Air Bike Aircraft - Covering with fabric was a lot of fun. The job goes quickly and you see the airplane really taking shape. The kit supplies a Poly Fiber glider weight cloth. I had decided on the AFS waterborne paint system to allow me to continue working at the house.
Rib stitching was not strictly required, as the Vne is 80mph. I opted to go ahead and stitch the wings and tail anyway. Stitching didn't take as long as I thought. I was able to stitch a complete wing in a little less than four hours.
Air Bike Aircraft
Finishing tapes and finishing ironing took longer in the end. The inspection only took a couple of hours. The Airbike is so open and simple the inspection really went quickly. It took almost as long to finish up the paperwork and make sure everything was complete.
Start Flying Without A Pilot’s License
Airbike N40613 received an airworthiness certificate on April 14, 2002, almost exactly two years after buying the wing kit. About 850 hours went into construction. But before you get too excited about flying this aircraft without undergoing training, realize that there are still several rules and requirements you'll need to follow.
You still need to learn about controlled airspace and look for an area that is unpopulated to avoid accidents. I had built a 16'x4' table in the basement. This left about four feet on each end and a few feet across to maneuver.
It was a little tight, but workable. With tools and plans laid out, it was time to begin building. I decided early on, that I would register the 'Bike as amateur built experimental. Only a few builders managed to keep their 'Bikes ultralight legal with 40hp engines.
I would also be able to add more fuel capacity and log the tail wheel time. I picked up the homebuilder packet from the FSDO and just followed the recommendations. It was a lot easier than I expected.
Cruising Speed
I had an N number and registration months before I was finished. I prepared the paperwork expected for the inspection and called up Frank Sneed. The best ultralight aircraft for beginners will help you get started flying without a pilot's license or in-depth training.
These aircraft are affordable and enjoyable for hobbyists everywhere. Subscribe to FLYING Magazine for more great flying tips and insights. I pulled the plane out and did the second thorough pre-flight of the day. After strapping on the parachute and climbing on the bike, I realized I forgot something crucial to the operation... the key!
In all the excitement and anticipation, I had left it in the toolbox. Wally retrieved the key and I was back in business. A couple pulls on the handle and the engine fires up. After letting it warm up for a few minutes I headed for the runway 20. After the engine run-up checked out, there was little left to do but go fly.
The windsock still looked like it was nailed to the pole, so I pulled out and brought up the power. I first ran across the Airbike in an ultralight magazine about seven years ago. I had been looking into ultralights, hoping to find something that would expedite my desire to start flying.
Flying Performance
The magazine had an article about the new Airbike prototype that TEAM (now ISON Aircraft) brought to Sun 'N Fun. There was a picture of this cute little tail dragger with a very open cockpit. It had a wood wing and chromoly tube fuselage.
A very conventional little airplane compared to the rest of the ultralight field at the time. The prototype was powered by a 22hp two-stroke and weighed in at 225 empty. Fuel capacity was only 2.5 gallons!
Just enough fuel to fly around the patch a few times. A few years ago I finished up my private glider rating and started working on my power ticket. I decided it was time to get serious about building a plane.
I had a couple of simple criteria. First, I wanted something relatively simple. If I could complete a smaller project, I might be willing to take on something more involved later. Second, I was looking for a plane that had a fair amount of successful builders.
Jordan Lake Air-Bike
A proven design should make the project more likely to succeed. I was also interested in keeping the costs under control. In hindsight, I think two out of three isn't too bad. Ultimately, ultralight aircraft is a hobby.
While you can travel from one location to another, limited payload and flight time will make it challenging to actually use it for travel. Therefore, ensure that you're looking for an affordable option since this is only a hobby.
With the success of the first flight almost in the bag, I just had to taxi back to the hangar without running into anything. Not as easy as it sounds after so much excitement. By the time I got back to the north end of the field, even more people had shown up to watch the proceedings.
It took a few minutes to climb out after shutting down. What a fun day, seeing two years of work come together for a first flight and safe return to the ground. Review the cruising speed options for your aircraft.
Maverick Rt
Some glide while others will reach much higher speeds. Perhaps gliding is more within your comfort zone or maybe you hope to see more countryside at a faster rate during your travels. Installation of the Hirth 40hp engine was simple.
Wiring and plumbing are minimal and except for finding the right spot for the fuel pump, there was not much to it. I installed the minimum day VFR instrumentation and a handheld radio for communications. Panel space is severely limited on my bike, so I opted for a Grand Rapids EIS system for the engine.
It took up less space than the analog gauges, is more accurate and costs about the same. It was not a hard decision to make and paid off later during the first few flights. The JackRabbit is the super portable micro eBike loved by pilots: only 24 lbs, 20 mph and slims down to 7 inches wide meaning it fits in any sized plane.
The perfect way to cruise to and from the FBO. No assembly required. I remember the first model kit my dad gave me as a kid. It was a stick and tissue J3 Cub from Guillows.
What Is An Ultralight Aircraft?
On the box was a great picture of the little yellow airplane contained inside. The collection of sticks and paper inside the box bore little resemblance to the picture. In fact, except for the red propeller, nothing else looked much like airplane parts.
