Rules and regulation are different from country to country and something that might be
considered an ultralight in Canada is not necessarily an ultralight in the U.S. and vise
versa.
Helicopters and gyros are an example - they can be flown in the U.S. as ultralights but
not in Canada.
How about a one man helicopter...
This year a very unique helicopter was introduced. The craft from Japan is a one man
helicopter. It doesn't require a tail since it uses counter rotating blades. The factory
prototype was powered by four ten horsepower engines, each with an electric start. The
engines were located in a circle around the output shaft, above the pilots head.
The pilot sits in a seat with his legs extending down to a nose wheel, control was via a
bar which looked to move the rotor blades overhead. When asked whether the craft could
"auto-gyro" in case of an emergency where all the engines went out at the same
time - which the factory reps insisted was not possible, the reply was that a BRS
parachute would be installed incase something like that ever happened.
I saw it hover for a few minutes late one evening - unfortunately I didn't have either my
video camera or 35mm with me. If I could have gotten a shot of the pilots eyes for
you....It lifted off and hovered about 3 feet off the ground and then started to get a
little "tipsy" - the volunteers wisely decided that "it was too
windy." For more info you can visit there website at http://www.rhyme-japan.com
Is this the "next generation....
 I was recently surfing the web - something I
do instead of sleeping, when I came across a phrase dealing with ultralights "change
is in the air." In following the links to the site I found a group of very space age
looking ultralight photos. The manufacturer had his "concept vehicles" on
display at Oshkosh. The three designs are calle d the
Hooligan MK1, the Hooligan MK2 a nd the
Valkyrie. The MK 1 and Valkyrie are proposed to be available in both a single and two
place version while the Hooligan MK2 will only be available in a two place. All of the
craft are produced from vacuum bagged sandwich composites, building times are expected to
be in the 100 to 200 hour range and prices quoted started at $9500. For more information
you contact Dream Wings LLC at Lawrence Municipal Airport Lawrence, KS 66044 -
785-842-6526 or visit their website at http://www.dreamwings.com
A new Warbird from Loehle
When you cover the ultralight industry for over 20 years, and are as
deeply involved in it as I am you meet a great many people. It is amazing how you can
develop a friendship with someone when you only see them once or twice a year. It is also
gratifying to watch those you wish to succeed - do just that.
I met Mike Loehle and his wife Sandy was at Sun N Fun in 1984. They arrived late for the
show because their "old white whale" of a bus had broken down on the way to the
show and they had to be towed in. At that time Mike was still in the process of finalizing
his P 51 Mustang. The first time I saw it it was just a bare frame partially covered. At
Oshkosh that same year it was up and flying. Since that time Mike has gone on to introduce
his single place Sport Parasol, the P -40 Flying Tiger and several other WW 1 designs.
This year I met Mike down in the commercial end of Oshkosh, and while I don't usually
 cover manufacturers down at that end, I do make exceptions for exceptional
manufacturers. This year Mike had a new design up to about the same stage as the first
Mustang I saw. His latest is the Loehle Spitfire.
When Mike created the P 51 and then the P 40 he used basically the same fuselage with the
changes and additions in stringers to give it the required look. That wasn't possible with
the Spitfire so Mike has decided to enter the market in a different way with this craft.
The difference is in the way the kit will be delivered to the customer, according to Mike
"this will be the most complete kit that Loehle has ever offered."
For more information contact Loehle Aircraft Corporation at 380 Shippmans Creek Road
Wartrace TN 37183-3302 - 931-857-3419 email: loehle@edge.net
An old design with a new twist
It is interesting that a bowl of soup ordered at a restaurant in one state
can taste completely different in another. The chefs add "their own secret
ingredients" to take something that is good and make it into some thing that is even better for that region. For example pea soup sold in
Quebec is to me the best pea soup in the world. What has pea soup got to do with
ultralights? Well when you start out with soup you start out with a good basic recipe and
then add to it to give it it's special flavor - and The venerable Quicksilver MX has been
around for many years, and has proven itself to be a good solid design, a lot like a good
bowl of soup. But as it came from the factory it just didn't "taste right" to
everyone. Two manufacturers have taken the MX design and added their own
"ingredients" to make it more palatable, South Mississippi ultralights with
their MX squared series and Innovative Engineering with their MX mod kit. At Oshkosh
another manufacturer has added yet another "flavor" with the introduction of the
Phoenix.
The Phoenix is proposed to be an assembly kit taking about 80 hours to build. The craft at
the show had a 70 HP 2 si engine on it. It featured strut bracing, similar to that used on
the TEAM tandem air bike. The seating area was exceptionally wide and had lots of room for
two big pilots. It also comes with a steerable nosewheel and brakes. The designer had
access to a retired NASA engineer who ran the plane through the computer with stress
limits in the 6 G range. For more info contact American Aero Inc. Edinburg Illinois
217 - 623 - 5772
Its a Mini Max... no its a Fisher... no
its a Eureka!
What do you do when you like two different planes but would like them even
better if you could combine the best of one and the best of another. Well you go ahead and
do it! In this case Eureka designer ....... took the best of both the Team Mini Max and
the Fisher 303 and came up with his little single place Eureka.
Unlike the Mini Max and Fisher the Eureka is not a high time build kit in fact according
to the manufacturer it can be assembled in less than a weekend as it comes factory built.
