Experimental Aircraft Magazine, covering the experimental aircraft marketplace in the USA.

Fisher Classic, by Fisher Flying Products.


The two-place Classic represents a reborn era in airborne adventure. This bi-plane aircraft is a throw-back to seat-of-the-pants flying, complete with minimal instruments and bare-necessity controls.

The sports car of light-planes, the Classic is a flying experience that will leave you flying.
Featuring short wings, four ailerons and a semi-symmetrical airfoil, the aircraft answers commands instantaneously.

Fisher Flying Products



Fisher Flying products produces components for 14 aircraft designs that pay homage to the fun little aircraft that you experience low and slow flight. 

The components are manufactured in their new shop in Dorchester, Ontario Canada.

In an effort to keep Fisher Flying kits affordable to people of modest means, they have purchased CNC equipment that can reproduce parts more accurately and inexpensively.

Scalebirds Litefighter replica aircraft.


LiteFighters. A single-seat Light Sport ready fighter for the modern pilot.  Designed to be safe and fun for the pilots of varying experience levels and ability.  A step-up in performance for the average GA pilot.  

Our goal with LiteFighters is to make a sweet little fighter replica based on our modular concept that can be built quickly, keeps tools to a minimum, and uses low-cost components to keep the overall aircraft affordable.

Pull-rivet construction throughout makes assembly a snap. 65-140 horsepower engines are generally affordable and commonly available. The truss frame makes it easy for anyone to layout and build an accurate frame. 

Tucano Experimental Aircraft Kit Build Center Arizona.

Each kit provided by Flying Legend includes the fuselage kit, the wing kit, the empennage kit, the flight control kit, the fixed landing gear kit, the aluminium tank kit and the canopy kit. 

Each kit includes also all the hardware parts (bolts, nuts, rivets and so on) required to assembly the aircarft.   A amateur builder requires approximately 1200 hrs to complete the basic kit.

The standard kit does not include the retractable gear. The retractable gear has to be selected in the option list

Carlson Aircraft Line, Now available from TEAM Mini Max.

Having celebrated the inventiveness of ultralight designer Wayne Ison in the last post, it seems quite appropriate to recognize another, Ernie Carlson. Does that ring a bell for you? One hopes.

Ernie was the man behind Carlson Aircraft along with his wife, Mary. This pair introduced Sparrow, a Part 103-capable single-place ultralight plus larger models like Sparrow II and XTC.

I won’t say they’ve been lost to pilots but they’ve been hiding. Now, out of the history books will return the Sparrow, thanks to David Cooper, the man behind Team Mini-Max.

Quad City Challenger, Aircraft Wing Bracket Failure, Wing Failure Advisory

Transport Canada, Aviation Safety Advisory!

Effecting Quad City Aircraft Challenger's. Ultralight, Experimental, and Amateurbuilt Aircraft!

Wing Bracket Failure.

Incident Report. The right wing of a privately owned Quad City Challenger II aircraft registration C-IGKT, separated from the aircraft when it was at an altitude of approximately 1000 feet.

The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and collided with terrain in a wooded area. 

A post-impact fire ensued. The pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

As part of the investigation into this accident the TSB retrieved and examined both right wing lift struts (front and rear) and the respective attachment brackets. It was determined that the bracket securing the right front lift strut to the fuselage failed while in flight as a result of fatigue.

Following this failure, the lift strut detached from the fuselage and the right wing separated from the aircraft. 

Early Bird Jenny, Dennis Wiley's plans built, experimental, WWI replica aircraft.

Early Bird Jenny, Dennis Wiley's plans built experimental amateurbuilt WWI replica aircraft. 

In this issue we speak to Dan Horton about his plans built Early Bird Jenny, design by Dennis Wiley. 

Dan spent nearly 5 years building the Canadian version of the Early Bird Jenny. 

This allowed him to move the center of gravity of the aircraft rearward so that his 6 foot frame could fit more comfortably in the plane.

MiFyter Biplane, Experimental Aircraft, by Biplanes of Yesteryear

Rod Cowgill of Biplanes of Yesteryear had his beautiful little Mifyter on display and flying at Airventure 2003, at Airventure 2004 he introduced his Mifyter 11. 

