The Latvian Air Force (Latvijas Gaisa speki) has taken delivery of its first locally-developed Tarragon aircraft that will used for pilot training. While this delivery represents the first military variants of the Tarragon airframe, the type is already flying with several commercial operators in Europe and the United States. The jet trainers were manufactured by the Latvian company SIA “Pelegrin” and were handed over on December 2, at the ?daži airfield. The aircraft were manufactured by the Latvian company SIA “Pelegrin” and were handed over on December 2, at the Adazi airfield.
“Thanks to the cooperation between the defense industry and the military industry, not only the automobile industry has been revived in Latvia, but also the production of airplanes. We can be proud of what our makers have done, following in the footsteps of the legendary constructor K?rlis Irb?te – many countries around the world are already showing interest in the models produced by the company,” said Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks.
The aircraft is a Latvian ultralight aircraft that is produced by Pelegrin Limited of ?daži, introduced in 2010. The aircraft is supplied complete and ready-to-fly. Named for the herb, the Tarragon was developed from the Millennium Master after the manufacturer of that design went bankrupt. The Tarragon has been developed by Pelegrin in conjunction with CFM Air. The Tarragon was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, an enclosed cockpit with two-seats-in-tandem under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The Tarragon’s airframe is made from pre-preg carbon fibre composites. Its 7.94 m (26.0 ft) span wing mounts flaps. Standard engines available are the 100 hp (75 kW) EPA Power SA-R917TNi ULM, the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS and Rotax 912iS, the turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 and the 130 hp (97 kW) EPA Power SA917Ti Turbo Injection four-stroke powerplants. The aircraft is a two-seater plane that can fly at around 70 kilometers per hour and reach speeds of up to 370 kilometers per hour at altitudes of up to 3.5 kilometers. The landing distance on asphalt surface is 150 meters, and the minimum take-off is 225 meters.