BRO-23KR Garnish • wp.archivoaereo.com

The original all-plastic ultralight strut-braced monoplane seaplane glider was built in 1981 by Ch. Kishonas, K. Rikyavichus, and B. Oshkinis. Its prototype was the BRO-23KR glider. The slotted wing up to the spar was covered with three layers of 0.3-mm fiberglass.

The ribs and spars are woven from fiberglass impregnated with resin. The wing skin is transparent lavsan film. The “Garnish” was fitted with quick-release floats.

Provision was made for installing a “Vihr-25” engine, converted for air cooling. The “Garnish” motorglider participated in various aviation festivals and competitions, including SLA-83 in Crimea and SLA-85 in Kyiv.

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Development and Predecessors

The first experimental plastic training glider, the BRO-21, was built in 1980. This design was showcased at the youth glider championship in Moscow, attracting significant interest from participants.

The aircraft was highly praised by the republican model commission in Lithuania and deemed suitable for flight tests. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, the BRO-21 remained a single prototype.

For six months, with the support of enthusiasts Ch. Kishonas and K. Rinkyavichus, based at the Kaunas Hang Gliding Club, work proceeded on the new BRO-23KR design (initials from the designers’ surnames). The glider was named “Garnish” (“Stork”).

Innovative Design and Safety

The “Aist” (Garnish) was test-flown at the II Youth Glider Championship. Comparative flights with the LAK-14 “Drozd,” BRO-11M, BRO-21, and BRO-23KR demonstrated the clear superiority of the latter model.

The BRO-23 fuselage differs little from the BRO-21. Special attention in the new model was given to the pilot’s comfortable position in the cockpit and flight safety, even in the event of a rough glider landing.

The cockpit sides are lined with microporous rubber, and the seat is made of two foam supports. The thick foam backrest and soft armrest provide good shock absorption during a hard landing. The pilot controls the glider seated with a significant recline.

The Pitot tube stand and the front panel of the cockpit serve as a good reference to the horizon. Soft steel springs were incorporated into the harness system, capable of absorbing a significant portion of impact energy.

The fuselage features an elastic fiberglass tail skid and five rubber support “legs,” to which various landing devices can be attached without direct rigid contact with the structure, according to choice: a wide fiberglass ski for winter operation of the glider; the same ski with a small wheel for summer operation; a three-wheeled chassis for training cadets in “aircraft-like” landings; and a hydro- and aerodynamic float with hydrofoils for takeoffs and landings on bodies of water.

Performance and Wing Construction

The wing of the BRO-23KR is slotted. The aileron-flaps, like those on the BRO-11, operate synchronously with the elevator, a design proven effective over 27 years of operation for these gliders.

The wing profile is GAV-1, 16% thick. The chord is 1.0 m; the aileron chord, 0.32 m; the wingspan, 8.2 m. The total lifting surface area is 10.4 m². The length is 6.4 m.

The ribs and spars are woven from glass fiber using a special technology. The trailing edge is cast from an epoxy filler, with glass fiber laid along it and wrapped with 0.1 mm fiberglass fabric.

Technical Specifications

Modification	BRO-23KR
Wingspan, m	8.20
Length, m	5.10
Wing area, m2	10.40
Empty weight	80
Normal takeoff weight	160
Maximum speed, km/h	100
Max. aerodynamic quality	15
Minimum sink rate, m/s	1.0
Landing speed, km/h	42
Crew	1