Excalibur Aircraft Excalibur

Last updated

Excalibur
Role Ultralight aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Excalibur Aircraft
Introduction1993
Produced1900 (by 2011)

The Excalibur is an American two seats-in-tandem, high wing, pusher configuration ultralight aircraft that is manufactured in kit form for amateur construction, by Excalibur Aircraft of Sebring, Florida. It was introduced in 1993. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

Contents

The Excalibur is available in the US amateur-built and light-sport aircraft categories and in Canada in the amateur-built, BULA and AULA categories. In Europe it qualifies under the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. [7] [9]

Design and development

The Excalibur was designed as "clone" [1] of the Quad City Challenger II aircraft. The company took the basic Challenger design and incorporated many changes, including mounting the engine upright allowing larger propellers and the Rotax gearbox to be mounted, lengthening the tailboom and enlarging the tail vertical surface to increase stability, shortening the ailerons and replacing control cables with torque tubes. The optional Dacron covering on the Challenger was replaced with Superflite standard aircraft fabric, the fuselage was lengthened to give more backseat room and the nosecone was reduced in size to provide better over-the-nose visibility. The design was also streamlined to reduce drag and round cross-section wing struts were replaced with aerodynamic extrusions. The Challenger's rigid landing gear was replaced with a bungee-suspended system. [1]

Regarding the landing gear improvements reviewer Andre Cliche, author of the Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide, said:

the Excalibur features a bungee suspension on mainwheels. That's an improvement over the Challenger whose rigid main gear tubes kinked too many times during rough landings. A suspension on mainwheels will certainly be appreciated by instructors who leave their machines in the hands of novice pilots. [1]

Variants

Excalibur
Basic model with 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503, 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582, 70 hp (52 kW) Hirth 3503, 65 hp (48 kW) Hirth 3203 or the 55 hp (41 kW) Hirth 3202 two-stroke engines. 750 completed and flown by the end of 2011. [5] [6] [10]
Excalibur Four Stroke
Model with HKS 700E 60 hp (45 kW) or 80 hp (60 kW) Jabiru 2200 80 hp (60 kW) four-stroke engines. 400 completed and flown by the end of 2011. [5] [6] [10]
Excalibur Wide Body (Stretch)
Model with wider fuselage, also called the Excalibur Stretch. 750 completed and flown by the end of 2011. [5] [6]

Specifications (Excalibur)

Data from Kitplanes [4] [5] and Excalibur [11]

General characteristics

Performance

Avionics

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related Research Articles

Quad City Challenger

The Quad City Challenger is a family of one and two seats-in-tandem, pusher configuration, tricycle landing gear ultralight aircraft that is designed and produced by Quad City Aircraft Corporation of Moline, Illinois. The Challenger was first introduced in 1983.

Chotia Weedhopper American ultralight airplane

The Weedhopper is an American high-wing, tractor configuration, tricycle gear, two-axis control ultralight aircraft originally developed by John Chotia during the height of the 1970s ultralight boom and introduced in 1977. When it was in production the aircraft was sold as a kit for amateur construction and could be assembled in 25-30 man-hours.

Fisher Avenger

The Avenger is a single-seat, Canadian low-wing, tractor configuration ultralight aircraft. The Avenger was introduced in 1994 and is available as a kit or as plans from Fisher Flying Products.

Airdrome Eindecker E-III

The Airdrome Eindecker E-III is a single-seat, mid-wing, conventional landing gear fighter aircraft replica produced in kit form by Airdrome Aeroplanes of Holden, Missouri.

Flightstar

The Flightstar is a large family of single and two-seat, high wing, single engined kit aircraft that was produced by Flightstar Sportplanes of South Woodstock, Connecticut. In 2009 the rights, tooling and parts inventory were sold to Yuneec International of China when Flightstar Sportplanes' business was wound up.

The Fisher Super Koala is a two-seat, high wing, conventional landing gear, single-engined, light kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. The aircraft was inspired by the design of the Piper J-3 Cub and strongly resembles that design.

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.

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.

Mini-MAX

The Team Mini-MAX is a large family of single-seat, mid-wing, strut-braced, single engine aircraft, available in kit form for amateur construction. The first Mini-MAX had its first flight in 1984. Its name indicates its original design goals: a minimum-cost aircraft that requires a minimum of building space, time and skill, but which provides a maximum of enjoyment and performance.

Sorrell Hiperlight

The Sorrell Hiperlight is a family of single and two seat, negative stagger biplanes, designed for amateur construction.

The Circa Reproductions Nieuports are a family of Canadian 7/8 scale World War I sesquiplane aircraft replicas designed by Graham Lee of Lamont, Alberta for amateur construction from plans sold by Lee's company Circa Reproductions. Leading Edge Air Foils of Peyton, Colorado at one time also made construction kits available. Lee's Nieuports were among the earliest First World War replicas available and paved the way for later companies to produce plans and kits for a great variety of warbirds.

The Loehle Sport Parasol is an American single-seat, parasol winged, single engine, ultralight aircraft produced in kit form by Loehle Aircraft for amateur construction. The aircraft meets the requirements of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations.

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.

Golden Circle Air T-Bird

The Golden Circle Air T-Bird is a family of high-wing, strut-braced, pusher configuration ultralight aircraft that was produced by Teratorn Aircraft of Clear Lake, Iowa from 1983 to 1989 and then Golden Circle Air of De Soto, Iowa from 1989 until the mid-2000s. In 2011 the aircraft were back in production by Indy Aircraft. The aircraft is produced as a kit 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.

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.

The US Light Aircraft Hornet is an American two-seats-in-tandem, pusher configuration, tricycle gear, strut-braced high wing ultralight aircraft, that was produced US Light Aircraft Corporation of Ramona, California between 1994 and circa 2008 in kit form for amateur construction. It was also available as a factory-completed light-sport aircraft.

The Howland H-3 Pegasus is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Bert Howland and made available by Howland Aero Design in the form of plans for amateur construction, with kits provided by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. The H-3 first flew in 1988.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-75. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN   0-9680628-1-4
  2. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 362. BAI Communications. ISBN   0-9636409-4-1
  3. Excalibur Aircraft (n.d.). "Excalibur Experimental Light Sport Aircraft" . Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  4. 1 2 Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 45. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 50. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  6. 1 2 3 4 Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 51. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  7. 1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 48. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  8. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 107. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN   1368-485X
  9. Transport Canada (January 2010). "Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)" . Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  10. 1 2 Excalibur Aircraft (n.d.). "Engines" . Retrieved February 16, 2010.
  11. Excalibur Aircraft (n.d.). "Specs" . Retrieved February 16, 2010.