The latest of Rod's designs is a side by side seating two place, with dual controls in a bi-plane configuration. Power is being supplied by a 65 HP Metro Geo engine using a 2.6 to 1 Raven Re-Drive. 

Rod decided when he was designing the plane to power it with a reliable, affordable, fuel efficient four stroke, which narrowed his choices to the Metro Geo.

Skyraider, Flying K Sky Raider, Experimental Amaterubuilt Aircraft, Kit Built Aircraft.

IAlthough the 26-hp Rotax 277-powered Sky Raider I flew 3 years ago did respectably well, the twin cylinder 40-hp Rotax 447 makes for smoother operations, especially at lower power settings. You can do all you want in the air while running the engine at 50 or 60% power. 

Less vibration is present and therefore the airframe is less subjected to this ongoing form of damage. The Rotax 447 float Raider is so sprightly that the only reason I can see for the 50-hp Rotax 503 is if you love that engine (or already own one perhaps). 

Maybe if you live in a high elevation or if you are particularly large, the bigger Rotax is needed but the 447 was certainly sufficient for me (average FAA weight) on a hot, humid day in Florida (roughly sea level). 

Beaver RX 550, Beaver RX 550 Plus, Basic Canadian two seat ultralight aircraft.

It's funny when I first got into ultralight aviation back in the mid 70's a cross country flight meant heading out into the wind for 15 minutes, traveling about a mile and half and then turning around and heading back home.

With the wind behind you the return trip took half the time.  Well Joe Harrington of Lethbridge Alberta made the trip to Airventure 2003 not in 15 minutes but in 15 hours over 3 days, flying one of the original Canadian designed and manufactured RX 550 Beavers, along with his friend Ken Lum flying a Challenger.

According to Joe the trip was just "a bunch of short cross countries." His first jog was from Lethbridge to Regina where he picked up his friend Ken Lum in his two place Challenger then on to the International Peace Gardens in Manitoba to cross the border. "The folks at the border were super friendly - because we didn't have transponders we just had to sign a waiver and we were on our way"

Just Aircraft, Just Super STOL XL, Experimental Light Sport Aircraft

Just Aircraft and their ground-breaking SuperSTOL really lit the short take off and landing space on fire!

Just Aircraft went beyond vintage appeal by extending SuperSTOL ability with several distinctive features.

“The dual slatted wing significantly enhanced performance and slow flight control,” said design engineer Troy Woodland. His SuperSTOL wing design incorporates self-deploying leading edge slats and wide span Fowler flaps to increase stall range.

SuperSTOL also uses vortex generators to further stretch slow flight performance and handling (photo).
“This provides access to considerably more off-airport landing sites, making the SuperSTOL one of the most versatile backcountry machines out there,” Troy added.

Fokker DVII Replica, Experimental Aircraft Kit, by Airdrome Aeroplanes

The finest fighter of the war. Designed by Reinhold Platz, the D-VII competed against a number of other designs during a competition held in early 1918 being tested by Baron Manfred von Richtofen and he found the plane simple to fly, steady in a high-speed dive and possessing excellent pilot visibility. 

Thanks to the support of the famous "Red Baron", the D-VII was ordered into mass production as Germany's premier front line fighter. Fokker was unable to produce D-VIIs fast enough, so the Albatross and the Allegemeine Elektizitats Gessellshaft (A.E.G.) companies also produced the D-VII. When World War I ended in November 1918, these three companies had built more than 1,700 D-VIIs.

Hiperlight, Hiperlight SNS8 experimental bi plane Kit, Thunderbird Aviation, Michigan.

In this issue we talk to Ron Jones owner of Thunderbird Aviation about his Hiperlight single seat ultralight, Hiperlight single seat experimental aircraft and the two seat Hiperlight which is currently available as an amateurbuilt kit. 

The Hiperlight design has been on the market for over 30 years now. 

The Hiperlight kit features a welded 4130 chromoly steel fuselage, with the wings using aluminum tube and ladder construction.

