Microlight Bi-planes

[Mark11]

I like the look of this one - it's called an Easy Eagle - VW powered.

 

Plans available from Great Plains Aircraft

 

I notice a reserved rego on the register so someone is building one.....

Yes, this looks like it fits the brief well... Very light weight, low power, good looking and reasonably priced! It's gotta be great fun to fly!

 

 

[Mark11]

The renegade spirit looks bigger and heavier than the easy eagle, but specs below are surprising and it looks like it is able to qualify for aerobatics....

 

Murphy Renegade Performance

 

SOLO DUAL SOLO DUAL SOLO DUAL

 

Engine Model 503 503 582 582 912 912

 

Horse Power 53 53 65 65 80 80

 

Gross Weight (lb.) 850 850 950 950 950 950

 

Empty Weight * (lb.) 375-425 375-425 420-500 420-500 460-520 460-520

 

Useful Load (lb.) 425-475 425-475 450-530 450-530 430-490 430-490

 

Wing Area (sq. ft) 153.8 153.8 153.8 153.8 153.8 153.8

 

Power Loading (lb./hp) 14.1 16 11.5 14.6 9.4 11.8

 

Rate of Climb (ft/min) 700 500 900 500 900 600

 

Take Off Run (ft) 150 300 100 350 100 300

 

Landing Roll (ft) 200 300 200 350 250 350

 

Stall Speed (mph) 36 38 36 40 36 40

 

Vne (mph) 120 120 120 120 120 120

 

Top Speed (mph) 85 80 95 90 105 100

 

Cruise @ 75% (mph) 70 65 75 72 85 80

 

Fuel Capacity (USG) 14 14 14 14 14 14

 

Fuel Burn @ 75%

 

USG/hr 4 4 4.5 4.5 4 4

 

Range @ 75% (miles) 245 227 247 237 298 280

 

PLEASE NOTE: The stated performance figures are estimates only, based on textbook analysis and design criteria. In a continuing effort to improve standards of development, Murphy Aircraft Mfg. Ltd. reserves the right to make changes to design and performance specifications at any time without notice.

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

Check this out....http://www.greenskyadventures.com/MMIntro.htm

 

 

[Mark11]

Check this out....http://www.greenskyadventures.com/MMIntro.htm

These look pretty good too!

 

Choices choices choices!

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

The renegade spirit looks bigger and heavier than the easy eagle, but specs below are surprising and it looks like it is able to qualify for aerobatics....

Aerobatics are prohibited in all RAAus aircraft regardless of the capabilities of the design

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

[Gentreau]

A couple I've flown-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviasud_Mistral

http://avions.mignet.free.fr/anglais/Balerit.htm

 

and one I haven't had chance too (although its back in production now)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_Club_Development_Sherwood_Ranger

 

Cheers

 

John

Interestingly, one of the members at our club in France is just completing the paperwork to register his Sherwood Ranger, which he has fitted with the new D-Motor from Belgium. Hats off to the engine manufacturer, they recently contacted him and offered to swap his version 1 engine for the new updated version after he's done 50 hrs on it. That will give him an extra 15HP to play with :)

 

[ATTACH]15033[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

[Mark11]

Aerobatics are prohibited in all RAAus aircraft regardless of the capabilities of the designCheers

 

John

Yes, I know, but a comforting thought that the plane ought to be tough enough to handle the forces...

 

I'm not planing on doing an inverted low pass !!!!

 

 

[boingk]

My choice would most likely be a Knight Twister:

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Twister

 

http://www.steenaero.com/KnightTwister/

 

Light, fast, fully cantilevered wing design (no struts or wires necessary) and comes in well under 600kg. Well designed, even though its an old design, and well proven. Several designs to choose from depending on your taste - long, short (racing) or standard wings and even a two-place.

 

Cheers - boingk

 

 

[Mark11]

My choice would most likely be a Knight Twister:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Twister

 

http://www.steenaero.com/KnightTwister/

 

Light, fast, fully cantilevered wing design (no struts or wires necessary) and comes in well under 600kg. Well designed, even though its an old design, and well proven. Several designs to choose from depending on your taste - long, short (racing) or standard wings and even a two-place.

 

Cheers - boingk

Yes, this is a beauty!

 

I like the two place - still cruise at 145knots!

 

Need a good pair if goggles and hat at that speed! Could be a little pricey I reckon...

 

 

[boingk]

Thats the catch - you'd probably be wanting the 'Holiday' version to try and get your stall under the required speed, as the Imperial stalls at a quoted 50mph/43kt and the holiday at a somewhat more sedate 45mph/39kt. It might be worth trying to get into contact with the fellow in the last RAA magazine who built one. He did a short column/story and had a picture of his SIlver Imperial KT inset.

 

It'd also bear in mind that this was a 'despression' design and intended to be built by the amateur working from home - longest piece of metal tube you need is just over 5ft and the wings themselves are no longer than 19.5ft for the Holiday, or 17.5ft for the Imperial. Going by their quoted horsepower (125~150hp) I reckon you'd do well with either a Rotax 912 up front or an auto conversion. The big advantage of the Micro Mong and Easy Eagle is that they are designed to fly on less power so you could use a (potentially) cheaper engine.

 

Also bear in mind that cruises are stated in mph TAS - I convert back to knot and then subtract 10% to find something near reality in general... as we all know that cruising along at 8000ft will give you around 10% increased TAS over your IAS! The 145mph TAS cruise then becomes a 125kt TAS cruise, which then becomes around 113kt IAS cruise. Still darn good, especially so for a biplane.

 

Fudging with those figures on the 'Holiday' variant you'll see 130mph TAS drop to 112kt TAS, which then drops to 100kt indicated.

 

Cheers - boingk

 

 

[facthunter]

All other things being equal a biplane has more drag than a monoplane and access to the front cockpit is often difficult. The lower wing can limit crosswind capability or get caught in grass...Visability out of it is also restricted but they can be easily made strong and look good. Nev

 

 

[boingk]

Getting a strange sense of dejavu there, Nev

 

 

[facthunter]

Maybe, but then we had all over mown fields, (some places, like Bankstown incidently). You didn't have to put the wing down in that situation. Port Macquarie was always a strip, with the inevitable crosswind, in my time. Look great with a radial up front...Nev

 

 

[shu77]

Heres some stuff I have found along the way http://pinterest.com/shu77/recreational-aircraft/

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Sherwood Ranger

 

The better half had a look at the Sherwood Ranger bi-plane and he is hooked. I think we have looked at every site and picture on the internet and now he wants to buy the plans to get better acquainted and make sure it can be RAA registered.

 

Now I know what we will be doing for the next 5 years ......

 

Sue

 

 

[Mark11]

Sherwood RangerThe better half had a look at the Sherwood Ranger bi-plane and he is hooked. I think we have looked at every site and picture on the internet and now he wants to buy the plans to get better acquainted and make sure it can be RAA registered.

Now I know what we will be doing for the next 5 years ......

 

Sue

Sorry about that Sue.... Maybe in 5 years it will be good....

 

I know what researching the Internet is like .... Spent last 3 days finding the right pro DSLR camera and lenses!

 

 

[PaulHS]

Dear Sue, I always tell my better half that it will be cheaper than another woman, and so far I have gotten away with it.

 

I guess I am the responsible one for your man burning the midnight hours looking at Sherwood Rangers, since Boxing Day I have been laid down with the flu but I have now bounced back a bit, enough to start responding to loads of e mails.

 

The Sherwood is a fantastic light aircraft and really ticks some boxes, important ones in owning and enjoying a classic open cockpit 2 seat biplane. If you can tell Alf that I will get to his e mail tomorrow I would be very grateful

 

Blue sky's

 

Paul

 

 

[boingk]

Not sure if its been posted, but the Fisher Celebrity could also tick some boxes, and kits are available from the states as well.

 

http://www.fisherflying.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=5

 

 

- boingk

 

 

[dazza 38]

Not sure if its been posted, but the Fisher Celebrity could also tick some boxes, and kits are available from the states as well.http://www.fisherflying.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37&Itemid=5

 

 

- boingk

FFP- has been around for a very long time.Good value .Most, if not all designs are a geodesic design.

If you want to buy their tiger moth replica kit.You will have to buy it through Campbell Aero in NZ.They have the rights to that kit.

 

 

[Head in the clouds]

The Gere Sport is a very successful and fairly easy build biplane from the 1930s, welded CRMO fuse - here's a link to a YouTube clip of one fitted with a Rotec radial 110hp -

 

 

Pic -

 

 

The plans are in the public domain, they were published in a magazine some years ago. I have a copy in *pdf format if anyone wants a copy I can email them to you.