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Sabre’s New Wildcat

By Dan Johnson || April 11, 2005 5 Comments

R&D PIPE - Rick Helm sang the praises of the R&D brand exhaust pipe, which he says significantly lowered engine revs and therefore noise and vibration.

NEW MODEL - Richard Helm (front seat) and associate Dennis McLain "model" the newest trike ultralight from Sabre Aircraft. A careful observer might notice the chassis sits lower than earlier Sabre trikes.

CLEVER PART DESIGN - Richard Helm has made many improvements to the Wildcat, his first all-new model in several years. The black parts connecting gear to chassis fit together with slots in such a way as to lower the frame without losing ground clearance.

CARGO AREA - Below the aft seat is a substantial area where items can be carried if not needed in flight. For things you want to access while flying, use the zippered pockets on either side just below the seat side rails.

REAR CONTROLS - In addition to rear seat ground steering, the Wildcat places the hand throttle in a place where a rear-seated instructor might also use it (halfway up the seat structural rail).

WELL SUSPENDED - The Wildcat uses a dual spring system to give shock absorbency to the nosewheel of the new trike model. Note the rear seat nosewheel steering linkage to the left of the instrument pod.

ASSEMBLY FEATURE - Step one, remove the pin. Step two, ... see next photo.

ASSEMBLY FEATURE - Step two, slide out the seat back rail. Once this quick effort is finished you can break down the Wildcat easier than other Sabre trike models. (See article for details.)

LOWERED CHASSIS - As you note the keel (main fore/aft structural member), you can see the angled section. This is part of the design change needed to drop the carriage. (See article for benefits.)

POTENT POWERPLANT - Though the Zanzottera MZ 202 engine looks similar to a Rotax 503, and though it uses no liquid cooling, the Italian-designed engine produces 60 hp, says Sabre. (The test Wildcat with R&D pipe produced 65 hp.)

NEW TANK - It looks like the trademark Sabre Aircraft fuel tank, but this one is different. The old one was made of fiberglass; Helm's new fuel tank is built from "cross-linked polyethylene," he says.

Smoother and More Refined Sabre Aircraft's Wildcat is an evolving story of ultralight aircraft development. It also speaks to the increasing maturity of the light aviation industry. For years, Sabre Aircraft's sales of their various trike models may have been the largest of any U.S. manufacturer. As 2003 ended the company was reporting delivery of some 700 ultralights. The company has long offered a good flying, simple trike with a modest price tag. Proprietor and designer Richard Helm made steady improvements to his Sabre Elite and Sabre 340 designs. But he took no major strides forward. The vigorous pace of Sabre trike sales and the company's need to stay on top of manufacturing issues can explain a drawn-out development period. Little time was left over for projects such as getting an entirely new trike ready for market. That didn't stop Helm. He kept working on elements of what would eventually become the Wildcat. He didn't know that was the product name any more than he foresaw precisely how the new trike would come together. He just kept plugging away at it in spare moments. Then came September 11, 2001 and its many aftershocks. Combined with a national economy in recession, events conspired to reduce aircraft sales throughout aviation from Boeing to hang gliders. Naturally, ultralight producers such as Sabre Aircraft were caught in the crossfire of this zero-sum game. The good news from the slowdown is the trike being reviewed this month. With the time afforded by lower sales volume, Helm was able to create and introduce the Wildcat. After a close review of components, I'm pleased to report on the development. Four Years in the Making The present Wildcat design dates back to '99, when Helm had most of the ideas. Actual development of the trike had to follow his acquisition of some more sophisticated equipment including a CNC mill, a plasma cutter, and draw bender. Frequently trike development involves, or is solely due to, wing changes. When you create a new wing for a trike chassis, you can get completely different flying characteristics. However, Sabre's new Wildcat uses the same wings as on earlier trikes. It is the Wildcat chassis that is new in several notable ways. Because a trike carriage won't change flight characteristics as significantly as a wing, the new elements of the Wildcat are subtler to appreciate. One more obvious change on the Wildcat evaluated in the spring of '03 was the use of the 60-hp MZ 202 engine developed by Zanzottera. This Italian design is gaining a storied experience in North America. Now the brand name shows up on Sabre trikes. I've flown with Zanzottera a few times and have found the engine powerful and smoother than most 2-stroke Rotax engines. Through my experience, always in early hours of use for the tested powerplants, I've discovered no operational problems. The MZ 202 has obvious appeal with 60 hp from an engine weighing only 87 pounds "including reduction, electric starter, and exhaust," says the importer. (These power and weight figures are for a factory engine, not the one being evaluated with the R&D brand exhaust pipe.) According to Helm, Compact Radial Engines of British Columbia, Canada, has acquired the manufacturing rights for all the Americas on the Zanzottera engine line and will now be building the engines used by Sabre Aircraft. The MZ 202 model name remains the same. Boosting MZ 202 On the evaluation Wildcat, Sabre Aircraft used the Italian/Canadian twin-cylinder, 2-stroke, dual-carb engine to which Helm fitted a custom-made R&D exhaust pipe. Helm is enthusiastic about the specialty exhaust pipe saying it lowers max revolutions, noise, and reduces operating temperatures - in all, a nice package. Peak engine revolutions were lowered by 700 rpm, he says, and with such a drop comes the lower noise and temperatures. Lowered revs may also help extend engine life. At the time of my test flight, Helm quoted output at 71 hp although now that the Wildcat is in production, new manufacturer Compact Radial Engines prefers to state 65 hp. Of the specialty exhaust pipe Helm says, "Even if the engine didn't produce 1 hp more, the R&D pipe is still worthwhile for the reduced noise and cooler temperature operation." The latter is especially important to a company based near Phoenix, Arizona and its oven-baked summers. Zanzottera offers engines with some features not found on other popular 2-stroke ultralight powerplants. The gear drive on the Zanzottera has a clutch system as standard equipment. Electric starting is also a regular component. Sabre's engine mount for the Zanzottera is the same as for the 4-stroke HKS engine as both have the same need. Each engine has a belly pan that drops below the engine and any mount must accommodate this feature. In addition the Zanzottera has a bell housing in the front that also descends lower. The engine mount is entirely new compared to any engine mount Sabre Aircraft has ever offered. Helm assured me that it brings a lot less vibration to the airframe. You feel such tremors in your hands and feet and body, and indeed, I felt little vibes from this engine even when revved to the maximum. Beyond its custom-shaped engine mount, Sabre supports the Zanzottera with dual Lord® mounts on each side of the engine plus a large one on the center rear below the engine. A large-dimension keel extension provides an underside support point. Many pilots may remember Sabre's earlier fuel tank, a fiberglass construction tucked below the engine. For the all-new Wildcat, Helm has designed a cross-linked polyethylene tank that should prove to be more durable. Low-Slung Affair After the engine, the most visible change in the basic trike carriage is a drop-down compound keel construction that rises to the nosewheel but which lowers the overall chassis by a significant 5 inches. This yields a better center of gravity for ground operations without diminishing ground clearance. The gusset plates that link main gear legs to the central underlying keel no longer sit on top of one another as they did in earlier Sabre trikes. Now they interlock together like a puzzle resulting in height economy that permits the carriage to sit lower while retaining the older trike ground clearance, says Helm. The lateral (left to right) gusset plates have a slot in them and the fore and aft plates fit into those slots. These slotted plates are aluminum in contrast to motor mount parts made of steel, though both are powder coated black. The newest Sabre lower slung chassis is easily seen from a distance, looking distinctly different from many other 2-seat trikes. The Wildcat's seat frame reveals another innovation. A pip pin releases a lateral rear seat support