Letov LK-2 Sluka is a Czech single-seat high-wing ultralight aircraft produced by the Letov aircraft factory in 1990s and later as a kitbuilt or custom production using tools and material which remained after the closing of the factory production. Sluka is a simple, cheap and easy to fly aircraft which contributed to a rapid growth of ultralight flying organized by then established Light Aircraft Association (LAA - Letecká amatérská asociace) in the Czech Republic. Its main purpose is a local hobby flying and a flight training as a complement to twin seat elementary trainers like Letov LK-3 and ST-4 or TL-32 Typhoon. Sluka does not offer any advanced training possibilities in respect of performance, speed, ceiling or aerobatics compared to the mentioned twin seat models but its purchase price and cost per flight hour are lower. In 2010s it is usually operated by private owners and enthusiasts as it never was widely used in aero clubs which preferred modern composite or metal designs with better performance and fuel economy usually powered by the 4-stroke Rotax 912.

The design is common to many other low-cost aircraft, aluminium alloy tube strut-based construction fixed to the central fuselage tube, high wing with pre-sewn fabric envelope with life-span of 5–10 years. Cabin nacelle with open or closed (upgraded M model) windshield is fixed below the tube, tricycle landing gear is suspended with elastic ropes or the main gear is fixed on a composite spring leg for the M model. Front wheel is steered with a rudder and is equipped with a simple brake and a handle on the stick. Flight controls are standard 3-axis with flight stick, rudder and a throttle on the left side of the cabin.

Standard 25 litre fuel tank is placed behind the pilot seat and gives about 2 hours of flight time. It was usually replaced with a bigger one of 50 litre capacity. Composite 50 litre tank is used on later models.

For furthed information on develpment, design, operational history and variants, click here.

Designed by the Liaoning General Aviation Academy at Shenyang Aerospace University and manufactured by the Liaoning Ruixiang General Aviation Manufacture Company Limited of Shenyang.

The aircraft was first shown at the Zhuhai China Airshow, in November 2012 and in 2015 at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in Germany.

The result of a three-year development process started in June 2012, the RX1E is an electric powered, two-seat side-by-side configuration, carbon fibre composite construction aircraft with a T-tail and tricycle landing gear and is one of the first electric airplanes in production. The company said in April 2015 that they had 28 orders for the design.

The manufacturer claims that the aircraft conforms to US Light-sport Aircraft requirements and has a Type Design Approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, issued in 2015. As of September 2016 it does not appear on the US Federal Aviation Administration list of approved LSAs and, in fact, the category excludes electric-powered aircraft and requires a single reciprocating engine.

The first two customer aircraft were delivered in June 2015. The launch customer was the Liaoning Ruixiang General Aviation Co., which will employ the aircraft in the flight training role.

An improved version, the RX1E-A, was first flown in November 2017 and features a two-hour endurance and a new ballistic parachute design. The original RX1E has a 45-minute endurance.

The Lilienthal Bekas (Lilienthal Snipe in English, Лиленталь Х-32 Бекас in Russian) is a 2/3 seat, high wing single engine pusher ultralight from Ukraine. First flown in 1993, it has been produced in large numbers and in several variants.

The Lilienthal Bekas is a pod and boom, multi-purpose, pusher configuration ultralight with a high wing and low-set boom carrying a T-tail. The well glazed pod seats two in tandem and carries the constant chord wing at its top. The wing is braced to the lower fuselage by two pairs of cross braced struts and is fitted with flaps, which have a maximum deflection of 40°. A fixed, tricycle undercarriage with a castoring nosewheel is mounted on the pod.

The engine is mounted at the rear top of the pod, behind the cabin; types in the 60-100 hp (45-75 kW) range may be fitted, most commonly Rotax two or four cylinder models such as the Rotax 582 or 912UL and 912ULS. The engine is cowled on some aircraft but not all. Much of the slim boom is occupied by a broad chord fin with a straight swept leading edge. On some aircraft it is extended forwards with a fillet. The rudder hinge, also slightly swept, is at the end of the boom. The tailplane is of constant chord and braced to the end of the boom by a strut on each side.

The aircraft has JAR-VLA certification.

The X-32 Bekas first flew in March 1993 and received its Ukrainian certification in 1995. The Rotax 582 and 912 variants were certified in 2003 and 2005 respectively. Between 2003 and 2006, the X-32 and X-34 were marketed by JAI (Jordan Aerospace Industries) as the RumBird X-32 and GulfBird X-34. in India and South Asian Countries X-32 and X-34 are being marketed and produced by Their Indian partners Engenious Aerospace Ltd. http://engeniousaerospace.com/project/aircraft-x32/ By 2009, more than 400 X-32s had been sold.

