TYPE: Four-seat amphibian.

PROGRAMME: First flown 1995. Development of Che-22 Corvette, which is now produced by Gidroplan. Prototype (FLARF-17039), built by students' design bureau SKB-1 and first shown at Gelendzhik Hydro-aviation Show, Russia, September 1996. Che-25M shown at MAKS '99, Moscow, had redesigned empennage with raised tailplane and deletion of rudder's horn balance.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Che-25: As described.
BD-205: Shown at Aerospace China, Zhuhai, November 2004, marked in Roman ('BD'), a Chinese version marketed by Harbin Institute of Technology (BaDa Aviation Industry Co).

COSTS: USD44,000 (1997).

DESIGN FEATURES: Generally as Che-22. Operable on water in 0.8 m (30 in) swell.

FLYING CONTROLS: Manual, with full-span slotted flaperons. No tabs.

STRUCTURE: Single-spar wing of riveted duralumin; fuselage, tail unit and wingtip floats of vacuum-moulded GFRP sandwich. Wings braced by struts and wires; strut-braced tailplane. Airframe life 3,000 hours.

LANDING GEAR: Optional amphibian configuration; mainwheel legs, attached to fuselage sides, turn 90° forward for retraction; mainwheel tyre size 300x125; tailskid; cable brakes. Tailwheel/water rudder immediately to rear of second hull step.

POWER PLANT: Two 47.8 kW (64.1 hp) Rotax 582 UL-2V two-cylinder piston engines driving two-blade fixed-pitch propellers. Fuel capacity 130 litres (34.3 US gallons; 28.6 Imp gallons). Version, planned with Rotax 912 ULS of 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) and Subaru EA-71.

ACCOMMODATION: Four persons; dual controls. Gull-wing door each side of cockpit.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

  • Wing span: 12.60 m (41 ft 4 in)
  • Wing chord, constant: 1.40 m (4 ft 7¼ in)
  • Wing aspect ratio: 8.4
  • Length overall: 7.70 m (25 ft 3¼ in)
  • Height overall (on wheels, fuselage horizontal): 2.50 m (8 ft 2½ in)
  • Tailplane span: 2.80 m (9 ft 2¼ in)
  • Wheel track (optional): 1.42 m (4 ft 8 in)
  • Propeller diameter: 1.84 m (6 ft 0½ in)
  • Distance between propeller centres: 1.84 m (6 ft 0½ in)

AREAS:

  • Wings, gross: 16.38 m² (176.3 sq ft)

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:

  • Weight empty: 590 kg (1,301 lb)
  • Max payload: 300 kg (661 lb)
  • Max T-O weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
  • Max wing loading: 70.2 kg/m² (14,38 lb/sq ft)
  • Max power loading: 12.03 kg/kW (19.77 lb/hp)

PERFORMANCE:

  • Max level speed: 97 kt (180 km/h; 112 mph)
  • Max cruising speed: 76 kt (140 km/h; 87 mph)
  • Unstick speed: 38 kt (70 km/h; 44 mph)
  • Max rate of climb at S/L: 300 m (984 ft)/min
  • Service ceiling: 4,000 m (13,120 ft)
  • T-O run: on land: 100 m (330 ft)
    • on water: 70 m (230 ft)
  • Range: 405 n miles (750 km; 466 miles)
  • g limits: +4/-2