The Yakovlev Yak-54 is a two-seat aerobatic and sports competition monoplane of Russia developed in the 1990s. It was designed and manufactured by the Yakovlev Aircraft Corporation and took its maiden flight on December 24, 1993.
The Yakovlev Yak-54 was a result of the modification of the Yak-55M single-seat aerobatic aircraft. In 1992, the prototype of one of the variants of Yakovlev Yak-55 designated as the Yak-56 was expected to fly, however, due to the delays in the production of the 300-horsepower VOKBM M-16-8 piston engine, Yakovlev opted to produce the Yak-54 instead.
On December 23, 1993, the Yak-54 took to the skies for the first time. The aircraft is a two-seat sport and aerobatic monoplane used for training sports pilot for aerobatic flights as well as for partaking in the sports competitions in the air.
The Yak-54 features an all-metal design and is conventionally easy and economical to fly. It is designed with an expanded range due to a ferry tank located on the right wing and uncomplicated access to the aircraft systems. It is also designed with a luggage compartment and features a back flat parachute. The semi-monocoque fuselage has an eternal length of 6.91 meters, an external height of 1.65 meters, and a width of 1 meter. The non-retractable spring undercarriage has a wheelbase of 4.9 meters. The mid-wing has a wingspan of 8.15 meters and a wing area of 12.89 square meters.
The Yakovlev Yak-54 is fitted with a single AOOT M-14P piston engine. It is a nine-cylinder, four-stroke, air-cooled radial engine with a maximum power of 360 hp and drives a three-bladed, constant-speed, variable-pitch propellers. The aircraft features a high thrust to weight ratio and better maneuverability that produces the complete set of aerobatic maneuvers.
It has a maximum speed of 243 knots, a stall speed of 60 knots, and a ferry range of 378 nautical miles. The Yak-54 has a service ceiling of 13,125 feet and a rate of climb of 2,955 feet per minute. It has a takeoff distance of 170 meters and a landing distance of 400 meters. The maximum takeoff weight is 990 kg for two-seat operation and 850 kg for single-seat operation. It has a maximum payload of 90 kg.
