The Beecraft Queen Bee was an American V-tailed four-seat cabin monoplane, designed and built by Bee Aviation Associates (Beecraft), not to be  confused with Beechcraft.

The Queen Bee was an all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane powered by a Lycoming O-320-A1A flat-four piston engine. It had a V-tail and an electrically retractable tricycle landing gear. The canopy shared a similar shape as the Ryan Navion. The wings were outfitted with fiberglass tip tanks. A 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A-1-A was planned as an optional engine.

Only a prototype was built and the aircraft did not enter production. The Queen Bee prototype was destroyed when the original San Diego Aerospace Museum burned down in an arson attack in 1978.

They were a follow-up to the prewar Bellanca 14-7 and its derivatives.

The 14-13 retained the Bellanca 14-7's basic design, but featured an enlarged cabin, a horizontally opposed Franklin 6A4-335-B3 150 hp (112 kW) engine in place of the earlier models' Le Blond radial, and an oval vertical endplate on each horizontal stabiliser. This latter feature gained the type the affectionate nickname "cardboard Constellation", because the arrangement was similar to the contemporary Lockheed Constellation airliner.

Taking its name from the Bellanca tradition of identifying the series from the wing area in square feet, dropping the final digit, while the second number was the aircraft's horsepower, again dropping the final digit, the 14-13 did not quite fit the naming convention. The Bellanca 14-13 wing was constructed of wood, while the fuselage was welded steel-tube framework with a fabric covering.

The 14-13 was introduced in 1946; in its improved 14-13-3 version the aircraft remained in production until 1956.

A higher-performance design revision was granted FAA approval as the 14-19 Cruisemaster on September 26, 1949.[2] The new model featured structural upgrades, a 190 hp (142 kW) Lycoming O435-A engine, an increased gross weight of 2,600 lb (1,179 kg), hydraulically operated landing gear and flaps, and a deluxe interior. 99 of these airplanes were produced between 1949 and 1951. Externally, a near-look-alike to the earlier models, this version was distinguished by its larger, oval-shaped endplates.[3] All production ceased in 1956 as Bellanca wound up its operations.

The 14-19 design was revived by Northern Aircraft and granted FAA approval on January 7, 1957 as the 14-19-2 Cruisemaster. The new model featured a 230 hp (172 kW) Continental O-470K engine, an increased gross weight of 2,700 pounds, an updated instrument panel as well as new paint and upholstery schemes. A total of 104 of these aircraft were produced between 1957 and 1958.

The company was renamed Downer Aircraft in 1959. Inter-Air acquired the production rights in 1962 and was renamed as the Bellanca Sales Company, a subsidiary of Miller Flying Service. Further development of the design by Inter-Air resulted in the modernized Viking series introduced in 1962.

For operational hisory and details of the 9 variants, click here.

The Bellanca Aircruiser and Airbus were high-wing, single-engine aircraft built by Bellanca Aircraft Corporation of New Castle, Delaware. The aircraft was built as a "workhorse" intended for use as a passenger or cargo aircraft. It was available with wheels, floats or skis. The aircraft was powered by either a Wright Cyclone or Pratt and Whitney Hornet engine. The Airbus and Aircruiser served as both commercial and military transports.

The first Bellanca Airbus was built in 1930 as the P-100. An efficient design, it was capable of carrying 12 to 14 passengers depending on the cabin interior configuration, with later versions carrying up to 15. In 1931, test pilot George Haldeman flew the P-100 a distance of 4,400 miles in a time aloft of 35 hours. Although efficient, with a cost per mile figure of eight cents per mile calculated for that flight, the first Airbus did not sell due to its water-cooled engine.

The next model, the P-200 Airbus, was powered by a larger, more reliable air-cooled engine. One version (P-200-A) came with floats and operated as a ferry service in New York City, flying between Wall Street and the East River. Other versions included a P-200 Deluxe model, with custom interiors and seating for nine. The P-300 was designed to carry 15 passengers. The final model, the "Aircruiser," was the most efficient aircraft of its day, and would rank high amongst all aircraft designs. With a Wright Cyclone air-cooled supercharged radial engine rated at 715 hp, the Aircruiser could carry a useful load greater than its empty weight. In the mid-1930s, the Aircruiser could carry 4,000 lb payloads at a speed of between 145 and 155 mph, a performance that multi-engine Fokkers and Ford Trimotors could not come close to matching.

In 1934, United States federal regulations prohibited single-engine transports on United States airlines, virtually eliminating future markets for the Aircruiser. Where the workhorse capabilities of the Aircruiser stood out was in Canada. Several of "The Flying Ws", as it was commonly dubbed in Canada, were used in northern mining operations, ferrying ore, supplies and the occasional passenger, into the 1970s.

Variants

Airbus
Bellanca P
Commercial version of Bellanca K, powered by a 500 hp (370 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1860 Hornet.[2]
P-100 Airbus

14-passenger monoplane powered by a 600 hp (450 kW) Curtiss Conqueror engine, one built, later converted into a P-200.
P-200 Airbus
12-passenger monoplane, nine built and one converted from P-100.
P-300 Airbus
15-seater monoplane powered by a Wright R-1820 Cyclone engine.

