LSA/UL

Squadron Aviation SE5a Model 13 / Loehle SE-5A

TerryLeave a comment

Squadron Aviation produce a variety of replicas and most of the specs are very similar. All three of the aircraft, designed by Lew Parsley, are produced at the company’s Columbus, Ohio plant and are structurally the same. Wing panels are pre-assembled at the factory from stamped aluminium ribs and aluminium tubing, as is the precisely jigged aluminium tubing fuselage and tail feathers. The kit-builder is faced with assembly (all critical holes are drilled), rigging (accomplished with a simple jig concept detailed by the factory) and traditional dope and fabric covering. The external styling to create each replica is obtained with the use of a plastic pre-moulded and coloured cowling for the three individual ultralights. Flight perform¬ances are very good with a take-off roll of 22 metres the standard. A very comprehensive kit was available which includes everything, right down to the dope finish of the squadron of your choice. Centre mounted joy stick, rudder pedals, tailwheel or skid.

Built by Squadron Aviation before manufacture and marketing were acquired by Loehle. Loehle shipped kits pre-built to covering stage. LSA approved.

Empty wt: 253 lbs
Wing span: 24 ft
Wing area: 168 sq.ft
Height: 6’4”
Length: 16 ft
Fuel cap; 5 USG
Construction: Aluminium, Dacron
Engine: Cuyuna ULII-02 (429 cc) 35 hp
Prop: 183cm
Static thrust: 300+ lbs
Max wt: 504 lbs
Max pilot wt: 225 lbs
Stall: 22 mph
Econ cruise speed: 45 kts
Max speed: 63 mph
Vne: 75 mph
Climb rate: 1000 fpm @ 45 mph
Design limit: +4, -2g
Glide ratio: 5.5-1
Wing loading: 3lbs/sq.ft
Power loading: 14.4 lbs/hp
Take-off distance: 75 ft
Landing distance: 100 ft

Squadron Aviation Fokker D.VII / Loehle Fokker D-VII

TerryLeave a comment

Squadron Aviation produce a variety of replicas and most of the specs are very similar. All three of the aircraft, designed by Lew Parsley, are produced at the company’s Columbus, Ohio plant and are structurally the same. Wing panels are pre-assembled at the factory from stamped aluminium ribs and aluminium tubing, as is the precisely jigged aluminium tubing fuselage and tail feathers. The kit-builder is faced with assembly (all critical holes are drilled), rigging (accomplished with a simple jig concept detailed by the factory) and traditional dope and fabric covering. The external styling to create each replica is obtained with the use of a plastic pre-moulded and coloured cowling for the three individual ultralights. Flight performances are very good with a take-off roll of 22 metres the standard. A very comprehensive kit was available which includes everything, right down to the dope finish of the squadron of your choice.

The Fokker was part of the Squadron Aviation purchase by Loehle Aviation and kits have been marketed by them since.

Max gross wt: 505 lbs
Max pilot wt: 225 lbs
Empty weight: 250 lbs
Fuel capacity: 3.6 lbs
Climb rate: 1000+ fpm
Power off stall: 22 kts
Wing loading (225 lbs pilot): 3.0 lbs/sq.ft
Power loading (170 lbs pilot): 12.8 lbs/hp
Take-off distance: 75 ft
Landing distance: 100 ft
Glide ratio: 5.5:1
Vne: 60 kts
Cruise speed: 50 kts
G loading: +4 / -2
Engine: Cuyuna UL II-02
Wing spans average: 24.5 ft

Squadron Aviation

TerryLeave a comment

1984: Squadron Aviation, a Columbus, Ohio firm, has produced three historic replica aircraft (the SPAD XIII, the Fokker D-VII and the British SE5a) within the limits set for ultralights.

Squadron Aviation’s three ultralights not only look like full-fledged airplanes, but are also close replicas of exciting historical craft, the company says. Involved in the design and manufacture of these airplanes were Bill MciDermitt, president, and Lew Parsley, vice-president. Mark Savage, a 16,000-hour veteran, is test pilot and marketing manager.

Squadron Aviation, P.O. Box 23276, Columbus, Ohio 43223, is producing kits for these aircraft for less than $7,000 and complete flyaway aircraft for less than $10,000.

