Roll out the Barrel. We'll have a barrel of fun! You know what? I like Aeroplane Jelly. And I like Bertie the aeroplane, too.

 and I like the Ford Flivver 

Both happy little planes with rotund fuselages. But they weren't the winners in the tubby stakes. Back in 1932 the Caproni factory in Italy built the epitome of barrel fuselage aircraft. The plane was the Stipa Caproni. Designed by Luigi Stipa (1900–1992) and built by Caproni, it was meant as a proof of concept experimental platform to test Stipa's idea to mount the engine and propeller inside a fuselage that itself formed a tapered duct, or venturi tube, and compressed the propeller's airflow and the engine exhaust before it exited the duct at the trailing edge of the aircraft, essentially applying Bernoulli's principle of fluid movements to make the aircraft's engine more efficient.

Initial testing showed that the "intubed propeller" design did increase the engine's efficiency as Stipa had calculated, and the additional lift provided by the airfoil shape of the interior of the duct itself allowed a very low landing speed of only 68 km/h (42 mph).  Unfortunately, the "intubed propeller" design also induced so much aerodynamic drag that the benefits in engine efficiency were cancelled out, and the aircraft's top speed proved to be only 131 km/h (81 mph). Stipa himself never had intended his "intubed propeller" to be employed on single-engine aircraft like the Caproni-Stipa—which he viewed merely as a testbed.

Can you see the Stipa Caproni anywhere? Well, not the original, but a couple of crazy Aussies built a 3/5 scale version in Queensland back in the late 90's. From the story told here http://www.seqair.com/Hangar/Zuccoli/Legends/Legends.html one might think that the idea to build one was the result of the four unknown quantities - XXXX

The Stits SA-11A Playmate is a homebuilt aircraft design that features a rapid wing-folding mechanism for trailering or storage.

The SA-11A is a single engine, side-by-side configuration seating, tricycle gear, strut-braced, low wing monoplane. The fuselage is welded steel tubing with aircraft fabric covering. The wings have a quick release mechanism that allows them to fold and lock alongside the fuselage in 15–30 seconds. Safety mechanisms were put in place so pilots could visually inspect that the wings were locked in place. A small sideways seat in the rear can accommodate 150 lb (68 kg) of luggage or a light passenger.

The prototype was donated by Ray Stits in 1969 to the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Its engine went into the Stits SA-9A "Skycoupe" prototype for testing and development.

The Sportsman 2+2 was developed from the company's Glastar aircraft, a smaller version. The company's 'Two weeks to taxi' program provides factory-assisted assembly, while providing the owner with training in using tools and jigs. This complies with the Federal Aviation Administration's 51% construction rule, allowing issuance of a Special Certificate of Airworthiness as an amateur-built aircraft.

The aircraft can fitted with tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and can also be equipped with floats and amphibious floats or tundra tires.

The aircraft is constructed with a fiberglass fuselage, or optionally from carbon fiber, with all metal wings and horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The airplane is available with a 180 hp (134 kW)Lycoming IO-360 engine or a 210 hp (157 kW) Lycoming IO-390 engine with an optional constant speed propeller.

Variant

Glasair Sportsman 2+2 Diesel
     A Thielert Centurion 2.0s powered variant.

Glasair I, II and III assets were purchased by Advanced Aero Components in September, 2017.

The Glasair III is an all-composite cantilever low-wing monoplane. It is an improved variant of the earlier Glasair II with a retractable landing gear and powered by a 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming IO-540-K1H5 engine. It has two seats side-by-side with dual controls, the aircraft can be fitted with wing tip fuel tanks. Since the purchase of Glasair I, II, and III aircraft by Advanced Aero Components in September, 2017, the Glasair II and III airframes have been substantially upgraded and are to be reproduced in all carbon fibre construction. First kits are due to be released by July 2018.

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co currently holds rights to sell plans for the aircraft.

The Starduster Too was developed to be an economical two-seat sport biplane. The airplane is designed to plus 6 or minus 6 G loading. It was not intended for use in aerobatic competition, but it can perform basic aerobatics.

The fuselage is made of 4130 steel tubing with fabric covering. The spars are made of spruce wood with plywood wooden wing ribs. The base engine is a Lycoming O-360 180 hp (134 kW) engine, but alternative examples have been built using the Lycoming IO-540, Ranger, Ford V-8 and V-6, Continental, Jacobs, and even Pratt & Whitney R-985 engines.

