Polish engineers revolutionize aerobatics. The I-45 JAY aerobatic glider launched into the skies.

Engineers of the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation successfully have completed another milestone in the development of new aerobatic glider I-45 JAY. It’s the first in the world aerobatic glider with wings and components made of pre-impregnated composites.
I-45 JAY has already passed first flight tests.

At the turn of the year engineers of the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation successfully completed another milestone in the development of new aerobatic glider I-45 JAY, which is a platform for testing and implementing innovative glider technologies. The glider’s designers hope that with the implementation of this unique design into production, Poland will once again become a leader in glider production, and pilots will stand on the highest podium in aerobatic competitions.

“The history of gliding in Poland is rich and full of achievements that have had a huge impact on the development of this discipline in Poland and around the world. Since the 1930s, Poland has been a pioneer in the construction of gliders. Polish designers have created many innovative models that have become the basis for further development of this field both domestically and internationally. The I-45 JAY aerobatic glider, which is a demonstrator of modern technologies, refers to the rich Polish engineering traditions and sports achievements. With our solution, we are certainly setting new trends in aerodynamics and composite technologies, as well as proving that knowledge and experience in passenger aviation engineering finds practical application in high-performance gliding,” says Paweł Stężycki, Ph.D. Eng., director of Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation.

It is worth mentioning that the I-45 JAY aerobatic glider was developed in response to market needs, as the service life of Polish-made aerobatic gliders is slowly coming to an end. Thus, an investor who decides to put it into production will develop a niche and seize a market opportunity.

“The I-45 JAY aerobatic glider is a successor to such a world-famous designs as the SZD-21 Kobuz, S-1 Swift and MDM-1 Fox. In view of the shortage of specialized aerobatic gliders on the market, it can be presumed that the international community of aerobatic glider pilots would like to see the I-45 JAY quickly appear in world-class competitions,” says Mariusz Stajewski, M.Sc. Eng., test pilot of the glider developed by Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation engineers.

What distinguishes the I-45 JAY aerobatic glider?

“In the I-45 JAY aerobatic glider, for the first time in Poland, the wings have been made using pre-preg technology. This technology, which has so far proven itself in passenger aircraft, is characterized by high quality and high strength. It also ensures component manufacturing repeatability. These are extremely important elements in aerobatic gliding, where, as in Formula One racing, the strength of the structure and the quality of workmanship affecting the aerodynamics of the vehicle are of great importance for the results achieved,” explains Paweł Guła, M.Sc. Eng., director of the Aviation Technologies Center at Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation.

The designers of the I-45 JAY aerobatic glider also focused on other important design features. Every detail was designed using specialized 3D software. CNC technology used at the production stage of tooling ensures high accuracy and allows to maintain extremely tight tolerances. The aerodynamically shaped body of the fuselage is crucial to the glider’s lift-to-drag-ratio, in this case achieving high speeds with minimal energy consumption.

“The I-45 JAY aerobatic glider has a specially designed and optimized wing profile for selected aerodynamic properties. The Frise aileron, incorporated into the wings, was adapted and developed taking into account the requirements specific to aerobatic gliders. As a result, the glider has excellent piloting properties with a compromise between controllability and stability. Innovative kinematics have been applied to the main landing gear. The cockpit is optimized to the growth of 90% of the population, and the large canopy provides a wide viewing angle, giving the aerobatic pilot a visibility around the glider that is unparalleled in other designs. We’ve also made sure that assembly and disassembly of the glider is as uncomplicated as possible. And the most important point, a nod to aerobatic pilots – the design of the glider assumes permissible load factors of +10/ -8g,” mentions Dawid Ulma, M.Sc. Eng., head of the JAY program from Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation.

So it’s worth taking a look at what is the distinguishing feature of this technology, and what demonstrates its market advantage from the perspective of the users themselves – the pilots?

“What sets the I-45 JAY apart from other aerobatic gliders is the fact that… it is. And it is as a new design among rather vintage aerobatic gliders. So it is a design with great potential for development. Everything indicates that it is a mature design, which, after certification tests, would make up for the shortage of such specialized gliders around the world,” says Mariusz Stajewski, M.Sc. Eng., test pilot.

“JAY is a glider that focuses on developing the best features of Polish aerobatic gliders. At the same time, the designers focused on eliminating the biggest flaws of its predecessors. It is the first aerobatic glider built with new technology from carbon composite using modern resins. Visibility from the glider has been improved, especially downwards, to help when entering the aerobatic box and starting aerobatic competitions in the right place. The designers paid a lot of attention to the ergonomics of the cabin, the pilot’s position and his comfort. These are elements that were not given significant attention in the 1990s, but are very important to the pilot. Precision of piloting and how the pilot handles g loads depend on comfort. It’s time for a glider that will meet the requirements of the 21st century, will be modern, safe, but most of all will fly great and serve us for years to come,” says Maciej Pospieszyński, a glider pilot, world champion in glider aerobatics in the Unlimited category, who consulted on JAY’s design.

“We believe that aerospace manufacturers will see the potential in gliding and Poland will once again play an important role in this segment of the economy,” concludes Paweł Stężycki, Ph.D. Eng., director of Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation.

No engine but it flies. What is worth knowing about aerobatic gliders?

“From the first flights on the I-45 JAY aerobatic glider, one can conclude that it has development potential, its flight parameters should satisfy pilots perfecting the art of glider aerobatics. Unfortunately, there was no opportunity to perform more dynamic aerobatic maneuvers, which would best allow to assess the glider’s qualities in its “natural environment”. I hope for an imminent start of certification trials and then serial production of the glider,” adds test pilot Mariusz Stajewski, reporting impressions from the first flight tests.

Nearly 100 engineers of Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation from various specialties were involved in the work on the I-45 JAY aerobatic glider, highlighting the multidisciplinary nature of the project. They were responsible for the structure, aerodynamics and composite structures.

____

The Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Aviation is one of the most modern research institutions in Europe, with a tradition dating back to 1926. The Institute works closely with global aerospace industry giants such as Boeing, GE Aerospace, GE Vernova, Airbus and Pratt&Whitney, as well as space industry institutions, including the European Space Agency. The Institute’s strategic research areas are aerospace and unmanned aerospace technologies. It also conducts research and services for domestic and foreign industry in materials, composites, incremental, remote sensing, energy and mining technologies.