Ultraflight

Perhaps the most enlightening facet of Mangalore 84 was the realisation by everyone in the ultralight industry that they must, at last, unite together or perish. The past year has seen much petty infighting between various manufacturers and distributors all claiming that the other was setting a tactical advantage for their own particular commercial needs. The message from the DofA and the AUF committee came through loud and clear at Mangalore that those days are now well and truly over.

The new spirit of unity will open up many new opportunities for each and every member of the AUF while in the longer term giving us an ANO that will stand the test of time. At a ratification meeting between AUF members and their committee and the visiting representative charge of Sport Aviation and ANO 95developments, Trevor Burns, a new feeling of mutual cooperation between the members, the AUF itself and the Department came to the fore.

Among the key suggestions made at this meeting it was decided that the objective of being able to operate 95. 22 aircraft into licensed aerodromes should be pursued. The Department attitude to this innovative proposal is one of interest provided that the aircraft meets specific airworthiness standards (radio, strobe, upgraded licence in terms of radio procedures and training) and the operator registers the aircraft and pays a fee for the use of those facilities. While this may sound to many like the first step to bringing ultralights up to the cost and complexity of GA, it really only would affect those who choose to operate in this manner and not those who wish to fly as they currently do. The possibilities of utilising second-generation ultralights from licensed aerodromes are limitless in that it could really be the first official step to introduce them into stage one of the PPL curriculum.

Another interesting point raised at the meeting was that of a 40 kt maximum stalling speed requirement. In other words, every ultralight must be able to stall, in the clean configuration at below 40 kts. This then ensures that ultralights don’t grow too big and that their operating field requirements are kept to a maximum. A quick glance at our March issue Ultralight Directory reveals that the vast majority of aircraft stall between 20 and 30 kts which serves to keep their kinetic energy low and the safety factor high. Basic aerodynamic rules applying to ultralights suggest that their maximum speed should roughly equate to two and a half times their stall speed. Using this formula the AUF and DofA hope to limit the maximum speed of the more advanced designs to below 100kts. The obvious theory is of course that anything capable of exceeding 100 kts really isn’t an ultralight and the owner would be better found in a Thorpe or Mustang II!

Other recommendations concerned a single-seat dry weight of 150kg with two-seaters increasing to 230 kg. This point is important as a too severe weight restriction will only serve to make operators install the lightest, flimsiest and least reliable options into their ultralights such as strobes, generators and radios etc. There was also discussion on an open-ended weight limit, though this could be tagged a long term goal at best.

Interest was also raised on the possibility of using ultralights as crop dusters. This is presently illegal in Australia for a number of logical reasons, though it also transpires that a number of established ag operators are also interested in the potential that exists in ag-equipped specialist ultralights. The Aerial Agriculture Association will, we believe, be bringing this up at their next annual meeting.

Other points verified the altitude ceiling of 2000 ft AGL with perhaps the option at a later date of having a soaring clause in designated soaring areas that would permit glider-style operations in ultralights that favour this type of flight. The question of strobe lights on 95. 22 aircraft was only lightly discussed though from our own observations of the only participating ultralight with a strobe we personally feel that this provides a greatly enhanced level of safety for all concerned. With several ultralights tail-on about two kilometres away all were virtually invisible except the one which was strobing. This was even more pronounced in terms of the all-important peripheral vision where a GA pilot may not have seen a slow-moving ultralight well to his side. This could be bad enough when the aircraft involved is a four-place lightie but when it is an F-111 at 500 kts it could be disastrous. Strobes are certainly vital safety element though, whether their installation and power supply, whether by special battery pack or generator, are included in dry weight is another matter.

It is good to see the ultralight industry come of age; a little cooperation never hurt anyone and it certainly will only serve to make the industry a stronger entity.

WHERE IS PAXFORD?