The Starduster Too is a popular biplane homebuilt design. There are several with over 2500 hours of flight time, and one with over 5000 hours.

The Stratos 714 is an American very light jet aircraft under development by Stratos Aircraft of Redmond, Oregon. The project was announced in July 2008, a prototype first flew on 21 November 2016, although Stratos currently lacks the funding to complete type certification. Predominantly made of carbon composite, the single turbofan aircraft would seat four to six at 400 kn (740 km/h) over up to 1,500 nmi (2,800 km).

Chief technology officer Carsten Sundin launched the VLJ project with CEO Michael Lemaire, aiming for higher speed and range than competitors. Sundin joined Lancair in 1993 after graduating and became engineering manager on the 240 kn (440 km/h) Lancair Legacy 2000. In 2003 he joined Epic Aircraft to become engineering manager on its new single turboprop and met the aerodynamicist of the Farnborough F1, Gordon Robinson. Farnborough Aircraft and Epic formed a joint venture to develop the smaller kit Epic LT along the FAR-23 certificated F1, sharing their wing, engine and tail, and Sundin Left Epic in 2005.

The project was unveiled on 16 July 2008, touted as an owner-flown Very Light Personal Jet. A cabin mock-up was shown at AirVenture in July 2009. At that time the company predicted the jet would sell for about US$2M. The company was seeking US$12M to build two prototypes and a further US$100M to complete certification and commence production. The company CEO, Michael Lemaire, indicated in 2009 that the aircraft will fill a performance niche, as there is no other four seat aircraft with the 714's speed and range. The company was accepting refundable customer deposits of US$50,000 to be held in interest-bearing escrow in 2009. The first deposit was made by Cascade Air Charter, of Bend, Oregon in October 2009.

First flight of a proof of concept aircraft was achieved on 21 November 2016 before a public introduction at AirVenture in July 2017, with no firm schedule for certification. It is registered as N403KT.

By July 2018, the 714 prototype had flown 185 flight hours, reaching 25,000 feet and 370 knots. The proof-of-concept aircraft had logged 250 hours by April 2019, and 330 hours by January 2020.

For further details, click here.

The Su-26 has mid-mounted straight wings and fixed landing gear, the main gear mounted on a solid titanium arc.

The Su-26 made its first flight in June 1984, the original four having a two-bladed propeller. The production switched to the Su-26M, with refined tail surfaces and a German-made MTV-9 3-blade composite propeller. Further refinements were made, and the model won both the men's and women's team prizes at the 1986 World Aerobatics Championships. The modified Su-26M3 with the new M9F 320 kW (430 hp) engine dominated the 2003 and 2005 Aerobatic World Championships as well as the 2004 European Championships.

The Su-26 has fully metric instruments, except for the altimeter.

The aircraft is intended to be supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The Aurora was designed to comply with the US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft's 8.6 m (28.2 ft) span wing has a rectangular planform and employs flaps. The standard engine available is the Austrian-made 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China granted the design a type design approval in mid-2013.

Bayerl et al. note that the Aurora closely resembles the Fly Synthesis Texan, but that the manufacturer claims the Aurora is an original design. The Aurora has a one-piece bubble canopy hinged at the front, while the Texan has a sliding canopy and a separate split windscreen. Also, the Aurora is heavier than the Texan.

The aircraft can be equipped for banner-towing, aerial photography and has an airshow smoke generation system available.

In July 2014 the company announced an improved version, the SA 60V, with an upgraded engines installation using Austrian, rather than Chinese components and an IFR capable instrument panel.

As of April 2017, the design does not appear on the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft.

The aircraft was offered as a kit, but the kit was not a comprehensive kit like contemporary designs and its construction was beyond the abilities of the average amateur aircraft builder. The plane features a 300 horsepower (220 kW) six-cylinder engine. Plans have been made to revive the plane and offer it as a quick-build kit, but there is no current kit being offered.

The Tapanee Levitation 4 is a Canadian four-seat STOL aircraft designed to be homebuilt by Michel Lequin for Tapanee Aviation of Mont-Saint-Michel, Quebec.

A larger version of the companies earlier Pegazair bushplane, the Levitation is a high-wing monoplane with V-strut bracing, leading edge slats and Junkers flaperons. Powered by a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360 flat-six piston engine with a two-blade propeller. The Levitation has a fixed conventional landing gear with a tailwheel and a cabin holding a pilot and three passengers in two rows of side-by-side seating. By December 2004 five kits had been sold.

