Rigging (assembling the wings to the fuselage in preparation for flight)

When rigging the Twister, simply insert the wing spars into the spar carry-through tunnel in the fuselage.  The carry-through structure is designed to support the wings during flight, therefore there is no need for additional support at the wing tips during assembly.

Connect the single electrical connector for the wing tip position light, fuel tank ground, and fuel level sensor, engage the flap into the self aligning bearings on the end of the fuselage flap torque tube, and insert the main spar pin.

The wings are then firmly seated by rotating the eccentric pin to pull the wings in tight..

Retractable Landing Gear 

The electric landing gear actuator excels with a simple and lightweight, but robust design. 

A small electric motor drives a jackscrew, which moves a slider. The gear legs are connected to the slider and extended or retracted by its motion.  In the fully extended position, the gear legs lock over-center.  All landing gear forces are transferred to the fuselage structure leaving the jackscrew drive load-free.

Emergency extension of the landing gear is accomplished by pulling a cable connected to the slider.  By pulling on the cable, the slider disengages from the jackscrew threads and the gear legs extend with the help of gravity.  By releasing the cable the slider re-engages the jackscrew threads and lock the gear legs in the down postion.

Microswitches at both ends of the slider guide tubes operate lights to signal the correct position of the landing gear to the pilot.

Ventilation

A large, but low-drag NACA scoop in front of the canopy supplies fresh air for the cockpit ventilation system.

Warm air from an exhaust heat muff can be routed through a control valve to the same air box for defrost and cabin heat.

Baggage Compartment 

The seatback is made of carbon fiber with a honeycomb core.  This provides an attractive lightweight and rigid structure.  The baggage compartment behind the seatback is very roomy and can hold up to 40 lbs. of baggage.  Large bags can be placed in the baggage area by removing the seat, a very simple task in the Twister, no fasteners involved.

Pitot Tube 

A retractable pitot tube is available as an option and is mounted far out on the wing to measure undisturbed air.  On the ground it can be retracted to protect it against damage. 

Also, in case you forgot to extend it before flight, though not as accurate, it does work in the retracted position.

Tail Wheel 

A rubber shock absorber protects the aerodynamically clean enclosed tail wheel during rough landings.  The tail wheel is linked to the rudder and provides very positive directional control while taxing and braking.

When pushing the aircraft backwards, the wheel can swivel in any direction.

Both of the horizontal stabilizers and elevators and the rudder can be quickly removed.  Just remove a locked piano hinge type pin for each horizontal stabilizer and two safety pins for the rudder, and the three surfaces can be easily removed.

LED Position Lights 

Using less than 10% of the electrical consumption standard aircraft position lights require, these high-intensity LED position lights still meet FAA regulations.  The molded shape contributes to the clean lines and efficiency of the Twister while the lifespan of up to 100,000 hours assures they will last as long as you need them.  

A control circuit is included which will flash the position lights for better visibility.  

Due to the popularity of this option Pacific AeroSport is also offering a custom LED position light installation kit that can be custom molded to fit to the aircraft of your choice.

Please contact: Chris@PacificAeroSport.com

Throttle, Brakes, and Parking Brake 

The throttle is located on the left side, allowing the pilot’s left hand to rest conveniently on the inside contour of the safety cell. 

The same hand also operates the brake lever, shown resting in the forward position.  To apply the wheel brake the pilot pulls the throttle to the full aft position and then places the same hand on the brake lever and pulls aft.  The small green knob can be rotated with the right hand while pulling back on the brake lever to set the parking brake.

Flaps and Landing Gear Switches 

The flap positions 0, 10, 20, and 30 degrees are selected by turning the rotary switch.  The flaps stop automatically at the selected position.  For back-up the flap override switch can be selected and a rocker switch can then be used for flap actuation. 

To the right is the guarded landing gear switch for the electrically actuated landing gear.  

Trim, Fuel Selector and Emergency Controls 

The quick trim actuator is conveniently in reach for the little finger of the hand holding the stick. This is the same trim system as used on high performance sailplanes.  A short press on the small green lever makes the stick forceless in its current position.

Slightly to the left is the red handle for the emergency extraction of the landing gear, and further left the knob for the rudder pedal adjustment.

The red handle on the right cockpit wall is the actuator for the optional ballistic recovery system.  It is locked out on the ground with a safety pin that is removed before flight.

Below the BRS handle is the fuel selector with left, right, both, and off positions.  The well engineered design contributes to safety and reliability.    

Safety 

This picture shows the optional ballistic recovery system located behind the firewall. Two risers off the parachute mount to the left and right side behind the firewall.  The third riser is routed in the fuselage side wall below the canopy to an attach point behind the cockpit (visible in the upper right corner of the access opening).  This arrangement keeps the aircraft level below the parachute, so that the landing gear can absorb the ground impact.

To the right of the ballistic recovery system container, is the yellow Kevlar safety cell built into the fuselage, providing maximum of protection for the pilot in the event of a crash.