tube. Once this component part is removed the mast can pivot forward to an acute angle, allowing it to reach farther forward. In so doing, the control bar can pass over the nose of more streamlined pods. "Many trike pods have to be blunted because the control bar cannot otherwise pass over the nose," observes Helm. Many modern trikes are designed with a higher mast fold point. One advantage is that the engine remains well supported during trailer transport but the reach of the mast is therefore less and the nose pod problem arises. Sabre's new seat also reveals a voluminous, fabric-contained cargo area under the seat for items you'll need at your destination. In flight, you can use two side zippered bags that are sewn into the seat skirting. The Arizona producer uses the same Sabre 16ss trike wing as mated to earlier models. This tried-and-true design is reportedly certified in France. No wonder Helm is hesitant to change it, plus an approved wing may give him a running start to comply with the new ASTM Light-Sport Aircraft standard. While flying the single-surface wing, Helm said if I pulled in on the control bar I could get to about 50 mph. I couldn't verify this, as the evaluation Wildcat had no airspeed indicator. Nonetheless, the top speed of the simple wing was more than acceptable. To slow-flying enthusiasts like me, it was actually a pleasant change of pace from racing around in speedier aircraft. As a show of efficiency, I was able to hold altitude with the Sabre 16ss with revs barely above 4,000 rpm, a very low figure where the Zanzottera must have been consuming little fuel. The Wildcat's lowered frame not only makes it look cool and remain more stable on the ground, but it eases entry. Older, shorter, or less flexible pilots sometime struggle a bit to enter a trike, as you must step over the keel. That's easier in the Wildcat but even more noticeable is the relaxed entry to the back seat. You can almost turn around and sit down, whereas on many trikes you must climb on the frame to sit in the higher rear seat. Helm likes to use wheel pants to protect the prop from rocks that may get thrown up into it. The wheel pants also look good and add nice lines to trikes that manage to look awkward to some observers. Since Sabre's home field is covered with such prop-dinging pebbles and rocks, the wheel pants are probably a good investment and might offer the same value to you at your home field. Sabre's trike was displayed with distinctive tires completely lacking of tread pattern. In Florida this adds little value, but in Phoenix, treads tend to pick up small rocks and pebbles that can then be slung into the prop or on the occupants. After damaging your first prop in this way, you become more aware of the value of protection. Throughout the Wildcat, aviation-standard hardware is used. Despite seemingly obvious use of exclusively AN hardware, Helm writes, "While studying the new [Light-Sport Aircraft] design standard for trikes, I found out that some companies don't use aircraft hardware. They use industrial fasteners [and while] I am sure they use good quality fasteners, they are not aircraft grade." He continues, "It's funny because for years [Sabre Aircraft has] been battling [salesmen for other brands who] told customers that we didn't use aircraft hardware. In fact, we did, and now it turns out that it is actually they who didn't [use AN hardware]." Sabre has been selling the 16ss wing for some years and it retains its good flying qualities. Though some trike pilots like tautly configured wings for greater speed, less preloaded, slower, single-surface wings have handling ease the speedy wings can't match. Helm says that he's documented a 22-mph stall break speed and 52-mph max speed for the single-surface 16 square-meter wing. Roll-in and roll-out forces are much lighter with the Sabre 16 compared to nearly any double-surface wing. If you don't plan a lot of cross-country flying, and if you like maneuvering around the sky, a single-surface wing is probably the right choice for you. Sabre's 16 wing is a 175-square-foot design; the "16" in this case referring to square meters, a concession to the lead Europeans took years ago in trike development. The 16 - and a smaller version Sabre has offered, the 14 - are based on the popular Lynx wing first designed in France, which boasts plenty of hang gliding expertise. Helm enlisted an experienced hang glider developer, Mitch MacAleer, when he made American modifications to the French design. Thanks to reporting from USUA in this magazine, Sabre has a new bragging right. The January 2004 "Buyer's Guide" issue of UltralightFlying! shows the company's trikes as one of the top four most popular ultralights of any type used for training students. Sabre is the number-one U.S. trike maker following only AirBorne in use for training USUA students. Sharpened Sabre Richard Helm started flying trikes more than 20 years ago (and he's still a young fellow). He's also displayed an interest in 3-axis aircraft, selling them about a decade back, and then again when representing the Sky Ranger. But trikes are at the root of Helm's interest and are the backbone of the enterprise he has built called Sabre Aircraft. Helm and Sabre have now logged more than 10 years in the trike business. In our young industry, this qualifies boss and factory as rather experienced. Selling a reported 700 trikes also gives him plenty of real-time experience at building planes and dealing with many customers. Helm wrote, "I am proud of the new [Wildcat]. I think it's the best design out there. So many of the trikes look like they were designed in pieces. Our trike looks like it was designed at one time. The design flows together, and everything looks clean." Helm quoted a current public selling price for the MZ 202 at $4,500 plus $250 for the R&D pipe. This helps contain the delivered price of his Z626 model (so named for the 626cc displacement of the Zanzottera). At the time this article went to press, Sabre was advertising a Wildcat with the higher horsepower (yet lower rev) plus electric starting at $1,500 off, yielding a selling price of $12,495. However, even at the customary $13,995 for this ultralight, I'd call it a great value in a fun flying machine that is very well equipped with the features and components most American trike buyers want. But if that modest price is still too much for you, Sabre sells their basic 340 model for $7,995 complete with Kawasaki 340 engine. No wonder Sabre has a large fleet of trikes flying in Yankee skies. The Wildcat may have been a long time coming but shows careful thinking in its many hardware improvements. The newest Sabre is a sharp choice for a new year.

