Stits SA-7 Sky-Coupe

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Stits SA-7 Skycoupe
Empire State Aerosciences Museum - Glenville, New York (8158375346).jpg
RoleHomebuilt aircraft
National originUnited States
ManufacturerStits Aircraft
Designer Ray Stits, Harold Dale
First flight1957
Introduction1957
Unit cost
approximately $2700 to build in 1971 [1] (equivalent to $17,045in 2019) [2]

The Stits SA-7 Skycoupe is a two-seat, side-by-side seating, high wing homebuilt aircraft designed by Ray Stits. [3]

Contents

Design

Ray Stits designed 14 different homebuilt aircraft kits that were some of the first available to the general public built in quantity. [4] Stits is also known to the general public as the maker of the Stits Junior, Stits SA-2A Sky Baby, [5] and Stits Baby Bird, each of which was once the world's smallest aircraft. [6] Engineer Harold Dale assisted in the certification process after completing his Dale Weejet 800. [7]

The Skycoupe was provided as a kit with a pre-fabricated steel tube fuselage. The surfaces are fabric covered. The aircraft was designed to accommodate engines ranging from 60 to 90 hp (45 to 67 kW).

Variants

SA-7A
SA-7B
Powered by a Continental C85
SA-7C
SA-7D
Updated with a squared off swept tail configuration.
SA-9A
A type certificated version.

Specifications Stits SA-7B Sky-Coupe

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1961–62 [8]

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

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References

  1. Leo J. Kohn (Winter 1971). "The true cost of building your own plane". Air Trails: 63.
  2. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–" . Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  3. Leo J. Kohn (Feb 1957). "The Latest in the Stits Line". experimenter.
  4. "Students Restore Sky Coupe". Archived from the original on 22 November 2010. Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  5. Hearst Magazines (September 1952). "Seven Foot Airplane Flies 150 Miles Per Hour". Popular Mechanics. Hearst Magazines. p. 117.
  6. "Ray Stits" . Retrieved 27 December 2010.
  7. Trefethen, Joan (May 1959). "The 'Weejet'". Sport Aviation: 4–5.
  8. Taylor 1961, p. 326