General photos from the past............

[Guest Maj Millard]

More.... General photos from the past............

 

A selection of photos from my Northern Californian flying days in the 80s. Also some page photos from an early UL mag of 1983. Sorry about the quality in places............................Maj

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Tomo]

Great! Awesome pictures Maj!:thumb_up::thumb_up:

 

Thanks for sharing:big_grin:

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Thanks Tomo, I've got many more, I might make it a regular project.....Maj...

 

 

[Spin]

Thanks Tomo, I've got many more, I might make it a regular project.....Maj...

We'll hold you to that Maj - very interesting.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Hi major,I agree with you guys, keep them coming please. I brings back memories as a younger bloke, looking at all the older ultralights (well new then). thumb up

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

YOOHOO, real ultralights, onya Major. more please

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Here's just a few more....but lots more coming I promise , soon as I can photograph them. And by the way 15 year old daughter made me do this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest skyspud]

Wow, great shots Maj. Listen to your daughter..

 

skyspud

 

Go fast and take chances

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Maj, what is the little Bi Plane?

 

 

[KB59]

Hi Maj

 

Is the first few pics of you and the bi-plane you built

 

regards

 

KB59

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

KB59 and Ozzie, that's correct.....spent four years designing and building it. The wings are basically scaled up and beefed up Easy-Riser wings, and uses the same stamped alum ribs which were available then for about 6 bucks each. It required only minor adjustments such as a tailwheel instead of a wood non-steerable tailskid (purist), and a slight de-tune of the rudder, which was too effective originally. Aircraft has done around 275 Hrs TT and it flys real nice, but like most Bipes doesn't want to land, so you have to work it a bit there, also never had brakes fitted. Original engine was a 1/2 VW, then a new Rotax447 with large dia wood prop, and then a Hirth F23 which is still on it, but I would like to re-engine with a 503 if I can find one cheap enough. Aircraft was built to US FAR 103 Max weight 254 lbs, but came out at around 300 ready to go, with balistic chute. I would often cruise with Quicksilver GT 400s, and the A10 mitchell wing as the photos show, at around 55-60 MPH, as that is what we used over there.

 

Because it has real nice flying qualities, I started drawing up easy-build plans for a slightly larger 2 place version, possibly side by side seating, but very little change to wings or tail. Airfoil would be fatter for more lift, and the whole aircraft scaled up a bit.

 

The majority of the hours (175) were done with the Rotax 447 and large dia prop, and she really performed with those. The 447 (air cooled) then spat a top ring on me, and gave me my second emergency landing in a nice field with nil damage except to the engine. Best glide speed engine out, was a beautifull stable 40 MPH. More photos of the bipe coming soon........................Maj...

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Hey Major i had a feeling they were based on the easy riser wings. gave a hand to assemble one way back but it had the timber ribs. Shame not more of the A10's came into the country they were also a great machine.

 

i remember when they were trying to sort out the rules for FAR103 way back and everyone was pushing for 220lbs for the weight. The FAA blew everyone away when they unexpectedly announced the 103 weight as 254lbs. how the FAA came up with that number no one really knows but it turned out to be most realistic as a build figure. Real shame our version of it was trashed.

 

The Lazair Elite looks great.did you ever have the chance of flying one?

 

ozzie

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

No Ozzie, never flew the Elite, but one nice looking machine. I always enjoyed hanging out in the breeze in the Lazair. The FAR 103 254 Lb figure came from the heaviest UL at the time which was the Goldwing, which weighed (wait for it ) 254 Lbs !! I had a beer with a guy last night who knew and work with Scotty Winton, was also at the party when he unfortunatly clapped hands in the Opal. He actually owned a Kasperwing and did some hang gliding. He told me some interesting things about the Opal Facet that I didn't know . His name is Tim White and he now has a trike. He used to fly out of Tiagrah and around Coffs Harbour...Yes the A-10 was a nice machine and he always landed where-ever we landed. It did tend to float a bit like any good wing, and you couldn't let it 'drop in' otherwise the gear would flex, and you would do the prop. John did go through the odd prop but they were pretty cheap back then. It only ran a 227 but had plenty of speed........................................................Maj

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

As promised, more photos of the Bipe and others from the 80s flying in sunny (sometimes) California....... 1. My favorite photo on the wall. Easyriser hangglider.2. The Hummer that became the Drifter 3. Bipe 4. Flyout 5. 1st place throphies all round 6. Homebase, Liberty Field Petaluma CA. 7. Early taxi tests 8. Same 9. same 10. Ground shot 11.Crusin' 12. same 13. coastal fog 14.'Canary jack' yellow plane behind 15. Peestop 16. Bit of left rudder and I've got him ! 17. Cockpit shot. 18. lower wing 19. Crusin' 20. same 21. Flyout visitors 22. Flyout 23. Eipper GT400 overhead 24. Crusin' 25. same 26. same 27. Eipper Quicksilver MXL 28. Bipe 29. Coastal fog 30.More crusin'...........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dazza 38]

