Sinus
  • 14.97 m (49' 1½") wingspan
  • Glide ratio 30:1
  • 110 to 115 knot cruise with Rotax 912
  • Rotax 503 also available
  • 12 lph at 110 knots
  • Available in tail dragger or nosewheel configuration
  • Up to 7.5 hours endurance
  • Perfect for thermaling or slope soaring
  • Comfortable touring aircraft
  • Feathering propeller
  • Large luggage capacity

The Sinus motorglider is a strutless 14.97 m (49' 1½") wing span motorglider. It is normally powered by the Rotax 912 4-stroke 80 hp engine or the Rotax 503 2-stroke engine.

The Sinus is equipped with positive and negative flaperons, airbrakes and tail wheel (optional nosewheel). It is manufactured from hi-tech epoxy resin, fibreglass, carbon and kevlar composites. The airfoil used on the wings is IMD 029-b (Orlando, Venuti).

The cabin is properly insulated from noise and very comfortable for even those long flights. The seats are ergonomic with an adjustable head rest. Both the pilot and passenger pedals have differential toe brakes fitted. The pedals are adjustable forward and aft in flight and are manufactured from stainless steel. All controls are easy to use and reach from both seats. Pedals and sticks are dual. The wing tanks have the fuel cap on top, as well as a visual check within the cockpit for the fuel level. The standard capacity is 60 liters with a long range option increasing the capacity to around 100 litres.

The main landing gear is aerodynamically profiled and made of composite materials. The main wheels have strong hydraulic disk brakes and the tail wheel or nosewheel option is directly controlled by the pedals. The airbrakes on top of the wing allow landing the Sinus in very short distances over high obstacles.

The Sinus assembly is very simple, just like conventional gliders, and the wing control connections are automatically locked on connection of the wings. It takes most owners about 20 minutes to rig or de-rig the aircraft.

The Sinus 503 is our entry level aircraft. It is reasonably priced, some would say cheap, and is light and comfortable to fly. The Sinus 503 is powered by the Rotax 50 hp, air-cooled, two stroke engine and even as our basic aircraft it comes complete with all engine and flight instruments, cabin heaters and all the other options described in the price list. The Sinus 503 may be cheap in price but it isn't lacking in features. I would highly recommend the Sinus 503 as a thermalling and soaring aircraft. Whilst it has the ability to tour under engine, it is not as suitable for Australia as the Sinus 912.

The Sinus 912 is our most popular aircraft. It uses the legendary Rotax 912 80 hp 4 cylinder 4-stroke engine and it allows the Sinus to become a 'super sophisticated' motorglider just like the 'real ones' but at a 1/3 of the price. If you want to spoil yourself and your passenger, the Rotax 912 is the engine of choice for the vast distances we travel in Australia.

MODEL
SINUS 503
 SINUS 912
ENGINE ROTAX
503 UL DCDI 2V
ROTAX 912 UL2
max power(with 2 carb.)
50 hp at 6600 rpm
80 hp at 5500 rpm
PROPELLER
Pipistrel VARIO
Pipistrel VARIO
SIZES
wing span
14.97 m
49' 1
½"
14.97 m
49' 1
½"
length
6.6 m
21.65 ft
6.6 m
21.65 ft
height
1.70 m
5.57 ft
1.70 m
5.57 ft
wing area
12.26 m2
131.97 ft2
12.26 m2
131.97 ft2
rudder area
1.1 m2
11.84 ft2
1.1 m2
11.84 ft2
tail area
1.63 m2
17.55 ft2
1.63 m2
17.55 ft2
aspect ratio
18.3
18.3
positive flaps
9 deg. 18 deg
9 deg. 18 deg
negative flaps
5 deg
5 deg
center of gravity
25% - 39%
25% - 39%
WEIGHTS
empty weight
268 kg
590 pounds
284 kg
626 pounds
max take off weight (MTOW)
560 kg
1235 Pounds
560 kg
1235 Pounds
fuel tanks capacity
2 x 30 l or 2 x 50 l
2x7.93 or 2x13.2 US G
2x6.6 or 2x11 Imp G
2 x 30 l or 2 x 50 l
2x7.93 or 2x13.2 US G
2x6.6 or 2x11 Imp G
useful fuel
57 litres or 97 litres
57 litres or 97 litres
PERFORMANCES
stall with flaps
63 km/h
34.0 Knots
39.2 MPH
63 km/h
34.0 Knots
39.2 MPH
stall without flaps
66 km/h
35.6 Knots
41.0 MPH
66 km/h
35.6 Knots
41.0 MPH
cruising speed
170 km/h
91.8 Knots
105.6 MPH
220 km/h
108 Knots
136.7 MPH
max speed with airbrakes out
160 km/h
86.4 Knots
99.4 MPH
160 km/h
86.4 Knots
99.4 MPH
max speed with flaps down
130 km/h
70.2 Knots
80.8 MPH
130 km/h
70.2 Knots
80.8 MPH
manoeuvring speed
135 km/h
73.0 Knots
83.9 MPH
135 km/h
73.0 Knots
83.9 MPH
max. horizontal speed
186 km/h
100.5 Knots
115.6 MPH
240 km/h
129.6 Knots
149.1 MPH
VNE
250 km/h
135.0 Knots
155 MPH
250 km/h
135.0 Knots
155 MPH
best climb speed
115 km/h
62.11 Knots
71.5 MPH
120 km/h
64.8 Knots
74.5 MPH
max climb rate (MTOW)
3.2 m/sec
630 fpm
6.5 m/sec
1280 fpm
climb rate at 140 km/h
2.8 m/sec
551 fpm
6.3 m/sec
1240 fpm
min.sink speed
90 km/h
48.6 Knots
60.0 MPH
90 km/h
48.6 Knots
60.0 MPH
min.sink (prop. 90 deg.)
0.96 m/sec
189 fpm
1.03 m/sec
202 fpm
max. sink with airbrakes
5.5 m/sec
1082 fpm
5.5 m/sec
1082 fpm
best glide ratio speed
95 km/h
51.3 Knots
59.0 MPH
95 km/h
51.3 Knots
59.0 MPH
best glide (prop. 90 deg.)
1:28
1:27
glide at 150 km/h (prop 90 deg)
1:18
1:18
take off run MTOW
118 m
387 ft
88 m
288 ft
take off over 15 m MTOW
210 m
689 ft
148 m
485 ft
service ceiling MTOW
6100 m
20000 ft
8800 m
29000 ft
45°- 45° roll time
4.2 sec
4.2 sec
endurance
5.3 hours
5.8 hours
range distance
900 km
485 N Miles
1200 km
650 N Miles
max load factor permitted (x1.8)
+4g - 2g
+4g - 2g
max load factor tested
+ 7.2g - 7.2g
+ 7.2g - 7.2g
fuel consumption at cruise speed
10.2 l/hour
9.2 l/hour
ERGONOMICS
cabin width
110 cm
43 1/3 inches
110 cm
43 1/3 inches
Max Pilot Height
+195 cm
+ 6' 4"
+195 cm
+ 6' 4"

Sinus Polar Graph


© X-Air Australia 2003 - 2008
Page last updated Friday, 5 September 2008

There have been thermals passing through here since November 2002