IAR 111
title: "IAR 111" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["private-spaceflight", "experimental-aircraft", "rocket-powered-aircraft", "arcaspace"] topic_path: "general/private-spaceflight" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IAR_111" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | IAR-111 Excelsior |
| image | Haas 2 rocket with IAR 111 supersonic plane.jpg |
| caption | IAR-111 and Haas 2 rocket |
| aircraft_type | Supersonic mothership |
| national_origin | Romania |
| manufacturer | ARCA Space |
| designer | ARCA Space |
| :: |
| name = IAR-111 Excelsior | logo = | logo_size = | image = Haas 2 rocket with IAR 111 supersonic plane.jpg | alt = | caption = IAR-111 and Haas 2 rocket | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Supersonic mothership | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = Romania | manufacturer = ARCA Space | design_group = | designer = ARCA Space | builder = | issuer = | status = | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded =
The IAR-111 Excelsior was a supersonic mothership project, designed by ARCA Space Corporation, intended to transport a rocket payload up to 18000 m and for developing space tourism related technologies. The aircraft was supposed to be constructed almost entirely from composite materials, and was to be designed for take-off and landing from the sea surface.
The project has since been abandoned due to high construction costs.
History
The design of the aircraft started before the successful launch of the Helen 2 rocket. ARCA kept work on the project secret and decided to reveal it to the public in a press conference that took place at BRD headquarters in Bucharest in December 2010. The initial name of the aircraft was E-111. In March 2011 ARCA received approval from IAR S.A. Brasov to use its initials on the aircraft, so E-111 was officially renamed IAR-111.
Work on the fuselage moulds started in early 2011 and were completed in September. The cockpit structure was completed in July. It is detachable from the rest of the aircraft and will be equipped with two rocket propelled parachutes (main and back-up) as a safety system. Also in September the CFD simulations for the aircraft were completed. On 29 September 2011, a successful cockpit drop-test was carried out. A Mi-17 helicopter dropped the cockpit from 700 m to test the parachute recovery system. In December 2011, the first two sections of the aircraft fuselage were completed and preliminary assembled.
Design
Features
The IAR-111 is designed to take-off and land on the sea surface. ARCA decided to use this approach to eliminate the need for a landing gear and thus reduce the cost of the aircraft. Another factor that went into the decision was that Romania has no unpopulated areas above which to safely test the aircraft to high altitude flights.
The aircraft has diamond-shaped wings to reduce weight, and lower drag at high speeds; "V" tails were chosen to avoid contact with the water on take-off and landing. It has two floats and the payload is located between them, acting as a third float. The payload will be either the Haas 2 rocket or an external fuel tank.
For aerodynamic surface control it will use a hydraulic system controlled by fly-by-wire from the cockpit. The aircraft will be powered by the new Executor liquid-fuelled rocket engine, under construction at ARCA, which will use kerosene as fuel and liquid oxygen as oxidizer.
Safety
The cockpit walls and windows are very thick, able to withstand an engine explosion in case of failure of the rocket. Additionally, the cockpit is detachable and is equipped with two rocket propelled parachutes (main and back-up). The aircraft will have a very large recovery parachute and a smaller anti-stall parachute.
Mission 6 tested the safety systems with a drop test from 700 m. One of the parachutes was opened to test the explosive bolts. The test was a success and the cabin was recovered in good condition.
Specifications
The specifications released to date are approximate design goals, and include:
| ref = ARCA |prime units?=met General characteristics
|crew=2 |capacity= |length m=24 |length note= |span m=12 |span note= |height m=5 |height note= |wing area sqm=100 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg=7200 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=19000 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg=23000 |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity= |more general= Powerplant
|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Executor |eng1 type=liquid-fuelled rocket engine |eng1 lbf=44000 |eng1 note=
Performance
|max speed kmh= |max speed note= |max speed mach=2.6 |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m=100000 |ceiling note= |climb rate ms=250 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |wing loading kg/m2=230 |wing loading note= |fuel consumption kg/km= |power/mass= |thrust/weight=2.316 |more performance= |avionics=
References
References
- Bottlaender, Eric. (2023-01-29). "Les mille et une vies d'ARCA Space : des fusées ou des arnaques ?".
- Radu, Dan. (22 December 2010). "Cum arată primul avion supersonic Românesc. Inginerii de la ARCA lucrează la prototip. Vezi aici simulare video şi galerie foto cu E-111". [[Gândul]].
- (29 September 2011). "Cabina primului supersonic românesc IAR-111, testată cu succes în zbor. Ne pregătim pentru turism spaţial?". [[Adevărul]].
- (13 December 2011). "Primul avion supersonic românesc, aproape de finalizare: 60% din structura IAR-111, realizată". [[Mediafax]].
- "Executor Rocket Engine". ARCA Space Corporation.
- "IAR-111 Excelsior". ARCA Space Corporation.
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