Tuesday, September 6, 2011

More Info: Ultralight Aircraft Aluminum Fuselage

The #2 Aluminum rear fuselage is taking shape nicely.  This particular aircraft is destined to be a tricycle gear airplane.

Everything you see here is weighing in at about 33 pounds, including tricycle mods.  I am pleased.  We had taken a 'weight bump' but have gotten some of the weight back out by trimming excess off cross members.

We're waiting to mate this fuselage with carbon fiber spar wings; we're currently out of stock on the carbon fiber and waiting for a shipment to come in.  As a result, the fuselage will not be flying until around Thanksgiving.  It is scheduled to deliver to a customer in December.

Please note the gas tank / cargo compartment.  It's designed to hold a 5 gallon plastic tank, for easy swapping.

The purpose of the side aluminum sheet panels is to spread landing gear loads from the gear into the fuselage.

It would be very easy to 'metalize' this entire airplane.  I hope some customer chooses to do that.


Belite's Ultralight Aircraft Aluminum Fuselage

Close up of gas compartment.  Optional lid over this, along with panels to close off the compartment.

Detail of tail section.

Tail Section, another view.

Belite's Aluminum Ultralight Aircraft fuselage

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The fuselage seams to be twice as heavy as the vinetage "Aerotique Parasol" which weighted 15lbs.

If I remember it right it was built out of 3/4 or 1/2" square tubing.

bst rgds Erkki