Varga 2150 Kachina

2150 Kachina
Varga 2150A Kachina at Carlsbad/Palomar California in January 2008
Role
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Morrisey, Shinn, Varga
Designer	William J. Morrisey
First flight	1958
Developed from	Morrisey Nifty

The Varga 2150 Kachina is an American all-metal low fixed-wing two-seat light aircraft fitted with a tricycle undercarriage.

Development

In 1958 William J. Morrisey re-engineered his 1948-designed wood and fabric Model 1000C as the all-metal Morrisey 2000 and two test aircraft were completed.^[1] A further improvement came with the Morrisey 2150 with a 108 hp Lycoming O-235 engine and the Morrisey Aircraft Company built nine aircraft by the end of 1959.^[2]

The design rights were then sold to Shinn Engineering Inc which built 35 improved Shinn 2150A aircraft with a 150 h.p. Lycoming O-320-A2C engine, before ceasing production in 1962.^[3]

The 2150A design rights were sold to the Varga Aircraft Corporation in 1967 which built the Varga 2150A Kachina at Chandler, Arizona between 1975 and 1982. 121 2150A Kachinas were completed together with 18 examples of the Varga 2180 with a 180 h.p. Lycoming O-360-A2D engine. A tailwheel option was available as the Varga 2150TG.^[3]

Bill Morrisey later re-acquired the design rights and later re-launched a kit version of the original Morrisey 2000C

The Morrisey/Shinn/Varga 2150 remains in widespread use in the USA and several aircraft are flown in Europe and South America.^[4]

Variants

Morrisey 2000C

Variant with Lycoming O-235 engine ^[2]

Morrisey 2150

Variant with a Lycoming O-320-A2C engine.^[5]

Shinn 2150

Morrisey 2150 built by Shinn Engineering.^[5]

Varga 2150A Kachina

Morrisey 2150 built by Varga Aircraft.^[5]

Varga 2150TG

Tailwheel version of the 2150A^[3]

Varga 2180 Kachina

Variant with Lycoming O-360-A2D engine.^[5]

Specifications (2150A)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78, p.417–18

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Capacity: 1 passenger
• Length: 21 ft 3 in (6.48 m)
• Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m)
• Height: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
• Wing area: 142 ft² (13.2 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,130 lb (510 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,820 lb (824 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320-A2C, 150 hp (110 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 148 mph (238 km/h)
• Range: 525 miles (845 km)
• Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,450 ft/min (7.4 m/s)

Notes

1. ^ Green 1965, p. 295
2. ^ ^{a b} Simpson 2001 p. 565
3. ^ ^{a b c} Simpson 2005, p.201
4. ^ Simpson 2001, p. 565
5. ^ ^{a b c d} The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, p.2560

References

• Green, William (1965). The Aircraft of the World. Macdonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN none. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing. 
• Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Yearbooks. 
• Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Limited. ISBN 1-84037-115-3. 
• Simpson, Rod (2005). The General Aviation Handbook. Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-222-5.