Streak Shadow

[bigfoot01]

Hi there, does anybody know anything about these (Group A) e.g. if there is a UK dealer, etc. etc? I am struggling to find anything on the interweb... Any assistance appreciated.

[RudeNot2]

As far as I am aware they are not produced any more.

Sometimes appear on AFORS etc..

I remember looking at them years ago and thinking - I want one. Looks quite cosy in the front but the backseat is for people of lowly stature / rucksacks only!!

[jabberwok]

I remember looking at them years ago and thinking - I want one. Looks quite cosy in the front but the backseat is for people of lowly stature / rucksacks only!!

.. and who are already deaf. :}

I only had one flight in a Shadow. Nice aircraft too but surprisingly heavy on the ailerons.

[wulf190a]

Great fun solo, but instructing from the rear seat a tag cramped. Made by CFM now since gone.
Try contacting Fiona Luckhurst at Old Sarum, She still works with Shadows

[micromalc]

I flew a shadow many years ago....loved it....though now I think it would seem a little underpowered. Try Paul Dewhurst of Flylight at Sywell. He used to instruct on them.(He's a fountain of flying knowledge)

[Genghis the Engineer]

There are a whole family of Shadow aircraft, from memory:

Shadow B - 447 engine, single controls
Shadow BD - 447 engine, dual controls
Shadow CD - 503 engine, dual controls, slightly heavier
Shadow DD - 582 engine, dual controls, slightly heavier again
Shadow ED - 912 engine, dual controls - only one built, last heard of exported
Streak Shadow - shorter wing, usually Rotax 532 or 582 engine

Whilst not identical, they are all fairly similar, most are classified as microlights although a few Ds and Streaks are in the light aircraft class.

From the front, it's an easy, really pleasant flying environment - although noisy and I think in this day and age if I was flying one regularly I'd use an ANR headset. It's also a bit different to most current aeroplanes so a bit of conversion training would be wise: the castoring nosewheel and ground steering are a bit unusual, the stick central position isn't vertical with ailerons neutral which can catch you unawares if you get it wrong on take-off,

The back seat is cramped with very poor forward view - also if flying with adults in there regularly you really want one with the extended footwell mod.

It's not an aeroplane you want to store outdoors - it should either be in a well insulated and secured trailer (it derigs in about 20 minutes with two people), or in a hangar. In the air it's pretty robust, and the whole fleet were fitted with new undercarriages about 5 years ago which hasn't so-far as I know, given any problems at-all.

The type originated in the UK (the designer was a chap called David Cook who is still around somewhere, and the factory was in Leiston) and very successful - about 250 were built, most sold into the UK market. They've not been built for a few years, although it was also supplied as a kit (and all of the Streaks were kit-built), mainly under PFA supervision, so there are probably a few still to be finished. On the second hand market they generally go for somewhere between £8-£16k depending upon model and condition.


Most people who have been around the type are likely to recommend the Streak and the CD as the best Shadow models ever built in terms of performance and handling - the BD is a bit underpowered, and the DD doesn't handle as precisely as the CD IMHO.

There's quite a wide support base of Shadow owners and operators but probably the two best are Shadow Flight Centre (Fiona Luckhurst and Raymond Proost) at Old Sarum who instruct on them and do most other support work, and Danny Crosbie in Suffolk who does quite a lot engineering work.

Performance wise, expect around a 55-70kts cruise depending upon model, take-off distances around 200m, maybe 2 hours endurance. Stall speeds in the range of 34-40kts, climb performance of 400-1000fpm depending upon the model and weight.

You've got me all nostalgic now, I've not flown one for a few years.

G

[Pigs Might Fly]

Thanks for this comprehensive summary GTE.

Two that you missed though are the Streak 618 (mostly group A and arguably the best streak variant with 4 blade prop, but there are some in the microlight cat. also) and the Star Streak which was fitted with either the 618 or 912. This is GA and has a smaller wing again than the Streak (shorter chord also). The real hot ship of the range.

They are all great aircraft and lots of fun to fly - but then I could be biased as I fly one :ok:

[Foxbat01]

Try the Shadow Flight Centre (http://www.shadowflightcentre.co.uk/) at Old Sarum.

They instruct in and maintain the Shadow.

[RudeNot2]

One for sale in this month's LAA mag 582 DD..

[aviate1138]

If you can get hold of a Star Streak you will not regret it. I built one at Old Sarum, using the many skills of The Shadow Flight Centre [Fiona and Raymond and Mike] who did all the hard work, leaving me to do the cockpit and fit a 912 UL Rotax. CFM made the wings [on their jig] and the wing on a Star Streak is small but more than capable of doing circuits with the trikes. Smaller chord wing gave lighter ailerons and more effective flaps.

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn77/aviate1138/StarStreakvlf.jpg

I bulged the cockpit sides to get more shoulder room.

My trouble was, I expanded with middle age

and eventually had to buy a bigger cockpit - Sky Arrow 650. :rolleyes: