Belite Ultralight Aircraft Stalling Speed

I've run into some interesting discussion out on the social networks discussing or questioning the ability of the Belite ultralight aircraft design to stall at 24 knots.

A quick analysis of the FAR Part 103 rules, as it relates to ultralight aircraft, specifies five critical technical conditions for the acceptance of an aircraft as meeting part 103:

a) Weight, not to exceed 254 pounds, although there are several exemptions.  (Under certain conditions, weight may be as high as 338 pounds, and still meet Part 103.)

b) Stalling speed, not to exceed 24 knots Calibrated Airspeed. 

c) Cruising speed, not to exceed 55 knots calibrated airspeed.  This translates to a True Airspeed of as high as 74 mph (conditions:  10,000 feet; 0 degrees C, 55KCAS) or even higher.

d)  Fuel capacity not to exceed 5 gallons.  Part 103 incorrectly indicates that this is 30 pounds of gas -- which is simply not true.  It can represent up to 33 pounds of gas.  See this link for an explanation.

e)  Single seat operations.  Not much of a technical consideration; this is easy to verify.  If you wanted to get two people in our airplane, each would have to have a butt with a width of 8 inches.

For these FAR Part 103 rules, it is easy to verify a, c, d and e, and thus ensure that your aircraft is a legal ultralight.  (There have also been discussions of why Belite would use a 50HP engine, thus potentially allowing cruise > 55KCAS -- I'll get to that in another post in the near future.)

Moose Creek, Idaho -- An Ideal Camping Spot

(c) 2010 everything on this blog is copyright James Wiebe, including text and photos.  Reproduction without written permission is prohibited.  High resolution images are available -- contact author for further information.

An Ideal Camping Spot has the following characteristics:

pristine, cold rivers which are clear as gin
trout in those rivers
mountains on all sides
deer, maybe elk
just a few campsites
no roads to get there, just trails and a backcountry airstrip
a USFS cabin, with a friendly forest volunteer
perfect temperatures -- 80's in the daytime, 40's or 50's at night
campfire conversations
at nightime, coal black skies, diamonds set in them
also at nightime, an occasional shooting star
just a few airplanes
just a few pilots and campers
friends, family

Moose Creek is such a place

Tonight's Post is in England

I was invited to write a guest post for an English aircraft blog.  So I wrote one up concerning Carbon Fiber usage in our Belite aircraft.  In particular, I covered details of our upcoming carbon fiber stabilizer.  It's a four pound work of carbon fiber art:  strength and stiffness are off the chart.

But if you want to read about this new development from Belite, you have to make the round trip to England.!

Which is easy to do on the internet:  just click here. and you will be on the GolfHotelWhiskey blog, run by Matthew Stibbe.  He's got some good stuff on his blog!

Here is a high res pic of our carbon fiber horizontal stabilizer.  This same photo is on the blog in England, but this one's a little higher resolution.

As you have noticed, this Belite blog is expanding.  Our increased content is drawing readers just like you.  (Thankyou!) 

Thanks for your interest:  enjoy the reading.

-- James

First Flight, Circa 1970; Cessna Aircraft teaches me to fly; more.

A reminder:  this work is (c) 2010 by James Wiebe.  Reproduction is prohibited.  You may link to this blog or this posting.

Chapter 1:  First Flight

I grew up in Hillsboro, KS -- a town of about 3000 people in Marion County, Kansas.

Having lost my father before my fourth birthday, I have treasured experiences which I was given by other male figures in my youthful years.

I attended Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church in Hillsboro.  There was a man there, by the name of Dave Breese.  He was large man -- not necessarily in girth, but certainly in height, and also certainly in stature within that Church.  He was an 'evangelist', a radio speaker, an author, and -- a pilot.  I remember an odd characteristic of Dave Breese:  he attended our Church, but he was not a member.  Odd.  I don't quite know how to explain it.

As it pertains to flying, I do not remember how the invitation was made, but I do know that one Sunday afternoon, probably when I was 12 years old, he offered to give me a ride in his twin engine airplane.  This was an opportunity nearly on the level with Red Ryder BB guns.  An airplane ride.

I am positive that afternoon was a sunny day with bright white cumulus clouds.  A perfect flying day.

I do remember being in the airplane as he started each engine -- and I remember my anxiety that the engines wouldn't start.  But they did.

In those days, the Hillsboro airport was a grass strip.  In later years, it was paved; it suffered a fatal aircraft accident; (hence it's name, Alfred Schroeder field, honoring one of the dead) and I flew often from it.