Société d’Etudes et de Construction d’Avions de Tourisme (SECAT) had been established in the late 1930s, and in 1938 had built the two-seat, high-wing S-4 Mouette, designed by Rémy Goucher, the development of which was interrupted by the hostilities of the Second World War.
Design work on light aircraft was resumed by SECAT in 1946, resulting in the SECAT S-5, the prototype of which was first flown in that year.
The S-5 was based on the design of the S-4, and was of all-wooden construction and had side-by-side seating for two persons. The cantilever, elliptical high-set wing comprised a wooden box-spar, chordwise ribs and a stressed plywood skin. The trailing edge carried ailerons and flaps. The fuselage was a wooden semi-monocoque and dual controls were fitted. The windscreen was split. A large access door was provided on each side of the fuselage, and all fuel was carried in a 250 l (55 imp gal; 66 US gal) tank installed in the wing.
The SECAT S-5 was a light, high-wing, two-seat touring monoplane aircraft, and only one example of the type was ever built, and it flew for a variety of private owners for several decades.
SECAT S-5 F-PIIC Toussus
After the prototype, no further examples of the type were completed. The sole example of the SECAT S-5, registered F-PIIC, was initially operated from Toussus-le-Noble Airport, near Paris. By 1964, it was owned by M. Rene Dupuis, and it was hangared at Arras Roclincourt Airport. The aircraft was still extant in 1967; however, it was struck off the French civil aircraft register during the 1970s.
Engine: 1 × Regnier 4D.2, 56 kW (75 hp) Wingspan: 8.99 m (29 ft 6 in) Length: 6.15 m (20 ft 2 in) Height: 2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) Empty weight: 350 kg (772 lb) Gross weight: 570 kg (1,257 lb) Fuel capacity: 250 l (55 imp gal; 66 US gal) Maximum speed: 196 km/h (122 mph, 106 kn) Cruise speed: 150 km/h (93 mph, 81 kn) Range: 800 km (497 mi, 432 nmi) Service ceiling: 3,600 m (11,810 ft) Rate of climb: 3.0 m/s (590 ft/min) Crew: 1 Capacity: 1 passenger or student pilot
Designed and built by Robert M Sebring over a three-year period, the 1949 Wee Wing was a single-place pusher, the airframe was reportedly built for less than $100. The wing was of bonded plastic plywood. The wood construction aircraft was completed in 1949 and in its structure several composite material parts and components were used. The aircraft had so called wingtip tails and was fitted with one 12hp Richter two-stroke (drone) engine, the Richter company later being acquired by the Nelson Engine company.
Only limited testing of the aircraft took place and further development was soon halted.
Only a single example of the flying wing was built.
Engine: one 12hp Richter (Nelson) two-stroke Wingspan: 22 ft Height: 2.5 ft Empty weight: 150 lb Cruise: 65 mph Seats: 1
In 1972, Mike Riggs, president of Seagull Aircraft Inc of Santa Monica in California, commenced a 14 month study which resulted in the semi-cylindrical Seagull III. Riggs, a graduate of the Northrop Institute of Aeronautics, saw the merits and demerits of both conical and cylindrical and set out to develop a Rogallo wing which, if possible, would combine the virtues of both and none of the vices. The patented “Camber Control” system which he developed more than fulfilled his aims. The leading edge spars have a vertical curve running out from the nose for about one-third of their length which in flight impart a cylindrical form to the inboard wing sections. The outboard two-thirds of the leading edges are straight, although not in the same plane as the keel, and thus the outboard wing sections adopt a conical form in flight. This configuration allows for a higher aspect ratio than is possible with the conical type. It has a 25 per cent improvement in L/D ratio, allowing it to fly much more slowly than a conical but retaining the ability to fly as fast at similar wing loadings. This makes it not only much easier to learn to fly on but also greatly extends the scope of the skilled soaring pilot. The angle of incidence, which caries along the length of the leading edge, is greater through the curved nose section than out at the wing tips. Thus in a nose up attitude the nose will reach a stall mode but lift is still being generated further outboard and aft towards its wing tips. Thus the centre of pressure moves aft inducing stall recovery. Under these conditions stall recovery can be made immediately without any height loss simply by pulling back on the control bar i.e. pulling the pilot’s weight forward. Under similar conditions, the conical will drop its nose sharply and loose about 80 ft of altitude before recovering, and is susceptible to dropping one wing and spinning at such a time. The semi-cylindrical in a dive mode also provides full recoverability. When a point is reached where there is zero angle of attack through the outboard sections of the leading edges there is still a sufficient angle of attack through the inboard curved sections to generate lift thus moving the centre of pressure forward allowing the nose to rise. Even in a vertical dive the curved leading edges and the multi-plane nature of the airframe ensure that the wing sail does not collapse and thus it remains controllable.
