| AeroLites | |
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HW100 - 45000
UAW55 - 105000 RRW100 - 175000 PKRR - 7500 |
AeroLites (AeroLites Inc.) AeroLites Inc. Type - Privately held company Industry - Aerospace Founded - before 1984 Headquarters - Welsh, Louisiana, United States Key people - President: Daniel J Rochè Products - Kit aircraft Website - www.homebuilt.org/kits/aerolites/aerolites.html AeroLites Inc. is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Welsh, Louisiana. In business since at least 1984, the company president is Daniel J Rochè. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of light aircraft in the form of plans and kits for amateur construction. The company motto is "Innovators Of Aviation Efficiency". The company offers three aircraft designs, the single-seat AeroLites AeroMaster AG ultralight agricultural aircraft, the two-seat amphibious AeroLites AeroSkiff and the single-seat AeroLites Bearcat parasol wing design. All three designs emphasize simplicity and ease of construction. The AeroSkiff is also available fully assembled. The Bearcat was introduced in 1984 and by 1998 the company reported that it had sold a total 17 aircraft of all three models, including 11 Bearcats. Aircraft Summary of aircraft built by AeroLites Model name - First flight - Number built - Type AeroLites AeroMaster AG - - 4 (1998) - single-seat ultralight agricultural aircraft AeroLites AeroSkiff - - 2 (1998) - two-seat amphibious flying boat AeroLites Bearcat - 1984 - 11 (1998) - single-seat parasol wing ultralight and agricultural aircraft AeroLites Bearcat Bearcat Role - Amateur-built aircraft National origin - United States Manufacturer - AeroLites First flight - 1984 Status - In production (2012) The AeroLites Bearcat is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed and produced by AeroLites, of Welsh, Louisiana and introduced in 1984. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction. Design and development The Bearcat features a strut-braced parasol-wing, a single-seat open cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft fuselage is made from welded 4130 steel tubing with the wing constructed with an aluminum structure, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. The ribs slide into pockets in the fabric. Its 30 ft (9.1 m) span wing employs a Clark Y airfoil and has an area of 150 sq ft (14 m2). Standard engines available are the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447, the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 and the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplants. Equipment to convert the aircraft for aerial application is also available. The manufacturer claims that the supplied kit takes 60–90 hours to assemble. Operational history By 1998 the company had reported that nine Bearcats and two Ag Bearcats were flying. Variants Bearcat Base model. Ag Bearcat Model equipped as an agricultural aircraft, originally equipped with a 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 532 engine. Specifications (Bearcat) Data from Bayerl and AeroLites General characteristics Crew: one Length: 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) Wingspan: 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m) Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) Wing area: 150 sq ft (14 m2) Empty weight: 275 lb (125 kg) Gross weight: 700 lb (318 kg) Fuel capacity: 5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 447 twin cylinder, air-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 40 hp (30 kW) Propellers: 2-bladed composite, 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) diameter Performance Maximum speed: 70 mph (110 km/h, 61 kn) Cruise speed: 60 mph (96 km/h, 52 kn) Stall speed: 27 mph (43 km/h, 23 kn) Never exceed speed: 110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn) g limits: +6/-4 Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s) Wing loading: 4.66 lb/sq ft (22.8 kg/m2) AeroLites AeroMaster AG AeroMaster AG Role - Homebuilt aircraft National origin - United States Manufacturer - AeroLites Inc Status - In production (2013) Number built - 4 (1998) The AeroLites AeroMaster AG is an American homebuilt agricultural aircraft, designed and produced by AeroLites of Welsh, Louisiana. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction. Design and development The AeroMaster AG features a strut-braced mid-wing, a single-seat open cockpit with a windshield, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft fuselage is made from welded 4130 steel tubing, while the wing is bolted-together aluminum, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth envelopes. Its 28.70 ft (8.7 m) span wing has a wing area of 146 sq ft (13.6 m2). The recommended power range is 50 to 80 hp (37 to 60 kW) and the standard engine used is the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 powerplant. The aerial application system is a SprayMiser CDA Ag system with a 30 U.S. gallons (110 L; 25 imp gal) chemical tank. The aircraft has an empty weight of 450 lb (200 kg) and a gross weight of 975 lb (442 kg), giving a useful load of 525 lb (238 kg). With full fuel of 10 U.S. gallons (38 L; 8.3 imp gal) the payload is 465 lb (211 kg). The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as 170 hours. Operational history By 1998 the company reported that six kits had been sold and four aircraft were flying. In November 2013 three examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration. Specifications (AeroMaster AG) Data from AeroCrafter General characteristics Crew: one Length: 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) Wingspan: 28.70 ft (8.75 m) Empty weight: 450 lb (204 kg) Gross weight: 975 lb (442 kg) Fuel capacity: 10 U.S. gallons (38 L; 8.3 imp gal) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 twin cylinder, liquid-cooled, two stroke aircraft engine, 64 hp (48 kW) Propellers: 3-bladed composite Performance Maximum speed: 95 mph (153 km/h, 83 kn) Cruise speed: 80 mph (130 km/h, 70 kn) Stall speed: 23 mph (37 km/h, 20 kn) Range: 140 mi (230 km, 120 nmi) Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) Rate of climb: 1,300 ft/min (6.6 m/s) Wing loading: 6.68 lb/sq ft (32.6 kg/m2) AeroLites AeroSkiff AeroSkiff Role - Two-seat ultralight amphibian National origin - United States Manufacturer - Aerolites First flight - 1995 Number built - ~9 The Aerolites AeroSkiff is an American two-seat ultralight amphibian built by Aerolites Inc. The aircraft is sold either completed or as a kit for home builders. Design and development The Aeroskiff is a braced high-wing monoplane powered by a Rotax 582 driving a pusher propeller. It has an open cockpit for a pilot and passenger and a retractable landing gear for land or sea operation. The aircraft is too heavy for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules and its repositionable landing gear means it cannot fit into the US light-sport aircraft rules. Operational history By 1998 the company had reported that two examples were flying. Specifications Data from World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2005/2006, 2011/2012 and 2015/16 General characteristics Crew: one Capacity: one passenger Wingspan: 29 ft 9 in (9.06 m) Wing area: 156 sq ft (14.5 m2) Empty weight: 564 lb (256 kg) Gross weight: 1,067 lb (484 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 582 , 65 hp (48 kW) Performance Maximum speed: 95 mph (152 km/h, 83 kn) Stall speed: 38 mph (61 km/h, 33 kn) |