Affordaplane, the affordable part 103 ultralight aircraft.
AFFORDAPLANE, plans built ultralight aircraft.
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.
The A-Plane's fuselage structure is based on immensely strong two-inch square tubes, similar to many gyroplanes. A technique known as 'match-hole' drilling is used to join the parts. Cut, drill, and bolt, to get a perfect fit.
Many builders complete their airframe in a single weekend, an unheard of achievement in airplane construction!
At 5' high, the A-Plane is 17'3" long with a 27.5' wing span.
The wing features full span ailerons, for perfect control even during strong crosswinds, that would ground other ultralights. Weight is a legal 254 pounds with a gross weight of 540 pounds. This airplane can easily accommodate 6' plus pilots that weigh up to 240 pounds.
AffordAPlane Specifications
Controls are standard three-axis stick and rudder with full span ailerons. The flight envelope was designed to be ultralight legal in accordance with FAR Part 103.
Cruise is around 60 mph with a vne of 75 mph. Stall meets the 27 mph or lower minimum. Takeoffs are between 45 to 50 mph and and landing speeds come in around 28 to 30 mph. Climb rates average 1000 feet per minute.
Builders praise the flying characteristics of their A-Planes. "Hands off and in perfect trim" are what they usually report. The A-Plane is very stable and able to punch through turbulence like a much heavier plane. The rugged landing gear allows the aircraft to fly in and out of just about any field condition.
AffordAPlane - Contact Information
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
The A-Plane is simple to build with common hand tools, easy to fly with great performance, and backed by a perfect safety record. Many hundreds are now flying all over the world, and it has an active group on Facebook.
Website
http://www.affordaplane.com/
FAR Part 103 ultralight aircraft definition.
Single place Part 103 ultralights in the United States are defined as single place ultralight aircraft that weigh 254 lbs or less, have a stall speed not more than 24 knots, a top speed of 55 knots, and carry no more than 5 gallons of fuel. To fly a legal Part 103 ultralight aircraft in the United States the pilot does not require a pilot license.
Single place aircraft weighing more than 254 lbs. in the U.S. require a pilots license and must be built as experimental, amateur built, homebuilt aircraft. These include weight shift aircraft, more commonly known as trikes, powered parachutes, and powered para-gliders.