Security S-1 Airster

Flight, May 1934

THE SECURITY "AIRSTER"
A Light American Monoplane with side-by-side seating

   MANUFACTURED by a recently-formed concern, the Security National Aircraft Corporation, of Downey, Los Angeles, California, the Security "Airster" was designed by Mr. W. B. Kinner, the president of the company.
   The machine is a low-wing monoplane with folding wings of Clark "Y" section attached to stubs built integral with the fuselage. Spruce is mainly used for the wing construction, with fabric covering. The wings are braced to the top longerons by inverted "V" struts. A very neat wing folding arrangement, patented by Mr. W. B. Kinner, by which the wings may be folded in three minutes without the use of tools, is fitted. Frise type ailerons of high aspect ratio are used.
   Welded steel tubular construction is used for the rectangular fuselage structure, which is covered with fabric. A roomy cockpit with individually adjustable side-by-side seats, which are designed to accommodate, seat pack parachutes, is situated over the centre line of the wing. Dual controls are fitted as standard. A baggage space of six cubic feet capacity is in the fuselage. A quickly detachable hood may be fitted over the cockpit at slight extra cost. The empennage, like the fuselage, is made from welded steel tubes. An adjustable tailplane is fitted.
   The divided type undercarriage uses oleo legs, air wheels and independent wheel brakes, which may be operated simultaneously or independently by either foot or hand controls. The tail wheel is of the full swivelling type.
   Either a Kinner K.5 engine of 100 h.p. or a Kinner B.5 of 125 h.p. is fitted. In each case the engine is attached to a hinged mounting. Both the K.5 and the B.5 are five-cylinder radials, the B.5 being a slightly enlarged version of the K.5.
   The weight empty is 1,197 lb. (542.94 kg) and the weight loaded 1,775 lb. (805.1 kg). With the 100-h.p. K.5 engine the top speed is 100 m.p.h. The landing speed is 35 m.p.h. (55 km/hr), service ceiling 14,000 ft. (4 267 m), and the absolute ceiling 20,000 ft. (6 096 m). This latter figure must be considered exceptionally good for an aircraft of this type, although the Everling "High Speed" figure at 13.74 is on the low side.