When a market for the Aerocar did not emerge, Taylor turned to more conventional designs. The Coot was nonetheless somewhat unusual for its low wing, a feature uncommon on most seaplanes and flying boats, which conventionally strive to keep their wings as far away from the water as possible. Instead, Taylor designed the Coot's wing roots to act as sponsons to stabilise the craft in the water. The arrangement allowed him to do away with the weight and drag penalties imposed by wingtip floats, and additionally gain ground effect benefits during takeoff. First flown in 1969, the Coot proved very popular with homebuilders, with an estimated 70 aircraft completed by 2007.

The wings and elevator surfaces of the Taylor Coot can be folded for transport and storage. With wings folded the aircraft is 8 feet (2.4 m) wide. Some builders have equipped their aircraft with auxiliary sponsons. It is equipped with tricycle landing gear: The nosewheel casters freely and steering on the ground is accomplished with differential braking of the main gear. The folding wings make road towing and home storage possible.

Variants

Coot model A Single-tailed version.

Coot model B Two-tailed model

The Taylorcraft Model D is a light aircraft of the US manufacturer Taylorcraft Aviation from the early 1940's.

In the years 1940-41, the demand for training machines increased steadily, especially in the semi-military pilot training program (Civilian Pilot Training, CPT). Although Taylorcraft was able to sell a larger number of the Model B to United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) as part of the program, versions with consecutive seats were considered more appropriate. So in 1940, half of all machines used for this purpose came from Piper, which the J-3 could offer with this seating arrangement. To better capture this market, Taylorcraft developed the Model D, which again took up the tandem seat layout of the earlier Taylor J-2. After the construction of 200 machines, the production was converted to the military version L-2.

The first version was the DC-65, which was publicly presented in February 1941 and received the Type Approval on November 25, 1941. The standard engine was the Continental A65-8, but a Franklin 4AC-176 (DF-65) or a Lycoming O-145-B2 (DL-65) could also be installed. To identify the equipment with single or dual ignition, the letters S or D have been relocated (eg DL-65S for single-ignition and DL-65D for dual-ignition). The dimensions differed only slightly from those of the model B, only the span was reduced by about 18 cm due to the narrower cabin and the length was increased by 23 cm.

As with all pre-war Taylorcraft aircraft, the fuselage structure consisted of welded steel tubing, covered in fabric. Taylorcraft tried to utilise as many parts of the Model B as possible, however, this was only partially successful, as the main structural components were not interchangeable between the two patterns and the wing ribs were made of aluminum instead of wood. Because of the anticipated heavier load in the training operation, the airframe also received reinforcements. The tanks were in the wings and fed a collection tank behind the engine. The engine was enclosed in a partial cowling leaving the cylinder heads uncovered in the air flow. The machine could be flown from either seat.

In the specifications of the designers John Hutmacher and Cameron Lusty was the requirement for a good all-round visibility, whereupon they lowered the upper strap of the trunk compartment (Longeron) at shoulder level of the pilot. When C.G. Taylor saw the first specimen in this form, he ordered it to be undone to restore the typical outward appearance of a Taylorcraft machine. The designers did this by placing a plywood fitting on the upper Longeron. In the later military version L-2A, this "turtle hump" was then removed and replaced by a transparent cladding.

Variants
DC
65 hp (48 kW) Continental A65
DF
65 hp (48 kW) Franklin 4AC
DL
65 hp (48 kW) Lycoming O-145
Auster AOP Mk.I
130 hp (97 kW) Cirrus Major.
Auster AOP Mk.II
130 hp (97 kW) Cirrus Major.
Auster AOP Mk.III
130 hp (97 kW) Cirrus Major.
Auster AOP Mk.IV
125 hp (93 kW) Lycoming O-290.
Auster AOP Mk.V
125 hp (93 kW) Lycoming O-290.
O-57
Original designation, re-designated as L-2 in the Liaison series.
L-2
L-2A with open cowling, L-2M with closed cowling.

As of April 2017, the aircraft is being produced in the U.S. under license from Team Rocket by Frazier Aviation of Indiana.