Y1C-27
United States Army Air Corps designation for four P-200 Airbuses powered by 550 hp (410 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1860 Hornet B engine. All later converted to C-27C.
C-27A Airbus
Production version of the Y1C-27 powered by a 650 hp (480 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1860 Hornet B engine, ten built. One converted to a C-27B the rest converted to C-27Cs.
C-27B Airbus
One C-27A re-engined with a 675 hp (503 kW) Wright R-1820-17 Cyclone engine.
C-27C Airbus
Four Y1C-27s and nine of the C-27A re-engined with a 750 hp (560 kW) Wright R-1820-25 Cyclone engine.

Aircruiser
Aircruiser 66-67
Improved structure modified from a P-200 with a 675 hp (503 kW) Wright SR-1820 Cyclone engine
Aircruiser 66-70 (Specifications below)
An Aircruiser with a 710 hp (530 kW) Wright SGR-1820 Cyclone engine, five built - exported to Canada.
Aircruiser 66-75
An Aircruiser with a 730 hp (540 kW) Wright Cyclone engine, three built.
Aircruiser 66-76
A cargo-version of the Aircruiser with a 760 hp (570 kW) Wright Cyclone.
Aircruiser 66-80
An Aircruiser with an 850 hp (630 kW) Wright Cyclone engine.

The Bellanca CH-400 Skyrocket is a six-seat utility aircraft built in the United States in the 1930s, a continuation of the design lineage that had started with the Bellanca WB-2. Retaining the same basic airframe of the preceding CH-200 and CH-300, the CH-400 was fitted with a more powerful Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine.

Three examples were purchased by the U.S. Navy under the designation RE. Two were used for radio research, and one as an air ambulance for the U.S. Marine Corps. This latter aircraft was reconfigured to carry two stretchers.

The aircraft was also available in a deluxe version for private pilot owners, fitted with a more powerful Wasp variant providing 450 hp (336 kW) and detail enhancements.

Two of these aircraft were purchased by the government of the Dominion of Newfoundland in 1937, and one later ended in private hands. NC10294 was changed to VO-BCD and NC13155 to VO-BDF.

Variants

CH-400 (Specifiations below)

Six-seat utility aircraft., powered by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial piston engine.
XRE-1
One aircraft used for radio research work at Naval Air Station Anacostia.
XRE-2
One light transport aircraft for the US Navy.
XRE-3
One two-stretcher air ambulance aircraft for the US Marine Corps.

The Bellanca T-250 Aries was a light airplane built in the United States in the early 1970s, which achieved only limited production. Designed by Marvin Greenwood in Texas while his company, Anderson-Greenwood, owned the Bellanca name, it was offered as a Bellanca product. It was a conventional low-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle undercarriage and a high T-tail. Federal Aviation Administration type certification was obtained on 28 July 1976.

Number built    5

The aircraft developed through modifications of classic designs by the aviation pioneer Giuseppe Bellanca. A total of 1,356 Vikings have been produced with most production between 1968 and 1975 (1019 planes).

The Viking is a derivative of the Bellanca Cruisair, a retractable gear taildragger with two extra vertical fins on the tips of the horizontal stabilizer. The 14-13 Cruisair series was developed into the larger, more powerful 14-19 Cruisemaster in the early 1950s. After the original Bellanca company went out of business, Downer Aircraft took over the type certificate and built the 14-19-2 Cruisemaster by mating the airframe with a Continental O-470 of 230 hp. In 1958, Downer redesigned the airplane with a nosewheel and fuel injected IO-470 of 260 hp, and redesignated it the 260. The 14-19-3 260 retained the wire-braced triple tail into the 1962 model year. After that year the triple tail design was modified to a single tail with the same aggregate surface area, and manufactured as the Model 260A. The later Vikings retain the oversized vertical fin that contributes to the distinctive flying characteristics of the aircraft. The Viking model was born out of discussions at Downer for a bigger version of the "Model 260" with at least 300 horsepower. The company was based in Minnesota and employed skilled craftsman who manufactured the wing from spruce and the new 300 hp model was named the "Viking" in respect to the many Scandinavians of the area.

Specifications below are for the 1976 17-30A Super Viking 300A model.

For more details of the development and design, and the six variants of the Viking, click here.

The Berkut 360 is a tandem-seating, two-seat homebuilt canard aircraft with pusher configuration and retractable landing gear, built primarily of carbon fiber and fiberglass.

The Berkut 360 is featured in the 2010 movie Kill Speed (Fast Glass).

The prototype Berkut was designed and built by Dave H. Ronneberg as part of a business partnership between Ronneberg and Donald S. Murphy, called Experimental Aviation, that lasted from 1989 to 1992.

