HK36 Super Dimona

HK36 Super Dimona BORN TO SHINE Fuel : 4.6 US Gallon/h Seating : 2 Seats Max Speed : 120knots or 222km/h Max Operating Altit... thumbnail 1 summary

1:00 PM

HK36 Super Dimona

BORN TO SHINE

Fuel: 4.6 US Gallon/h

Seating: 2 Seats

Max Speed: 120knots or 222km/h

Max Operating Altitude: 16,404ft or 5000m

Payload: 202kg/445lbs

Introduction

The start of something great: the HK36 touring motor glider laid the foundation of Diamond Aircraft’s aviation changing history. Beloved and flown around the world - the HK36 Super Dimona, also known as Katana X-treme in the USA and Canada, is the ultimate two-seated motor glider made of fiber-reinforced high-tech composite. Equipped with Rotax engines with either 100 hp or 115 hp (in the turbo-charged variant), the Super Dimona is perfect for glider pilot training and towing or just fun to fly. In the 1990s the aircraft quickly became a top seller in Europe with over 900 sold aircraft.

Unique flight experiences

For some people it’s a high-performance 2-seater, others regard it as the ultimate motor glider. Just flip a switch and glide effortlessly and silently through the skies with an exceptional glide ratio of 1:27 or enjoy the easy handling, power and performance of a modern airplane. Its high capacity, climb performance and rapid descents also make the HK36 Super Dimona the perfect tow plane for other gliders.
As an optional enhancement, the Aspen EFD 1000 Pilot PFD with its ultra-bright LED display, intuitive menus and flexible hot keys offers you all the key functions of PFD in a compact and easy-to use package.

Exceptional versatility

Besides the attractive design, discerning pilots love the Super Dimona’s versatility, safety and environmental Friendliness. The affordable, yet well-equipped basic version leaves plenty of room for expressing your individuality – inside and outside- offering a wide choice of configurations, options and engine types.

Technical Specifications

Specifications	TC 100	TTC 115
Length	7,28 m	7,28 m
Height	1,90 m	1,90 m
Wing span	16,33 m	16,33 m
Seats	2	2
Empty weight *)	560 kg	568 kg
MTOM	770kg	770 kg
Fuel capacity (standard-/long range tank)	55 lt / 79lt	55 lt / 79 lt
Consumption at 65%	16,8 lt / h	17,4 lt / h
Max. Speed	190 km / h TAS	222 km / h TAS
Max. Operating Altitude	5.000 m	5.000 m

Source: http://www.diamond-air.at/single-engine-aircraft/hk36-super-dimona.html

Working of Weather Radar for aviation

I don’t like thunderstorms. Oh sure, they’re fine if you’re on the ground, but ever since a particularly nasty encounter with windshea... thumbnail 1 summary

1:43 AM

I don’t like thunderstorms. Oh sure, they’re fine if you’re on the ground, but ever since a particularly nasty encounter with windshear in a severe storm flying into Charlotte back in the early 1990s, flying around storms has made me anxious. So when I went to visit with Honeywell back in May, I was particularly interested in learning more about advances in weather radar. Unfortunately we didn’t get into much detail there, but I was able to schedule a follow up call. In short, weather radar is a whole lot better than it was back in the early 1990s, and there are a lot more cool things coming down the pipe.
[Disclosure: Honeywell paid for flights and hotel back in May]

The Basics
I suppose we should start with the basics. How does weather radar work? Well, take a look at that pretty rounded nosecone in the front of the airplane. Now imagine that popped right off. Underneath, you’ll find a big dish (Honeywell’s is 30 inches in diameter) that handles radar duty on every airplane. That’s right, the nosecone is really just an aerodynamic cover and nothing else.
That dish sends out pulses, and then it listens to hear when, or if, they come back. If something comes back, then the radar system figures out how far away it is. That paints a picture on the map of where there are objects. Here’s a basic look at how traditional radar works

Of course, something like another airplane is an object that would create a return. Same goes for, oh, say, a mountain. That’s important for navigation, but it doesn’t help with weather. For weather, the returns come from water and ice in the atmosphere. And the size and intensity of the drops paints a picture on the screen for the pilots.
The pilots themselves have some control. As the image above shows, traditionally, they point the radar in the direction they want. If they’re flying straight, then they point it straight ahead. If they’re going to be descending, they might point it down. Or if they’re looking for other altitudes with a better ride, they could point it however they want.
The result is that you get a narrow view of precipitation, but it provides an important tool for pilots. The thing is, there’s a lot more that can be done with this data.

The coolest thing their radar system can do (called IntuVue) is look at all altitudes from ground level to 60,000 feet without making an adjustment. It looks something like this in the cockpit: