A look at CGS Aviation and its Roots The Hawk and Chuck. Chuck and the CGS Hawk. They are absolutely intertwined. While Chuck has a wife, Pixie (aka Nancy), and family—four sons (Chuck Jr., David, Ted, and Don)—he has another family in his aircraft. Going Way Back Our story this month takes us back in time. EAA recently celebrated the induction of Michael Sacrey into the Ultralight Hall of Fame. He was present near the beginning of the movement. But even before ultralights were officially recognized as a segment of aviation, Chuck was doing essentially what he is doing today—selling flying machines. In the early days, Chuck built hang gliders, with names like the Swooper, Spitfire, and Falcon (models I through VII). While hang gliding was most popular on the West Coast and many major hang glider manufacturers were located there, hang gliding was also popular along the dunes of the Great Lakes, and Chuck’s operation was one of the biggest in the eastern part of the country. In fact, the company’s name today, CGS Aviation, comes from its former name: Chuck’s Glider Supplies. In those formative days, businesses like Chuck’s Glider Supplies were less involved in manufacturing and more involved in selling a lifestyle. Hang gliders sold like surfboards, so enterprises like Chuck’s Glider Supplies were more like shops than factories. Chuck Slusarczyk and I go back a long way. Before ultralights were around, he and I were separately involved with the manufacture of hang gliders. When I entered the hang gliding scene in 1973, Chuck was already a figurehead in that community of aviators (as was Tom Peghiny, who’s now the president of Flightstar Inc.). Later, like many of his fellow designers, Chuck started experimenting with engines for his hang gliders. Eventually he began using the Easy Riser bi-wing hang glider as the airframe for his tiny little powerplants. In the late 1970s, 10 horsepower had to suffice (luckily, Chuck himself represented less payload then). As hang gliders evolved into ultralights, the need for power…and more power…developed. That was long before Rotax, and its predecessor, Cuyuna, were known in aviation, and before engines became a separate industry. To get power on your machine, you bought and tried whatever engines you could find, with the Mac 101 chain saw engine being one popular choice. You, as the builder, had to figure out the engine mount, muffling, and cooling parts. And, remember, the engines had to be light because the airplanes were light—they still had to be foot launched—so the choices were fewer. Chuck helped that early ultralight industry by being one of the first to sell power kits so that enthusiasts could build their own self-launched hang gliders. But he did more than that. He also helped the industry by being a trailblazer. Rule Breaker In the early 1980s the rule defining powered hang gliders stated the machines had to be foot launched. FAR Part 103 had not yet been released when the CGS Hawk first found its way to market. However, the new rule was coming, and hints about its exact content were fodder for hangar talk across the country. Until Part 103 was enacted, the machines had to have access on the underside of the carriage for the pilot’s legs to extend out. Then, factory he-men would demonstrate that the machine could be foot launched by staggering into the air, usually in strong winds that helped lift the aircraft. In 1982 when CGS introduced the Hawk at Sun ’n Fun, it was the first fully enclosed ultralight. There was no way to put your feet through the bottom of the airframe onto the ground; therefore foot launching was impossible. Technically Chuck’s machine was illegal. “How does he dare flout the rule?” many asked. In fact, two manufacturers filed a protest with FAA at that fly-in to have Chuck’s plane grounded. When Chuck told the investigating FAA officials that he had N-numbers for the machine, but that he had been directed by an inspector from the Cleveland FAA office to simply fly the machine as ultralight because the rule was imminent, FAA agreed to let Chuck fly. History shows that his brazen move was successful when Part 103 defined ultralights and allowed enclosed vehicles like the Hawk. But this was only one triumph in a long series of Chuck’s trailblazing ideas. The Hawk was also the first ultralight to incorporate conventional three-axis controls, including a steerable nose wheel or tail wheel. You may see these design features as common, and today they are; remember, however, that ultralights were born of powered hang gliders, which used only control bars. Accordingly, the early control systems of ultralights were nothing less than amazing in their simplicity and diversity. Having worked in the conventional aviation industry for a period of time, Chuck knew standard control systems, and he saw an advantage