On a single day of recording several videos at Sun ‘n Fun 2018, Videoman Dave and I came across two light kit aircraft designs operating as STOL — Short Take Off and Landing — aircraft. By itself that is hardly unusual. STOL designs are plentiful and popular. However, when you hear that two STOL-focused airplanes will be flying from Florida to Alaska, that’s something else entirely. Flying from one corner of a big country to its diagonal opposite is a fairly significant undertaking. Depending on routes chosen, this is well beyond a 4,000-mile flight. Let’s see — at 80-90 mph an hour …well, suffice it to say, that’s a lot of flying, 40+ hours, each way, would not surprise me. Viking 180 Horse on Zenith Super Duty At Sebring 2018 Zenith Aircraft showed their Super Duty version of their CH750 high wing, a STOL airplane equipped with a large engine and tires to match.
Belite Aircraft
Website: http://www.beliteaircraft.com
Email: Info@beliteaircraft.com
Phone: (316) 253-6746
Wichita, KS 67226 - USABelite’s Chipper Two-Seat Light Kit Aircraft Proves Itself
Interested in Chipper?
Not only are Belite's performance numbers for the Chipper shaping up well, the purchase price has also remained within the "affordable aviation" range. Here's a few figures:- $10,495 — taildragger airframe kit (1,000 pound gross, 80-horsepower max)
- $11,995 — taildragger airframe kit (1,200 pound gross, 100-horsepower max)
- $2,595 — taildragger finishing kit (1,000 pound gross, 80-horsepower max)
- $2,995 — tricycle gear finishing kit (1,000 pound gross, 80-horsepower max)
- $3,195 — taildragger finishing kit (1,200 pound gross, 100-horsepower max)
- $3,695 — tricycle gear finishing kit (1,200 pound gross, 100-horsepower max)
This pricing is locked in with your $500 deposit, but you must take delivery this year.
- 5 gallon fuel tanks —” $900 per pair
- 14 gallon fuel tanks — $1,400 per pair
- Any Radiant instruments with purchase of a Chipper kit — 25% discount. James said, "This does not include the radio, transponder, or ELT, but you can put together a very nice Radiant panel for less than $1,000."
- Belites recommend Oratex fabric (see video) and DUC Hélices propellers.
- Some items, such as engine cowls for either Rotax engine or engine mounts will be determined later.
- Prices do not include: engine, propeller, mount, cowl, instruments, fabric, paint, glue, etc.
Belite entrepreneur James Weibe has successfully used his tech industry background to raise interest for his latest project, this time his first two seater called Chipper. (It was named Pipper but that apparently energized the anxieties of Piper Aircraft lawyers so James altered the name.) James has informed his Facebook and email readers with continual updates. After making initial flights fairly recently, he has judged the aircraft able to make a cross country flight. Chipper uses power from the 912 Rotax, but rather than the more common 100-horsepower ULS model, James is using one of my favorites, the 80-horsepower, regular-autogas-burning version. I like it because for lighter aircraft, such as Chipper, this 912 has plenty of power and it is about as trouble-free as any aircraft engine I’ve ever flown. “I flew Chipper to Angel Fire, New Mexico,” James exclaimed. “I flew nonstop one way (960 miles roundtrip) from Wichita, Kansas to Angel Fire, performed flight tests, and then returned to Marion, Kansas before the sunset.” Now that’s a good day’s flying.
Avionics (Instruments) for Big and Little Guys
I guess I'm still old fashioned. I still call those things in front of the pilot "instruments," although the preferred term for a panelful of them shifted to "avionics." At least most people and I have stopped using "gauges." Choose the term that works for you, but mail order giant Aircraft Spruce just sent offerings to builders, whether at home or in a factory. "Spruce," as many abbreviate the Southern California-based company, serves a broad range of aircraft markets.
"Come to Aircraft Spruce for your favorite Belite products," said Aircraft Spruce reps. Visit the company's web page for Belite Radiant instruments. The new instruments combine many functions into simple and small, lightweight units. "Belite has created these new units with one specific feature in mind: persistence," noted Spruce.
Radiant Instrument will graphically display the last 30 minutes of fuel level information along with current fuel level, providing pilots with the ability to look at information on displays screens, to ensure a safer flight. Belite's Radiant Instruments are designed for a standard 2.25-inch cutout, using up to 100 milliamps of power from a supply of 8 to 14 volts. All instruments are dimmable, Spruce clarified.
A range of Sandia products are available from Aircraft Spruce. Sandia Aerospace produces high quality transponders, altitude encoders, airdata computers, avionics cooling fans, and Marc 70 interface modules. "We offer wire harnessing and custom coaxial assemblies to make shopping for a Sandia Aerospace transponder all one convenient shopping experience for your aircraft needs, said Aircraft Spruce.
For more information on Belite or Sandia avionics offerings, please contact Aircraft Spruce at 877-477-7823 or 951-372-9555.
Aircraft Spruce's complete product line is available online at www.aircraftspruce.com. Request a free copy of the company's mammoth 1,100-page catalog. The catalog is available in print, on a CD, or in PDF format.
If wiring up the panel in your light kit aircraft or ultralight, Aircraft Spruce is again at the ready to assist you. In fact, they'll do all the hard work, which can hasten you to flight. Check out this video with Ryan Deck.
I guess I’m still old fashioned. I still call those things in front of the pilot “instruments,” although the preferred term for a panelful of them shifted to “avionics.” At least most people and I have stopped using “gauges.” Choose the term that works for you, but mail order giant Aircraft Spruce just sent offerings to builders, whether at home or in a factory. “Spruce,” as many abbreviate the Southern California-based company, serves a broad range of aircraft markets. For big or small aircraft, people seem to like Belite Electronics (sibling to Belite Aircraft most recently of Skydock fame). A former tech entrepreneur, James Wiebe designs airplanes certainly appears at home with electronics. He’s developed a wide range of very light, very low energy use, very accurate instruments. “Come to Aircraft Spruce for your favorite Belite products,” said Aircraft Spruce reps. Visit the company’s web page for Belite Radiant instruments.
Belite Aircraft — SeaLite Floatplane (2013)
Belite Aircraft has maintained a singular focus on single seat aircraft, many of which can meet Part 103 (meaning no license, medical, or N-numbers needed). Entrepreneur James Wiebe has been tireless in his quest to constantly update the design. To wit, he scrapped an aluminum float project and created the carbon fiber amphibious floats to squeeze even more weight out of them. At the time this video was made, he had not yet flown, but in December 2013, that benchmark was achieved.
Belite Aircraft has maintained a singular focus on single seat aircraft, many of which can meet Part 103 (meaning no license, medical, or N-numbers needed). Entrepreneur James Wiebe has been tireless in his quest to constantly update the design. To wit, he scrapped an aluminum float project and created the carbon fiber amphibious floats to squeeze even more weight out of them. At the time this video was made, he had not yet flown, but in December 2013, that benchmark was achieved.
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