Silent J

Alisport [IT]

Alisport Silent J

Bob CARLTON est le propriétaire et pilote de ce magnifique planeur Silent J, qu’il a modifié en bi-réacteur. Il est propulsé par 2 turboréacteur AMT-USA AT-450, qui produisent environ 20 kgp de poussée chacunes. Les premières présentation en meeting remontent à 2004.

The airframe is that of an Alisport Silent ultralight glider (here fitted with a 12 m wingspan), originally powered by a 28 hp two-stroke Koenig engine driving a single-blade propeller. The empty weight, including the turbines, is 194 kg. Fuel capacity is 42 liters, providing about 30 minutes of operation at full power and up to 1 hour in cruise at 100 knots (at 10,000 ft).

Le taux de montée est d’au moins 500 ft/min à 70 knts (STP).

The longest powered flight performed by Bob lasted 52 minutes. On that occasion, he was released at 6,200 feet above ground level, then gained an additional 2,000 feet at a speed of 100 knots.

La masse au décollage habituelle avec Bob, le plein carburant et les systèmes pyrotechniques fixés sur les saumons d’ailes (qu’il utilise pour ses meetings) est d’environ 320 Kg.

Each turbine weighs 2.5 kg, and the pylon supporting them is fully retractable. All engine operations (start-up, shutdown, ventilation) are managed by an electronic control unit (ECU). Throttle control is of the fly-by-wire type.

Not only is this glider capable of taking off under its own power, but it is also sufficiently maneuverable to allow Bob to display it at airshows during low-altitude maneuvers.

Bob Carlton dans son Silent J, accompagné de Laurie Carlton
Avalon (Geelong) (AVV / YMAV), Australia – Victoria, March 24, 2007. Source : With courtesy of Andrei Bezmylov
Heat waves shimmer from the engines as the jet sailplane taxis in. Photo Bryce Watson, with courtesy of Bob Carlton
The jet sailplane in formation, Photo Bill Pearson, with courtesy of Bob Carlton
Bob Carlton’s Silent jet during NAS Fort Worth Air Show 2006. With Courtesy of Ken Shanaberger.
Photo Bill Pearson, avec la courtoisie de Bob Carlton
Photo Bill Pearson, avec la courtoisie de Bob Carlton
Bob Carlton’s Silent jet, after landing at NAS Fort Worth Air Show 2006. With Courtesy of Ken Shanaberger.

Sources and Notes

Bob Carlton

Bob Carlton began flying in 1979 at the age of 19. He has since logged over 2000 hours in a wide variety of aircraft and holds a commercial pilot certificate. Bob has flown hang gliders, airplanes, helicopters, and sailplanes from hundreds of sites in the US, Canada, Mexico and Australia. Bob has flown airshows professionally since 1993. He lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a member of SSA and ICAS.

Bob is one of the most versatile airshow performers in North America. He began flying airshows in his Salto sailplane, and over the years has continued to add innovative performances such as barnstormin’ biplane aerobatics, helicopter sailplane tow, night aerobatics with strobes & pyro and the world’s only twin jet sailplane. The tradition of innovation continues with the recent addition of the Super Salto jet sailplane, with more power, more speed and more aerobatic capability than any other sailplane on the planet!

Bob Carlton is a retired rocket scientist for a major national laboratory.

We would like to thanks Bob for all informations he always authorized us to publish. We congratulate him on all his jet projects and all his work with Vertigo Airshows and Desert Aerospace