Glasair Aviation
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (April 2007) |
Glasair Aviation, LLC is an aircraft manufacturer based in Arlington, Washington which produces the popular Glasair and GlaStar line of homebuilt airplanes.
Contents |
[edit] History
Tom Hamilton began flight testing the Glasair TD and founded Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft in 1979.[1] Glasair Aviation was formed in 2001 when Thomas W. Wathen, purchased the assets of the Glasair from bankrupt Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft Inc. and signed an agreement with Arlington Aircraft Development Inc. (AADI), to buy all rights and assets to the GlaStar model. The new companies New Glasair, LLC and New GlaStar, LLC are marketed under the Glasair Aviation name.[2]
[edit] Aircraft
[edit] Glasair I
The Glasair (called Glasair I after introduction of the Glasair II) line are two-place (side by side), low-wing general aviation aircraft. First introduced in 1979, the Glasair was the first premolded composite kit aircraft ever offered. The Glasair was available in retractable gear (Glasair RG), tricycle gear (Glasair FT) and tail dragger (Glasair TD) configuration. The Glasair I line is no longer in production and was superseded by the Glasair II line.
[edit] Glasair II
The Glasair II line of aircraft was a modification of the original Glasair I which improved on cockpit ergonomics and easier construction. The lineup included the Glasair II, the Glasair II-S and the Glasair SII. Only the Glasair SII (Super-II) model is still in production.
By the fall of 2007 1000 Glasair IIs of all sub-types had been completed and were flying.[3]
[edit] Glasair III
The Glasair III is similar to the Glasair SII but is designed for higher performance. The Glasair III is capable of a 313 mph cruise speed; and is only available in retractable gear configuration.
In the fall of 2007 it was reported that 250 Glasair IIIs had been completed and were flying.[4]
[edit] GlaStar
 |
This section does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008) Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
The GlaStar is a 2-place sport utility airplane that can be built from a kit and registered as an experimental amateur built airplane. The kit was designed and originally produced by Stoddard Hamilton Aircraft Inc. The fist prototype flew on November 29, 1994.[citation needed] Stoddard Hamilton filed for bankruptcy in June 2000, and the assets of the company were purchased by New GlaStar LLC, which later became Glasair Aviation LLC.[citation needed] That company is still in business producing kits in Arlington, Washington, but they now only sell the GlaStar kit on a special order basis.[citation needed]
The GlaStar is noted for its outstanding slow flight capability combined with good cruise performance. It features folding wings, making it easy to store or tow on a trailer.[citation needed]
Although the original prototype had a 125 horsepower Continental engine, most kits have been completed using either the 160 Lycoming O-320 or the 180 horsepower Lycoming O-360 engine. The Subaru engine converted for airplane use also enjoys some popularity in the GlaStar, with about 50 planes incorporating some version of that engine.[citation needed]
The fleet consists of about 930 kits with over 360 of those completed and flying in the U. S. and 16 other countries.[citation needed] Builders typically complete one of these kits in about 2,500 man-hours over the course of several years.[citation needed] The cost of completing a GlaStar ranges from USD$60,000-$120,000, depending mostly on the avionics selected by the builder.[citation needed]
The typical GlaStar has an empty weight of 1,200 to 1,300 pounds and a gross weight of 1,960 pounds. The gross weight on floats is 2,100 pounds. Cruise performance with wheels is about 140 knots, and the stall speed is 43 knots, making for a good combination of cruise speed and short field capability. The plane can be easily configured with tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear.[citation needed]
Spare parts and technical information are readily available from Glasair Aviation. There is an aircraft type club, The GlaStar & Sportsman Association International.[citation needed]
The Symphony SA-160, at one time built by Ostmecklenburgische Flugzeugbau (OMF) and later Symphony Aircraft, was the fully certified version of the GlaStar.
[edit] Sportsman
The Sportsman 2+2 is a modification to the GlaStar which adds a second-row "jump seat" to accommodate two passengers up to 5' tall in addition to the pilot and front seat passenger.
It was reported in the fall of 2007 that 35 Sportsmans had been completed and were flying.[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ History of Glasair. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ EAA news - New Glastar purchase of AADI. Retrieved on 2007-01-14.
- ^ Kitplanes Staff: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, page 53, Kitplanes Magazine December 2007 Volume 24, Number 12, Belvior Publications, Aviation Publishing Group LLC.
- ^ a b Kitplanes Staff: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, page 54, Kitplanes Magazine December 2007 Volume 24, Number 12, Belvior Publications, Aviation Publishing Group LLC.