Opening up the wing kit for the Airbike was exactly the same. I had just bought a crate of very nice looking sticks and plywood. None of which were recognizable airplane parts. The plans, however, had many detailed pictures of airplane parts.
All of which would be made from the big box of sticks. I was starting to wonder what I had gotten myself into. Installing the landing gear was the first order of business. Followed directly by a trial installation of the seat.
Any builder that says they didn't climb in and make engine noises once or twice is probably lying. Sitting in the seat for the first time was a high point in the project. An ultralight aircraft can take many forms.
The most popular style is a trike. Another popular option is a powered parachute. However, a wide variety of plane styles can qualify as an ultralight aircraft as long as it satisfies the FAA requirements. The fuselage is 4130 tubing and all welding is done.
Most of the work was rigging the empennage and installing the engine and instruments. After cleaning up the welds, I used AFS steel conversion coating to protect from rust. This stuff wipes on with a shop rag and both converts the existing rust and leaves a coat of clear acrylic.
Even with all the welding done, there was more detail work than I expected. Completing the fuselage probably took ¼ to 1/3 of the total build time. Finally on Thursday, I was able to get some time in a J3 and finish up my tail wheel work in the L2.
Around 5:30pm I had both the sign-off in my logbook and perfect weather for a first flight. By the time I got back to Twin Oaks, folks were starting to show up for the monthly EAA meeting.
This worked out well, since I needed a couple of volunteers anyway. I had two limiting conditions that had to be satisfied before the first flight. The first was finishing up my tail wheel endorsement. I had been signed off to solo a Taylorcraft L2 last summer and had about 15 hours of flying time.
I needed the endorsement to be legal to fly the 'Bike. The other problem was weather. For three days after the inspection, the weather was horrible. Speed, ease of maneuverability, and overall aircraft performance are important considerations for which option you choose for your hobby.
Some amateur pilots want to fly fast while others would prefer to take their time and enjoy the sights. Whether you're a busy pilot or just looking for on-the-go education, Angle of Attack's 36+ hours of video training is perfect for you.
You'll have everything you need in one place to become a successful pilot starting on day one. While I had built plenty of things out of wood, this was the first time I worked with aircraft grade lumber.
The wood in the kit was beautiful stuff. The wings are built from spruce, pine, and a couple different types of plywood. The ribs are of a truss type construction, using ¼" spruce sticks and 1/16" birch plywood gussets.
There are 26 ribs, with 15 gussets per side and 14 spruce sticks. It took about two evenings, just to cut all the parts for the ribs. All ribs are laid up in the same jig.
It took about 100 hours to complete the ribs. This was about the time I realized I might not finish up in a few months. The Jordan Lake Air-Bike 103 is one of the most affordable ultralight aircraft for beginners.
The kit costs less than $7,000, meaning hobbyists can start saving and avoid loans to work towards their goal of flying a plane. The Maverick 2 RT is a trike that takes advantage of an existing airfoil.
You'll enjoy the open-air cockpit and inexpensive way to fly. Plus, it's an ultralight aircraft with a higher weight limit to give more people the opportunity to operate an aircraft. If you're just getting started with aviation, flying an ultralight aircraft can offer ease for your first solo flights and a great deal of fun.
The best ultralight aircraft for beginners are those that don't require a license to fly and some even allow you to enjoy the thrill of assembling them from a kit. Learn about these great aircraft for new hobbyists.
I've got a few more hours on the plane now. A couple of engine adjustments settled down the temperature problems. The elevator trim spring was tightened up to give a 65mph cruise. Other than some very thorough inspections, not much else has been required.
Just need to finish up the flight-testing and fly off the 40 hours. My biggest concern now is deciding what to start building next. Wing assembly went fast with the spars finished. Keeping things straight and square was not too difficult.
This is the first time you get to see something take shape that looks like it belongs on an airplane. Sheeting the leading edge with plywood was a little like trying to catch a greased pig, but it worked out in the end.
A few coats of varnish and the wings were ready for fabric. First I bought some plans for TEAM's V-Max. Similar to the Mini-Max, but VW powered. While researching VW power, I found the Sonerai aircraft by John Monnet.
Soon, I also had a nice set of plans for the Sonerai IILS. Notice the trend developing? Fortunately, I remembered my original intention before it was too late. In April of 2000, I ordered a wing kit for the Airbike.
The goal of the flight was to try to get a feel for the engine and also to do some slow flight close to stall. The engine was staying within limits, although on the high side.
After about 10 minutes of tunnel vision on the engine monitor, I decided I'd better check out slow flight behavior. The plane slows down nicely with all the drag from the open fuselage and round wing struts.
Controls started to get soft around 40mph indicated. I was able to fly down to 20 mph indicated and not get a clean break. The descent rate increased, but no real break to the stall. At this attitude, I'm sure the airspeed indicated included plenty of error.
After getting back up to speed, I did a few more shallow turns and then headed back to the airport. An ultralight aircraft is defined under Part 103 – Ultralight Vehicles. According to the FAA, these aircraft are small, designed just for a pilot with no passengers, and do not exceed 55 knots in speed.
If it fails to meet any outlined criteria, it is no longer an ultralight aircraft and therefore subject to all other FAA rules and regulations, including that the pilot has the necessary license and first aid training.
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