in providing them in ultralights. The company’s steady sales for the past two decades are a testament to the accuracy of his vision. Hawks were also the first ultralights to use fully functional wing flaps and full strut bracing. Again, standard stuff, you may think, but flaps were very uncommon in the early 1980s, and someone had to break new ground. Those who lead are carefully watched by those who follow. Leading a development places you on the radarscope of those behind, and while they catch up, they can observe the leader’s successes and mistakes. With the Hawk, the market liked what it saw, and so did EAA fly-in judges, who named Chuck’s Hawk the “Best New Design” of 1982 at Sun ’n Fun. That same year the new bird also won “Outstanding New Design” at EAA Oshkosh ’82. And a year later at the same event, the Hawk won the prestigious DuPont Kevlar ARV (air recreational vehicle was the buzzword of the day) Design Competition, beating a field of 126 ARV designs. Reduction Drives Even before introducing the Hawk, Chuck had been one of the first to use a reduction drive with his engine and propeller combination, eliminating the screamingly loud and power-inefficient direct drive props of the first ultralights. Again, these early machines were basically hang gliders with engines added to provide lift to get the machine aloft. Then the pilot would shut down the engine and soar. If the machine was noisy for a few minutes of climb, well, that was the price you paid…and at least the powerplants were lighter. Neighbors, of course, looked at the noise differently. Chuck realized that by using a reduction drive he could dramatically increase usable thrust and offer quieter operations at the same time, so he created a belt-drive reduction system. Because he was the first to use this on powered hang gliders (they weren’t yet called ultralights), he was awarded a patent (#4,262,263 “Powered hang glider with reduction drives”). At one time Chuck supplied 80 percent of all reduction drive systems sold in the United States. Though he tried to collect royalties on his patent, the ultralight industry was not mature in those early days, and all Chuck got was fame for his efforts. However, his work paved the way for the modern ultralight in several significant ways, and for that Chuck Slusarczyk was one of the first ultralight pioneers to be inducted into EAA’s Ultralight Hall of Fame. Chuck’s efforts gave CGS Aviation an advanced, feature-laden, and more powerful aircraft than many of his competitors, and this attracted customers. Once he introduced the Hawk, Chuck’s leadership in ultralight aviation kept CGS Aviation in the forefront of the ultralight community. Hawk Enlargement and Refinement When I first flew the Hawk back in 1983, CGS only offered one model. That’s because the ultralight industry in the early ’80s was much like the old days of automobile manufacturing. For example, when you bought a Chevrolet or Ford then, you didn’t buy a Ford Taurus LX. It was simply “a Ford.” Today, the Hawk has developed into five basic airplanes with one additional variation on the theme (an ag version). All models can be fitted with a variety of engines, ranging from the Rotax and Hirth to the HKS, which are all factory tested and approved. No scrounging for parts anymore! CGS is rare among modern-day ultralight manufacturers in that it offers more single-place versions than two-seaters, in a 3-to-2 ratio. But this has proven smart based on the sales figures. More than 1,100 Hawk singles have sold, compared to around 450 of the two-seat models. In the single-place lineup is the Classic, the Arrow, and the Plus. CGS can also supply an agricultural version of the Plus. The two-seaters are called the Classic II and Arrow II. The Classic is the older, simpler plane. When you move up to the Arrow model for another $1,150, you get the fuselage featuring the curved windscreen (rather than the Classic flat windscreen) plus streamlined struts. Sewn into the Dacron wings are lower surface ribs. The Arrow also has a larger vertical stabilizer and rudder plus a strengthened boom tube. On any Hawk model you can choose between the taildragger or tricycle gear version. All the Hawk singleseaters are priced with the Rotax 447 engine, which has proven sufficient for most operators. The Arrow taildragger is my favorite CGS offering, but it comes with two requirements: the machine must have an N number (because it’s an experimental amateur-built) and the pilot must hold a minimum of a recreational or private pilot certificate (though the two-seat trainer model can be operated under an exemption to Part 103). Despite liking the creature comforts of the curvier Arrow, I still admire the simpler Classic, and I’ve long believed that lighter ultralights tend to have better handling and agility than heavier ones. The