Ameri-Cana Eureka

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The Ameri-Cana Eureka is a Canadian designed and built low-wing, single seat, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that was produced as a kit by Ameri-Cana Ultralights of Irricana, Alberta between 1997 and 2003.[1][2][3][4]

Development

Designer Wilf Stark conceived the Eureka as a US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles compliant aircraft. Stark identified that the US market lacked "an affordable Ultralight that is also easy to build".[3]

Stark further noted: "Although there are ultralight kits available for about $4500-$6500 (prior to engine purchase), they often require building and fabrication times that can approach 600 to 1000 hours for first-time builders. This realistically translates into 2 or more years of building time that somehow has to be accommodated among other family obligations. It is a sad statistic that less than one-third of purchased airplane kits ever get completed by the original purchaser. They either quietly wither away in a corner, or they are sold at a fraction of their original price, to be completed by someone else."[3]

Another aim of the design was to keep the complete purchase cost under US$6000 as the designer felt that this was the maximum figure that that most builders could justify without causing marital discord.[1][5]

As a result, he designed the Eureka to be both inexpensive and quick to construct from an assembly kit. The kit included pre-built wings, tail and fuselage that could be bolted together in about 20 hours of labour for the airframe, giving a total assembly time of two weekends.[3][5]

The aircraft is constructed predominantly from foam, aluminum and wood with no aircraft fabric used in finishing. Each 12 ft (3.7 m) wing uses a deep spar, foam ribs and is covered in a single pre-painted white aluminum panel. The controls are conventional three-axis, with full-span ailerons and an all-flying rudder. The wings are not folding, but can be removed in five minutes to allow trailering the aircraft.[1][2][3]

To keep costs and aircraft weight down, the recommended engines are the 25 hp (19 kW) Hirth F-33 engine and the Zenoah G-25 of 22 hp (16 kW).[3]

The prototype Eureka first flew in August 1997.[1]

In 1999, reviewer Andre Cliche said: "The kit sells for $6000, which is amazingly low when you consider that this number even includes the engine, propeller and basic instruments. I wonder if they will stay in business for long with such a low profit margin?"[1]

After introduction, the price was increased to US$5000 for the airframe alone, estimating that it could be completed for US$8000 total. The company ceased providing kits in July 2003 stating "The Eureka has been withdrawn from the market due to lack of resources."[3]

Specifications (Eureka)

Data from Ameri-Cana[5]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: no passengers
  • Length: 14.5 ft (4.42 m)
  • Wingspan: 26.0 ft (7.93 m)
  • Height: 5.0 ft (1.53 m)
  • Wing area: 104 sq ft (9.67 sq m)
  • Empty weight: 230 lb (104 kg)
  • Useful load: 230 lb (104 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 460 lb (209 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Hirth F-33 fixed pitch, 25 hp (19 kW)

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-17. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 36. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 Stark, Wilf (July 2003). "Eureka by Ameri-Cana Ultralights". Retrieved 2009-09-26. 
  4. ↑ Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 113. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Stark, Wilf (July 2003). "Performance Specifications". Retrieved 2009-09-26. 

External links

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