The Eaglet 31 was a United States ultra-light high-winged monoplane of the early 1930s.
| American Eagle Eaglet 31 | |
|---|---|
| Eaglet B-31 of 1931 at Santa Fe airfield, New Mexico, in June 1995 | |
| Role | ultra-light sports aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | American Eagle Aircraft |
| First flight | summer 1930 |
| Introduction | 1930 |
| Status | several airworthy in 2009 |
| Primary user | private pilots |
| Number built | circa 93 |
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The American Eagle Aircraft Corporation found that demand for their A-129 biplane and their other models was badly affected by the Wall Street stockmarket crash of late 1929 which ushered in the Great Depression. The small ultra-light two-seat side-by-side Eaglet was therefore designed to capture demand from pilots with more modest pockets. The first model was the Eaglet 230 of 1930, initially engined by the 25 h.p. Cleone. Most later Eaglet 230s were powered by a 30 h.p. Szekely three-cylinder radial engine and the bulk of these were produced after American Eagle's merger with Lincoln Aircraft in May 1931.[1]
The single Model A-31 of 1931 was fitted with the more powerful Continental A-50 of 50 h.p., and was followed by 13 Model B-31 and B-32 powered by the 45 h.p. Szekely SR-3.
Production rights to the Eaglet later went to American Eaglecraft who produced and rebuilt further aircraft of this design.
The various models of the Eaglet were flown prewar by private owner pilots. Approximately 12 original aircraft were in existence in 2001, of which some were still airworthy.[1]
Data from Simpson, 2001, p. 41
General characteristics
Performance
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