Steen Skybolt

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Steen Skybolt
Steen Skybolt 300 (1).jpg
Role Aerobatic biplane
National originUnited States
ManufacturerSteen Aero Lab Inc
DesignerLamar Steen
First flightOctober 1970
StatusPlans available
Primary userprivate owner pilots
Number builtover 400
Variants Starfire Firebolt

The Steen Skybolt is an American homebuilt aerobatic biplane. Designed by teacher Lamar Steen as a high school engineering project, the prototype first flew in October 1970. [1] [2]

Contents

Steen Skybolt I Steen Skybolt I ps-Lightroom-1.jpg
Steen Skybolt I
Steen Skybolt cockpit Steen Skybolt cockpit (G-ENGO) at Cotswold Airport England 29Sept2018 arp.jpg
Steen Skybolt cockpit

Design and development

The aircraft has a classic structure consisting of a welded tube fuselage and wooden wings, all fabric covered. It is a tandem open-cockpit two-seat biplane and is stressed for normal aerobatics. The cockpits are frequently constructed as a single tandem cabin with an enclosing bubble canopy. Some aerobatic competition aircraft are built as single seaters with the front cockpit closed off.

The original Steenaero Hale Wallace over 300 hp Skybolt named Yellow Bird The Original Steen Hale Wallace Skybolt named Yellow Bird.jpg
The original Steenaero Hale Wallace over 300 hp Skybolt named Yellow Bird
Experimental homebuild aircraft Steen Skybolt D-ERCL.jpg

The original Skybolt had a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming HO-360-B1B engine, but powerplants of 150 to 260 hp (112 to 194 kW) can be installed. [3]


Operational history

The Skybolt has become popular as an amateur-built sporting biplane, with over 400 aircraft having been completed from construction plans sold in over 29 countries. [3] A Skybolt won the Reserve Grand Champion Custom Built for 1979 at the Experimental Aircraft Association airshow in Oshkosh Wisconsin. [4] Sixteen examples were registered in the United Kingdom in January 2009. [5]

Variants

Steen Firebolt SteenFirebolt.jpg
Steen Firebolt
Skybolt (S)
The standard Skybolt as originally released for home-building [1] [6]
Skybolt (D)
A revised structure and capability to have engines from 180 to 350 hp (134 to 261 kW) fitted. [6]
Skybolt (R)
A radial engined derivative, with revised fuselage plus the improved structure of the (D), fitted with either a 360 hp (268 kW) Vedeneyev M14P or a 400 hp (298 kW) Vedeneyev M14PF nine-cylinder radial. [6]
Skybolt 300
A derivative of the Skybolt fitted with a 300 hp (224 kW) engine. [6]
Super Skybolt
A two seater version created by John Shipler by amalgamating a Pitts S-2 with a Skybolt, the prototype of which is named Storm Warning. [6]
Starfire Firebolt
A development of the Skybolt with a 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming IO-540 powerplant that gives a cruise speed of 202 mph (325 km/h) and an initial climb rate of 4,000 ft/min (20 m/s). [7] [8]

Specifications (Skybolt (D))

Steen Skybolt Steen Skybolt C-FSOJ 01.JPG
Steen Skybolt
German Steen Skybolt aircraft D-ERCL and D-EHHH at Augsburg airport. D-EHHH was destroyed in a mid-air-collision https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/214043 Experimental homebuild aircraft Steen Skybolt D-ERCL and D-EHHH.jpg
German Steen Skybolt aircraft D-ERCL and D-EHHH at Augsburg airport. D-EHHH was destroyed in a mid-air-collision https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/214043

Data from Simpson 2001

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Notes

  1. 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 121. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. ↑ Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 128. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN   1368-485X
  3. 1 2 Simpson, 2001 p.521
  4. ↑ Sport Aviation, Oct 1979, page 71
  5. ↑ Pither, 2009, p.650
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Whaley, Mike. "Steen Aero Lab". steenaero.com. USA. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2011.
  7. ↑ Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 257. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN   0-9636409-4-1
  8. ↑ "This One is for George…Firebolt N4GW is a flying tribute to friendship". Sport Aerobatics. October 2007.

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References

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