LiteWing Aircraft LiteWing

Last updated

LiteWing
Role Ultralight trike
National origin United States
Manufacturer LiteWing Aircraft
StatusProduction completed
Number built20 (February 2000)

The LiteWing Aircraft LiteWing, also called the Lite Wing Trike, is an American ultralight trike that was designed and produced by LiteWing Aircraft of Caryville, Tennessee in the late 1990s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. [1] [2]

Contents

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to be a US homebuilt aircraft as its empty weight exceeds the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, which imposes a category maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The LiteWing has a standard empty weight of 280 lb (127 kg). It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat, open cockpit with a three-piece fiberglass cockpit fairing, tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in pusher configuration. [1] [2]

The aircraft is made from welded and bolted 6061-T6 aluminum tubing, with its NorthWing 157 wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 32 ft (9.8 m) span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame control bar. The engine factory supplied was the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 twin cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine. The aircraft can accept engines of 40 to 50 hp (30 to 37 kW). Brakes on the main wheels are standard equipment. [1] [2]

Twenty examples had been completed and flown by February 2000. [2]

Specifications (LiteWing)

Data from Cliche and Kitplanes [1] [2]

General characteristics

Performance

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page C-13. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN   0-9680628-1-4
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Downey, Julia: 2000 Trike and 'Chute Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 2, February 2000, page 46. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851