business news item
Dornier S-Ray 007: An innovative concept of seaplanes relaunched by Iren Dornier
Iren Dornier, grandson of Claude Dornier who was famous for his innovative constructions of seaplanes such as the DO-X, constructed a new small seaplane which did it's maiden flight in late summer 2007.
Dornier DO S-Ray 007
The new seaplane "S-Ray 007" (the "s" stands for stingray) follows the idea of the dragonfly seaplane of Claude Dornier but the S-Ray of course includes all technologies of the 21st century. The seaplane reaches a maximum speed of 124 kts and a range of 460nm.
The two seated seaplane's design is based on one of the first successful Dornier flying boat, Libelle, from 1921 by Claude Dornier and has been modernized as an amphibian multi-purpose aircraft to handle the land and the sea. Almost 86 years later, Iren Dornier, the grandson of Claude Dornier, created with its team the Dornier S-Ray 007. From its original look and with its new design it still can be identified to be a true Dornier aircraft.
Modern lightweight carbon and composite structure in its favorable configuration provide a comparatively high resistance against fatigue assuring a well proportional payload and range and terminate recent corrosion problems on aluminum structures.
Aerodynamic and hydrodynamic properties and the handling qualities turned out to be excellent. The shape has been analyzed by CFD methods. The high wing attachment provides a shadow environment, where cockpit heat radiation is much less.
Up to 30 degree flap selection will slow down the aircraft in ground effect to a minimum speed where low speed flight characteristics are extremely good-natured.
The aircraft contains and electric driven tricycle landing gear, which also can be lowered inside the water to move up or down a ramp. The partial free nose wheel reacts as a dampener on water collision in its retracted position. A water rudder assists to control and maneuvers the aircraft even at slow speeds.
A few years ago, Iren Dornier took an old Dorniere DO 24, built in 1944 out from a museum and rebuilt the seaplane in 8000 working hours at Philippines. He then made a trip around the world as a mission for UNICEF but also proved the benefits of seaplanes. The historic seaplane in earlier times saved 11.000 human lifes acting as a SAR plane.
With the new S-Ray the Dornier story is about to be continued now but serial production lateron will probably located at Philippines and not in Germany as the historic Dornier companies. Major markets will be the USA and Canada but also asian countries as Iren Dornier said.