Nice Photos Major, they bring back memories for you.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Second download......enjoy...............1. Eipper Quicksilver GT400 2. Looking South towards Golden Gate Bridge 3. Crusin' 4. Flyout-coastal fogbank 5. Caution! vineyards below, airport at bottom of windscreen 6. Sunset 7. Wings 8. Eipper GT400 9. cockpit -Rotax 447 10. air shot 11. scraping under fogbank 12.'Tricked out' Eipper MXL2 with Tundra tires 13. Deadly foe ! 14. B-10 Mitchel wing 15. resort retreat built on burning tar pit 16. East bay San Francisco-looking east 17. same 18. Eipper MXL 19. East bay hills 20. caution powerlines ahead ! 21.Bipe during testing 22. Spruce Goose at Longbeach CA late 80s 23. more 24. more 25. Wax Howard Hughes with Fedora hat as he flew the only flight 26. How do I start this thing ? -daughter wants a ride ! ........................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Dazza, On the subject of memories, you can't live on them but if you are a safe and/or lucky pilot, then you get to enjoy them when you get a bit more seasoned !... Take lots of photos !!...........................................................................Maj...

 

 

[dazza 38]

I will start to take my camera me. Cheers

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

Maj,

 

Fantastic photos!

 

Takes me back to the seventies when I and some other like minded guys used to scour the newsagents for rare copies of the American Glider Rider, Sport Flying and Hot Kits (I think it was.. )magazines. I had an extensive collection for years but they disappeared after marriage...I was an impoverished but very enthusiastic hang glider pilot and used to fly rogallo wings towed up by ski boats. We eventually went on to flying from hills and cross country. I always liked the Easy riser and there was a terrific glider here called an EF 5 which was (I think) based on the Easy Riser.

 

I have even toyed recently with the idea of building an Easy Riser today..

 

Any way I progresed to the Drifter, Thruster and a lovely Corby Starlet. I now have a little Jabiru which is very comfortable and practical but nowhere near as romantic...

 

Thanks very much for sharing these evocative pictures.

 

:thumb_up:

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

Actually on reflection the EF 5 was more like the Icarus but with the tip rudders above the wing rather than below.....

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

I think the EF5 was more like the fledge wing.

 

 

[Guest Escadrille]

Ok Oz, I'll bite, what is or was a "fledge wing"? I think I recall the name but can't place it..do you have pics? :raise_eyebrow:

 

 

[turboplanner]

Ah the Spruce Goose - what a story, they were pulling it apart in Long Beach when I saw it and one wing was off.

 

Must get up to Evergreen. Wonder if they'll ever let visitors inside it, like the Qantas Longreach tours, where the visitors pay for the wear and tear

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

The 'Fledge' was designed by Klause Hill and built by Manta. It was a "rag and tube' wing with wing tip rudders and weight shift for roll and pitch. The Petrodactyl ultralight was based on this wing. The EF5 was i belive a refined design of the Manta Fledge. They could be folded up like a hang glider and transported on the roof of your car. when i was in Italy recently i was surprised to see around a dozen fledges flying. They are still very popular there.

 

As for Icarus there was originally the Icarus 1 a solid wing bi plane a bit bigger than the Easy Riser, this was followed by the Icarus V a mono wing. all weightshift with wing tip rudders. The Easy Riser and Icarus 1 could split the left and right wings and fold flat but they and the V needed a largish trailer to transport. All built in the late '70s. unfortunatly i do not have any photos of the fledge or Icarus. try a quick google for them.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Great stuff blokes, this is the type of discussion I had hoped to stimulate by posting those photos.

 

Escadrille, I had a good friend who turned me onto the Easy riser even before I started flying. Dave hangared with an Icarus V, the only one I ever saw...a nice machine. Dave with the Easy Riser was unfortunatly killed after he put a Cuyana on it 1984..,.a real loss to me at the time as I had just started building the Bipe with his support. It's why I really like dependable aero engines, and really hate unreliable ones. and Through those two I got to know Larry Mauro pretty well. He designed the Easy Riser (Ultralight Flying Machines) and is a top bloke. He should still be around, and I think I saw something recently about him being back in business. I'm away from home right now but will continue discussion on Fri night................................................................................Cheers ...........Maj...