TEAM Mini MAX experimental aircraft by TEAM Mini Max Aircraft.

TEAM Mini-Max, builder of the MiniMax, High Max, and other -Maxes, introduced their new Max-103 at Oshkosh 1993. With flowing lines, a snappy paint job and an adorable “convertible” canopy, the Max-103 was a hit with airshow goers. 

In order to keep the price low and building easy, the MiniMax has always shown rather boxy lines. The ‘103 was visually striking with fiberglass cowlings, a shapely turtle deck, and sweeping red and blue accent stripes over a clean white base.

TEAM Airbike Experimental Aircraft, 1800 mile plus trek to and from Buckeye Air Fair, Buckeye Arizona.

Most motorcyclists say 900 miles on a bike is a long trip. Seems reasonable. How about when it’s an aerial motorcycle? …out in the breeze, smelling the air, feeling the hot or cool — hmmm, sounds interesting, doesn’t it? 

Meet a man who recently made such a flight, over three days, and taking 17 hours of flight time to reach Copperstate 2020 with his legs out in the breeze (pretty true to the motorcycle metaphor, don’t you think?). 

Mike Jefferson is the pilot and close contact with the air comes pretty easily to him.

Midwest LSA Expo, Midwest Light Sport Aircraft Expo Sept 10 - 12, 2020, Mt. Vernon Illinois.

The 12 th Midwest LSA Expo will be held Thursday, September 10 - 12, 2020, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. through Saturday, September 12, 2019 at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) Mt. Vernon, Illinois. 

Midwest LSA Expo. Inc. specifically organized the unique event to sell Light Sport Aircraft, LSA Ancillary Services, and LSA related Services. 

Dan and I feel the Midwest LSA Expo is the most convenient and affordable of its type in the country. The host City and Airport are located at the crossroads of two major interstates and are 1 hour, 15 minutes by ground from Lambert St. Louis International Airport.

Over 1200 hotel rooms and 60 restaurants are within three miles of the event site. Over 50% of the entire U.S. population is within an 8 hour drive from Mt. Vernon!

Experimental Aircraft - MULE, Gair-Planes, Copperstate Fly-In, Buckeye Air Fair, Buckeye Arizona


Mule from Gair-Planes Has a Solid History and Can Save You Money “We are Arizona’s newest aircraft manufacturer,” said Garrett Komm when we finally located him and his bright blue and silver aircraft.

A fan of this particular flying machine had approached me at Copperstate and said, “You gotta go see this airplane. Tell him Russell sent you!” (Thanks, Russell!)

TUCANO R, Geronimo Experimental Aircraft Build Center, Arizona


Flying Legend Tucano Replica, Geronimo Experimental Aircraft Build Center. The Flying Legend Tucano Replica (English: Toucan) is an Italian light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by Flying Legend of Caltagirone and introduced at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2011. 

The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft. The Tucano Replica is scale replica of the 1980s vintage Embraer EMB 312 Tucano turboprop trainer and features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

Loehle Aircraft, Loehle Sport Parasol , P51 Mustang, P40, Spitfire Jenny, Spad


A look back at Loehle Aircraft and their line of ultralight and experimental aircraft. 

Company owner Mike Loehle has a workable theme: give pilots airplanes loaded with nostalgia, price them right, make the kits buildable by ordinary humans, and back that up with good factory support.

His 5151 Mustang broke this ground.

Nieuport 28 Replica by Airdrome Aeroplanes


Airdrome Aeroplanes of Holden Missouri markets a number of WW I replica fighter aircraft. One such kit is the Nieuport 28, which can be built under the experimentl amateurbuilt aircraft.
 
The kit is a full scale version of the French Designed Nieuport 28, but is built using modern day materials and construction methods. The Airdrome Aeroplanes Nieuport 28 can be powered by a variety of engines from 100 to 150 hp, including the Rotec Radial. 

Thatcher CX5, Thatcher two place CX 5 plans built experimental amateurbuilt aircraft


The thing that has always attracted me to airplanes is their beauty and graceful lines. From the time I was a boy, I wanted to design and build an airplane with what I liked best about the way airplanes look.

