Phenomenal Performance from Yellow Aluminum Ultralight

You'll get three things from this post:

a)  I can't stop glowing over the phenomenal experience I had flying our aluminum prototype airplane.  It was configured with a 28HP engine and the performance was very close to what we've experienced with our 50HP airplanes.  The reasons why this all worked:  light aluminum construction, a big wing with an awesome low speed coefficient of lift, (bigger span, bigger chord), bigger flaperons, and the exact right prop/engine combination.  I took a GPS chart on my phone of the flight and will try and figure out how to post it.

b)  I can't stop glowing over the phenomenal experience I had while practicing off-field landings in the next door hay field -- my able assistant Gene captured the STOL landing to perfection.  I cranked in two notches of flaps and nailed the touchdown spot within 15 feet.  After rolling to a stop (and I didn't use maximum braking), position was noted. Gene and I went and measured the touchdown roll with our tape -- 100.5 feet (that's 100 and one-half foot) from touchdown to stop.  The landing was made full stall (and was nearly full STOL, for those that grok the difference) and the plane dumped onto the hay from about a foot or two off the ground.  The steel spring gear just absorbed it all, you can see the tailwheel disappear into the grass in one of the pics that Gene took, and nuthin' bent.  Just saying.    Oh My what fun ------ Steve you will like your plane.

c)  The plane is really pretty.

That's three things.  Here's picture proof.  Let's start off with three pictures of the plane just flying around.

Belite's Aluminum Ultralight Aircraft flying overhead

Belite's aluminum ultralight aircraft

Belite's aluminum Ultralight Aircraft, passing under the sun

Now let's look at that landing sequence, showing short final into the hay field with the 100 foot stop:

Belite's aluminum ultralight aircraft, short final to the hay

Belite's aluminum ultralight aircraft, short final abeam the trees

Belite's aluminum ultralight aircraft, closer to the hay

Belite's aluminum ultralight aircraft, 25 feet up

Touchdown!

Smack that tail down

Rolling through the hay

Already stopped!!!  Turning

Yeah Gene, I did it.  :-)  Nothing broke. 

One final pic after I taxiied back around the field and up the runway..

Pretty Plane, Awesome Performance, I like it...