The Big Cootie is a modernized version of the Powell PH Racer biplane for homebuilt construction. The aircraft is a single seat biplane with conventional landing gear, designed for mild aerobatics. The fuselage is welded steel tube construction with aircraft fabric covering. The cowling is fiberglass. The ailerons are controlled with push-pull tubes. The wings use wooden spars with plywood leading edges.
The prototype, N84Z, survived an in-flight impact with powerlines during its initial testing. It was rebuilt at the Piedmont Aerospace Institute at Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A Continental A-80 80 hp (60 kW) engine replaced the Lycoming O-145 65 hp (48 kW) engine installed in the prototype.
The kits included all premolded composite parts. All metal parts and fuselage are welded. The wings and tail are attached like a glider and a removed in 5 minutes.
Shirlen Big Cootie Engine: 1 × Lycoming O-145, 65 hp (48 kW) Propeller: 2-bladed Length: 15 ft 9 in (4.80 m) Wingspan: 15 ft (4.6 m) Airfoil: RAF 15 Empty weight: 467 lb (212 kg) Gross weight: 750 lb (340 kg) Fuel capacity: 12 U.S. gallons (45 L; 10.0 imp gal) Maximum speed: 122 kn; 225 km/h (140 mph) Cruise speed: 104 kn; 193 km/h (120 mph) Stall speed: 55 kn; 101 km/h (63 mph) G limits: -4g Crew: 1
Gross Wt. 750 lb Empty Wt. 467 lb Fuel capacity 12 USG Wingspan 18’9” Length 14’ Top speed 140 mph Cruise 120 mph Stall 63 mph Takeoff run 500 ft Landing roll 500 ft Range 300 sm
Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp HP range: 80-120 Height: 6.4 ft Length: 20.4 ft Wing span: 29.4 ft Wing area: 113.8 sq.ft Empty weight: 550 lb Gross weight: 1200 lb Fuel capacity: 18 USG Top speed: 190 mph Cruise: 160 mph Stall: 40 mph Range: 690 sm Rate of climb: 1600 fpm Takeoff dist: 230 ft Landing dist: 230 ft Seats: 2 Landing gear: nose or tailwheel
A derivative of the Rutan Long EZ, the E-Racer has retractable undercarriage. There were various options including the Mk.1 (auto engine), Mk.2 (aero engine), and the King Racer (enlarged cockpit).
Five were flying by 1998.
Mk.1 Engine: Buick V8, 240 hp HP range: 160-250 Height: 7.8 ft Length: 17 ft Wing span: 26.2 ft Wing area: 94 sq.ft Weight empty: 1000 lb Gross: 1800 lb Fuel cap: 46 USG Speed max: 240 mph Cruise: 220 mph Range: 1000 sm ROC: 2500 fpm Take-off dist: 1200 ft Landing dist: 1500 ft Service ceiling: 25,000 ft Seats: 2 Landing gear: retractable nose wheel
Engine: Lycoming/Buick, 240 hp Wing span: 7.99 m Wing area: 8.65 sq.m MAUW: 816 kg Empty weight: 454 kg Fuel capacity: 174 lt Max speed: 386 kph Cruise speed: 354 kph Climb rate: 12.5 m/s Seats: 2 Plan price (1998): $250
George William Shield of Conisbrough, Yorkshire, UK, was Headmaster of the Grammar School at nearby Mexborough, where this large wooden single-seater was built as a school project. The Xyla (Greek for wood) was registered as G-AWPN c/n 2 PFA.1320 on September 13, 1968 whereafter construction was started.
Wings: Cantilever low-wing monoplane. Wing section NACA 4418 at root with a chord of 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m), NACA 4416 at junction of center section and outer panels (3 ft, 0.91 m from aircraft center line) and NACA 4412 at tip with a chord of 3 ft 9 in (1.14 m). Dihedral 4° 30′ on outer panels. Incidence 3°. All-wood structure of spruce, with birch plywood covering. Wooden Frise-type ailerons. No flaps or tabs. Fuselage: All-wood structure, of Warren-girder construction; plywood-covered to rear of cockpit. Tail unit: Cantilever type, of similar construction to wings. Tail plane incidence adjustable on ground. No tabs. Tail plane span 9 ft 0 in (2.74 m). Landing gear: Non-retractable tail wheel type. Cantilever main legs attached to wing front spar. Steel coil-spring shock-absorption. Spitfire tail wheels, of 1 ft (0.305 m) diameter, are used as main wheels. Tire pressure 30 lb/sq in (2’11 kg/crri’). Wheel track 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m), No brakes. Power plant: One 92 hp Continental converted PC60 GPU engine, driving initially a Shield two-blade wooden propeller with diameter of 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) propeller, subsequently a 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) diameter three-blade wooden propeller, in 1999 refitted with two-blade type. Fuel in two wing tanks, total capacity 13.21 gal (50 l), and one gravity-feed fuselage tank forward of cockpit. Refueling points in fuselage top and each wing. Oil capacity 1 gal (4.5 l). Accommodation: Single seat in initially open cockpit behind one-piece windshield, later cockpit was covered with canopy. Equipment: Provision to fit generator and radio.
Powered by a converted GPU (ground power unit) engine the aircraft made its first flight at Helmswell on October 30, 1971.
Early test flights indicated that the aircraft performed satisfactorily at low levels, but that some modification to the areas of the vertical and horizontal tail surfaces might improve overall handling and performance. Hence, to prevent leakage of air, the tail-surface hinge lines were sealed with fabric; the fin was relocated at an angle of 4° to port; and a three-blade wooden propeller replaced the original two-blade one.
