US Aviation Cloud Dancer

Last updated

Cloud Dancer
Role Ultralight motorglider
National origin United States
Manufacturer US Aviation
DesignerErwin Rodger and Roger Delura
Introduction1983
StatusProduction completed
Produced1991-1994
Variants US Aviation Cumulus

The US Aviation Cloud Dancer is an American ultralight motorglider that was designed by Erwin Rodger and Roger Delura and produced by US Aviation. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Design and development

The Cloud Dancer was designed to be a motorglider that would also 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 252 lb (114 kg). It features a cantilever mid-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear, a V-tail and a single engine in pusher configuration. [1]

The aircraft is made from aluminum and fiberglass. Its 40 ft (12.2 m) span wing with a 12:1 aspect ratio is built around an aluminum D-cell leading edge, with the aft part of the wing fabric is supported by removable fiberglass battens. The wing fabric provides an 80% double surface airfoil. The controls are three-axis, using spoilerons for roll control. Air brakes are also fitted. The landing gear features fiberglass suspension and the tailwheel is steerable. The wings are quickly removable and the whole aircraft was designed to be transported on the roof of a 1980s-era station wagon, taking 20 minutes to assemble or disassemble. The standard engine supplied was the 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277 single cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine. [1]

Production ended in 1994 [1] and the conventional-tailed, but otherwise similar US Aviation Cumulus commenced production in 1995.

Specifications (Cloud Dancer)

Data from Cliche and VULM [1] [3]

General characteristics

Performance

Related Research Articles

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 Adams CA-2 is a single seat, low-wing, American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Frank Griffith of Corning Aircraft around 1992 and was available as plans for amateur construction until 1999. In 1999, Hummel Aviation of Bryan, Ohio began offering the design. Although the design was well received, plans were no longer listed as being available from Hummel Aviation as of 2007.

Fisher FP-101 American ultralight airplane

The Fisher FP-101 is an American single-seat, high-wing, conventional landing gear, tractor configuration single engine ultralight aircraft that was available in kit form from Lite Flite of South Webster, Ohio and later Fisher Flying Products of Edgeley, North Dakota.

The InterPlane Griffon is a single seat, high wing, single engine, pusher configuration, tricycle gear ultralight aircraft, that was produced in kit form from InterPlane Aircraft of Zbraslavice, Czech Republic.

InterPlane Skyboy

The InterPlane Skyboy is a two-seat, side-by-side, high wing, single engine, pusher configuration ultralight aircraft that was manufactured as a completed aircraft by InterPlane Aircraft of Zbraslavice, Czech Republic.

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.

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.

Earthstar Thunder Gull

The Earthstar Thunder Gull is a family of cantilever high-wing, tricycle gear ultralight aircraft, manufactured by Earthstar Aircraft of Santa Margarita, California as a kit for amateur construction or as a completed aircraft.

The US Aviation Cumulus is an American low-wing, single-seat, open cockpit motor glider that was designed by Dave Ekstrom and produced by US Aviation, supplied in kit form for amateur construction.

Aerotique Parasol American ultralight aircraft

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 Aircore Cadet is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Jim Scott and produced by Aircore Industries in the early 1980s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Goldwing Ltd Goldwing is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Craig Catto and Brian Glenn and produced by Goldwing Ltd. The aircraft was supplied as a complete factory-built aircraft only and no kits or plans were offered.

The Rotec Panther is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by Rotec Engineering, introduced in 1984. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Ultra-Fab Sundowner, also called the Sundowner Convertible, is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Bob Leinen and produced by Ultra-Fab. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Swallow Aeroplane Company Swallow is a series of American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Chet Fudge and produced by the Swallow Aeroplane Company in the 1980s. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Teratorn T/A is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by Teratorn Aircraft. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Thor T/A is a Canadian ultralight aircraft that was designed by Thorsten B. Strenger and produced by Thor Air of Weston, Ontario. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The North Wing ATF is an American single-seat ultralight trike designed and produced by North Wing Design of East Wenatchee, Washington. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Spartan DFS Trike is an American ultralight aircraft designed and produced by Spartan Microlights. The aircraft was the first ultralight introduced that could be flown with a hang glider-style wing as an ultralight trike or with a powered parachute wing.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-11. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN   0-9680628-1-4
  2. ↑ Perkins, Scott (n.d.). "Designer's List". Archived from the original on October 3, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  3. 1 2 Virtual Ultralight Museum (n.d.). "Cloud Dancer. (1983)" . Retrieved November 6, 2011.
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.