Grob Strato 2C
German experimental high altitude research aircraft
The Grob Strato 2C is a German experimental high-altitude research aircraft. Powered by two turbocharged piston engines and featuring an extremely long-span wing of composite construction, the sole example was built in the 1990s. Although the development program was abandoned, the aircraft set a world altitude record for piston-engined aircraft on its final flight.
Design and development
In April 1992, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V - DLR) commenced a programme to develop an aircraft to carry out atmospheric, stratospheric and climatic research. It chose Grob Aerospace to design and build an aircraft to meet these requirements, based both on its experience in use of composite material in aircraft structures together with its successful development of the Egrett surveillance aircraft, with the aircraft expected to be operational by 1996.
To meet the requirement to operate at an altitude of 24,000 m (78,700 ft) for 48 hours, Grob designed a twin-engined aircraft with a straight, very high aspect ratio wing of 56.5 m (185 ft 4½ in) span. The wings featured winglets, and were mounted across the top of the fuselage which terminated in a T-tail configuration. The aircraft was designed to be crewed by two pilots, and could accommodate two scientists and associated mission equipment in a pressurised cabin. A galley, rest facilities and a toilet were provided.
Unlike the Egrett, which was powered by a single turboprop engine, the Strato was powered by two wing-mounted pusher compound engines consisting of a turbocharged piston engine supplied by the low- and intermediate-pressure compressors and associated turbine machinery derived from a PW127 turboprop engine.
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