Variants
X-32AT Bekas
Sports version, certified for limited aerobatics.
X-32UT Bekas
Dual control trainer version.
X-32CK Bekas
Agricultural version, which may be fitted with spray bars fed from tank replacing rear seat.
X-32CX Bekas
Agricultural version for crop spraying
X-32A Bekas
Ski undercarriage.
X-32H Bekas
Float undercarriage.
X-34 Bekas
Widened cabin for three, with the two passengers side-by-side on a rear bench seat; 500 mm greater span and either Rotax 912S or Rotax 914 engine.

While the Lisa Akoya meets most of the LSA specifications, it is not an aircraft for the average recreational pilot or member of this forum. For a 480,000 euro (A$716,000) single engine, two seat aircraft, it's a bit rich for those other than the Elon Musk/Jeff Bezos group.

The LISA Akoya is a French single-engine light aircraft, seating two in side-by-side configuration. It is an amphibious aircraft capable of alighting on land, water or snow without adaptation. It has a high-aspect-ratio electrically-folding wing, with trailing edge extensions rather than flaps, and a rear-mounted tractor configuration engine.

The LISA Akoya (Akoya is a species of pearl oyster) is an innovative light aircraft designed to operate from land, water or snow without adaptation and incorporating a wing of variable area. Some other features are also unusual: it has a wing which folds for transportation by horizontal rotation through almost 90° and a single engine mounted high on the fin in tractor configuration. It is built entirely from carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composites.

The cantilever wings of the Akoya have an aspect ratio of about 18:1, very high for a powered aircraft. They have constant chord apart from the angled tips. Instead of conventional hinged flaps, the inner 2⁄3 of the trailing edge can be extended rearwards, exposing new fabric surface stored within the wing in roller blind fashion. Fully extended for landing and half extended for take-off, these surfaces provide a large increase in wing area. Conventional ailerons are fitted outboard. High mounted, the wings attach at a rotatable fairing on the highest point of the fuselage, allowing the rotation for storage.

The fin and rudder together form a swept, short and parallel chord surface which carries at its top both the tailplane in T-tail configuration and the engine. The tailplane, like the wing, is of high aspect ratio and has full span elevators. The engine is a 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS flat four, driving a three bladed tractor propeller.

The Akoya's fuselage is pointed at the nose and almost circular at its greatest diameter. In elevation it has a curved underside and, above, the large one piece canopy over the side-by-side, dual control cabin forms an unbroken line with the fuselage. There is an electrically operated retractable undercarriage of the taildragger variety, with the main gear legs rotating backward and inwards into the fuselage, and the tailwheel arm rotating forward. All wheels have hydraulic brakes. Operation from water, without a planing bottom or floats, is performed undercarriage up on the round fuselage underside with the aid of a pair of fixed hydrofoils, called shark-fins, sharply tapered planes set at about 50° to the vertical just outboard of the mainwheels. Small tip floats are an option for better lateral stability on water. The Akoya, it is claimed by the manufacturer, can also land on snow, though skis are an option.

For more information on development and operational history, click here.

And for the mega-rich,

The Drifter was first marketed by Maxair in the 1980s as both a single seat and two seats-in-tandem kitplane. The original single seater was light enough when fitted with the 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277 engine to qualify for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, with an empty weight of 240 lb (109 kg).

After Maxair went out of business, the design was picked up in 1997 by Lockwood Aircraft who produced kits for a number of single and two-seat versions, mostly differing by installed engine. The Lockwood versions are all wire-braced using a kingpost to support the ground wires. Over 1000 wire-braced Drifters have been completed and flown.

Lockwood estimates that a builder will take 300 hours to complete a Super Drifter from the currently supplied kit.

For more information on Australian developments, design, variants, etc., click here.

Specs for Super Drifter.

The M-Squared Breese is a large family of high-wing, strut-braced, pusher configuration, tricycle gear, ultralight aircraft produced by M-Squared Aircraft of St. Elmo, Alabama in kit form, for amateur construction.

The M-Squared line of aircraft was started in 1996 when a former Quicksilver Manufacturing employee, Paul Mather, decided to offer retrofit kits to convert the Quicksilver II from cable-braced wings to a strut-braced configuration with jury struts. The kits proved popular and Mather expanded to market complete aircraft based on the basic Quicksilver layout. The first two aircraft in the series were the two-seat double surface wing Sport 1000 and the two-seat single surface wing Sprint 1000.

The series all share similar construction featuring a bolted aluminium tube structure with the flying surfaces covered in pre-sewn Dacron sailcloth envelopes. All models are open-cockpit, but some have optional streamlined pods available. All models use tricycle landing gear and steerable nosewheels.

The Breese 2 DS and SS have been accepted by the US Federal Aviation Administration as approved special light-sport aircraft.