1985: 1300 S. Columbus Airport Rd, Columbus, OH 43207, USA.

Squadron Aviation designs and manufacturing rights were purchased by Loehle Aviation.

Spring Sprint WS.202

TerryLeave a comment

Landing gear can be changed from nose to tail wheel in one hour. Engine options include VW or O-200.

Engine: Subaru EA81, 118 hp
HP range: 65-125
Height: 6.7 ft
Length: 19.5 ft
Wing span: 27 ft
Wing area: 130 sq.ft
Empty weight: 650 lb
Gross weight: 1130 lb
Fuel capacity: 12 USG
Top speed: 115 mph
Cruise: 110 mph
Stall: 350 mph
Range: 45 sm
Rate of climb: 600 fpm
Takeoff dist: 500 ft
Landing dist: 500 ft
Service ceiling: 10,000 ft
Seats: 1
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel

Sport Performance Aviation Panther

TerryLeave a comment

The Sport Performance Aviation LLC Panther is a versatile, mid-sized, single seat low wing Sport or LSA aerobatic airplane with quick fold wings. The Panther is designed for handling manners and gentleman aerobatics, combining looks, handling and critical build elements meant to keep the cost down.

The base kit was $15,995 and that includes pre-drilled aluminum wing skins, a steel fuselage structure that’s been fully welded and powder coated, the canopy and landing gear legs. The Panther is built around the Corvair six-cylinder engine and that helps keep costs down; however, other engines in the 80–160 hp range can be used. Powerplant options include Continental C-85 thru 0-200, Lycoming 0-235 thru 0-320 (Panther Sport), UL power, Jabiru 3300.

Two Panther versions were available: one with 93 square feet of wing for LSA compliance and one with a smaller, 85-square-foot wing for better performance. Total build cost was $28–50k.

Construction
6061 aluminum / flush blind rivets (solid optional)
4130 steel tube construction from seat back to firewall. All critical attachment points like Landing gear, wing pin, engine mount, 5 point harness, ballistic chute, rollover bar, control Hard points etc. will be welded in the fixture. This allows quick accurate construction of all Critical points.
Skinned in AL
Quick easy to build tail cone rivets/bolts on to the forward fuselage
Simple control surface design
Simple strong wing spar with only seven components per spar (plus bolts/rivets)

The Panther features
Quick (2 min or less) easy single person wing fold, no controls to disconnect
Fit in 18ftx7x7 space (trailer) when folded
Large cockpit with adjustable rudder pedals and seat back, room for big guys and a parachute
Forward (2cu ft) and rear baggage area
Pilot rollover protection
Ballistic chute capable
Bubble canopy replaceable by small windshield and skirt for open cockpit flying
excellent visibility

Panther
Engine: Corvair/3.0L, 100hp @ 3100 rpm
Propeller: Sensenich/Wood over Composite, 2-blade
Wingspan: 23 ft 6 in
Maximum gross weight: 1115 lb
Typical empty weight: 725 lb
Typical useful load: 425 lb
Fuel capacity: 27 gal
Full-fuel payload: 262 lb
Wing loading: 11.8 lb/sq. ft
Baggage capacity: 40 lb
Max speed: 170 mph
Cruise speed: 165 mph @8000ft
Stall speed (landing configuration): 46 mph
Stall speed (clean): 51 mph
Maximum rate of climb: 1500 fpm
Takeoff distance (to 50 ft agl): 1000 ft
Landing distance (from 50 ft agl): 1200 ft
Seats: 1
Cabin width: 28 in

Sport Flight Sky Pup

TerryLeave a comment

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

Sport Cub S2

TerryLeave a comment

The Sport Cub S2 is literally a reinvention of the classic Piper Super Cub. With stick and rudder flying, complimented with modern touches such as adjustable seating, cabin heating and standard AmSafe airbags. There’s enough space for up to 120 pounds of cargo. With extensive weight saving carbon fiber and a 100 Horsepower Continental engine, it offers a climb rate comparable to aircraft with much more power and are still capable of 100 mph and a range of over 450 miles.

Engine Continental O-200A 100 hp