The airframe uses a wood skeleton sandwiched between foam and aluminum panels. The wing
uses T 6061 main spar with foam rib s with
aluminum cap strips. The ribs are located close together to give a smooth finish to the
wing.
The plane at the show was powered by the smaller 2si engine but it is recommended that the
35 hp 2si be used. This will give an honest 600 feet per minute climb, 65 mph cruise, and
should take off in about 200 feet.A unique feature of the craft on display was the flying
tail, which can be seen in this photo.
The plane is designed to be a 480 lbs gross plane, but a beefier model is in the works for
heavier pilots. Complete delivered to the customer ready to fly runs at $6,000 U.S. (
another $800 for the larger engine).
For more information contact Ameri - Cana Ultralights Box 360 Irricana
Albert T0M 1B0 403 935-4248
website http://www.cadvision.com/vasseurb/eureka/index.htm
e-mail at Eureka
GB Model D-Golden Age Racer
Two years ago I had the opportunity to interview a gentleman by the name of Steve Marle
who had taken the all wood Rag Wing design and converted it into a metal fuselage and wing
aircraft. he name the plane the "Busker." In Europe this has a special meaning
sort of a "Jack of all Trades", and his little Busker sort of fit that in that
it could play many different roles for many different people.
This year he flew in with a beautiful little GB model D. Unfortunately he blew a tire on
landing on the main runway, while no damage was done the incident attracted the attention
of the FAA, who then proceeded to weight his plane and find that it was
"overweight"!
The amazing thing about this to me was that they turned a "blind eye" to all the
other ultralights at the show, of which I would estimate only about 2 would make the
definition. Another thing that really bothered me was that despite the contribution Steve
has made over the years to EAA - he has been presented with several awards - no one from
EAA came to his aid. In fact it seemed that they actually made a point to avoid him!
Perhaps EAA only comes to help if you are someone like Bob Hoover where you know you are
going to getting publicity coming out the wazzoo!
Anyways getting back to Steve's ..GB model D is a 110% scale of the 1930's model. In order
to bring the stall speed down he had to take the wings from the original 25 feet to 30 ft
6 inch. In fact the plane makes the definition for stall and top speed but not the weight.
In fact Steve has a vision of a whole series of craft of "Golden Light Racers"
and is in the process of looking for people to back the idea. He compared the idea to that
of Mike Loehle who produces a series of World War 1 and 11 scaled warbird replicas.
For more info contact: Steve Marle 2415 Knapp St Rd. Oshkosh Wisconsin
920-426-5261
The CGS Hawk- Big Boy
Over the years I have had the pleasure to talk Chuck (I am not even going to try
and spell his last name) from CGS Hawk. If there is a man who fits the bill as an
"ultralight legend" it is this man. If there was a "Hall of Fame" for these people Chucks name would be up there along
with Holmer Kolb, Dick Eipper, John Moody, Jack McCornack etc.
His beginnings in ultralights go back to the early days when we were nothing but hang
gliders. In fact that is how he got into the sport by producing and selling power plants
for hang gliders - CGS - Chucks Glider Service.
Since I have know Chuck he has always been a "character." which gives our sport
"a unique pointman." Over the years that is what he has done. With his
introduction of the CGS Hawk classic series back in the early 80's he pointed his craft
and company in the direction that others would soon follow. He was one of the first ( if
not the first) to introduce the use of reduction drives. He was the first to use
"boom tube" bolt and rivet together construction. When he saw the power of the
430 Cayuna engine he immediately put it to use on his Classic Hawk - this power coupled
with his belt drive system and large diameter propeller showed the industry how to gain
climb rate, cruise and eliminate the noise associated use of direct drive props.
Over the years Chuck has built a lot of ultralights - in fact I would have to say he is
one of the "BIGGEST" ultralight manufacturers that I know - and that has lead to
a problem. Chuck has outgrown his "Classic Hawk." - figuratively speaking.
So to get his "larger than life" butt back into the air he has gone back to the
drawing boards and come up with the "CGS Hawk - BIG BOY."
The "BIG BOY" is powered by a twin cylinder Hirth engine and reduction drive. It
is Stitts covered rather than the classic "dacron" and has big beefy landing
gear which Chuck "guarantees for life". The cabin area has been widened and
lengthened, and a storage area has been added behind the seat. I had a chance to look
inside the storage compartment during the show - it was loaded. If my son had that much
stuff at the door of the house I would think he was moving out.
According to Chuck the performance with the Hirth engines comes in about he same as a two
place flying with one person in it. For more information contact CGS Aviation PO Box
470635 Broadview Heights OH 44147 - telephone 216-632-1424 website:http://www.cgsaviation.com
email:info@cgsaviation.com
A battery powered powered parachute?
Well sort of. Last year a new powered parachute was introduced at Oshkosh the
Para-Cycle. Over the winter it underwent some changes and was re-introduced at Sun N Fun
(for mo re
info check out that section). For those of you not familiar with the Para-cycle it can be
a pedal powered three wheel bike, a powered parachute, or a motorized bike.
According to Lee Floyd designer it can now also be operated on battery power. While you
can't yet fly it on battery power, with the new technology battery developed by the
factory the bike can be operated via an electric motor for upwards of an hour.
For
more information contact:
Para-cycle Inc. Box 1906 Windermere FL
34786-1906 or call
407-877-7129
email:olfloyd@para-cycle.com |