Variants

Sport 1000
Two seats in side-by-side configuration, double surface sailcloth wing, based on the Quicksilver MX Sport II. The construction time from the assembly kit is reported as 75 hours. Standard engine is the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582, with the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912 optional. The now out-of-production 74 hp (55 kW) Rotax 618 was at one time an optional engine, as well. Other options include streamlined cockpit pod, wheel pants and extra fuel tankage. In production.
Sprint 1000
Two seats in side-by-side configuration, designed for the US experimental amateur-built category, 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplant, 1,400 lb (635 kg) gross weight, single surface sailcloth wing. In production.
Sprint 1000 FP
Two-seat amphibious floatplane designed for the US experimental amateur-built category, 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant, 1,400 lb (635 kg) gross weight, single surface sailcloth wing, 1650 Full Lotus floats. In production.

Breese XL
Single-seat aircraft designed for the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, 28 hp (21 kW) Hirth F33 two-stroke or the 35 hp (26 kW) Revolution Rotary 301 powerplant, 550 lb (249 kg) gross weight, single surface sailcloth wing. In production.

Breese 2 SS
Two-seat aircraft designed for the US light-sport aircraft category, 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplant, 1,320 lb (599 kg) gross weight, single surface sailcloth wing. In production.

Breese 2 DS
Two-seat aircraft designed for the US light-sport aircraft category, 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplant, 1,320 lb (599 kg) gross weight, double surface sailcloth wing. In production.
Breese DS
Single-seat aircraft designed for the US experimental amateur-built aircraft category, 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 or 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplant, 650 lb (295 kg) gross weight, double surface sailcloth wing. In production.

Breese SS
Single-seat aircraft designed for the US experimental amateur-built aircraft category, 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 or 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 two-stroke powerplant, 650 lb (295 kg) gross weight, double surface sailcloth wing. In production.
Ultra-X
Single-seat aircraft designed for the US experimental amateur-built aircraft category, 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 680 two-stroke powerplant, 900 lb (408 kg) gross weight, double surface sailcloth wing, with a symmetrical airfoil. In production.
American Tugz
Single-seat aircraft designed for the US experimental amateur-built aircraft category, 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 680 two-stroke powerplant, 900 lb (408 kg) gross weight, single surface sailcloth wing, designed for towing hang gliders aloft. In production.

The Macchi MB.308, later Aermacchi MB-308, was a light aircraft produced in Italy in the late 1940s, one of the most prolific Italian-built types of the following decade.

It was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with fixed tricycle undercarriage. Construction throughout was of wood. The pilot and a single passenger or instructor sat side by side, and later examples had a third seat behind them.

The MB.308 was ordered in quantity by the Aeronautica Militare, which leased them out to Italy's aeroclubs. A modified version with a higher-powered engine was put into production in Argentina, under licence to sailplane manufacturer German Bianco.

Variants

MB.308 - main production version with Continental C85 engine
MB.308 Idro - seaplane version
MB.308G - three-seat version with Continental C90 engine
MB.308G-100 - MB.308G built in Argentina with Continental O-200 engine and fuel tanks relocated from fuselage to wings

The Fusion 212 offers side-by-side seating and dual controls. The company said its exceptionally responsive flight controls make this an ideal aircraft for flight training and for recreational pilots. It is powered by a 100-horsepower Rotax 912 ULS or iS Sport engine, and a Rotax UL Power 260iSA can be ordered. It is available with DUC or MT three-blade fixed-pitch, ground-adjustable propellers that conform to SLSA requirements.

Engineered to aerobatic standards, the Fusion 212 has structural load limits of plus 6 to minus 3 Gs. As a Normal category SLSA aircraft, however, the Fusion 212 is limited to a maximum 60 degrees of bank and 30 degrees of pitch when operating in the United States. The company is testing the Fusion 212 with optional accessories enabling it to perform agricultural operations, wildlife management, and various monitoring tasks; a Sentinel edition will include aerial surveillance camera system options.

The aircraft was designed by engineers at Magnus Aircraft Corp., founded by Gabor Tarany in Hungary in 2011 as a multinational sport aircraft and flight training company. It has developed a global footprint since then, with a presence in Europe and Asia.

The MAI-223 Kityonok (Russian: МАИ-223 «Китенок», English: MAI-223 Whale Calf) is a single-engine STOL ultralight aircraft developed by the Moscow Aviation Institute's special design bureau (OSKBEC) from 2002. The first production aircraft was delivered in 2008. A crop spraying version is under development. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or complete and ready-to-fly.

The Kityonok is a parasol winged, conventionally laid-out ultralight which seats two side by side. The parasol configuration was used to increase wing lifting area to improve STOL performance. Though the prototype had a partly fabric-covered fuselage, later Kityonoks have glass fibre skins everywhere except for control surfaces. The fuselage has an aluminium frame, and the wings have aluminium alloy ribs. The constant-chord wings are swept forward at about 4°, with 3° of dihedral and mount electrically operated flaps. The wings are braced with a V-form pair of lift struts on each side, fixed to the lower fuselage close to the engine mounting and assisted by jury struts. The centre section loads are carried by a centre-line pair of faired cabane struts. The wings can be folded for storage. The tailplane is trapezoidal and set at the top of the fuselage; there is an electrically operated trim tab on the port elevator. The rudder has a ground-adjustable tab.

The Kityonok is normally powered by a 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS flat-four engine driving a three-bladed propeller, though the lower-powered Rotax 503UL or 582 UL are options. Access to the cabin is via two deep, glazed doors. The Kityonok has a conventional undercarriage with main wheels on backward-leaning cantilever legs mounted on torsion bars in the lower fuselage. The mainwheels have hydraulic brakes, and the tailwheel casters. Alternatively it can be equipped with skis or floats.

Two production batches of 10 were begun in 2006, on by MAI and one by PRAD. Plans were announced that year for production of the MAI-223SKh crop sprayer version at UZGA (The Ural Works of Civil Aviation) at Ekaterinburg. 4 Kityonoks had been completed by 2009. Though it was intended to produce kits for home building as well as ready-to-fly aircraft, it is not known if any have been made.

The third prototype/first production aircraft was delivered to the Tomsk Aero Club in 2008.

Variants

MAI-223
Base version
MAI-223SKh
Crop sprayer, announced 2006, first flight 31 August 2007. Can carry up to 160 L (42.2 US gal; 35.2 Imp gal) of chemicals distributed via an 8.56 m (28 ft 1 in) spray bar extending beyond the wings.
MAI-208
Autogyro based on MAI-223 fuselage.

The aircraft was also produced under licence as the Bölkow Bo 208 Junior.

The BA-7 was designed by Björn Andreasson [sv] and flown by him in prototype form on 10 October 1958. He built this first plane in his spare time while working for Convair in the United States. It was powered by an air-cooled Continental A-75 engine giving 56 kW (75 hp) driving a two-bladed variable-pitch propeller. The shoulder wings were forward swept to place occupants ahead of the spar for visibility.

In 1960 Andreasson returned to Sweden and started working at Malmö Flygindustri where he designed an improved version of the BA-7 that went into production as the MFI-9 Junior. Changes included a larger cockpit and the powerplant was now a Continental O-200-A flat-four-cylinder air-cooled piston engine giving 75 kW (100 HP). In 1963 it was followed by the MFI-9B Trainer and then the MFI-9B Mili-Trainer.

One variant of the MFI-9 which gained widespread fame was the MiniCOIN (an acronym for "Miniature Counter-Insurgency"), a modification of the MFI-9B military trainer variant of the MFI-9, adapted to carry weapons.

For more information, including variants and war service, click here.

Specfications below are for the MFI-0 Mili-Traner variant.

The Medway SLA100 Executive, also called the Medway SLA 100 Executive, is a British ultralight aircraft designed and produced by Medway Microlights, of Rochester, Kent. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The aircraft was designed to comply with the British BCAR Section "S" and the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The SLA100 is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 9.7 m (31.8 ft) span wing has an area of 13.8 m2 (149 sq ft) and is supported by V-struts with jury struts. Standard engines available are the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL and the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplants.

The SA100 has been certified to the UK BCAR Section "S" standard.

Variants

SLA100 Executive
Standard model with a 9.7 m (31.8 ft) wing span
SLA100 Clipper
Clipped wing model, introduced in 2010 and still under development in 2015.

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

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 9.03 m (29.6 ft) span wing has an area of 15.1 m2 (163 sq ft) and is supported by V-struts and jury struts. The engine is mounted above the cockpit on the forward end of the main keel tube. Standard engines available are the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke and the 85 hp (63 kW) Jabiru 2200 four-stroke powerplant.

Two Bantams are in use by park rangers in Kruger National Park in South Africa. Total production has exceeded 300 aircraft.

Variants

B22J

Higher powered version

B22S

Standard model

From Aeropedia.com.au:

The Micro Aviation Bantam series was designed by Max Clear in New Zealand as a microlight sporting aircraft and was made available as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft that complied with the Federation Aeronautique Internationale microlight rules, as well as the BCAR regulations in the United Kingdom.  It is a conventional three-axis aircraft and has sold well around the world to sports flyers.

A number were exported to South Africa. Micro Aviation South Africa was set up to market the aircraft in that part of the world, and eventually commenced local production. It was then developed to meet a local need for a “bush plane”, particularly in the surveillance role when local operators were looking for poachers, amongst other things. A number of changes were then made to the aircraft and it became known as the BatHawk LSA, these including the installation of the Jabiru 3300 six-cylinder engine with more substantial cheek-plates and engine mountings, an increased all-up weight of 540 kg (1,190 lb), stronger undercarriage, larger bush tyres, improved brakes and an increased fuel capacity to 100 litres (22 Imp gals).

Further changes were made to the luggage area, stronger wing spars and wing struts, a re-designed more streamlined nose pod and a larger windscreen to improve visibility. During flight testing of the prototype the test pilot on 1 December 2012 pulled 4G during VNE tests and carried out a display of loops, barrel rolls and stall turns.

The BatHawk has been found to be very suitable for game reserve aerial surveillance, where its slow speeds and relative silence give it almost stealth characteristics. It has been used for fence checking and stock mustering on farms; aerial topdressing and spraying; aerial photography and surveying; reconnaissance and surveillance; regular ranger patrols; carcass location; water-point monitoring; monitoring of rare species; and gathering of scientific data for research purposes.

Examples have been delivered to a number of game reserves on the African continent, including KZN Parks, San Parks, Sabi Game Reserve, SA Wildlife College, Lugenda in Northern Moz and Klaserie PNA.  Aircraft have been supplied to Tanzania, and a base has been set up in Kenya to support aircraft operating in the Serengeti.

According to the Australian distributor, more than 180 BatHawks have been delivered. Two engines were initially made available, the 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912 ULS and the Camit unit which produces 90 kw (120 hp). However, in 2016 Camit, which produced an engine which was a modification of the Jabiru engine, went into liquidation and that unit was no longer available. An optional engine has been the 82 kw (110 hp) Honda conversion supplied by Viking. The Camit engine had been built in Queensland by Camit Pty Ltd, a company established in 1986. This Company designed, manufactured and assembled four and six cylinder four-stroke air-cooled engines, these being 2200 cc (134 cub in) and 3300-cc (201 cub in) units, the former providing 61 kw (81 hp) and the latter 95 kw (127 hp).

The seats are positioned side-by-side with dual control, both crew members being protected from the weather by an aerodynamic fibreglass pod and a large wrap-around windshield.  It is fitted with large bush tyres, hydraulic disc brakes, either an 80 litre (17.6 Imp gals) or 100 litre (22 Imp gals) fuel tank, a closed in luggage area and an engine monitoring system. First example in Australia arrived in April 2016 for the Australian distributor for use as a demonstrator. An example became 24-8723 based in York, WA in 2016.

The propeller and the engine are mounted in a tractor position above and ahead of the crew. The empennage is conventional in location and layout and the undercarriage is tricycle with a steerable nose wheel. The wing is strut and lift wire braced, has two tubes forming the spars, one at the leading edge and one at the rear edge of the wing. All parts are manufactured using corrosion resistant aluminium alloy and stainless steel wires, and the airframe and wings are covered with tensional Dacron sailcloth. Attached to the rear spar are full span flaperons of similar construction and covering. They work independently as ailerons and together as flaps. The fin, rudder, tailplane and the elevator are of similar materials and construction. There are tubes from the leading and trailing edges with the section between being flat-sides. The rudder is actuated by cables from the pedals. A Black Max Disc brake system is installed and brakes are actuated by means of a hand lever on the control stick.

The Corsario complies with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a strut-braced parasol wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, retractable conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. The landing gear is manually retracted.

The aircraft fuselage and hull are made from composites. The Mark 5 version of the Corsario offered two alternative wings. An all-composite wing of 10.3 m (33.8 ft) span could be ordered with two 25 litres (5.5 imp gal; 6.6 US gal) fuel tanks fitted behind the seats in the fuselage or an aluminum tubing and aircraft fabric wing of similar span was available with two 35 litres (7.7 imp gal; 9.2 US gal) wing mounted fuel tanks. Standard engines available from the factory were the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 or 74 hp (55 kW) Rotax 618 two-strokes or the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL four-stroke powerplant.

The Millennium Master is a low wing, single engine, tandem two-seat ultralight aircraft, constructed chiefly of carbon fibre. Designed and built in Italy, it flew for the first time in 2006.

The design of the Millennium Master stemmed from that of an earlier, wooden Asso X kit built aircraft but the structure has been entirely transformed into prepreg carbon fibre by Millennium Aircraft. The structural design was done by the Department of Aerostructures at the University of Turin and the aerodynamics were investigated by Alenia.

The Master has a low set, trapezoidal wing, though that plan is modified by an extended wing root fairing or glove, plus wing tips of the Küchemann type with curved leading edges. Flaps occupy the whole trailing edge inboard of the ailerons and have four settings. These flaps are slotted and are each in two spanwise parts, the break placed at the wing fold hinge line.

A single piece canopy covers the tandem seats, with the rear seat higher than the other. Behind the cockpit the fuselage line falls to the tail. The tailplane is straight edged with rounded tips and carries marked anhedral. The fin and rudder are also straight edged but swept; there is a small additional ventral fin. Elevator has trim tabs. The Master has a tricycle undercarriage, the nosewheel retracting rearwards and the main legs inwards into the wings. The track is 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in).

The Master is powered by a Rotax 912 ULS 100 HP (74 kW). It drives a two blade propeller with variable pitch in flight.

The Master first flew on 27 May 2006 and appeared in public for the first time at Aero '07 at Friedrichshafen in Germany in 2007. A second prototype flew in December 2007. Production was planned to start in October 2007, beginning with complete aircraft before commencing kit production.

The company went bankrupt before production of the Master was started and the design was later acquired by Blackshape of Monopoli, Italy and developed into the Blackshape Prime. The design was also developed into the Pelegrin Tarragon by Pelegrin Limited in conjunction with CFM Air.

The Mini Coupe is a single engine, single place, aluminum construction, low-wing aircraft with a twin rudder layout. The aircraft shares the same basic configuration as the larger Erco Ercoupe, providing the basis for the name Mini Coupe. The complete parts kit for the aircraft is no longer sold. Plans are available for scratch building the aircraft.

The Mini Coupe was designed to be built using simple tools and techniques, relying on extensive use of pop-riveted aluminum construction. Originally designed to take advantage of low-cost VW engines, the Mini Coupe can accept various engines of between 65 and 100 hp (48 and 75 kW). The ailerons and twin rudders are push-pull tube operated. The original kit was sold in 1974 for $1694 with a total parts cost of about $2400. The kit included all construction materials for the aircraft. If built to specifications, it meets the requirements to be certified as an Experimental Aircraft meeting Light Sport Aircraft criteria.

The Mini Coupe kit rights were marketed by Chris Tena, then Bill Johnson (Bill Johnson and Chris Tenea were one and the same; Chris was Bill's wife, after whom he named the airplane.) "Sport International", then finally Buck Sport Aviation.

The Team Mini-MAX is a large family of single-seat, mid-wing, strut-braced, single engine aircraft, available in kit form for amateur construction.

The first Mini-MAX had its first flight in 1984. Its name indicates its original design goals: a minimum-cost aircraft that requires a minimum of building space, time and skill, but which provides a maximum of enjoyment and performance.

The Mini-MAX family was originally produced by TEAM Incorporated of Bradyville, Tennessee. After that company was bankrupted by a lawsuit, production passed to Ison Aircraft also of Bradyville, Tennessee and next to JDT Mini-MAX of Nappanee, Indiana. The company was renamed Team Mini-Max LLC in 2012, with production in Niles, Michigan.

The Mini-MAX models are all predominantly constructed from wood truss with plywood gussets and covered with doped aircraft fabric. The construction time to complete a Mini-MAX varies depending on the model chosen. Many models feature open cockpits equipped with windshields. All versions feature a short-span wing of only 25 ft (7.6 m), except the V-MAX and 1600R EROS, which have a 26.5 ft (8.1 m) wingspan. The wing and horizontal stabilizer are both strut-braced: the wing is braced to the landing gear and the tail is braced from the horizontal tail surface to the fin. All models have conventional landing gear, with wheel pants as an option. Since the wing is braced to the mainwheels and the mainwheels are connected by a rigid axle, the pneumatic tires provide the only suspension.

The aircraft was originally intended to meet the requirements of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, including that category's maximum 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight. The original ultralight models of the Mini-MAX were equipped with the 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277 engine to achieve acceptable empty weights. Today the 1030F MAX 103 and 1100F Mini-MAX achieve an acceptable FAR 103 empty weight if they are equipped with the 28 hp (21 kW) Hirth F-33 powerplant. Other models use heavier engines which place them in the US Experimental - Amateur-built category.

The Mini-MAX was also developed into a high winged version, called the Hi-MAX. The two designs share much in the way of parts and design concept commonality.

For details of the 10 variants, click here.

The Team Mini-MAX is a large family of single-seat, mid-wing, strut-braced, single engine aircraft, available in kit form for amateur construction. The first Mini-MAX had its first flight in 1984. Its name indicates its original design goals: a minimum-cost aircraft that requires a minimum of building space, time and skill, but which provides a maximum of enjoyment and performance.

The Mini-MAX family was originally produced by TEAM Incorporated of Bradyville, Tennessee. After that company was bankrupted by a lawsuit, production passed to Ison Aircraft also of Bradyville, Tennessee and next to JDT Mini-MAX of Nappanee, Indiana. The company was renamed Team Mini-Max LLC in 2012, with production in Niles, Michigan.

The Mini-MAX models are all predominantly constructed from wood truss with plywood gussets and covered with doped aircraft fabric. The construction time to complete a Mini-MAX varies depending on the model chosen. Many models feature open cockpits equipped with windshields. All versions feature a short-span wing of only 25 ft (7.6 m), except the V-MAX and 1600R EROS, which have a 26.5 ft (8.1 m) wingspan. The wing and horizontal stabilizer are both strut-braced: the wing is braced to the landing gear and the tail is braced from the horizontal tail surface to the fin. All models have conventional landing gear, with wheel pants as an option. Since the wing is braced to the mainwheels and the mainwheels are connected by a rigid axle, the pneumatic tires provide the only suspension.

