TYPE: Tandem-seat ultralight/kitbuilt.
PROGRAMME: First flight (VH-ZOR) 1991, then with single seat and powered by 59.6 kW (79.9 hp) Rotax 912 engine; two-seat version first flown 1994; JAR-VLA certification achieved in Australia, 14 October 1999.
CURRENT VERSIONS: Storch 'Ultra': Ultralight; Australian Primary Category; CAO 19 (amateur build).
Storch 'Muster' : Utility version; envisaged uses include cattle mustering. Australian CAO 24 or certified categories.
Storch 'Criquet' Powered by Rotec Fireball 7 sevencylinder radial engine of 82.0 kW (110 hp), thus resembling Morane-Saulnier MS 502 Criquet. Prototype VH-AJH public debut at Avalon Air Show, February 2001.
Super Storch Mk 4: Higher-powered version with 119 kW (160 hp) Textron Lycoming O-320 engine and top speed of 110 kt (203 km/h; 126 mph). 13 in Australia by April 2002.
Storch SS-FP: Floatplane; prototype, with full Lotus floats and Rotax 912S2 engine, registered VH-ANB in November 2001.
Storch Moose : M-14P radial engine (265 kW; 355 hp) installed in prototype VH-AYQ (100th Storch), which registered in November 2001. Fuel capacity 400 litres (106 US gallons; 88.0 Imp gallons). Length 7.62 m (25 ft 0 in); wing span 10.67 m (35 ft 0 in), max speed 105 kt (194 km/h; 120 mph).
CUSTOMERS: More than 140 sold by early 2003 (including some 50 factory-built) to customers in 20 countries in Africa, Australasia, Europe, North America and Pacific Rim. Approximately 60 per cent of production is factorybuilt.
COSTS: US$58,000, factory-complete (2000).
DESIGN FEATURES: Three-quarters scale version of Second World War German Fieseler Fi 156 Storch STOL liaison and observation aircraft. Wings are removable for transport or storage. Quoted build time for kitbuilt version approximately 600 hours.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Actuation by pushrods and cables; ground-adjustable tab on each aileron. Flaps and full span leading-edge slats. Hornbalanced tail surfaces. Electronic flight-adjustable tailplane incidence for pitch trim in Ultralight; VLA has fixed tailplane with trim tab in port elevator.
STRUCTURE: Welded 4130 chromoly steel tube fabric-covered fuselage and tail surfaces; metal engine cowling. Strutbraced metal wings with stamped aluminium ribs and D-section leading-edge; latest versions aluminiumcovered, except fabric flaps and ailerons. Composites wheel fairings.
LANDING GEAR: Tailwheel type; fixed. Original compression spring suspension replaced by bungee. Mainwheel size 8.00x6-6; Maule tailwheel, diameter 15 cm (6 in) hydraulic disc brakes. Float installation under development in late 1999.
POWER PLANT: Standard factory-built VLA version has one 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS flat-four driving two-blade Bruce de Chastel or Storch Aviation PROP-004 wooden propeller; 84.6 kW (113.4 hp) turbocharged Rotax 914 optional. Fuel in two wing tanks and a belly tank, combined capacity 90 litres (23.8 US gallons; 19.8 Imp gallons); a larger belly tank capacity 100 litres (26.4 US gallons; 22.0 Imp galloi optional.
ACCOMMODATION: Two, in tandem, with dual controls.
| DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL : | |
| Wing span | 10.00 m (32 ft 9¾ in) |
| Length overall | 6.80 m (22 ft 3¾ in) |
| Height overall | 2.40 m (7 ft 10½ in) |
| Propeller diameter | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) |
| DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL : | |
| Cabin: Length | 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Max width | 0.80 m (2 ft 7½ in) |
| Max height | 1.00 m (3 ft 3¼ in) |
| AREAS : | |
| Wings, gross | 16.00 m² (172.2 sq ft) |
| WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS (Storch 'Ultra') | |
| Weight empty | 345 kg (761 lb) |
| Max T-O weight | 544 kg (1,200 lb) |
| PERFORMANCE : | |
| Never-exceed speed ( V N E ) | 98 kt (181 km/h; 112 mph) |
| Max level speed | 78 kt (144 km/h; 90 mph) |
| Cruising speed | 70 kt (130 km/h; 81 mph) |
| Stalling speed, flaps down, power on | 22 kt (41 km/h; 26 mph) |
| Max rate of climb at S/L | 213 m (700 ft)/min |
| Service ceiling | 4,575 m (15,000 ft) |
| T-O and landing run | 9 to 15 m (30 to 50 ft) |
| Endurance: standard fuel | 3 h 0 min |
| - optional fuel | 7 h 0 min |
| g limits | +6/-3 |