Shield sold the aircraft seven years after the first flight and it was seven times reregistered: October 13, 1978, to Terry Girvon of Roterham, Yorkshire February 19, 1986, to Alan Price of Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire January 29, 1991, to Michael Herlihy of Haywards Heath, West Sussex December 9, 1997, to Kenneth Snell of Uckfield, East Sussex April 28, 2006, to Paul Stacey of Ventnor, Isle of Wight September 3, 2009, to Stacey Aviation of Ventnor, Isle of Wight October 15, 2010, to Peter Gasson of Reading, Berkshire
In 1980 the Xyla was damaged when it ground-looped at Finmere, Buckinghamshire, it was grounded and sold in 1986. The new owner did not manage to repair the aircraft and it was stored at the attic of a paint shop. When Schnell bought the aircraft in 1997, he started a restoration to airworthiness that took 1,500 hours. Finished in a new yellow livery with polished metal cowlings, and fitted again with a two-blade propeller the Xyla participated in the PFA Rally in 1999.
The aircraft is pictured at the PFA Rally at Leicester in an overall white paint scheme which was apparently worn only briefly before its 1980 mishap.
Span: 27 ft 3 in (8.31 m) Length: 19 ft 3 in (5.87 m) Height: 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) Wing area: 126 sq.ft (11.7 sq.m) Max weight: 1,000 lb (454 kg) Max never-exceed speed: 200 mph (322 kmh) Max cruise speed: 110 mph (177 kmh) Econ. cruise speed at sea level: 98 mph (157 kmh) Stall speed: 47 mph (76 kmh) Climb: 400 ft (122 m)/min Take off run: 150 ft (46 m) Seats: 1
The Sherwood Ranger is a lightweight two seat open cockpit biplane, designed to reduce the cost of owning and operating your own aeroplane to the absolute minimum. One of its major features is that the wings can be folded and the aeroplane loaded onto a trailer in less than three minutes, thus eliminating hangarage costs by allowing the aeroplane to be stored at home. The performance and handling characteristics allow safe operation from unprepared grass fields as short as 250yds.
The Ranger XP was first flown in 1991, and the LW in 1994.
TCD Ltd, UK, markets kits for the Sherwood Ranger ST single- or tandem two-seat biplane.
Engine: Rotax 532, 64 hp HP range: 50-100 Height: 7.33 ft Length: 20 ft Wing span: 23 ft Wing area: 140 sq.ft Weight empty: 495 lb Gross: 1000 lb Fuel cap: 12 USG Speed max: 95 mph Cruise: 85 mph Range: 210 sm Stall: 38 mph ROC: 1600 fpm Take-off dist: 100 ft Landing dist: 200 ft Service ceiling: 14,000 ft Seats: 1-2 Landing gear: tail wheel
The Little Aeroplane Co Sherwood Ranger Stall: 56 kt / 65 mph / 105 kmh Cruise: 78 kt / 90 mph / 145 kmh MTOW Weight: 450 kg / 992 lbs Climb Ratio: 1000 ft/min / 5 m/s Take-off distance (50ft obstacle): 700 ft / 213 m Landing distance (50ft obstacle): 800 ft / 244 m
Sherwood Ranger LW Engine: Rotax 532, 64 hp HP range: 50-100 Height: 7.3 ft Length: 20 ft Wing span: 26 ft Wing area: 168 sq.ft Empty weight: 400 lb Gross weight: 860 lb Fuel capacity: 6-12 USG Top speed: 85 mph Cruise: 70 mph Stall: 38 mph Range: 140 sm Rate of climb: 1000 fpm Takeoff dist: 100 ft Landing dist: 200 ft Service ceiling: 14,000 ft Seats: 2 Landing gear: tailwheel
Sherwood Ranger XP Engine: Rotax 618, 75 hp HP range: 65-100 Height: 7.3 ft Length: 20 ft Wing span: 23 ft Wing area: 140 sq.ft Empty weight: 500 lb Gross weight: 1000 lb Fuel capacity: 12 USG Top speed: 95 mph Cruise: 85 mph Stall: 38 mph Range: 210 sm Rate of climb: 1300 fpm Takeoff dist: 100 ft Landing dist: 200 ft Service ceiling: 14,000 ft Seats: 2 Landing gear: tailwheel
TCD Sherwood Ranger Engine: Rotax 582, 64 hp Wing span: 7.92 m Wing area: 15.70 sq.m MAUW: 390 kg Empty weight: 200 kg Max speed: 150 kph Cruise speed: 115 kph Minimum speed: 65 kph Climb rate: 4 m/s Certification: PFA Seats: 2 Fuel consumption: 16 lt/hr Kit price (1998): £10,516
After building the CS1 glider in the early 1930s, Clem Reginald Sheppard of Adelaide, Australia, designed the single seat Sheppard CS2 aircraft in the 1930s. The plans for this aircraft were first drawn in chalk on his parents’ lounge room floor at Kensington Park. The aircraft was later built in the backyard and garage. The fabric to cover the aircraft was sewn by his mother.
By 1938, after Clem had spent all his spare time and money, the aircraft was ready to fly. The CS2 had fold-back wings so it could be towed behind a car to Virginia, where it was flown on a number of occasions by Bill Maddocks. Bill was a Royal Aero Club of SA instructor.
On Clem Sheppard’s death, the aircraft was taken into store by the Royal Aero Club of SA. It went to the South Australia Aviation Museum in November 1987. The wings were to be refitted following restoration.
Engine: 4-cylinder Henderson Ace Motorcycle engine rated at 8 hp Wingspan: 7.62 m Length: 5 m Height: 1.68 m Maximum take-off weight: 174 kg Capacity: 1 pilot
Built in 1938, the Shepard-Krum SC-1 Sportcraft was a two-place, open-cockpit, low wing monoplane, powered by a 65hp Velie M-5 engine and registered N19953.
All Aero 