Omitted by error from our March issue listing of known ultralight agents and dealers, Bankstown Airport-based Paxford Aviation are doing nicely with seven CGS Hawk aircraft sold since operations officially commenced earlier this year. Paxford are putting together a comprehensive flying training programme combining regular light aircraft (refer December ’83 issue Ultra/light) and the Hawk in an attempt to reduce the overall cost of obtaining a restricted PPL. Our technical directory also referred to the Hawk as being powered by a 436 cc Kawasaki when in fact power is supplied by Cuyuna. Apparently, the early development aircraft in the US was Kawasaki powered which is where the confusion began. Paxford can be contacted at (02)70 0319 or by writing to PO Box 367, Bankstown 2200.

AN ARRESTING IDEA

As any old pilot will tell you, safety comes first. Just because ultralights are small and exposed relative to your average Wichita four-seater, it does not necessarily mean that they are unsafe. Indeed, even the staunchest GA pilot is now slowly becoming aware that light weight coupled with low airspeed and a stalling speed that makes a non-event of an engine failure over anything other than Niagara Falls, spells safety.

What can even make an ultralight safer is the fitment of an approved parachute recovery system. There are two firms we are aware of in Australia that currently market specialist systems for ultralights. The first is Sydney-based Parachutes Australia, which offers two systems designed for the widest possible range of ultralights from Skycraft Scouts to the much heavier two-place trainers. The first system has a 21 ft per second descent rate with a 300 lb load, while the second unit has a 25 ft per second descent rate supporting 360 lbs. Each unit is easy to operate and full deployment can usually be made in under four seconds allowing safe recovery at altitudes as low as 300/400 ft.

The second system is marketed by Ultralight Flying Machines of Melbourne (regionalPterodactyl and Kolb ultralight distributors) and is the UK-built Skymaster system which provides typically an 18 ft per second sink rate with a 420 lb load. A unique design feature of the Skymaster is its packing container. A streamlined glass-reinforced plastic cylinder is used instead of the traditional parachute bag. This aerodynamic container safeguards aircraft performance by minimising excess drag while also protecting the chute from handling damage.

ANOTHER INTERESTING ULTRALIGHT ENGINE DEVELOPMENT

Power has always been the limiting factor in man’s conquest of the skies as engineers have sought to harness the maximum amount of power in the smallest possible space for the lightest possible weight and an ever-decreasing fuel burn. This is now happening with ultralights and a new US engine promises a considerable step forward if predictions hold firm.

Developed by Lil’ BruteUltralight Engines of SunValley, California, their offering is a four-cylinder two-stroke engine of 720 cc which develops 32 hp at 4000 rpm or 50 hp at takeoff rpm of 5500. The engine uses high quality lightweight aluminium/magnesium alloys in an engine that even with accessories weighs in at a mere 36 lbs, or about half that of most popular similarly powered engines currently in use. Lil’ Brute has done away with reduction gearing and goes for a direct drive, relying more on torque than revolutions to provide the advertised thrust. Furthermore, TBOs are said to be between 700 and 1000 hours! The engine is expected to be available during 1985.

EIPPER GO TRADITIONAL FOR ’84

Long the pioneers in ultralight aviation, Eipper, with over 8000 Quicksilvers manufactured to date, have gone traditional for 1984 with their newest offering, the MXL. The MXL primarily differs from previous MX aircraft in that they have full traditional style 3-axis control including ailerons rather than spoilers as used on previous Quicksilvers. An additional feature for 1984 is the double surface wing, improving aerodynamic lift and giving the MXL a more substantial appearance. The aircraft also comes complete with a new nosecone fairing including a screen and a comprehensive instrument panel.

Eipper Aircraft Australia are pleased with sales and have to date sold more than one hundred aircraft, about three-quarters of which have been to the man on the land. Interestingly enough, about a dozen two sealers are amongst that hundred aircraft; they are not used as trainers but rather as heavy payload vehicles for farmers.