Seagull 3
Captain Chuck Stahl, a United Airlines 707 pilot, who test flies commercially produced hang gliders in the United States, was unable to make the Seagull III fall out of the sky. In his test report he credited it with full recoverability from the following: high speed stall, low speed stall, vertical dive, chandelle and tail slide, and like all Rogallo wings it can be used as a parachute when the pilot runs out of room or wants to descend vertically.
The semi-cylindrical Seagull III represents the state of the art in Rogallo wing flying. Whereas conicals, with their narrow airspeed range and consequently critical wing loadings, need to be sized according to pilot weight, the Seagull Ill allows for as wide a range of pilot weights as is likely to be encountered.
A Seagull III has been recorded as having gained 2,000 ft of altitude from a foot launch in California’s Santa Ana Valley using the combined effects of thermal and ridge lift. It has the ability to remain aloft on ridge lift all day long and can safely be put through a great variety of manoeuvres, although no hang glider yet could be described as fully aerobatic.
Seagull 3
The Seagull IIIZ has adjustable trim to adjust the control bar pressure in varying positions. It is fitted with split crossbars and padded control bar. The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.75in x .058 anodised aluminium tubing. Rigging cable is 7 x 19 stainless seel with white vinyl coating, and all hardware is aircraft quality stainless steel.
Seagull IIIZ
The sail is made from 3.8oz stabilised dacron and was available in 12 colour combinations. The options for pilot support were seated, supine or prone harness.
The Seagull 4 was almost identical to the Seagull 3. The most conspicuous difference was a cambered, S-shaped keel instead of a straight tube. It also had a two-piece swept-back cross-brace rather than a single tube. The difficulty in DIY for Seagull III was the shaping of the leading edge tube; such was a doorway for buying full ship or parts from Seagull Aircraft.
The Seagull IV is a high performance glider designed for Hang Three pilots and for open competition. It is a direct descendant of the Seagull III, using the same truncated conical shape, but with much higher performance characteristics. The Seagull IV has the same nose angle and curved leading edges, but a much shorted, curved keel. The sail is very flat and its trailing edge is roached outward, instead of the normal hollow cut. This was the first glider designed with a shaped, cambered keel and a roached, battened sail.
Seagull IV
The Seagull IV has adjustable trim allowing pilots to adjust the control bar pressure for ideal comfort in varying conditions. Split cross bars for convienence, and padded control bar. The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.75in x .058 anodised aluminium tubuing. Rigging cable is 7 x 19 stainless steel with white vinyl coating. All hardware is aircraft quality stainless steel.
The Seagull IV sail is made from 3.8oz stabilised dacron, in a choice of 12 colours. The Seagull IV was supplied with options of seated, supine or prone harness.
The Seagull VII has adjustable trim allowing pilots to adjust the control bar pressure for ideal comfort in varying conditions. Split cross bars for convienence, and padded control bar. The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.75in x .058 anodised aluminium tubuing. Rigging cable is 7 x 19 stainless steel with white vinyl coating. All hardware is aircraft quality stainless steel.
The Seagull VII sail is sewn with no billow, the stability being derived from the curved tubing and diffused wingtips. The low sail billow cuts resists prolonged sail inversions in thermal turbulence. The anhedral tips combined with the radial, tapered, foam sandwich battens provide for the lowest tip vortex possible. The Hang Four rated Seagull VII exhibits a smooth, positive pitching moment at any angle of attack.
Seagull 5 – Pilot Jack Schroeder
The cambered keel was not on the Seagull III but on the Seahawk and the Seagull V (Verticle Stabilizer) model.
Seagull 7
Seagull VII
The Seagull VII has adjustable trim alloing pilots to adjust the control bar pressure for ideal comfort in varying conditions. Split cross bars for convienence, and padded control bar. The airframe is made from 6061-T6 1.75in x .058 anodised aluminium tubuing. Rigging cable is 7 x 19 stainless steel with white vinyl coating. All hardware is aircraft quality stainless steel.