Published in Light Sport and Ultralight Flying

Seating	2, tandem
Empty weight	330 pounds ¹
Gross weight	885 pounds
Wingspan	35 feet
Wing area	175 square feet
Wing loading	5.1 pound per square foot
Length	13 feet
Height	11 feet
Kit type	Fully assembled
Notes:	¹ Wing weight, 95 pounds
Standard engine	Zanzottera MZ 202 ¹
Power	65 hp at 5,800 rpm
Power loading	13.6 pounds per hp
Cruise speed	30-50 mph
Never exceed speed	55 mph
Rate of climb at gross	800 fpm
Takeoff distance at gross	250 feet
Landing distance at gross	100 feet
Notes:	¹ Engine with R&D pipe sold with electric start and reduction drive; engine now manufactured by Compact Radial Engines of Canada, according to Sabre Aircraft.
Standard Features	Zanzottera MZ 202 engine equipped with electric start and reduction drive with clutch plus R&D exhaust pipe, 2-year warranty on engine, Sabre 16ss single-surface wing, steerable nosewheel (push right, go left) with nosewheel drum brake and trailing link suspension, hand and foot throttles, engine gauges (dual EGT and tachometer) in pod with mount, heavy-duty fiberglass main gear legs, wheel pants, front fender, 10-gallon fuel tank, 3-blade composite IvoProp propeller, seat with cargo area and saddlebags, folding mast, choice of colors, safety cables inside trike frame.
Options	BRS ballistic parachute (soft pack), optional wing fabrics, additional instruments.
Construction	6061-T6 and 7075-T6 aluminum airframe, steel and aluminum fittings, AN hardware, fiberglass, Dacron sailcloth.

Design

Cosmetic appearance, structural integrity, achievement of design goals, effectiveness of aerodynamics, ergonomics.

Pros - Sabre may be America's most prolific trike builder (700 deliveries claimed). Pricing is lower than most imported models. Simple trike but with features developed over manufacturing of many units). Lowered chassis comes with several benefits. Zanzottera engine on test trike is a new choice.

Cons - Sabre has not lead development like several European brands (though that has changed somewhat with new Wildcat features). Design test programs don't match imported designs (though Sabre enjoys a good safety record over many years of sales). Company preparedness for proposed Light-Sport Aircraft is undetermined.

Systems

Subsystems available to pilot such as: Flaps; Fuel sources; Electric start; In-air restart; Brakes; Engine controls; Navigations; Radio; (items covered may be optional).

Pros - Sabre's Wildcat continues to be a simpler design not employing many systems. Dual steering bar for aft seat ground taxiing. Foot and hand throttle with override feature. Front seat drum brake with spring suspension on nosewheel. Easy engine and fueling access. Electric starting is standard with Zanzottera engine.

