Chengdu X-7 Jian Fan

X-7 Jian Fan
Role	Basic training glider
National origin	Peoples Republic of China
Manufacturer	Chengdu Sailplane Factory
First flight	October 1966
Number built	130+

The Chengdu X-7 Jian Fan (English: Sword Point) (X-7 - Xianji-7 - glider-7) is a Chinese basic trainer glider. First flying in 1966, at least 130 were built.

Design and development

The Chengdu X-7 is a two-seat basic training glider of glass-fibre construction, which first flew in October 1966. It is a high-winged monoplane with the wing braced to the pod-and-boom fuselage by single struts. The crew of two sit in tandem open cockpits, while the undercarriage is a non-retractable monowheel, with nose- and tailskids.^[1] 130 had been built by 1980.^[2]

Specifications (X-7)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89^[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: two, pilot and student
• Length: 7.06 m (23 ft 2 in)
• Wingspan: 13.07 m (42 ft 11 in)
• Height: 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
• Wing area: 18.00 m² (193.8 sq ft)
• Aspect ratio: 9.5:1
• Airfoil: Göttingen 535 (modified)
• Empty weight: 220 kg (485 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 370 kg (816 lb)

Performance

• Stall speed: 45 km/h (28 mph; 24 kn)
• Never exceed speed: 150 km/h; 93 mph (81 kn) in smooth air

100 km/h (54 kn; 62 mph) in rough air

80 km/h (43 kn; 50 mph) on winch launch

• g limits: +4 -2
• Maximum glide ratio: 12:1
• Rate of sink: 1.40 m/s (276 ft/min) at 53 km/h (29 kn; 33 mph)
• Wing loading: 20.55 kg/m² (4.21 lb/sq ft) at max t/o weight

Notes

1. Taylor, John W.R. (1983). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1982-83. London: Jane's Publishing Company. p. 588. ISBN 978-0-7106-0748-5.
2. John W.R. Taylor, ed. (1988). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. London: Jane's Information Group. p. 619. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.