I wanted it to be easy to make, economical and with a closed cockpit so you could fly it all year long. The cockpit needed to be big enough to handle me a 6' plus person comfortably, so I made a wooden mockup of the cockpit first.

AIRBIKE, Tandem Airbike, TEAM Tandem Air Bike, Jordan Lake Aero


The Airbike has been in production since 1995 and it mates a welded steel fuselage to an all wood wing. Standard features include an open cockpit, removable wings, steerable tail wheel, 4 point safety harness, fuel tank, factory welded fuselage and tail. 

The options for the Airbike include various engines, folding wings brakes, trim, wheel pants, wing tips bucket seat, extra fuel, plus various quick build and assembly packages.

Use the top navigation bar to navigate Light Sport Aircraft.

Yamaha RX1 snowmobile engine to aircraft engine conversion, with Rotax C Drive adapter by Skytrax


Teal Jenkins takes us through the process of installing his adapter onto a Yamaha RX 1 snowmobile engine, which then allows installation of a Rotax C drive reduction drive.



AutoGyro USA gyroplane


In our first VPR (Video Pilot Report) on a gyroplane, we go aloft with Robert Snyder in the biggest selling brand, AutoGyro, flying their two place tandem Calidus. 

If you've ever thought about gyroplane flying, this video may answer some questions you always wanted to ask. Multiple in-flight cameras give you a good feel of being in the cockpit; Robert and I describe all aspects of flying a gyroplane. 

Come on along and enjoy.

Ryan ST-L, Replica kit aircraft by Timber Tiger Aircraft


One aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh really caught my eye. OK, truth be told, dozens of aircraft caught my eye but this shiny example seemed to be looking back at me. We simply had to do a video interview with the developer of the 1930s-era Ryan ST because of its fascinating history and its handsome good looks.

If you love vintage aviation, this should grab your attention as it did mine. Nick Pfannenstiel is a young developer with a mission, to create or, more accurately, re-create the Ryan ST-L.

He began the design phase of his 95% scale Ryan ST in June 2015 and construction began in early 2016. By 2019, you see the aircraft in finished form. 

Ryan’s ST-L featured two open cockpits in tandem seating with a semi-monocoque metal fuselage. A main steel ring forms the backbone of the Ryan ST replica but most of the fuselage uses aluminium alloy 

TEKNOFIBRA aircraft firewall, exhaust, electrical, fuel system heat and sound absorbing material.


Working with Teknofibra The magical material is made of carbon fiber (about 80%) and the balance a closely-guarded secret. 

Soft to the touch, something like felt, Teknofibra cuts easily with a scissors and does not produce fibers that are harmful. 

Ceramic fibers may have similar heat resistance but working with such material requires a breathing filter, gloves, and other protective clothing. If you’ve ever rubbed again fiberglass insulation with bare skin, you know how uncomfortable that is and it can itch for days. 

AHRS, Attitude Heading Reference System, Air Data Reference System, Wingbug


TThe WingBug is a personal, portable, self-encompassed, pitot-static precision measuring device that gathers true ADAHRS (Air Data Attitude Heading Reference System) flight information. 

Utilizing the WingBug app, it provides a traditional flight instrument “Six Pack” as well as AOA (Angle of Attack), Side Slip/Skid, and ADS-B In situational awareness in a digital display for pilots of all levels.

Ultralight & Experimental Aircraft Safety Advisory Alerts


Ultralight & Experimental Aircraft Safety Advisories -- this issue of our safety advisories was shot during a local fly in. Nothing was staged, or set up for us! We simply asked the owners if we could video tape their aircraft looking for potential problems. 

As you will see there are a number of things that these pilots should address to make their ultralight aircraft safer to fly. Remember ultralight flying is different from driving a car or riding a snowmobile or motorcycle. 

A simple thing like a plugged fuel filter or a fuel pump failure in most cases just means calling a tow truck to come and get you! In an ultralight you may still have to call someone to come out and get you with a trailer -- but your ride might be a little worse for wear!

RANS Aircraft, RANS Coyote, S6LS, experimental aircraft.