In 1992 the partnership dissolved and Ronneberg, incorporating as Experimental Aviation, Inc., brought the aircraft to market as a kit, while Murphy wanted to shelve the project entirely. A subsequent series of lawsuits between the two resulted in bankruptcy for Ronneberg and Murphy as individuals and for Experimental Aviation as a corporation. The kit was resurrected in 1996 by Richard Riley and Renaissance Composites, with Ronneberg working as a consultant.

The Berkut is derived from the Rutan Long-EZ, with the primary differences being retractable main landing gear, dual canopies, and molded fuselage, strakes, and wing spar. Like the Long EZ, the Berkut carries two people in a tandem seating arrangement. The front seat occupant has access to all instrumentation and controls. The rear seat, normally holding the passenger, is equipped with a side stick and throttle, but no rudder pedals, brakes, or instruments. Aerodynamic optimizations to the original Long-EZ airframe were made to increase performance and interior space. The fuselage was stretched and the nose, canard, instrument panel and pilot moved forward one foot (300 mm), to allow a heavier engine to be used in the rear. The main wing trailing edge was straightened, removing a small bend in the trailing edge of the Long EZ wing. The lower winglet was removed and the aileron size increased in both chord and span, significantly increasing roll rate.

Early Berkuts used wings and canard that were structurally similar to the Long-EZ and used solid blue 2 lb/cu. ft. density Dow STYROFOAM PI cores cut to shape with a hot-wire foam cutter, but with carbon fiber reinforced polymer skins instead of fiberglass. The fuselage and winglets remained fiberglass. Later versions (kits produced after spring 1999) used fully molded carbon fiber canards and wings with high density, 5 lb/cu. ft. 1/4" thick PVC or SAN foam cores, leaving only minor fairings and tip surfaces to be carved from foam. The Berkut has always used the Roncz 1145MS canard airfoil, which is more tolerant of insect and rain contamination than the GU 25-5(11)8 airfoil originally used on the Long-EZ.

The Berkut used a retractable main (rear) landing gear system designed by Shirl Dickey for his E-Racer homebuilt. Originally, Berkut used gear parts produced by Dickey, but over time they were repeatedly re-engineered and strengthened. Later kits had gear components produced entirely in-house. Like the earlier Vari-Eze and Long EZ, the Berkut kneels with its nose gear retracted to prevent the aircraft from tipping over backwards when parked without a pilot in the front seat. Some early Berkuts utilized hydraulic nose-gear extension systems, but most have used an electro-mechanical jack-screw. With the electric system, the pilot and passenger can climb into the cockpit, then extend the nose gear, raising the airplane with occupants inside.

For more details of development, configuration, selected accidents and variants, click here.

The Blume Bl.500, Bl.502, and Bl.503 were a family of four-seat light aircraft designed in West Germany by Dr Walter Blume in the late 1950s.

Derived from his Arado Ar 79, the basic design shared by all models was that of a conventional low-wing cantilever monoplane with retractable tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. The Bl.500 prototype was built for Blume at the Focke-Wulf plant and was powered by a Lycoming O-320 engine of 112 kW (150 hp). This led to a modified version, the Bl.502 that achieved German type certification and was offered for sale alongside the generally similar Bl.503 with a more powerful engine. However, no orders were forthcoming and Blume abandoned the project.

The final example of the design, the Blume Bl.503 was still active in 1965.

Variants
Bl.500
prototype
Bl.502
intended production version with Lycoming O-320
Bl.503
proposed production version with Lycoming O-360. A single example was completed.

 Stearman Aircraft became a subsidiary of Boeing in 1934. Widely known as the Stearman, Boeing Stearman or Kaydet, it served as a primary trainer for the United States Army Air Forces, the United States Navy (as the NS and N2S), and with the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Kaydet throughout World War II. After the conflict was over, thousands of surplus aircraft were sold on the civilian market. In the immediate postwar years they became popular as crop dusters, sports planes, and for aerobatic and wing walking use in air shows.

The Kaydet was a conventional biplane of rugged construction with a large, fixed tailwheel undercarriage, and accommodation for the student and instructor in open cockpits in tandem. The radial engine was usually uncowled, although some Stearman operators choose to cowl the engine, most notably the Red Baron Stearman Squadron.

After World War II, thousands of surplus PT-17s were auctioned off to civilians and former military pilots. Many were modified for cropdusting use, with a hopper for pesticide or fertilizer fitted in place of the front cockpit. Additional equipment included pumps, spray bars, and nozzles mounted below the lower wings. A popular approved modification to increase the maximum takeoff weight and climb performance involved fitting a larger Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior engine and a constant-speed propeller.

There are a large number of variants and sub-variants.For details, click here.

Specifications below are for the PT-17 variant.

The Boisavia B.60 Mercurey was a series of four-seat light aircraft developed in France shortly after World War II.

The Mercurey was a conventional high-wing braced monoplane with fixed tailwheel undercarriage. It was built in small numbers and found use in the normal general aviation roles of tourer, trainer, agricultural aircraft, and glider tug.

