Osprey Osprey 2

The Osprey Osprey 2, also known as the Pereira Osprey 2 after its designer, is an amphibious sport aircraft designed for homebuilding.[2] Plans have been sold since the mid-1970s. George Pereira designed the Osprey 2 to address the two most frequent criticisms of his Osprey I aircraft: its lack of a passenger seat and its inability to operate from dry land.[3] An exercise that began as a series of modifications to the original design in January 1972 eventually turned into a complete redesign of the aircraft,[3][4] with the resulting Osprey 2 flying in April 1973.

Osprey 2
Osprey 2
Role Sport amphibian
National origin United States
Manufacturer Homebuilt
Designer George Pereira
First flight April 1973
Status Plans available (2015)
Number built 500+ (2009)[1]
Unit cost
US$250 (plans only, 2015)
Osprey II

Design and development

Like the original Osprey, the Osprey 2 is a mid-wing cantilever monoplane with a flying boat hull and a single engine mounted pusher-fashion in a nacelle mounted above the fuselage on struts.[4] A passenger seat is provided side-by-side with the pilot and the cabin is fully enclosed.[4] Retractable tricycle undercarriage is provided for land operations, the main units of which fold into the undersides of the wings.[3][4] Construction throughout is of wood and skinned in plywood.[3] Some of the hull contours are formed with polyurethane foam covered in fiberglass.[4][5][6]

The aircraft is designed so that it may be constructed by amateur builders with restricted space available – Pereira's prototype was built in a workspace 16 ft × 26 ft (4.8 m × 7.9 m) and took 1,300 hours to complete.[3] To simplify construction, no molds are required, and even the canopy is formed by a simple bend in an acrylic sheet without any compound curves.[7]

Osprey markets the aircraft as sets of plans rather than kits, and had sold over 1,000 copies by 1985.[1][4] Over 500 examples have been completed and flown.[8]

Aircraft on display

Specifications

Data from jane's All the World's Aircraft 1985–86, p.606

General characteristics

  • Crew: One pilot
  • Capacity: 1 passenger
  • Length: 20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)
  • Wingspan: 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
  • Wing area: 130 ft2 (12.0 m2)
  • Empty weight: 970 lb (440 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,560 lb (707 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320, 150 hp (112 kW)

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 130 mph (209 km/h)
  • Range: 500 miles (800 km)
  • Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

Related lists

Notes
  1. Osprey Aircraft Website
  2. Taylor 1989, p.714
  3. Markowski 1979, p.220
  4. Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1985–86, p.606
  5. Markowski 1979, p.223
  6. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 120. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  7. Markowski 1979, p.224
  8. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 114. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  9. AirVenture Museum website
  10. Pima Air & Space Museum website

References
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