| Skylite | |
|---|---|
| Role | Ultralight aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Raceair Designs |
| Designer | Ed Fisher |
| Introduction | 1991 |
| Status | Plans no longer available |
The Raceair Skylite is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Ed Fisher and made available in the form of plans for amateur construction, by Raceair Designs.[1][2]
The Skylite design was started in 1988 and the completed aircraft was first shown at Oshkosh in 1991.[2]
Contents |
The aircraft was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 240 lb (109 kg). It features a strut-braced high-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The design is intended to resemble the high-wing air racers of the 1930s.[1][2]
The Skylite is made with a welded 4130 steel tube fuselage, with the wings built from riveted and gussetted aluminum tubing. The wing ribs are made from angled aluminum and have an 18 in (46 cm) spacing between them. All surfaces are covered in 1.6 oz aircraft fabric finished with latex. Its 29.1 ft (8.9 m) span wing is supported by "V" lift struts and jury struts and features full-span ailerons. The vertical stabilizer is highly swept-back. The pilot is accommodated in a semi-enclosed cockpit with a windshield. The specified engine was the Rotax 277 of 28 hp (21 kW), but being plans-built other powerplants were also used.[1][2]
Due to its plans-built construction and complex design, only a small number was completed before the plans were taken off the market. Construction time is estimated as 750 hours.[1][2]
Data from Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum[1][2]
General characteristics
Performance
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