Variants

B.60 Mercurey
3 prototypes powered by 100 kW (140 hp) Renault 4Pei engine
B.601 Mercurey
Powered by a 140 kW (190 hp) Avco Lycoming O-435-1 engine;three built.
B.601L Mercurey
Main production version, equipped with an 130 kW (180 hp) Avco Lycoming O-360-A engine;twenty-seven built.
B.602 Mercurey
Powered by a 123 kW (165 hp) Continental E165-4 engine;two built.
B.602A
1x 159 kW (213 hp) Continental O-470-11
B.603 Mercurey Special
Glider tug version, powered by a 180 kW (240 hp) Salmson 8 As engine (Argus As 10);five built.
B.604 Mercurey II
Dedicated glider tug with lengthened fuselage, powered by a 170 kW (230 hp) Salmson 9ABc radial piston engine;one built).
B.605 Mercurey
Similar to the B.60, powered by a 130 kW (170 hp) Régnier 4LO2 (SNECMA 4L-02) engine;four built.
B.606 Mercurey
130 kW (170 hp) Régnier 4LO20 (SNECMA 4L-00) engine;one built.

The Boulton & Paul P.9 was a British single-engined two-seat biplane aircraft built by Boulton & Paul Ltd.

The P.9 was an enlarged development of the P.6 single-engined biplane, with a 6 ft (1.8 m) longer fuselage and a 2 ft 6 in (0.76 m) increase in span. It used the same 90 hp (67 kW) RAF 1 V-8 engine as the P.6 but with an increased fuel capacity. The wings and fuselage were constructed of wood with fabric covering.

The first order was from A.L. Long for use on a sheep station in Australia and the first aircraft was delivered to Australia where it was used on newspaper delivery flights. On 17 December 1919, it made the first flight across the Bass Strait between Tasmania and the mainland. Minor changes were then made to production aircraft, including a compartment behind the cockpit to carry two specially-built suitcases. Although the aircraft was offered at £700, with an old but still commonly available engine, it failed to compete with war-surplus military aircraft and only eight aircraft were built, including three that went to Australia.

The Cherry is a low wing monoplane. It has a wood-framed fuselage and wings with wooden spars, styrofoam cores and glass fibre covering. The inner sections of the wings have constant chord and carry flaps; the outer sections are straight tapered with ailerons. The wings can be removed rapidly for transport. The tail surfaces are straight tapered and the stabilator is fitted with a full-span anti-servo tab.

The Cherry seats two, in side-by-side configuration under a large, almost fully transparent, forward sliding canopy. It has a retractable tricycle undercarriage, with simple, outward folding main legs. A conventional undercarriage is an option.

The prototype was powered by a 65 hp (49 kW) Continental A65 flat four engine. Since then Cherrys have used flat fours with powers of up to 100 hp (75 kW), including some from the Continental range, the Volkswagen derived Limbach L.2400 and the Rotax 912. Also the flat 2-cylinder motorcycle derived BMW R1200GS has been used.

The prototype Cherry, HB-YBX flew around Europe for 25 years; in 2009 it crashed after take-off from Sundsvall-Härnösand Airport in Sweden, killing both Dani Gerwer and its designer Max Brändli,

The Alfa is a low-wing monoplane made from aluminium, with some composite parts, powered by a 110 hp (82 kW) VW-Porsche HB-2400 G/2 flat-four engine driving a five-bladed variable-pitch propeller. It was designed to take a number of different engines and to use two, three or five-bladed propellers. The five-bladed propeller turns at just 1500 rpm and is noted for its quietness in flight, producing only 57 dBA. The 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS and the turbocharged 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 powerplants can also be used. The Alfa has room for two in side-by-side seats in an enclosed cockpit with a sliding canopy for entry.

The first aircraft to fly was a retractable tricycle landing gear variant, the HB-207RG. on 14 March 1995.

Fixed gear, three blade

Fixed gear, five blade

Retractable, three blade

Retractable, five bladed

The Bristol Tourer was a British civil utility biplane produced in the years following the First World War, using as much as possible from the design of the Bristol Fighter aircraft. Bristol Tourers were delivered with a variety of engines, subject to availability and customer desires; these included the Rolls-Royce Falcon, Siddeley Puma, Hispano-Suiza 8, and Wolseley Viper. Many Tourers were fitted with a canopy to cover the one or two passenger seats in the rear cockpit, giving the type its original name of Coupé. The pilot's cockpit, however, remained open.

Bristol Tourers operated by Western Australian Airways made the first scheduled airline services in Australia, commencing on 4 December 1921 between Perth and Geraldton.

Details of the nine Tourers which served in Australia can be found here.

