The
Affordaplane is the creation of Dave Edwards of Riverview Florida. His
goal "combine the best innovations to come from the ultralight
industry, to create a rugged, bolt together ultralight, with a build time
of right around 150 hours, without any special jigs or elaborate
setups."
When you consider he built the original
prototype in his "single wide mobile home" you have to give
him A for effort. The Affordaplane is a single seat ultralight. Fuselage
construction uses two inch square T 6-6061 T-6 tubing, and is bolted
together with AN 3 and 4 bolts using gusset plates.
The wings are use "cross brace ladder style
construction, with foam ribs, and 1 1/2 inch cap strips.
Covering is heat shrink dacron. Building time is estimated to be in the
150 to 200 hour range, with the completed plane's estimated price at
around $2,000 minus engine and instruments. Controls are standard stick
and rudder, with ailerons.
As of April 2000 the prototype is in the
"test flight stage" is powered by the 277 single cylinder 27
hp Rotax engine, but the plane is designed to handle engines with
weights from 85 to 90 lbs, which would include the Kawaskai 340/440
Rotax 277/377/447 Hirth, 2si etc.
With these engines empty weight comes in at
between 245 and 254 lbs, with the gross weight for the plane pegged at
500 lbs. Wingspan is 27 feet 5 inches, wing area 123 sq ft, cruise 55
mph and stall 26 mph.
The plans consist of 35 sheets of 28 x 11 full
size drawings, an A to Z builders manual, a materials list.
For more information contact:
Affordaplane
6817 Alafia Drive
Riverview, Florida 33569
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