ULTRALIGHTS GETTING MIXED RECEPTION AS POLICE SURVEILLANCE VEHICLES IN USA

The fact that a properly set up ultralight can perform many of the missions currently undertaken by traditional fixed and rotary wing aircraft has not been lost on several US Police Departments. Like most US innovations, the movement to using ultralights in uniform was born in California. During September 1982 the small town of Monterey Park (pop. 57,000), south of greater Los Angeles, purchased an American Aerolites Eagle XL. Unfortunately, this programme was officially terminated the following March following a number of engine failures and an eventual forced landing atop a garage roof next door to a primary school. The primary cause of the spate of engine failures was eventually placed at the hands of minor improper maintenance procedures being followed, while the hilly terrain of Monterey Park also precluded the XL from performing to the best of its design ability. In most cases the ultralight had to be kept at around 1500 ft, an altitude that often put it into conflict with nearby GA airport traffic and too high to perform its original surveillance function.

Nearby though, the city of Downey had experienced considerable success, capitalising on the lessons learnt from Monterey Park. Downey, unlike Monterey Park, is largely flat and provides an ideal environment for a police ultralight operation. Such is the enthusiasm for the operation that initially three patrolmen pooled together and purchased a Quicksilver MX in an effort to prove that the concept could work. They then leased the machine to the Downey Police Department for $1. 00, an offer truly too good to refuse. Eipper themselves were inspired by developments and later presented a range of modifications and options that will become the basis for their new Patrol MX model.

For starters, the Patrol MX is powered by a 56 hp Rotax in place of the standard 33 hp unit. The MX is then outfitted with double sleeve compression struts and various minor brace reinforcement (the average patrolman weighs around 200 lb!) in addition to a Terra 720 VHF radio allowing communication with nearby ATC and transiting aircraft including police helicopters. Wingtip lighting, strobe lights and a night suntype searchlight bring the all-up weight to 147 kg – well over the new US FAA FAR Part 103 but just under our own proposed 95. 22. The panel carries an ASI, CHT and RPM display while a loudspeaker is also standard. The pilot carries a ‘throw out’ type recovery parachute which has a 28 ft canopy.

Trainee pilots fly a strict 35 hour training programme before being let loose above the city. The aircraft is currently averaging around 30 hours per week of utilisation on a budget of only $12,000 per annum; initial startup costs, which includes a hangar, training and all supplementary equipment was $25,000. Most pilots log around three hours per week flight time and describe the new tool as excellent in that it can basically do everything a helicopter can, yet at around 3% of the cost. Typically the MX Will loiter at 1000 ft above the city flying a random racetrack-style circuit till called upon to offer assistance. Reaction time is usually less than two minutes and to date the machine has featured in several felon captures while housebreaking has dropped dramatically since the service commenced.

Presently, the use of ultralights in government service is spreading throughout the USA and it is known that small regional departments in Florida, Colorado and elsewhere in California are planning to evaluate ultralights. Monterey Park police are operational again, this time with a Lazair. In Australia, the use of such machines could extend from a surf life-saving application (shark patrol) right through to fire spotting. In the meantime though, the experiences of the Downey Police Department will bear close examination.

STAGGERBIPE AND VW POWER MAKE AN INTERESTING COMBINATION

Max Kremke of the West Australian Aircraft Company (oddly situated in downtown Melbourne) is due to roll out his innovative Staggerbipe biplane ultralight in the course of this issue. The attractive Staggerbipe is powered by one of Max’s heavily modified VW engines which will provide a cruise speed at 75% power of 60 kts and an endurance of three hours plus a 30 minute reserve.

Max is engineering the VW engines for other ultralight applications also.

The highly modified engine is based on a standard 1200 cc unit bored out to 1300 cc and developing 44 hp at a mere 3000 rpm. The total engine weight complete with accessories is 50 kg while fuel burn per hour at 75% power is a mere 1. 8 gallons of super mogas. We outlined the various benefits of VW power on page 98 of our March issue, so we needn’t go into them again, suffice to say that for reliable power and cost-efficient long-term operation, you have to go a long way to beat the VW flat four.