Variants

Type 27
First Tourers for the British Controller of Civil Aviation, fitted with Rolls-Royce Falcon engines and dual controls (3 built)
Type 28
Similar to Type 27 with canopy for rear seat (Specifications below)
Type 29
Siddeley Puma-engined version for Bristol as company transport (2 built)
Type 45 "Scandinavian Tourer"
Similar to Type 29 with ski undercarriage.
Type 47
Three-seat version with open rear cockpit.
Type 48
Similar to Type 47 but built as floatplane.
Type 81 "Puma Trainer"
Similar to Type 29 modified as trainer (1 converted, 4 newly built)
Type 81A
Similar to Type 81 with revised undercarriage and empennage for Greek military (6 built)
Type 86 "Greek Tourer"
Similar to original Bristol Fighter and able to be armed for Greek Air Force (6 built)
Type 86A
Three-seat version of Type 86.
Type 88 "Bulgarian Tourer"
Powered by Wolseley Viper for Bulgarian Post Office, two aircraft were delivered in April 1924.
Type 88A "Improved Bulgarian Tourer"
With various modifications, three aircraft delivered in 1926.

The B.A. Eagle was a light aircraft manufactured in the United Kingdom during the 1930s. It was a three-seat low-wing monoplane built by the "British Klemm Aeroplane Company" (which later became known as the British Aircraft Manufacturing Co.) Production was limited, with 43 aircraft built.

The British Klemm Aeroplane Company developed the B.K.1 Eagle, a three-seat light aircraft as a follow-up to the British Klemm Swallow, its licensed copy of the Klemm L.25. While similar to the Klemm Kl 32, it was an entirely independent design by G. Handasyde, the chief designer of British Klemm, first flying in early 1934. The Eagle was a low-wing wooden monoplane with a retractable undercarriage. It had an enclosed cabin for the pilot and two passengers. Six of this initial version of the Eagle were built.

As was the case with the Swallow, a revised version was introduced in 1935 when British Klemm was renamed the British Aircraft Manufacturing Co. This version, the B.A. Eagle II had a revised rudder and a deepened rear fuselage. A total of 37 Eagle IIs were built, including a single example fitted with a fixed undercarriage.

Eagles were mainly sold to private owners, with a few also being used by flying clubs or as executive transports. In India, the Nawab of Sachin operated an Eagle as his personal aircraft. Eagles were also used for air racing, with several being entered into the King's Cup Races between 1935 and 1937. Single examples were also entered into the MacRobertson Air Race of 1934 between Britain and Australia and the 1936 Schlesinger Race between England and South Africa. Neither aircraft completed the races.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, seven Eagles were pressed into RAF service in the UK, with two in Australia and one in Kenya, but the undercarriages proved vulnerable in RAF service, with most airframes being written off due to undercarriage failure. Two aircraft survived the war to be flown by civil owners in Australia.

Variants

B.K. Eagle
Initial production version, six built.
B.A. Eagle 2
Revised production version with modified structure, 37 built.

The B.A Swallow was a British light aircraft of the 1930s. It was a license-built version by the British Klemm Aeroplane Company (which later became known as the British Aircraft Manufacturing Co.) of the German Klemm L.25. A total of 135 were built.

The German aircraft manufacturer Klemm developed a successful low-powered light aeroplane, the Klemm L.25, which first flew in 1927, of which over 600 were produced. Several were sold to British owners, where they proved popular, so the British dealer for the L.25, Major E.F Stephen, set up the "British Klemm Aeroplane Company" at London Air Park, Hanworth, Middlesex to produce a version of the L.25 under license.

The prototype of the licensed version, known as the B.K. Swallow, first flew at Hanworth in November 1933. It was an all-wooden cantilever monoplane, with tandem cockpits accommodating two persons, and was powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Salmson 9 or 85 hp (63 kW) Pobjoy Cataract radial engine. It differed from the German original with its more powerful engines and local strengthening to meet British airworthiness requirements.

In 1935 a revised version of the Swallow was introduced, with the curved wing tips, rudder and tailplane inherited from the Klemm original being made straight and with revised fuselage top decking. At this time the company changed its name to the British Aircraft Manufacturing Co., so the revised version was known as the B.A Swallow II. Swallow IIs were produced powered either by the Cataract or the Cirrus Minor inline engine, production continuing until 1938, with a total of 107 Swallow IIs produced, following on from the 28 Swallows I.

The Swallow, which proved to be robust, was popular in service. The majority were sold to private owners or flying schools within the United Kingdom. At the outbreak of the Second World War, many were taken by the Military, most being issued to the Air Training Corps for use as instructional airframes.

One Swallow was impressed into RNZAF service in September 1939 and was used as a communications aircraft from September 1939 to April 1940.

Variants
B.K. Swallow
Initial production version, powered by 70 hp (52 kW) British-Salmson A.D.9R or 90 hp (67 kW) Pobjoy Cataract II engines, 28 built (six with Salmson engine).
B.A. Swallow II
Revised production version, with modified structure to simplify production, powered by 90 hp (67 kW) Pobjoy Cataract II engine or 90 hp (67 kW) Blackburn Cirrus Minor, 107 built (60 with Cataract, 47 with Cirrus).

The aircraft was designed by Milan Bristela and is produced by BRM Aero. It is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft.

