Single seat twin engined high wing mono¬plane with conventional three axis control. Wing has unswept leading and trailing edges, and constant chord; cruciform tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; roll control by one-third span ailerons; control inputs through stick for pitch/roll and pedals for yaw. Wing braced from below by struts; wing profile Kolb; double surface. Undercarriage has two wheels side by side with tailskid; suspension on both wheels. No ground steering. No brakes. Aluminium tube framework, without pod. Engines mounted below wing driving pusher propellers.
The actual Flyer, christened with the same name as the Wright brothers’ aircraft, was built and made its first flight in 1970. Homer Kolb’s prototype weighed 130 lb (59 kg) and flew without problems from its first take off, using two McCulloch Mc101 engines of 12.5 hp each. Refined over the passage of the years but only released to the public since 1980, the Kolb Flyer was only sold as plans in 1982 ($65) or kits at various stages of completion: structural materials $1198, finishing kit $1900 (engines, propellers, wheels, coverings, seat etc) or complete materials kit for $2995.
Engine Two Solo 209, 11.5 hp each at 4500 rpm.
Prop¬eller diameter and pitch 36×10 inch, 0.91 x 0.25 m.
No reduction.
Power per unit area 0.14 hp/sq.ft, 1.5 hp/sq.m.
Fuel capacity 1.7 US gal, 1.4 Imp gal, 6.4 litre.
Length overall 20.0 ft, 6.09 m.
Height overall 4.3ft, 1.29m.
Wing span 29.0ft, 8.83m.
Constant chord 5.5 ft, 1.65 m.
Sweepback 0 degs.
Total wing area 160 sq.ft 14.9sq.m.
Wing aspect ratio 5.2/1.
Main wheels diameter overall 14 inch, 35 cm.
Empty weight 185 lb, 84kg.
Max take off weight 392 lb, 178kg.
Payload 207 lb, 94kg.
Max wing loading 2.45 lb/sq.ft, 11.9kg/sq.m.
Max power loading 17.0 lb/hp, 7.7kg/hp.
Load factors; +4.0, 2.5 ultimate.
Max level speed 53 mph, 85 kph.
Max cruising speed 40 mph, 64kph.
Stalling speed 20mph, 32kph.
Max climb rate at sea level 250 ft/min, 1.2 m/s.
Best glide ratio with power off 10.8/1 at 27 mph, 43 kph.
Take off distance 250 ft, 76 m.
Land¬ing distance 75 ft, 23 m.
Service ceiling 6850 ft, 2090 m.
Range at average cruising speed 35 mile, 56 km.
All Aero 