Belite -- Reserve Grand Champion Ultralight at Sun N Fun 2012

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


YES, we did win the Reserve Grand Champion ultralight aircraft award at Sun N Fun 2012.

3rd year in a row with a major award for Belite.

Thanks to Mike R. for doing the vast majority of the work and providing zillions of great ideas on this award winning airplane.!

Really Cool WoW Plane Photos

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


I've just got pictures today.  Here's some more photos Gene took today at Sun N Fun 2012:

Blue Skies, Belite Ultralight Airplane

Severe Climb Angle? with Belite Ultralight Airplane

Weight of WoW ultralight airplane

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


Day 2 at Sun N Fun:

Flying, showing instruments, talking to people, enjoying the weather.

Belite Ultralight Aircraft climbing out at Sun N Fun, Day 2

From the start of the takeoff, I could get to 300' altitude before the water tower turn.  With a 28HP engine.  Lots of people watching...   WoW.

Here's the estimated weight breakdown on the WoW plane:

1 Basic Airplane.   224.5 2 Carbon Fiber spar upgrade saves weight. -9.0 3 Metal Priming 0.9 4 Light Steel fuselage swap -3.5 5 Steel spring gear upgrade 2.2 6 Add electric start, wiring system, battery, battery box to base engine 6.5 7 Swap in Full Belite Instrumentation 0.0 8 Install Fuel Sender in fuel tank, wiring 0.6 9 550 pound Air Rocket Parachute - installed 17.0 10 Lightweight Lift Strut Swap - 2024 T3 -3.5 11 Upgraded Aluminum Fuel Tank 2.2 12 Complete Fuselage Fabric & Complete Paint 9.0 Subtotal 246.9 Other Options 1 Tip Lights 2.2 2 Spinner 0.8 3 Streamlined Lift Struts 6.0 4 Built Panel Bulkhead 2.2 5 Rear Fuselage Treatment 2.2 6 Heavy Elevator 3.0 7 Adjustable Elevator Trim 1.7 8 Adjustable Rudder Trim 0.6 9 Dots 2.0 10 Hydraulic Tip Brakes 2.0 11 Hoerner Tips 3.5 Total 273.1

I am so impressed with what this airplane's advancements has done for our aerodynamic performance.  WoW! Belite ultralight airplane in cruise flight at Sun N Fun 2012

I flew the WoW plane today

Please note: James' blog has moved to a Wordpress site. To access it, please visit http://jameswiebe.wordpress.com/. All posts have been transferred to the new site, and all new posts will only be accessible via Wordpress. Thank you for your interest!


More from Sun N Fun, 2012.  Gene took lots of great photos of the WoW plane from Belite while I was flying it today.  Very nice photos, all posted on Flickr.

Here's some of the really good pics:

Belite ultralight airplane rotating into climb

On Short Final, officials watching

Flarint to a nice landing

Rolling Out

Here's some photos of the details on the plane:

Hydraulic Toe Brakes

Instrument Panel in Belite aircraft

News conference in the morning....  More tomorrow.