Freebird I

Last updated

FreeBird I
Role Ultralight aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Freebird Airplane Company
Introduction1998
StatusIn production (2016)
Developed from Freebird II

The Freebird I is an American single-seat, high wing, tricycle gear, single engined pusher configuration ultralight kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders by the Freebird Airplane Company of Marshville, North Carolina and later also produced by Pro Sport Aviation of Wingate, North Carolina. [1] [2]

Contents

The original Freebird I design was further refined and developed and was produced until late 2014 by Free Bird Innovations of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota as the LiteSport Ultra. [3]

Development

The Freebird I was developed from the two-seater Freebird II that had been introduced at Sun 'n Fun 1996. The single seater was introduced in 1998 and retains the configuration and many features of the two seater, but with a revised, narrower fuselage. The aircraft was intended to meet the requirements of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, including that category's maximum 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight. [1]

The Freebird I is constructed from bolted aluminum tubing, covered with doped aircraft fabric. The aircraft features conventional three-axis controls, including a trim system. The tricycle landing gear is steered by differential braking and a castering nosewheel. The company estimated that an average builder would take 120 hours to build the aircraft from the assembly kit. [1]

The standard engine recommended is the two-stroke 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 and with this engine the standard empty weight is 252 lb (114 kg). [1]

The Freebird I's wings can be folded in five minutes by one person and the aircraft can then be trailered or stored. Options available included full cabin doors, flaperons, brakes, wheel pants and a custom-fitted trailer. [1]

The original Freebird I has been replaced in the company line by the improved LiteSport Ultra. A new variant, the Freebird 103, using the same wing with a redesigned fuselage, was under development in 2009. [3] [4]

Variants

Freebird I
Original model introduced in 1998, single seat ultralight with 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 and standard empty weight of 252 lb (114 kg), built by Freebird Airplane Company and Pro Sport Aviation. [1]
Sportlite 103
Improved model single seat ultralight with 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 and standard empty weight of 250 lb (113 kg), built by and Pro Sport Aviation and Free Bird Innovations. This single seat model can be converted into a two-seater and has an acceptable power range of 22 to 52 hp (16 to 39 kW). When it was in production it was available as a quick-build kit, fully assembled or as plans. The plans were extensive and included a 200 page construction manual, templates, covering instructions and a complete materials list. In 2001 the plans were US$185 and the manufacturer estimated that it would take 250 hours to build the aircraft from the plans. To help plans builders the manufacturer allowed builders to order any parts that they wanted without buying the complete kit. [5] [6]
LiteSport Ultra
Improved current production model, single seat kit aircraft with 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 and standard empty weight of 280 lb (127 kg), built by Free Bird Innovations. 357 had been completed and flown by 2011 [3] [7] [8]
Freebird 103
Model originally projected for introduction in 2011 as a single seat US FAR 103 ultralight aircraft with a design empty weight under 254 lb (115 kg). The 103 intended to use the LiteSport Ultra wing mated to a newly CAD designed fuselage frame to save weight and was to be built by Free Bird Innovations. The project was set back when the lead project engineer, Eric Grina, was killed in a car accident in October 2011. [4] [9]

Specifications (Freebird I)

Data from Cliche [1]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

Aero-Works Aerolite 103 American ultralight airplane

The Aero-Works Aerolite 103 is an American single seat, high-wing, pusher configuration ultralight aircraft, designed by Terry Raber and introduced by Aero-Works, Inc, of Millersburg, Ohio, in 1997. The aircraft's model number indicates that it was designed to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration FAR 103 ultralight rules.

Spectrum Beaver

The Spectrum Beaver is a family of single- and two-place, pusher configuration, high-wing ultralight aircraft that were first introduced by Spectrum Aircraft of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, in 1983.

The Avid Champion is an American single-seat, high-wing ultralight aircraft that was produced starting in 1998 as a kit by Avid Aircraft of Caldwell, Idaho, later Ennis, Montana.

