Stern ST 87 Vega
The Stern ST 87 Vega (sometimes ST-87) is a French homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Rene Stern, first flying in July 1992. The aircraft is supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction. Design and development. The ST 87 Vega features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft is made from wood, with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its span wing mounts flaps and  has a wing area of . The cabin width is . The acceptable power range is and the standard engine used is the Lycoming O-235 powerplant. The ST 87 Vega has a typical empty weight of and a gross weight of , giving a useful load of . With full fuel of the payload for the pilot, passenger and baggage is . The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as 2000 hours. Operational history. By 1998 the company reported that four kits had been sold and two aircraft were completed and flying.