MITCHELL WING REACHES 25,300 FEET

In what is being claimed as a new world ultralight altitude record, US pilot Dick Rowley has piloted a Mitchell Superwing to 25,300 ft ASL. The attempt took place last September and comfortably exceeds the official record of 16,049 ft held by Great Britain. The Superwing was powered by a single 30 hp engine and had an all up weight of just under 600 lb owing to the special oxygen and heating equipment demanded by the flight.

CHINOOK SELLING WELL

An old familiar cliche states that “quality always sells’; certainly this is the case with the Birdman Enterprises WT-11 Chinook. Having had a good look at the machine at Mangalore it is not difficult to see where sound engineering and a common sense approach to the practical aspects of ultralight operation have produced a design that impresses. Market penetration to date has been very good with the distributor for SE Asia and Australasia, Basic Flying Machines, having reported firm sales of more than 25 units in the first five months of operation.

The Chinook is powered by a single 277 cc Rotax developing 28 hp at 6000 rpm, cruises at between 45 and 60 kts and has a stall speed in the region of 22 kts depending upon payload and prevailing conditions. The basic kit is available for around$10,200 depending upon options while a fully assembled and test flown aircraft can be supplied for between $1000 and $1500 extra.

A two-place Chinook will arrive in Australia in July while in Canada, Birdman Enterprises are busy building their first dedicated agricultural ultralight. This will be a no-compromise pure ag machine that is intended primarily for third-world use. Jack de Lissa, founder of BFM, adds that in South East Asia there are hundreds of thousands of very small farms that could never be able to use traditional ag aircraft. In the meantime they are harvesting reduced crop yields due to the inability to use aircraft to support their plots. A regional operation using a number of agricultural ultralights would be ideal for this role and help bring new levels of productivity and prosperity to otherwise subsistence-level farmers.

1. Rod Birrell of Ultralight Flying Machines demonstrates the climbout performance of the appropriately named Ascender. Note the Skymaster parachute recovery system a.ft of the kingpost.

2. Austflight of Ballina, Maxair and Falcon distributors for Australia, gained much attention with their comprehensively equipped two-place trainer.

3.New to the market and impressive in its strength of design is the Wombat from South Australia. An interesting feature is that the wing and tailplane are treated against damage by the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

4. Winner of the Best Ultralight prize of the show was the immaculate Rouseabout from Seabird Aviation of Queensland. Its four Konig was exceptionally quiet, offering a decibel benchmark for all future ultralight engines to aspire to!

5.A number of Thrusters were present. The Sydney-built Thruster offers good value for money in a midrange ultralight that has now been around for several seasons.

6. Supa Pup II, enough to make any GA pilot’s heart beat faster! Supa Pup II is now entering production and while not cheap is certainly value for money

7. The immaculate Sapphire was a newcomer to the show, is powered by a 25 hp KFM motor and cruises at 50 knots.

8. The two-place Quicksilver trainer introduced many newcomers to just what it is like to fly an ultralight and no doubt again proved the theory that this is the quickest means of training future aviators.

9. The revolutionary design of Kasperwing made its first Australian appearance at the show. The new three-axis version was due to arrive in Australia as we closed for press. Local distributors, Mobius Ultralights, are currently seeking agents for this easy-to-fly aircraft.

10. The B1-RD, or Bird as it is generally referred to, is a product of the famous Robertson STOL organisation. The climbing ability of the Bird is certainly something to be seen!

11. Beautiful to look at and difficult to fault technically, the WT-11 Chinook performed some very stunning low speed manoeuvres in the hands of its Canadian test pilot.

12.Always of interest, and more so this year because of the eye-catching livery, the ACE Stingray won as many favourable comments at Mangalore as it did at Oshkosh in ’83.