The Airdrome Dream Classic is a minimalist, high wing, single seat, single engine ultralight aircraft inspired by the 1908 Santos-Dumont Demoiselle and produced in kit form by Airdrome Aeroplanes of Holden, Missouri.

Lockwood Drifter

The Lockwood Drifter is a family of high wing, single engine, pusher configuration, open cockpit, one and two-seat kit aircraft that was first introduced in the 1980s by Maxair and remains in production today by Lockwood Aircraft of Sebring, Florida.

The Fisher FP-303 is a Canadian single-seat, low wing, conventional landing gear, single engined light kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.

Fisher FP-404

The Fisher FP-404 is a Canadian single-seat, conventional landing gear, single-engined biplane kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.

The Fisher FP-505 Skeeter is a Canadian single-seat, conventional landing gear, single-engined parasol-wing monoplane kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.

The Fisher FP-606 Sky Baby is a Canadian single-seat, conventional landing gear or tricycle landing gear-equipped, single-engined, high-wing monoplane kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.

The Freebird II is a family of American side-by-side two-seat, high wing, tricycle gear, pusher configuration single engined kit aircraft originally designed for construction by amateur builders by the Freebird Airplane Company of Marshville, North Carolina and later Pro Sport Aviation of Wingate, North Carolina.

CGS Hawk

The CGS Hawk is a family of high wing, strut-braced, pusher configuration, single and two-seats-in-tandem ultralight aircraft, designed by Chuck Slusarczyk and manufactured by CGS Aviation.

Kolb Firefly Amwerican ulytralight airplane

The Kolb Firefly is an American open cockpit, single seat, high wing, pusher configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that is produced in kit form by New Kolb Aircraft of London, Kentucky and intended for amateur construction. The aircraft was designed in 1995.

Kolb Firestar

The Kolb Firestar is a family of American open cockpit, high wing, pusher configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that was produced in kit form by Kolb Aircraft of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania and intended for amateur construction.

Rans S-12 Airaile

The Rans S-12 Airaile is a family of related American single-engined, pusher configuration, high-wing monoplanes designed by Randy Schlitter and manufactured by Rans Inc. The aircraft are available in kit form for amateur construction.

The Rocky Mountain Wings Ridge Runner is a family of American high wing, strut-braced, single engine, conventional landing gear aircraft that were designed by Stace Schrader and were produced by Rocky Mountain Wings of Nampa, Idaho for amateur construction from 2000 to 2018.

The Flying K Sky Raider is a family of American, high wing, strut-braced, single engine, conventional landing gear ultralight aircraft that was designed by Ken Schrader and produced by Flying K Enterprises and later Sky Raider LLC of Caldwell, Idaho for amateur construction.

Carlson Sparrow

The Carlson Sparrow is a family of American, high wing, strut-braced, single engine, ultralight aircraft that was designed by Ernst W. Carlson and produced by Carlson Aircraft of East Palestine, Ohio and later Skyline Technologies of Salem, Ohio for amateur construction.

Titan Tornado

The Titan Tornado is large family of cantilever high-wing, pusher configuration, tricycle gear-equipped kit aircraft manufactured by Titan Aircraft of Austinburg, Ohio for amateur construction.

M-Squared Breese

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.

Free Bird Innovations

Free Bird Innovations, Inc. is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota and formed in about 2003. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of plans and kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly aircraft in the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-26 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN   0-9680628-1-4
  2. ↑ Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 166. BAI Communications. ISBN   0-9636409-4-1
  3. 1 2 3 Free Bird Innovations (n.d.). "LiteSport Classic" . Retrieved November 4, 2009.
  4. 1 2 Free Bird Innovations. "Freebird 103 Ultralight" . Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  5. ↑ Downey, Julia: Kit Aircraft Directory 2005, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 59. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  6. ↑ Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-58 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN   0-9680628-1-4
  7. ↑ Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 53. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  8. ↑ Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 55. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  9. ↑ Free Bird Innovations (November 21, 2011). "Freebird 103". Archived from the original on January 4, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.