| Model A | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Ultralight aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Designer | Gerry Ritz |
| Introduction | 1984 |
| Status | Production completed |
The Ritz Model A is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Gerry Ritz in 1984 and supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction. [1]
The aircraft is noted because the designer died while test flying the aircraft, due to a design flaw. [1]
The Model A was designed as a very low-cost aircraft to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 200 lb (91 kg). It features a strut-braced parasol-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration. [1]
The aircraft is made predominately from wood, with some steel and aluminum also used. The fuselage is formed as a wooden geodetic lattice structure. Its 36 ft (11.0 m) span wing is supported by a single lift strut per side, with jury struts and cabane struts. The aircraft is covered in doped aircraft fabric. The pilot is accommodated in the open cockpit, with an optional windshield. The powerplant, specified as a 22 hp (16 kW) single cylinder, two stroke, carburetted Zenoah G-25 aircraft engine, is mounted behind the pilot and behind the wing, above the fuselage. The main landing gear legs are built from wood laminations. The wings and tailplane can be removed in 20 minutes by two people to permit ground transportation by trailer or for storage. [1]
The controls are conventional, but limited in pitch and roll authority, bringing a recommendation by reviewer Andre Cliche not to fly the Model A in windy or turbulent conditions. [1]
The designer was flight testing the prototype Model A when it suffered wing aeroelastic flutter. Ritz was killed in the subsequent crash. The flutter was traced to the aileron hinge design, which was later modified to address the issue. [1]
Data from Cliche [1]
General characteristics
Performance
The Beaujon Mach .07 is a single-seat, American high-wing, tractor configuration ultralight aircraft. The aircraft is available as plans from Beaujon Aircraft of Ardmore, Oklahoma.
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 Milholland Legal Eagle is an American high wing, strut-braced, single engine, tractor configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that is available as plans from Better Half VW of Brookshire, Texas, and also produced in kit form by J&N Bolding Enterprises of Baytown, Texas, and is intended for amateur construction.
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.
The US Aviation CAVU is an American high-wing, strut-braced, single-seat, open cockpit, single engine in pusher configuration, ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by AeroDreams of Manchester, Tennessee, but marketed by US Aviation of St Paul, Minnesota under their brand name. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Aerotique Parasol is an American parasol-wing, strut-braced, conventional landing gear, single-seat, open cockpit, single engine in tractor configuration, ultralight aircraft that was designed as an ultralight version of the 1926 vintage Heath Parasol. It was originally produced by Yesteryear Aviation and later by Aerotique Aviation. The aircraft was supplied as factory-built only.
The Airborne Avenger is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by Airborne Wing Design in the early 1980s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Cloudbuster Ultralights Cloudbuster is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by the Cloudbuster Ultralights Company of Sarasota, Florida in the early 1980s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Hovey Delta Bird is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Bob Hovey in 1982 and supplied as plans for amateur construction.
The St Croix Excelsior is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Chad Wille and Charles Wille, produced by St Croix Aircraft of Corning, Iowa and first flown in 1980. The aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction with some hard-to-make parts available as well as partial kits.
The Cascade Kasperwing I-80 is an American ultralight flying wing motorglider that was designed by Witold Kasper and Steve Grossruck. It was produced by Cascade Ultralites and introduced in 1976. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Manta Foxbat is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Bill Armour and produced by Manta Products Inc of Oakland, California. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Striplin Lone Ranger is a family of American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Ken Striplin. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Mathews Petit Breezy is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Lyle Matthews in conjunction with his partners Al Petit and Kindall and Wink Turner. It was made available in the form of plans for amateur construction. The aircraft was inspired by the larger RLU-1 Breezy.
The Golden Gate Mosquito is an American ultralight aircraft that was produced by Golden Gate Aviation. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Skyhigh Skybaby is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by Skyhigh Ultralights Inc, introduced in 1983. The aircraft was supplied in the form of plans for amateur construction.
The Greenwood Witch is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by Marvin Greenwood. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The LiteWing Aircraft LiteTrike, also called The Lite 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 fully assembled.
The DTA Alizés is a French ultralight trike that was designed by Michel Guaiguant and is produced by DTA sarl of Montélimar.
The Fly Hard Trikes SkyCycle is an American ultralight trike, designed by Mike Theeke and produced by Fly Hard Trikes of Wildwood, Georgia. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft and several hundred have been completed and flown.
Media related to Ritz Model A at Wikimedia Commons