Hawk Classic uses squared lines and a simpler structure than the Arrow. This helps it stay light and within Part 103’s tight 254-pound limit (if carefully built). Yet big pilots or those who prefer to wear a helmet (like me) may prefer the roomier Arrow with its curved fuselage structural members. The curved tubes help form the windscreen’s shape, which gets rid of a significant glare. Fly with the sun at your tail, and the Classic’s flat windscreen is clear and the view wonderfully large. But turn into the sun, and forward visibility becomes restricted at the wrong angles. The modern, curved upper cockpit member of the Arrow puts a convex shape in the windscreen, and the result is better in bright sun from any angle. All the Hawk two-seaters feature tandem seating; in each, I’d rather fly from the front seat, but the rear seat offers decent visibility for passengers. For a single-person camping trip to a local fly-in, the Classic II or Arrow II offers great cargo space. You’ll pay about $3,000 more for the extra hardware and larger 503 engine that’s standard with the II models. Positioned somewhat in between the Classic and the Arrow is the CGS Hawk Plus model, which is basically a two-seater without the second seat. This configuration makes the Plus a bit heavier than the trim Classic II, yet it offers more space for those who want to carry items with them. Its price is midway between the other singles and two-seat Hawks, but note that the Plus does not qualify for Part 103 because of its higher empty weight. Owner-Pleasing Flier I’ve spoken to a lot of Hawk owners over the years. That’s not difficult, as CGS has sold about 1,500 aircraft, a figure only achieved by a few other light aircraft producers. Of course, I’ve heard the usual range of bellyaches from customers, as is the case for most ultralight producers. If you sell 1,500 planes, some folks are going to have complaints about some aspect, usually the task of building. However, I have yet to speak to a single Hawk owner who griped about the way the Hawk flies. In fact, everyone I’ve talked with has been genuinely happy with the design’s flight characteristics. I’ve had the pleasure to fly every variant of Hawk ultralight CGS has produced. After the first one, I anticipated the rest with enthusiasm. Lifting off in the Hawk has always been pleasurable. I love the way this bird takes to the air and returns to base. I don’t care how many hours a pilot has, most advanced skills are enjoyed aloft, doing aerobatics, flying competitions, soaring, or achieving long cross-country flights. When any of these flight experts comes home, he or she will appreciate an easy-toland aircraft. The Hawk is one of the best. While they aren’t needed on all landings, the use of full flaps for landing makes for a very modest touchdown. Chuck has long preached that “50 is nifty” to guide Hawk approach speeds. This yields a wide safety margin, and I have achieved approaches that were closer to 40 mph, which makes for very short landings of 150 feet or less. When I experimented with zero flaps my landings were firmer, so Chuck’s addition of flaps back in the early ’80s was a good idea. Like all Hawk controls, the flaps operate easily, quickly becoming second nature. I found roll response in all the Hawk models to be very good. You might not call the Hawk “fast handling,” but that’s actually preferable for most pilots, and I’ve never felt a loss of control even in some stiff crosswinds. Rolling into turns requires low physical effort and modest stick movement, while breakout force, or roll response out of turns, is more authoritative than many ultralights. I also found the Hawks to be very predictable in pitch; Hawks hold their trim position comfortably. Despite this ease, trim is still desirable to cope with changing conditions. Fortunately, as with its other systems, Hawk offers trim that works well. Even if you accept that all the Hawks are great flying machines with wonderful takeoff and landing characteristics, most pilots want to know how they perform. One of the simplest ways to state this is by reviewing the 2001 results of the Second World Air Games and Microlight Championships in Spain. Hawks finished first and second in the single-seat fixed-wing microlight class. Any designer would be proud of such a performance in an aircraft that was 20 years old last month. Ever since Chuck Slusarczyk entered the aviation business back in the 1970s, he has brought his own unorthodox brand of development. From his powered hang gliders in the late ’70s through the introduction of the rule-busting Hawk in the early ’80s, Chuck has probably given more than he has received from the ultralight business. Without him the sport of fun flying would be poorer. Thank goodness Chuck and his indomitable humor have been with us so long. Long may Hawks fly!