When the Phantom was introduced to the ultralight market at Sun ‘n Fun in 1982, it won the Best New Design award, not only for good looks and strong performance but for its structural integrity! Indeed, it was touted as having been tested to +9 and –6.6 Gs. Though dismissed by some pilots, wire-braced designs are actually very tough.
Phantom is a kit built from anodized aluminum tubing, bolted and riveted together. The wings, tail surfaces and ailerons are covered in Dacron sail cloth envelopes and Phantom used a double surfaced wing for better cross wind control and handling.
A wire-braced, high-wing, tricycle-gear ultralight aircraft in a tractor configuration, Phantom has a pilot pod with windscreen and a steerable nosewheel. (These were not common in those early days of ultralight vehicles.) Controls are standard stick and rudder — a left hand throttle and right hand joystick — with full span ailerons.
Search Results for : Eccker
Not finding exactly what you expected? Try our advanced search option.
Select a manufacturer to go straight to all our content about that manufacturer.
Select an aircraft model to go straight to all our content about that model.
Hurricane Company – Hurricane
You can’t find as many bargains in ultralight flying as you once could. Increasing sophistication of ultralights has, with economic factors, driven up prices. The Hurricane offers 1994 pilots a good deal, however, with prices in the $7,000 range for a complete, bolt-together kit. These days, that’s one great price!
The Hurricane is a derivative design, owing its shape to aircraft like the Avenger, Phantom, and Mirage. Company owner Don Eccker has made numerous changes to the plane and a modern Hurricane has become its own airplane. Eccker was long associated with the popular Avenger which eventually left the market. He filled the gap with his Hurricane.
Eccker and his staff reveal a fine attention to detail coupled with a love of flying. This shows readily in the Hurricane. The plane boasts very responsive handling which still imparts a feeling of solidness. Performance is good enough that Eccker performs exciting aerobatics with great competency.
Hurricane Company – Hurricane II
Fun people and fun planes probably always went together, but when you run into the Hurricane staff, you’ll better understand the combination. The Southern California manufacturer and crew apparently enjoy what they’re doing. They smile a lot and want to go fly their Hurricanes at the drop of a hat. All that pleasure shows up in an airplane that’s fun to buy, build, and fly.
Flying may be the best part. The Hurricane, deriving as it does from solid predecessors like the Phantom and Avenger, has refined the special form of ultralight flying to an art form. The Hurricanes typify ultralight aircraft to many folks, both pilots and first-airshow spectators. Open but protected from the wind by a high quality fairing and screen, the Hurricane preserves that wide-open feeling that gives the comfort of an enclosed cabin.
Though the handling is snappy enough for factory pilots to put the Hurricanes through some aerobatic paces, they also fly with well behaved manners.
Hurricane Ultra 103
In barely a dozen years, the original Phantom has gone through at least four changes of ownership I can clearly recall. One of the imitators, the Avenger, ceased and was restarted only to stop again (and who knows, maybe it will live on yet?). Another imitator, the Spitfire, has endured at least three owners I can think of, and yet it, too, continues to be an available aircraft to this day. Finally, the Hurricane left the hands of founder Donnie Eccker and was passed to present-day owner Mike Kern.
Published in Light Sport and Ultralight Flying
Seating
Single seat
Empty weight
250 pounds
Gross weight
500 pounds
Wingspan
28 feet 6 inches
Wing area
147 square feet
Wing loading
3.4 pounds/sq ft
Length
16 feet 9 inches
Height
8 feet 3 inches
Load Limit
+6 Gs, -4 Gs
Fuel Capacity
5 gallons
Kit type
Assembly
Build time
80-100 hours
Set-up time
30-40 minutes
Standard engine
Rotax 447
Power
40 horsepower
Power loading
12.5 pounds/hp
Cruise speed
55 mph
Stall Speed
26 mph
Never exceed speed
80 mph
Rate of climb at gross
850 fpm
Takeoff distance at gross
100 feet
Landing distance at gross
120 feet
Standard Features
Flat-bottomed wing airfoil, full-span ailerons, mechanical drum brakes, steerable nosewheel, 4-point shoulder harness, 6-inch aluminum wheels, windshield, pod.