The aircraft was originally intended to meet the requirements of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, including that category's maximum 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight. The original ultralight models of the Mini-MAX were equipped with the 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277 engine to achieve acceptable empty weights. Today the 1030F MAX 103 and 1100F Mini-MAX achieve an acceptable FAR 103 empty weight if they are equipped with the 28 hp (21 kW) Hirth F-33 powerplant. Other models use heavier engines which place them in the US Experimental - Amateur-built category.

Variants

1030F MAX-103
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 28 hp (21 kW) Hirth F-33 engine. Still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 300-350 hours.
1030R MAX-103
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277. First flight 1993, out of production, replaced by the 1030F. Manufacturer claimed construction time 350 hours. 250 completed and flown by 2011.
1100F Mini-MAX
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 28 hp (21 kW) Hirth F-33 engine. Still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 250-300 hours.
1100R Mini-MAX
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 engine. First flight 1984, still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 250-300 hours. 600 completed and flown by 2011.
1200Z Z-MAX
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 45 hp (34 kW) Zenoah G-50 engine. First flight 1991, out of production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 350 hours. 124 completed and flown by 2001. As this is a US aircraft the name is pronounced "Zee-Max".
1300Z Z-MAX
Single seat, enclosed cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 45 hp (34 kW) Zenoah G-50 engine. First flight 1990, out of production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 400 hours. 231 completed and flown by 2001. As this is a US aircraft the name is pronounced "Zee-Max".
1500R Sport
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 engine. First flight 1987, still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 300-350 hours. 200 completed and flown by 2011.
1550V V-MAX
Single seat, open cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 50 hp (37 kW) Volkswagen air-cooled engine and 26.5 ft (8.1 m) wingspan. First flight 1993, still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 325-400 hours. 250 completed and flown by 2011.
1600R Sport
Single seat, enclosed cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447. First flight 1989, still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 325-400 hours. 315 completed and flown by 2011.
1650R EROS    (Specifications below)
Single seat, enclosed cockpit, mid-wing aircraft with the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 and 26.5 ft (8.1 m) wingspan. Still in production. Manufacturer claimed construction time 325-400 hours. 300 completed and flown by 2011.

The Sonerai soon evolved into a two-seat model called the Sonerai II. Later versions included a low wing Sonerai IIL, a tricycle gear Sonerai IILT and finally the stretched Sonerai IILS and IILTS.

The Sonerai II Original is one of the most versatile two-place homebuilt airplanes ever conceived, and can be built in several versions. In its original form, the standard Sonerai II is a mid-wing, two-place tandem, tailwheel airplane that is flown from the rear seat solo. The Sonerai IIL is the same airplane but with a low wing. The IIL is especially popular with taller pilots, as the pilot’s legs go over the top of the main spar carry-thru structure, rather than under it. The Sonerai IILT is the same as the IIL except that it is built with a steerable nosewheel (“T” for tricycle). Many builders with limited taildragger experience opt for the tricycle gear. The Sonerai II will accept engine displacements from 1700cc thru 2180cc. The cockpit is 23-1/4” wide.

The wing is composed of two panels that fold alongside the fuselage, enabling the airplane to be towed tail first on its own landing gear. The fuselage and tail surfaces are constructed of standard sizes of 4130 steel tubing, and are fabric covered. The wings are fabricated from 2024-T3 Alclad aluminum sheet, 0.025” thick for the ribs and skins, and 0.040” thick for the spar channels. Stainless steel flush Cherry N pulled rivets are used for wing skin attachment to simplify assembly. The fiberglass cowling removes easily to allow complete access to the engine, fuel tank, and instruments. The landing gear is a formed aluminum spring manufactured from 5/8” x 6” 2024-T351 bar stock, and uses 5” wheels and ¾” axles. A tapered rod tail spring is used for the tailwheel. All Sonerai II versions feature a 10 gallon main fuel tank with the option for a 6 gallon auxiliary tank.

Variants

Sonerai I Single-seat Formula V Racer

Sonerai II Two-seat mid-wing

Sonerai II-L Two-seat low-wing

Sonerai II-LT Two-seat low-wing tricycle gear developed in 1983.

Sonerai II-LS Two-seat low-wing stretch fuselage

Sonerai II-LTS Two-seat low-wing stretch tricycle gear

Note: Extracts from publicity material., partly from bydanjohnson.com.

Founded in 2013 in Bahia, Brazil by the prominent aeronautical designer Bruno de Oliveira, the MONTAER MC-01 is a new generation of Light-Sport Aircraft. Based on the popular Paradise aircraft family, this superior high-wing design and an all-metal airframe is a unique aircraft with outstanding finishing and superior craftsmanship. It features a welded passenger safety cell with solid metal rivets, dual yokes, and brings the most advanced avionics equipment available Light-Sport in the world.