The F1 Rocket is a tandem two-seat low-wing cantilever monoplane built mainly in aluminum. The Rocket has a titanium fixed conventional landing gear with a tailwheel. Designed to be built with a range of nose-mounted engines between 235 and 350 hp (175 and 224 kW) the prototype has a Lycoming IO-540 with a three-bladed propeller.

The F1 has tandem seating for two with a rear-sliding canopy and a fixed windscreen. Tip up canopies are also used. The prototype first flew in the United States in November 2000 and by 2003 seven others had flown. By late 2017, over 130 had flown.

For details of the three variants, click here.

The Team Tango Foxtrot, or Foxtrot 4, is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed and produced by Team Tango of Williston, Florida. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction, with or without factory builder assistance.

The Foxtrot was developed as a four-seat version of the Tango 2 and shares many of the two-seater's features. The Foxtrot has a cantilever low-wing, a four-seat enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The rear seats have limited visibility.

The aircraft is made from composites. Its 32 ft (9.8 m) span wing employs a NACA 64-415 airfoil, has an area of 128 sq ft (11.9 m2) and mounts flaps. The engines recommended are Lycoming Engines of 200 to 350 hp (149 to 261 kW).

A development of the Foxtrot was the Foxtrot XR, an extended range variant, this aircraft having a fuel capacity of up to 833 litres (184 Imp gals), a useful load of between 726 kg and 1,043 kg (1,600 lb and 2,300 lb), and the ability to fly up to 3,701 km (2,300 miles) with two persons on board with their luggage, having a maximum take-off weight of up to 1,905 kg (4,200 lb).

The Tango 2 was developed from the 1983 Aero Mirage TC-2 design. The Tango 2 is a side-by-side two-seat composite aircraft that can be flying in as little as 1000 hours of build time. Current aircraft have been built with engines ranging from the 150 HP O-320 Lycoming to the Geared Drives 205 hp EcoTech 2.2 liter supercharged Cobalt SS power package, with the most popular the 180 hp IO-360 Lycoming. Cruise speeds run from 170 knots with the 150 hp/fixed pitch combo to 195 knots on a 200 hp Lycoming equipped with a constant speed prop. Both the fuselage and the main wing and horizontal spars are molded as single pieces for exceptional strength and ease of building. With the XR version it is possible to fly from coast to coast, non-stop, on a west-to-east route.

The design was further developed into a four-seat aircraft, the Team Tango Foxtrot.

Variants

Tango 2 Base model

Tango XR Extended range aircraft with 90 gallon wet wing fuel tanks.

The Tech Aero TR 200 is a French homebuilt aerobatic aircraft that was designed and produced by Tech Aero of Glisolles, first flown in August 1988. When it was available, the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

Designed as a trainer for the unlimited class, the TR 200 features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from wood. Its 7.42 m (24.3 ft) span wing has a wing area of 10.0 m2 (108 sq ft). The cabin width is 71 cm (28 in). The acceptable power range is 200 to 260 hp (149 to 194 kW) and the standard engine used is the 200 hp (149 kW) Lycoming AEIO-360 powerplant.

The TR 200 has a typical empty weight of 570 kg (1,260 lb) and a gross weight of 870 kg (1,920 lb), giving a useful load of 300 kg (660 lb). With full fuel of 160 litres (35 imp gal; 42 US gal) the payload for pilot, passenger and baggage is 186 kg (410 lb).

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 200 hp (149 kW) engine is 400 m (1,312 ft) and the landing roll is 450 m (1,476 ft).

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 800 hours.

In January 1993 the construction of two prototypes of the SM-92 Finist (a magical bird that was transformed into a Prince) commenced, the first (RA-44482) flying on 28 December 1991.  Another (RA-44484) commenced a round-the-world sales flight through Europe, Canada, Alaska and Siberia in August 1995, covering 30,000 km (18,640 miles) in 160 flying hours.  A few variants were proposed, including the SM-92P armed version, the first of which (RA-44493) was first flown in August 1995.  This model was aimed particularly at the border patrol role, and, fitted with armament, a number were supplied to the Russian Federal Border Service.

Consideration was also given to production by Aerostar SA in Romania, and assembly in Canada.  A variant fitted with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 turboprop was also proposed.  The first production aircraft (RA-44485) was delivered to an operator in the United Kingdom in 1995.  The type was also built in the Czech Republic by Zlin as the Z-400 Rhino and it would appear this was where later production aircraft emanated.