The aircraft was designed to comply with both European microlight rules and also the US light-sport aircraft regulations, by using different versions for each regulatory environment.

The aircraft is made from aluminium and features a 130 cm (51 in) wide cabin at the shoulder, with a bubble canopy over the cockpit. The wings feature flaps. The standard engine is a 60 kW (80 hp) Rotax 912UL, with the 75 kW (101 hp) Rotax 912ULS, the 71 kW (95 hp) ULPower UL260i/iS and the 88 kW (118 hp) ULPower UL350iS powerplants optional. The 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914, 85 hp (63 kW) Jabiru 2200 and 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 are also available. Other engines are planned, particularly for the United States market. The aircraft has a notably high useful load of 279 kg (615 lb). The original landing gear is of tricycle configuration, but a retactable model,(Bristell RG) and a conventional landing gear model (Bristell TDO) have been added to the range.

After 42 examples had been completed the aircraft was introduced into the US market in September 2011 at the AOPA Summit.

Variants

Bristell NG 5 UL

Base ultralight model with an 8.13 m (26.7 ft) wingspan and a gross weight of 472.5 kg (1,042 lb)

Bristell NG 5 HD

Heavy duty model with an 8.13 m (26.7 ft) wingspan, heavier duty wing spars and a gross weight of 600 kg (1,323 lb).

Bristell NG 5 LSA

Model for the US light-sport aircraft category with an 9.13 m (30.0 ft) wingspan and a gross weight of 600 kg (1,323 lb).

Bristell NG 5 RG

Rectractable gear model with an 9.13 m (30.0 ft) wingspan and a gross weight of 600 kg (1,323 lb).

Bristell NG5 TDO

Conventional gear model with an 8.13 m (26.7 ft) wingspan, heavier duty wing spars and a gross weight of 600 kg (1,323 lb).

For more details of all models, click here for the Bristell website home page.

Specifications below are for the NG5 HD model.

Bristell RG

Bristell TDO

The Brunner-Winkle Bird was a three-seat taxi and joy-riding aircraft produced in the US from 1928 to 1931.

The Model A version was powered by the ubiquitous Curtiss OX-5, and featured a welded steel-tube truss fuselage with metal and fabric skinning. The wings, constructed of Spruce and plywood were also covered with metal and fabric skinning. The Model A had a reasonable performance for an OX-5 powered aircraft. The Model A's ease of handling led to its entry into the 1929 Guggenheim Safety Airplane contest, where it was awarded the highest ratings for a standard production aircraft.

The Model A was awarded Group 2 approval no 2-33 in January 1929 for the first nine aircraft serial no. 1000 to 1008. Aircraft serial no. 1009 upwards were manufactured under Air Transport Certificate no. 101.

The Model B followed on from the initial Bird design and was fitted with the uncowled Kinner radial engine. Production aircraft were designated BK.

Number built    ca. 240. For details of the 11 variants, click here.

The Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann (freshman, young man) is a basic biplane trainer aircraft designed and produced by the German aircraft manufacturer Bücker Flugzeugbau. It was the company's first aircraft, as well as being the final biplane to be produced in Germany.

On 27 April 1934, the first prototype Bü 131 performed its maiden flight, which was roughly two years after the company had been founded in Berlin-Johannisthal by Carl Bücker. Anders J. Andersson had led the aircraft's design effort. Comprising both metal and wooden construction, the Bü 131 was designed to be suitable in the trainer role, and even to perform aerobatic manoeuvres. The first deliveries of the Bü 131 occurred in 1934, the Deutscher Luftsportverband (DLV) being a key early customer for the type. Later on, the Bü 131B was selected as the primary basic trainer for the German Luftwaffe. In this capacity, it was operated in large numbers throughout the Second World War.

Throughout the 1930s, there had been substantial demand for the Bü 131, multiple large export orders and production licenses were issued as a result. The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was the largest pre-war export customer for the type, flying as many as 400 Bü 131s at one point. Hundreds were produced locally by the Spanish aircraft company Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). In excess of 1,300 Bü 131s were operated by the military air services of Imperial Japan under local designations of Kokusai Ki-86 and Kyūshū K9W Momoji. The Bü 131 remained operation with numerous air forces for decades after the conflict, some choosing to retain the type through to the late 1960s. It has proved to be a relatively popular biplane with private pilots, who have often elected to have their aircraft refitted with modern engines for increased performance.

The origins of the Bü 131 can be traced back to the work of one man, Carl Bücker. After serving in the Kaiserliche Marine during the First World War, Bücker relocated to Sweden and became the managing director of Svenska Aero AB (Not to be confused with Svenska Aeroplan AB, SAAB). He later returned to Germany with Anders J. Andersson, a young designer from SAAB, and founded a new company, Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH, in Berlin-Johannisthal during 1932. From the onset, Anderson headed up the company's design team,[note 2] and immediately set about developing the company's first aircraft, out of the efforts for which ultimately emerged the Bü 131.

