The ultralight motorglider "Piuma" was born in 1989 because the designer and builder was looking for a safe ULM motorglider, easy to build and to pilot, whose fly and comfort peculiarities were better than the "fabric and tube" ULM available in that moment on the market.
The Original Piuma started to fly in 1990 and its prototype flies about twince at month. At the moment it has 450 fly hours. The project is changed in many particulars and the plans are modified to insert a lot of improvement; since 2003 the Original Piuma plans also allow the construction of the steering front gear. Others Piuma one seat versions are available, with better performances: Evolution Piuma (a little faster and more suitable for soaring, with a best glide ratio of 20) and Tourer Piuma (it's the faster version for tourism, normal cruise 84 mph). A lot of motorgliders are in construction and about ten of these (in December 2002) are flying (see the builders gallery); the italian C.A.P. (E.A.A. chapter n. 459) gave two prizes for the best ultralight project and the best achivement during the Carpi meeting of 1997 and 1999 (prize "Giancarlo Maestri" and "Caproni Cup"). A builder of the Tourer Piuma, confirming the name, flyied from Venice to the Sicilia (more of 1250 mph) and , another year, from Venice to Paris, confirming that also with little motorgliders is possible to fly big tours. A 2 seat project is also available, the Piuma Twin, now substituted from the Piuma Twin Evolution, that annex all the improvements suggest during 9 years of Piuma Twin constructions as a 20 cm more long front fuselage, for better balance without ballast and a fuselage similar to the one–seat Evolution. Also the elevators are similar to the Evolution one–seat; this shape allow a more light aft parts and more stiffness of the tail boom. All the information are in the pages of the Piuma Twin Evolution. It is also possible to build two more strong versions of the one seat Piuma, for heavier pilots:
Neither completed motorgliders or kits are available; plans are sold just in order to finance the costruction of the next different motorglider; a construction book is enclosed with the plans and helps the construction steb by step. All the "Piuma" versions are planned in accordance with the aeronautical standard and, for both the one seat Piuma and the Piuma Twin, the "project books" are available (only in italian, at the moment). Every "project book" is composed of three parts:
This "project book" is not necessary for the normal builder, but it is very important for who wants to know the project better. At the moment (January 2007) the original Piuma is still working and flying almost every week.
Some details must be realized with the lathe and the cutter, but almost the entire construction may be built without special tools; it is very easy and the planner completed the original Piuma after 18 months of work, in the 2 car garages, 7 yards long and 4,4 yards wide. The time of construction depends on the builder's meticulousness; normally about 1000 hours are sufficient to complete the work.
The plans are composed of technical drawings of big dimensions (24 x 40 inches) with a lot of particulars.
There is also the complete material note and the addresses of the italian suppliers. Generally, all the materials can be bought at the Aircraft Spruce & Speciality; in Europe the rear tube is supplied by the designer. About 30 minutes are sufficient to assemble or disassemble the Piuma. More detailed information for every Piuma are available on the next pages.
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The designer (technician and aircraft motorglider models builder for than of 20 years) built the little "Wing Ding II" Howey biplane and flew with it from plans, but the poor characteristics didn't satisfy him.
The wings, fin, rudder and elevators ribs are drawn in 1 to 1 scale; the same scale is used for a lot of wood or aluminium particulars. The handbook describes the work the step by step and the check list for the pre-fly controls.