I knew Jack. I was one of the factory pilots from Telluride in those days. Part of the TAF (Telluride Air Force). It was tragic when Jack became a paraplegic from a mishap trying to land on the shore. He was one of the best. Don Dusatko
Seagull 3 Wing area: 240 sq. ft Single surface Nose angle: 90 deg Glide ratio: 23 – 24:1
Seagull IIIZ Leading edge: 17 ft Keel length: 15 ft Wing span: 26.6 ft Wing area: 178 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 3.98 Nose angle: 102˚ Sail billow: 2.5˚ Weight: 36 lb Pilot weight: 80-145 lb Takeoff speed: 12 mph Stall speed: 14 mph Max speed: 35 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 5.5-1 Best L/D speed: 20 mph Min sink: 320 fpm
Seagull IIIZ Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 17 ft Wing span: 29.5 ft Wing area: 223 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 3.89 Nose angle: 102˚ Sail billow: 2.5˚ Weight: 40 lb Pilot weight: 135-200 lb Takeoff speed: 12 mph Stall speed: 14 mph Max speed: 35 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 5.5-1 Best L/D speed: 20 mph Min sink: 320 fpm
Seagull IV 19×17 Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 17 ft Wing span: 29.5 ft Wing area: 174 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 5.0 Nose angle: 102˚ Sail billow: 2˚ Weight: 42 lb Pilot weight: 130-175 lb Takeoff speed: 14 mph Stall speed: 17 mph Max speed: 45 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 6.5-1 Best L/D speed: 22 mph Min sink: 270 fpm
Seagull VII Leading edge: 19 ft Keel length: 11 ft Wing span: 31.4 ft Wing area: 161.1 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 6.13 Nose angle: 110˚ Sail billow: 0˚ Weight: 46 lb Pilot weight: 130-165 lb Takeoff speed: 12 mph Stall speed: 16 mph Max speed: 50 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 8.5-1 Best L/D speed: 24 mph Min sink: 237 fpm
Seagull VII Leading edge: 20 ft Keel length: 12 ft Wing span: 33 ft Wing area: 184.9 sq,ft Aspect ratio: 5.89 Nose angle: 110˚ Sail billow: 0˚ Weight: 48 lb Pilot weight: 155-220 lb Takeoff speed: 12 mph Stall speed: 16 mph Max speed: 50 mph Best glide ratio (L/D): 8.5-1 Best L/D speed: 24 mph Min sink: 234 fpm
A 1979 hang glider, the Seagull Aircraft 10 meter was light, responsive, had a good clean sail for its day, and was reasonably competitive. You could really stand that glider up on its wing tip and feel every nuance of the thermal. A great, strong, stable, yet fast-rolling for low G aerobatics from Mike Riggs and Bob Keeler. The deflexer system on the leading edge worked great for performance tuning. The trapezium was not foldable.
For the late 70’s era the Seahawk was a marvelous intermediate-level glider. Fast, responsive, stable, well constructred, and had the Seagull classic dropped nose. The cambered keel was on the Seahawk. It came w/negative G cables down the wing (it could be ordered with these) for extra safety.
In 1969, Mike Riggs founded and operated for nine years what became one of the largest international manufacturers of hang gliders and accessory equipment. In 1981 Riggs designed, built and flew an aircraft prototype intended to fit the then new FAA Part 103 Ultralight Rules. He is a founding member of the United States Hang Gliding Association, and he has served as a director of that organization. He is also the co-founder of the United States Hang Glider Manufacturers Association (HGMA), responsible for establishing aerodynamic and structural standards for hang glider aircraft.
Michael Riggs holds degrees in Aerospace Engineering and Industrial Design. His experience includes 25 years in consumer product development with annual line responsibilities reaching more than $400 million. He has achieved executive management at the vice president level. He has designed, built and flown several aircraft. He is a highly decorated Army gunship pilot with two Vietnam tours.
The company was taken over by Don Whitemore, later sold and Mike Riggs was no longer running the show and the company lost its innovation and its market. It is sad it owed about $3400 to Hang Gliding magazine and was not able to pay on demand.
The company was sold to a Canadian in 1980.
Mike Riggs went on as President and Founder of Seagull Aerosports.
The 1954 Stardust is a single-place Formula One sport/racer constructed from the conventional wood, fabric and tubular steel combination. It is propelled by the regulation 85-hp or the 100-hp Continental.
Registered N85N, it was involved in a nonfatal crash during races at Niagara Falls NY on 4 July 1956.
Gross Wt. 790 lb Empty Wt. 520 lb Fuel capacity 15 USG Wingspan 16 ft Length 17 ft 6 in Vne 250 mph Top speed 158.17 mph Stall 58 mph Takeoff run 1500 ft Landing roll 1800 ft Range 500 sm
The 16-passenger civil Twin Pioneer prototype, G-ANTP, made its first flight on June 25, 1955 ass a 16-passenger civil type, powered by two 550 h.p. Alvis Leonides engines, and the first military version made its maiden flight on August 29, 1957.
Deliveries to the RAF began in early 1958, the Service making good use of the type’s impressive STOL characteristics – the aircraft only needed 300yd by 100ft to operate – while carrying out important supply and relief work in Aden, Kuwait, Kenya, Borneo and Singapore, as well as at home.
The Twin Pioneer saw considerable service in the utility role during the late fifties and through most of the sixties. 87 were built, including 39 for the RAF.
First aircraft produced by Scottish Aviation was the Prestwick Pioneer single-engined five-seat STOL monoplane, first flown 1950. For counter insurgency the Scottish Aviation A.4/45 Prestwick Pioneer 2 was to fill the niche. It came about via the Pioneer 1 and was re engined with the more powerful Alvis Leonides engine.
RAF Malaya, 1959
In service with the RAF as the CC.Mk.1, the Pioneer was in Malaya, Aden, and the UK.
All Aero 