |
| Schempp-Hirth type airbrakes, self locking | All Models |
| Spring-type internal elevator trim | All Models |
| In flight adjustable rudder pedals | All Models |
| Automatic connection of wing and tail mechanical controls | All Models |
| Transparent canopy | All Models |
| Fixed main landing gear with 4˝ main wheel equipped with drum brake and fairing | All Models |
| Two wingtip wheels, 2 ½ ˝ x 1˝ with fairings | All Models |
| Steerable tail wheel 7˝ x 1 ¾˝ | All Models |
| 18 - Litre fuel tank | Only M |
| Visual inspection of the fuel level | Only M |
| Fuel gasculator with drain sump | Only M |
| Engine Hirth F33BS, belt drive, air cleaners etc. | Only M |
| All throttle control cables in Teflon | Only M |
| Fully automatic engine control and propeller positioning system | Only M |
| High capacity dry-type battery 12V / 10ah | All Models |
| Modular electric system with fuses on primary and secondary circuit | Only M |
| Electric starter | Only M |
| Regulator-rectifier | Only M |
| 2 blade wooden propeller reinforced with fiberglass | Only M |
| Instrument panel with: Master key switch, switches with fuses and warning lights | |
| Instruments: multifunction instrument to control the engine operation, automatic system to retract the engine, engine hours counter, rpm counter, CHT, EGT, ASI | Only M |
| Instruments: ASI diameter 80 mm, Altimeter diameter 80 mm, Vario diameter 80 mm, slip indicator & magnetic compass | All Models |
| Aircraft tool kit | All Models |
| Flight and maintenance manuals | All Models |