The Finist was in the class of the DHC-2 Beaver but had less power and its purchase cost was less than that of a second-hand Beaver. Construction was all-aluminium, stressed skin monocoque, the design being aimed at the market where repairs would be possible under field conditions, and also to replace Beavers.  The airframe hds a life of 10,000 hours or 20,000 landings.

 Undercarriage was non-retractable tailwheel.  Four-section, three-position Fowler flaps were installed.

Initial production commenced at the facility of the Smolensk Aircraft Factory, the designer being Slava Kondratiev, who was also involved in the design of the Yak 55, and Sukhoi Su-26, Su-29 and Su-31.  The type was designed and built to FAR 23 and JAR 23.  The basic aircraft was fitted out to take a pilot and six passengers but could quickly be converted to carry six parachutists, or 600 kg (1,323 lb) of freight, or be used as an air-ambulance or crop sprayer.  In the latter role it could be fitted with a hopper to carry 600 kg (1,323 lb) of agricultural chemicals.  A variant fitted with floats was also proposed.  Other roles included forest surveillance, patrolling electric power lines, gas pipeline inspection etc.

In 2002 an example of the Finist (the second prototype – RA-44484 – c/n 00 003), arrived in Australia flown by two Russian pilots on a round-the-world tour.  The aircraft was placed on display at the Airshows Downunder event at Avalon, VIC and was subsequently seen at many venues around the country, eventually in 2003 being noted as based at Archerfield, QLD where it had “www.flyingfighters.com.au” painted on the side of the fuselage, advertising a local aviation museum.  It later remained in Australia and was regularly seen at venues along the east coast.  It was noted at Gympie, QLD and was used for sky diving operations.  However, it was eventually exported to Spain where it became HA-NAH on 10 February 2007 and commenced operations with Skydive Spain.

In more recent times a new variant of the Finist, known as the SMG-92 Turboprop Finist, has been made available.  This aircraft is fitted with the Walter M.601D-2 reverse flow free-driving turbine producing 537 kw (721 shp).  This Finist was originally built by the Smolensk Aircraft Factory, being initially flown with an M-14P radial engine.  A military variant known as the SM-92P was produced with rocket launchers, two machine-guns fitted to the lower fuselage, and another mounted in the doorway.

It is believed five development aircraft and 10 production aircraft were built before production was suspended. The prototype was later converted to the Turbo Finist.  When the turbine was fitted the aircraft was taken to Aerotech in Slovakia where it became HA-YDF.  Initial turbine fitted was the M.601D-2 providing 400 kw (536 shp) and first flew on 7 November 2000.  Thereafter six early production aircraft were converted to turbine power and a number were used for parachuting duties.  A decision was then made, as mentioned, to build the type in the Czech Republic as the Zlin Z-410 Rhino with a 360 kw (485 shp) Orenda OE600 V-8 diesel engine but only one aircraft was fitted with this engine by Moravan Otrokovice in the Czech Republic.

Other engines have been fitted at various times, including the Pratt & Whitney PT-6A and Allison 250.  The type has also been operated on wheeled undercarriages, floats, amphibious floats and skis.  It has been used for military and civil air survey, scientific work, air-sea rescue, air-taxi, medevac, glider towing and crop spraying. No further examples are known to have visited this region.

Variants
SM92 Finist
Basic version, powered by 270 kW (360 hp) Vedeneyev M14P radial engine.
SM92P Finist
Armed version for Border guard duties. Two fixed forward firing PK machine guns and one inside cabin firing through open cabin doors and two rocket launchers.
SM-92T Turbo Finist
Version powered by Walter M601 turboprop engine. One prototype converted.

SMG-92 Turbine Finist
Walter M601 powered version built in Slovakia by Aerotech Slovakia for use in skydiving. At least six converted.
Zlin Z400
Version powered by Orenda OE600 V-8 engine, planned to be built by Moravan Otrokovice in the Czech Republic. One built.
Orbis Avia SM-92T
SM-92T built by Czech aircraft manufacturer Orbis Avia. One built 2015, fitted with 560 kW (750 hp) GE H75 turboprop in 2017.

The Tecnam P-Mentor is an Italian light aircraft, intended for flight training, designed and produced by Tecnam of Casoria. It was introduced in April 2022 and is EASA CS-23 type certified in Europe.

The design was first unveiled at AERO Friedrichshafen 2022.