Over many years, many people have done solid work to accommodate people who are physically challenged in one way or another. That’s great! More opportunities to bring in motivated pilots is worthwhile.  In the more intimate world of recreational aviation, the industry is composed of much smaller enterprises. A lighter regulatory hand (using ASTM standards instead of full FAA certification) allows easier airframe customization for specific purposes — such as hand control fittings and linkages — and this system allows changes on a dramatically faster schedule.

Flight report by Fly and Tell:  

The Mooney M-18 "Mite" is a low-wing, single-place monoplane with retractable, tricycle landing gear.

The Mite was designed by Al Mooney and was intended as a personal airplane marketed to fighter pilots returning from World War II.

The M-18 design goal was extremely low operating costs. The Mite is constructed mainly of fabric-covered wood, with a single spruce and plywood "D" wing spar. The wing aft of the spar is fabric-covered. 

The airfoil selected for the design was the NACA 64A215. The M-18 represented the first time a NACA 6-series airfoil had been used on a civil aircraft after World War II.

The aircraft featured a unique "safe-trim" system. This mechanical device links the wing flaps to the tail trim system and automatically adjusts the horizontal stabilizer angle when the flaps are deflected, reducing or eliminating pitch changes when the flaps are lowered.

The Mooney Aircraft Corporation built a total of 283 Mites in Wichita, Kansas, and Kerrville, Texas, between 1947 and 1954. The first seven were powered by belt driven, modified 25 hp (19 kW) Crosley automobile engines, but these proved to be troublesome. Production shifted to the M-18L powered by the four-cylinder, 65 hp (48 kW) Lycoming O-145 powerplant. The original Crosley-powered Mites were recalled and retrofitted with the Lycoming engines at no charge. The later M-18C used the Continental A65 65 hp (48 kW) aircraft engine.

The market for the single-seat M-18 was limited, so Mooney later developed the four-place M-20 to appeal to aircraft owners with families. In the early 1970s, Mooney offered plans for four different home-built versions of the M-18.

Factory production of the Mite ended in 1954. Leading up to this, the company was losing $1000 on each plane, which accelerated the development of the M20. Another factor was that Continental had ceased production of the engine used in the Mite due to a lack of demand.

As of January 2016, 119 Mites were still registered in the United States and three in Canada.

The type is sold as a kit for home construction or as a complete ready-to-fly aircraft.

Designed as a smaller version of the Rebel, the Maverick is an all-metal high-wing braced monoplane with two side-by-side seats and a tailwheel landing gear. The aircraft was designed around the Rotax 503 powerplant, with the goal of producing an economical ultralight trainer. As a homebuilt it can also be fitted with a number of different piston engines including the HKS 700, Rotax 582 and Jabiru 2200.

The aircraft is mainly built from sheet aluminium, with the tail and rear sections of the wings fabric covered to save weight. The wings are constructed using a "D" cell, with stamped ribs and a single wing strut. The standard wing span on the Maverick is 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m), but an optional wing extension is available to increase the wingspan to reduce the wing loading.

The standard landing gear is of a taildragger configuration and bungee suspended, with sprung steel main gear as an option. Additional options include 24 US gal (91 l) wing-mounted fuel tanks and fittings for installing floats.

The specifications below are for the standard wing version. For specifications and performance of the extended wing version. click here.

The Rebel is an all aluminum, side by side, high wing, taildragger with several engine options, long range cruising capability and more leg, head, and shoulder room than you'll find in any comparably priced aircraft kit. It is adaptable to oversize tires, straight and amphibious floats, as well as skis, making it the plane for all seasons, all reasons.

With the exception of the flaperon covering, which is fabric, the Rebel airframe is aluminum.

The Rebel design uses pre-punched pilot holes to locate most parts, reducing and almost eliminating the need to make difficult measurements which can result in errors and, in some cases, ruined parts.

For full details of the construction of the Rebel, click here.

Weights and performance stats based on Rotax engine.

Variants

Renegade Single seat prototype, one built, powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 powerplant.

Renegade II Two seat biplane, powered by a 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 or 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 532.

Renegade Spirit Two seat biplane with round cowling, powered by a 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 532 or Rotax 582 or 80 hp (60 kW) four-stroke Rotax 912UL[2]

The Renegade fuselage is constructed of aluminium square tubing extrusions and fittings, fastened with Avex rivets. The turtle deck and engine cowling are made from fibreglass. The fin, rudder, horizontal stabilizer and elevators are built from aluminum tubing and channel sections. The tail is wire-braced. A manual trim tab mounted on the elevator is an option. The landing gear is of conventional configuration and incorporates bungee suspension. The welded engine mount is 4130 steel