Single seat single engine high wing monoplane with two axis control. Conventional tail. Pitch control by elevator on tail; yaw control by fin mounted rudder; no separate roll control; control inputs through stick for pitch and pedals for yaw. Cantilever wing; wing profile; double surface. Undercarriage has two wheels with tailskid. Wood/foam fuselage, partially enclosed. Engine mounted at wing height driving tractor propeller.

Announced in 1983, the Sky Pup is a development of Steven Wood’s one off ultralight called the Blue Light Special. With the Sky Pup, the accent is on simplicity and low build cost; the aircraft is only sold in the form of plans, the company reckoning that the machine can be built for less than $1000 excluding power pack.

The design principle is to use foam to carry shear loads and wood to carry bending loads. Ribs and fuselage panels are cut from foam and then bonded to wood capstrips and gussets, with plywood covering for the leading edge and dope and fabric covering for the rest of the flying surfaces.

Engine is a Cuyuna 215RR coupled to the company’s own propeller via a reduction drive. Unlike most two axis aircraft, the Sky Pup is not purely stick controlled. The centre-mounted stick moves fore and aft only, to control pitch, while pedals are used for rudder control. The plans cost $50 in the US, $52 in Canada, $56 elsewhere.

Engine: Rotax 277
Empty wt.: 205 lbs
Max wt.: 400 lbs
Height 5’2”
Width 74”
Length 15’11”
Wing span: 31 ft
Wing area: 130 sq.ft.
Wing loading: 3.1 lbs/sq.ft
Power loading: 14.3 lbs/hp
Max speed: 61 mph
Cruise: 57 mph
Stall: 26 mph
Vne: 69 mph
Seats: 1
Vne 69 mph
L/D 12:1
Minimum sink rate 260 fpm
Takeoff roll 200’
Climb rate 450 fpm
Load factors +6, -3 G’s

Engine: Cuyuna 215RR, 20 hp at 5500 rpm
Propeller diameter and pitch 58 x 24 inch, 1.47 x 0.61 m
Reduction 2.3/1
Power per unit area 0.15 hp/sq.ft, 1.7hp/sq.m
Length overall 15.9 ft, 4.85 m
Height overall 4.3ft, 1.32m
Wing span 31.0ft, 9.45m
Mean chord 4.2ft, 1.28m
Dihedral 6.5 deg
Total wing area 130 sq.ft, 12.1 sq.m
Wing aspect ratio 7.4/1
Empty weight 195 lb, 88kg
Max take off weight 400 lb, 181kg
Payload 205 lb, 93kg
Max wing loading 3.08 lb/sq.ft, 15.0kg/sq.m
Max power loading 20.0 lb/hp, 9.1kg/hp
Load factors design; +6.0
Never exceed speed 69mph, 111 kph
Cruising speed 55mph, 88kph
Stalling speed 26mph, 42kph
Max climb rate at sea level 450 ft/min, 2.3 m/s
Best glide ratio with power off 12/1

The LSA Talons are strut-braced three-axis aircraft with conventional gear and a pusher prop configuration, based on an ultralight style of construction.

Sport Flight Aviation uses CAD/CAM technology to refine and verify its designs while also improving manufacturing processes. CNC machining of Talon components is done in-house, producing Talon aircraft kits.

With the powder-coat option, the only painting required on the Talon is the nose cone. The Talon has only a few welded components, such as the elevator interlink, torque tube, and fuel tank. All welding is done at the factory.

The range of the Talon varies depending on the model, engine used, loading, and fuel capacity. The TalonXP equipped with the standard 11.75 gallon welded aluminum fuel tank and Rotax 582 C drive, with 70 inch 3-blade prop can fly for at least 2.5 hours at 68mph. A TalonXP equipped the same, but with the HKS 700E 60hp four-stroke engine, can stay aloft for over three hours with a reasonable reserve. The single seat Magnum and Typhoon can accept an optional 22 gallon welded aluminum fuel tank.

The two-seat TalonXP has an empty weight of 479lbs and a gross weight of 950lbs. With the NorthSlope package installed, the useful payload can be increased to 570lbs. The TalonXP with a Rotax 582 engine can fly at 90mph in level flight. The Talon cruises between 62 and 85mph, depending on the model and engine installation. A typical TalonXP equipped with a Rotax 582 engine cruises at about 70mph. The single seat Magnum and Typhoon comparably equipped will cruise at 76-80mph.

All Talons are equipped with 3-position flaps; 10, 22, and 35 degree positions. Set in the 35 degree position, The TalonXP can comfortably fly at 40-43mph at low power settings. The stall takes place at 33-38mph.

The main boom is 5in. OD x .065in. wall 6061-T6 seamless drawn aluminum tubing. This tube is sleeved at hard points, such as the landing gear carry-through, for added durability. The skins are .050 6061-T6 mated together with stainless steel rivets, creating a light, strong, box-type structure. The Talon’s gear legs are nickel plated 4130 steel alloy tubing with .120in. wall, heat-treated in a special salt bath for strength and integrity.

All Talons come standard with an Aviation Products 5in. break-away full swivel steerable tail wheel.

All Talon models include a built-in curved instrument panel, 3-point shoulder harness, 8-inch spun aluminum welded wheels, streamlined aluminum struts, padded configurable seats, 3-axis control, AN aircraft hardware throughout (included with kit), welded aluminum fuel tank with 11.75 US gallon capacity, tinted polycarbonate windshield, differential ailerons, stainless steel control and structural cables, Mil-spec control pulleys, engine mount with 6 rubber isolators, and preformed wing ribs (XP and Super Magnum: 40 total, Magnum: 36 total)

Talon Magnum
Engine: HKS 700E, 61 hp
HP range: 40-70
Length: 21.6 ft
Wing span: 26 ft 3 in
Wing area: 138 sq.ft
Cruise: 80 mph
Stall: 38 mph
Range: 230 sm
Rate of climb: 1000 fpm
Takeoff dist: 175 ft
Empty weight: 437 lb
Gross weight: 735 lb
Fuel capacity: 11.75 USG
Landing dist: 225 ft
Seats: 1
Cockpit width: 24 in
Landing gear: tailwheel
LSA: yes

Talon XP
Engine: HKS 700E, 61 hp
HP range: 40-80
Length: 21.6 ft
Wing span: 28.5 ft
Wing area: 148 sq.ft
Empty weight: 535 lb
Gross weight: 1050 lb
Fuel capacity: 11.75 USG
Cruise: 72 mph
Stall: 41 mph
Range: 230 sm
Rate of climb: 900 fpm
Takeoff dist: 250 ft
Landing dist: 250 ft
Seats: 2 tandem
Cockpit width: 24 in
Landing gear: tailwheel
LSA: yes