The P-Mentor was designed to comply with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency EASA CS-23 regulations for certified light aircraft. It was EASA CS-23 certified on 7 April 2022.

The design features a cantilever low-wing, two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration, driving a two-bladed variable pitch propeller.

The aircraft wing has a light alloy spar and wing box, with a carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer leading edge. The 9.0 m (29.5 ft) span wing is equipped with slotted flaps of 75% span, plus frise ailerons. The standard engine employed is the 75 kW (101 hp) Rotax 912iSc four-stroke certified powerplant.

The design uses a new tapered planform wing, employing a laminar flow airfoil, which meets the EASA CS-23 requirements for low speed handling and stall characteristics without a ballistic parachute, although a parachute is approved and available as a factory option.

The aircraft may be equipped for IFR flight. For training use it may be optionally equipped with a simulated retractable landing gear handle, although the landing gear does not actually retract.

The Tecnam 2010 is a four-seat, high wing, single engine light aircraft of mixed metal and carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer construction. Designed and built in Italy, it was first presented in public in April 2011.

The Tecnam P2010 is a larger, four seat relative of the Tecnam P2008 two seat braced high wing light aircraft. Both types have metal wings and tailplane on a composite fuselage with integrated fin.

The wing leading edge is straight except for some pinching at the root and the wing has constant chord on the inner section. Outboard, the trailing edge is tapered; the straight wing tips are slightly upturned. Ailerons span the outboard panels and the inner sections carry flaps. There is a single lift strut on each side, attached to the lower fuselage. The P2010 has a low set all-moving constant-chord tailplane with an anti-balance tab. The fin is swept and the rudder moves above the tailplane.

The P2010 is powered by a 135 kW (180 hp) Lycoming IO-360-M1A horizontally opposed four cylinder piston engine, with a 215 hp Lycoming IO-390 option available. The cabin seats the pilot and three passengers in two side-by-side rows, accessed by three doors. Its fixed tricycle undercarriage has spring cantilever main legs and a castoring nosewheel. All wheels have speed fairings.

The P2010 was first seen in public at AERO Friedrichshafen 2011 and first flew on 12 April 2012. The company initially planned to have US FAR Part 23 certification completed by November 2012 and said it would refund deposits if the aircraft was not certified by the end of 2014. European European Aviation Safety Agency certification was completed in September 2014, with American Federal Aviation Administration certification completed in December 2015.

For more details of the development of the P-2010, click here.

The Arctic Aircraft Arctic Tern (named after the bird) is a bush plane that was produced in small numbers in Alaska in the 1970s and 1980s. It is a strengthened and modernised version of the Interstate Cadet of the 1940s. It is a high-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. It has two seats in tandem, with the rear seat removable for added cargo carriage. It is also provided with a cargo loading door in the fuselage side to facilitate loading bulky items. Optional fittings included floats or skis in place of the wheeled undercarriage, and a ventral pod to carry extra cargo or fuel.

In 2007, the Interstate Aircraft company was planning a revised and updated Arctic Tern, with US FAA certification expected in the first half of the year.

The aircraft was originally designed as an open cockpit aircraft, powered by a military surplus Lycoming O-290G ground power unit engine, but evolved into a fully bubble canopied aircraft powered by engines of up to 200 hp (149 kW).

The T-18 was designed to be easily constructed from sheets of aluminum, and use the modified Lycoming O-290G powerplant. It was originally designed with an open cockpit and with the cylinder heads protruding through the engine cowling in the interest of simplicity. Even as originally designed, the cruising speed was quite high. The design showed great potential for higher performance and so modifications were created to install larger, cowled Lycoming engines and a bubble canopy. These modifications allow a T-18 with 125 hp (93 kW) to cruise at 160 mph (257 km/h) and higher-powered examples to cruise in excess of 200 mph (322 km/h). Some aircraft have been constructed with retractable landing gear.

These performance improvements made the T-18 one of the most popular homebuilt designs of the 1970s and early 1980s until the Van's Aircraft RV kitplane series came on the market.

For much more information, click here and here.

The Thruxton Jackaroo was designed as a four-seat cabin general purpose biplane, the original tandem two-seat Tiger Moth fuselage was widened to accommodate four-passengers. It was marketed as "the cheapest four-seat aircraft in the world".The first conversion first flew on 2 March 1957.[citation needed] Eighteen Tiger Moths were converted by Jackaroo Aircraft Limited between 1957 and 1959 and one aircraft was converted by Rollason's in 1960. The aircraft could be fitted with an optional crop spraying gear. One converted aircraft was further modified as a single-seat agricultural aircraft, but with little interest in the variant the aircraft was converted back to a Mk. 1.