As the dawn of the sport pilot rule changes approaches, Kansas-based RANS Inc. is one of the most successful kit aircraft manufacturers in the light aviation industry.Randy Schlitter, RANS’ boss and founder, is now a seasoned veteran of the kit airplane business. 

Over his years in business, he has created several popular aircraft designs that have found favor in the United States, Europe, and about 50 other countries around the globe.



Deland, Sport Aviation Showcase, Deland Municipal Airport 2019


The DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase is an annual, three-day event focused entirely on recreational flying and sport aviation.

The Sport Aviation Showcase is held at the DeLand Municipal Airport (KDED) in the town of DeLand, known as "The Athens of Florida" for its rich, creative culture featuring art venues, unique stores, international cuisine, night life and live entertainment. 

Plus, the weather in early November is perfect for a fun Florida weekend. More than one hundred exhibitors featured all kinds of sport aircraft, ultralights, trikes, rotorcraft, powered parachutes and paragliders, engines, avionics, pilot gear and flight schools. 

Attendees enjoyed demo flights, interactive workshops, educational forums, keynote speakers, food concessions, live music, underwing camping, pre-owned aircraft sales, and more! 

Sling, Sling TSI, Rotax 915 iS, Aircraft Review


I have been waiting 3 months to fly this airplane. It had been away doing airshows and demo flights but finally it was my turn to get my hands on this beautiful new experimental Sling TSI aircraft. 

The Airplane Factory really out did themselves when designing this plane. With a climb rate of over 1500 feet per minute and cruise speeds nearing 150 knots, this sure is a thriller that makes you feel like a little kid. 

The performance improvements over the Sling 4 is amazing.

Aeromomentum, Automotive Aircraft Engine Conversion Installation


Today I got a good look at the new Aventura S-17 built in DeLand, Florida — also home of the Aerolite 103 and the DeLand Showcase …plus a large volume of sky diving.


In a word, S-17 is hot! One word is not enough, though. This light kit seaplane is also an unusually good value for a long-proven airframe that Aero Adventure has significantly beefed up.

The business is Aero Adventure, run by Alex Rolinski who bought the well-known design. He’s a high-energy fellow who quit his bank officer job to go full time and the operation has plenty to keep him busy.

IFR In An ELSA, Bristell Light Sport Aircraft, Bristell Aircraft USA


Think about IFR in an LSA this way: Can you fly IFR in a homebuilt aircraft? Can you do so in a Cessna 172?
Does it matter that these two distinct types have not gone through a thorough IFR evaluation by FAA?

If you know IFR can be done in either aircraft type — assuming aircraft and pilot are qualified and current — then why should such flying be prevented in LSA?

The matter might become cloudier if you heard the advice issued by ASTM F37 on this subject to LSA producers.

Single Lever Throttle Control on light sport and experimental aircraft 

This phrase, Single Lever Control, communicates two things:

(1) that the system on the airplane seen in the video adjusts the prop to optimal pitch for the phase of flight, and 

(2) that the system does so based on the pilot’s movement of the throttle combined with its own information about parameters of the aircraft at that time. In short, call it an “auto prop.”


American Ranger, AR 1 Gyroplane, Aircraft Review, Silverlight Aviation Florida

The world's state-of-the-art gyroplanes employ tails with larger vertical and horizontal surface that provide exceptional stability making the rotary-winged aircraft much more predictable to fly.

Beside adding stabilizing features companies have partially enclosed the cockpit with half-height fuselages making them more user-friendly than past-generation gyrocopters (the industry-preferred term for the older, less desirable models of many years past).


Fisher Flying Products, Super Koala ,All Wood, Experimental Aircraft Kit

Fisher Flying Products has reproduced the flying qualities of many classic airplanes in structurally sound and extremely affordable aircraft.

These ultra light and experimental aircraft have proven aerodynamic stability and desirable flight characteristics.

From the company’s modern plant in Edgeley, North Dakota, the components for 15 classic replicas are manufactured by trained and experienced craftsmen.

Research and development for new aircraft is on-going. Fisher Flying Products’ entire line of aircraft is sold throughout the United States and in 30 foreign countries.

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