The aircraft was designed to be suitable for aerobatic manoeuvres and training activities. It featured numerous conventional features for such aircraft at that time, being a biplane with two open cockpits in tandem along with fixed landing gear. Both the upper and lower wings were broadly identical in terms of design, to the extent that they could be readily interchanged with on another. Accordingly, all of the wings, which had an 11 degree sweep back and positive stagger, were equipped with ailerons. The wings had a structure largely composed of I-section wooden spars along with a fabric covering.

The fuselage of the Bü 131 comprised a structure of welded steel tubing, the covering of which was metal for the front section and fabric around the rear section. Both fuel and oil were accommodated in tanks within the fuselage. Hinged to the side of the fuselage was the twin main legs of the undercarriage, which were furnished with both spring and oil-based shock absorbers, while a spring tailwheel was also present on the underside of the aft fuselage. The mainwheels were outfitted with balloon tyres and brakes.

For more details of development, operational history and 13 variants, click here.

The Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann was a two-seater, single-engine aerobatic monoplane aircraft built by Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH in Rangsdorf, near Berlin and extensively used by the Luftwaffe in World War II.

The Bücker Bü 181 was named Bestmann after a German maritime term designating a member of the deck crew on coastal or fishing vessels. The prototype Bü 181 (D-ERBV) made its maiden flight in February 1939 with Chief Pilot Arthur Benitz at the controls. After thorough works and official flight testing by the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) the Bü 181 was nominated to be the standard primary trainer for the Luftwaffe. Series production of the Bü 181 commenced in 1940. The production types were designated B to C with only slight variations between each, and could be powered by the Hirth HM 500 A or B.

The Bü 181 aircraft was a single-engine low-wing monoplane with fixed undercarriage, split flap, twin controls and two adjustable seats arranged side-by-side. The cabin section of the fuselage was of a tubular steel frame construction whereas the rear of the fuselage had a wooden shell. The wing assembly and tail unit were also of wooden shell construction. All the rudders, elevators and ailerons had wooden ribs and are covered in fabric. The flaps were metallic on the B types and wood on the C types. The Bü 181 Bestmann was powered by a 78 kW (105 hp) four-cylinder Hirth HM 500A or B piston engine. The aircraft was designed for training flights, pleasure trips and aerobatics. Its strength corresponded to Stress Group 5 with a limited load (single occupancy) and Stress Group 4 fully laden.

A Bücker Bü 181 'Bestmann' was used in the movie The Great Escape. It was flown in the movie by James Garner with Donald Pleasence as his passenger.

For more information on the production, service and 18 variants, click here.

The Buethe Barracuda is an American two-seat cabin monoplane designed by William Buethe and sold as plans or kits for amateur construction.

The prototype Barracuda first flew on 29 June 1975, it is an all-wood, low-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear. The enclosed cabin has side-by-side configuration seating for two with dual controls. The prototype was powered by a 250 hp (186 kW) Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 engine but it was designed to take engines between 150 and 300 hp (112-234 kW).

The Buhl AirSedan was a family of American civil cabin sesquiplane aircraft developed and manufactured by the Buhl Aircraft Company in the late 1920s. One example completed the first transcontinental non-stop roundtrip flight, made in 1929 by the CA-6 Spokane Sun-God, and the first Pope to have flown did so in a Buhl Airsedan.

The Airsedan series were designed by Etienne Dormoy following the departure of Alfred V. Verville from Buhl, with whom he had worked previously. Dormoy had worked with Deperdussin before World War I, flew combat operations during the war before returning to work with SPAD, travelled to the US to coordinate production of SPADs with Curtiss until the project was cancelled with the end of the war. He then worked with Packard on automobiles for a year in 1919 before working as a civilian with the United States Army Air Corps with Verville, who convinced him to work at Buhl. As a Frenchman, he was familiar with the advantages of the sesquiplane concept as it was a popular configuration in France, such as with the Breguet 26T airliner, but rare in the US.

The fuselage framework, lower wing and empennage were welded chromium-molybdenum alloy steel tubes faired with wooden battens, with the lower wing integral with the fuselage structure. The upper wings were built around spruce spars, with built up ribs made from spruce and plywood. The entire airframe was covered with doped aircraft-grade fabric. To reduce control forces, projecting aerodynamic balance horns on rudder and elevators, while inset aerodynamic horns were used on the ailerons, which were fitted to the upper wing only. To provide trim control, the rudder was ground adjustable while the elevators could be adjustable in flight. Depending on the models, three different designs of lower wings were used - either constant chord with reversed N struts on the CA-5, a triangular wing with a vee strut on the CA-3, CA-6 and CA-8, or a constant chord wing with two rigged struts, on Canadian built CA-6Ms. All were conventional sesquiplanes with fully enclosed cockpits, fitted with dual controls in front of a passenger cabin. The number in the designation generally referred to the number of occupants as originally designed, with a larger number of seats corresponding to a larger airframe. The first variant built was the CA-5, while later variants had a much slimmer fuselage, a greatly improved windscreen design and a modified cockpit. The CA-5 had the undercarriage legs connected to the fuselage, and part way out from the fuselage, on the lower wing. The CA-3 had the undercarriage mounted solely to the fuselage, while the CA-6 and CA-8 had additional bracing struts from the top of the fuselage to the lower wing which allowed the undercarriage track to be widened. Buhl asserted that its undercarriage design reduced camber changes during landing, and the tendency to yaw due to bumpy ground. The CA-6 was certified to use Edo J-5300 floats.