Variants

Jackaroo Mk 1 Production cabin biplane with wooden canopy.

Jackaroo Mk 2 Single-seat Agricultural variant with either a hopper or 60-gal tank in place of the two front seats, one conversion.

Jackaroo Mk 3 Production cabin biplane with metal canopy and provision for brakes.

The Thurston Teal is a family of two- and four-seat all-aluminium amphibious aircraft designed by David Thurston in the United States and first flown in 1968.

A total of 38 Teals were manufactured.

The Teal design features a high wing with tip floats for lateral stability. The horizontally opposed engine is mounted tractor fashion in a strut-supported pylon above the wing root. The T-tail includes a water rudder and tailwheel that swings up against the bottom of the rudder. Conventional undercarriage includes flat, spring-steel main undercarriage legs that rotate aft for water landings. The aircraft was designed to be very rugged and simple, with manually operated flaps and landing gear. The conventional (taildragger) configuration was chosen to make beaching the aircraft more practical, with no nosewheel to be damaged when running up on shore. The aircraft may be left floating with the mainwheels extended, to act as fenders to the bottom.

Pilot and passenger sit side by side under a clear perspex canopy. Side windows slide up into opening overhead windows.

One unusual characteristic of the Teal design is that it cruises slightly faster with the landing gear in the down position than with it up. The Teal's wheels do not retract, but instead swing to the rear until the gear is horizontal and clear of the water. The drag produced having the landing gear stowed in the up position is higher than in the extended position, and this reduces cruise speed.

David B. Thurston established Thurston Aircraft Corporation at Sandford, Maine, in 1966 to produce a lightweight amphibian of his own design, which had the designation Thurston TSC-1A Teal.

First flown in 1968, production began after certification was gained in August 1969; the 16th and subsequent aircraft, which introduced some refinements, were designated TSC-1A1 Teal. In 1972 David Thurston joined the Schweizer Aircraft Corporation, which continued to build the Teal in the form of the TSC-1A2 Teal II before selling the production rights to the Teal Aircraft Corporation of Markham, Ontario, in early 1976. This last company built a developed TSC-1A3 Marlin before running out of financial steam in early 1979.

Before the Schweizer acquisition, Thurston had designed, in conjunction with an aviation magazine, a landplane version designated TSC-2 Explorer, and Marvin Patchen Inc., which financed this development, acquired the production rights for this aircraft, planning to build civil and law-enforcement versions as the Explorer and Observer respectively. Subsequently, Dr Maitland Reed's National Dynamics (Pty) Ltd of Durban, South Africa, acquired this project from Patchen, but later decided not to build either version of this aircraft.

Thurston Aircraft produced a total of 19, Schweizer built 12 and Teal Aircraft constructed seven.

For details of the 12 variants, click here.

T-51 kits are fabricated by Titan Aircraft Company at Austinburg, Ohio, in the United States and are being assembled and flown in several countries where they are popular with pilots and particularly with spectators at airshows. The aircraft has a wide range of handling abilities, from a stall speed of only 60 mph (97 km/h) to high performance up to 197 mph (317 km/h) and agility afforded by a +6g / -4g load limit capability.

Titan has a long history with building aircraft to be flown under ultralight regulations, (see Titan Tornado) and now including the FAA Light-sport Aircraft category.

Pilots choose whether they want to buy a kit which is fully complete and ready to assemble or a basic kit to which they add their own choices of propellers, engines, and instruments. Two versions are available: the experimental with retractable gear which must be flown by pilots with retractable gear experience and the amateur built fixed-landing-gear version which qualifies for the 1,200 lb (540 kg) and under weight category in New Zealand and Australia and can be flown by a sport pilot in the US.

The most frequently applied powerplant is either the Honda V-6 or the GM LS3. One builder also considered a Mazda Rotary engine due to its power-to-weight ratios. Several planes used a Suzuki V-6 engine.

The construction-to-flying time for the Titan T-51 is about 1400–1600 hours, longer if you have not experience.

Weights and performance are dependent on model and engine choice.

For the Titan T-51D page with more information, click here.