The Summit Steel Breeze is an American powered parachute, designed and produced by Summit Aerosports of Yale, Michigan. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft.
Design and development
The Steel Breeze is intended as a light-sport aircraft compliant design. It features a parachute-style high-wing, two seats in tandem accommodation, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. Engines available include the Rotax 503, the liquid-cooled Rotax 582, the Hirth 3503 two-strokes and the four-stroke HKS 700E.
The Steel Breeze's airframe is built from TIG-welded, powder coated 4130 steel tubing. The standard rectangular Mustang S-500 canopy has an area of and is attached at four points to increase stability. The Mustang S-500 allows a gross weight of . Optional canopies include the rectangular Mustang S-550 which allows a gross weight of and the elliptical Thunderbolt E-340 which allows a gross weight of . In-flight steering is accomplished via foot pedals that actuate the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw. On the ground the aircraft has nosewheel steering controlled by a butterfly steering wheel and the main landing gear incorporates bungee suspension.
As of August 2012, the design does not appear on the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft.
Specifications (Steel Breeze)