Canadian production.

After Buhl had ceased operations in 1932 due to declining sales as the Great Depression deepened, the drawings and jigs were purchased by the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS) in Canada who then built four CA-6M's for use as fire spotting aircraft at their facility in Sault Ste. Marie between 1935 and 1937. These differed from the original aircraft in having Canadian Vickers floats, a new fin and rudder and larger lower wings. Due to the excessive weight of the Canadian-Vickers built floats, the first Ontario Provincial Air Service-built CA-6M refused to leave the water until given a more powerful 440 hp (330 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine.

For details of opertational history and 20 variants, click here.

Robert Bushby acquired the rights to the Long Midget Mustang in 1959 and four years later began development of a two-seat, side-by-side version. This eventually flew in 1966 and plans were made available soon thereafter. Rights to both the Midget Mustang and the Mustang II were sold to Mustang Aeronautics in 1992. A single engine in tractor configuration airplane, the Mustang II features cantilever low-wing, two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear, or, optionally, tricycle landing gear.

The aircraft is made from riveted sheet aluminum with a rounded turtle deck and flat sides and bottom skins. Its 24.2 ft (7.4 m) span wing employs a NACA 64A212 airfoil at the wing root, transitioning to a NACA 64A210 at the wingtip. Standard engines used include the 150 to 160 hp (112 to 119 kW) Lycoming O-320, the 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming O-360 and the fuel-injected 200 hp (149 kW) Lycoming IO-360 four-stroke powerplants. Standard fuel capacity is 25 US gallons, but optional wet wings increase the fuel capacity to 61 US gallons. Several other fuel tank options are available. A folding wing option may be installed.

The Bye Aerospace eFlyer 2 (formerly the Sun Flyer 2) is a light electric aircraft designed and under development by Bye Aerospace of Denver, Colorado.

The aircraft was first publicly introduced on 11 May 2016, and first flew on 10 April 2018.

The two seater is designed for the flight training market with a single tractor electric motor powered by Lithium-ion batteries.

The design was originally developed by Bye Aerospace subsidiary Aero Electric Aircraft Corporation (AEAC). Arion Aircraft of Shelbyville, Tennessee constructed the proof-of-concept prototype and delivered it in March 2016.

The eFlyer 2 was first publicly introduced at the Centennial Airport in Colorado on 11 May 2016. Ground and taxi tests on the prototype were started in November 2016. A four-seater derivative model, named the Bye Aerospace Sun Flyer 4, was announced in July 2017. It will be a day/night IFR aircraft with an 800 lb (360 kg) payload, capable of 150 kn (280 km/h) maximum cruise speed and a 4.2 hour endurance.

The eFlyer 2 first flew on 10 April 2018. AEAC and Bye Aerospace merged in 2018 and Bye Aerospace took over the project.

Development of the four-seater should follow completion of the smaller eFlyer 2, the certification of which is forecast to cost US$25 million. Bye had received 220 orders for the two models by October 2018.[12] By January 2019, Subaru and SBI Investment invested in Bye Aerospace to advance the eFlyer 2 certification.[13] On 8 February 2019 the eFlyer 2 flew for the first time in its intended production configuration, including with a Siemens SP70D electric motor.

At AirVenture in July 2021 George Bye of Bye Aerospace stated that the eFlyer 2 will be certified in late 2022 or early 2023 with a target price of US$489,000.

The aircraft is intended to be certified under FAR 23 and supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft. It has been designed specifically for the flight training market and is projected to have a 3.5 hour duration. The eFlyer 2 features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seat side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single electric motor in tractor configuration powered by up to six Lithium-ion battery packs.

The design has a gross weight of 1,900 lb (860 kg) and is made from composite material, primarily carbon fibre. The cockpit employs an iPad used for cockpit instrumentation display, including motor, battery and aircraft systems. The aircraft connects to Redbird Flight Simulations' Sidekick system, which wirelessly tracks the eFlyer's motor, flight time, physical location and attitude in real time when in flight.

The previously-used 57 lb (26 kg) Siemens SP70D had a takeoff rating of 90 kW (120 hp) and 70 kW (94 hp) continuous. Utah-based Electric Power Systems provides the 92-kWh energy storage including battery modules, management and distribution. The 138 kn (256 km/h) cruise aircraft is projected to have hourly operating costs one-sixth of a piston-powered Cessna 172.

The Safran motor announced in November 2020 will be from the ENGINeUS 100 line.