Cons - Sabre's Wildcat continues to be a simpler design not employing many systems. Dual steering bar for aft seat ground taxiing. Foot and hand throttle with override feature. Front seat drum brake with spring suspension on nosewheel. Easy engine and fueling access. Electric starting is standard with Zanzottera engine.

Cockpit/Cabin

Instrumentation; Ergonomics of controls; Creature comforts; (items covered may be optional).

Pros - Comfortable, well-padded seats. Entry/exit are even easier than typically straightforward trike method, thanks to lowered chassis. Reach to controls good with rear seat steering and throttle. Amply sized instrument panel on test Wildcat. Cargo area under rear seat plus side zippered bags.

Cons - No shoulder belts installed nor offered; you'll have to add them as extra-cost aftermarket items. Minimal foot support to keep your feet on pedals. No nose or windscreen installed for wind protection (though a slower flying wing will make this unnecessary).

Ground Handling

Taxi visibility; Steering; Turn radius; Shock absorption; Stance/Stability; Braking.

Pros - Precise taxi steering. Good shock absorption with nosewheel suspension and brake. Brake was helpful for ground operations. Taxiing any trike on a crowded ramp is simpler, thanks to the tiltable wing. Generous ground clearance even though chassis has been lowered.

Cons - Push right, go left steering, although it has become standard on most trikes, is still unorthodox and throws some conventionally trained pilots. In stronger winds, steadying a trike wing may require significant muscular effort. Brake, though helpful for taxiing, was not particularly strong.

Takeoff/Landing

Qualities; Efficiency; Ease; Comparative values.

Pros - Sabre 16 wing approached quite slowly, allowing operations at many shorter fields. Slow approaches also aid in crosswind operations; the short ground roll allows cross-runway landings. Good glide performance made for gradual touchdowns and adds reach in the event of engine loss.

Cons - As with all trikes, crosswind operations demand different techniques than 3-axis pilots. Brakes will not help significantly in slowing the Wildcat on a short field (but slower approach speeds with the Sabre 16 wing make this largely unnecessary). Takeoff roll seemed a bit long.

Control

Quality and quantity for: Coordination; Authority; Pressures; Response; and Coupling.

Pros - Single-surface Sabre 16ss wing offers light handling, better than most double-surface wings (though at some sacrifice in speed range). Pitch was quite responsive and gave some diving ability even under power. Precision turns to headings in single-surface quite good.

Cons - As with all trike wings, you have no cross-control capability for crosswind operations. Coordinating controls on a weight-shift trike demands a new technique; you must push out (stick equivalent: back pressure). Low thrust line, common to all trikes, means power can overcome pitch control.

Performance

Climb; Glide; Sink; Cruise/stall/max speeds; Endurance; Range; Maneuverability.

Pros - Glide was quite good for a single-surface wing. Climb with Zanzottera was strong (though no instruments to measure). Low-over-field flying was most pleasurable with this single-surface wing. Speed range adequate for all but higher wind conditions.

Cons - Sink rate not measured (no altimeter). Speed range of Sabre 16ss wing is limited compared to most double-surface designs. More powerful engine means higher fuel burn. Sabre Aircraft no longer represents Aeros wings; interested buyers should check with company for other options.

Stability

Stall recovery and characteristics; Dampening; Spiral stability; Adverse yaw qualities.

Pros - Very modest stall characteristics; even with control bar held all the way to the nose support tube (stick equivalent: full back), Sabre 16 wing was docile. No stall breaks unless dramatically exaggerated. No wing drop. Push/pull-and-release test went positively.

Cons - Trike takeoffs, in Sabre and all other brands, are quite different than fixed-wing aircraft and required some familiarization. Throttle pushes nose up, as with all trikes; you must back off power somewhat in order to dive authoritatively.

Overall

Addresses the questions: "Will a buyer get what he/she expects to buy, and did the designer/builder achieve the chosen goal?"

Pros - The Wildcat is the result of several years of thinking about ways to build a better trike; slow economy allowed time to introduce this new model. Nicely color-coordinated. Zanzottera engine offered plenty of power without liquid cooling complexity. With a reported 700 trikes flying, safety record is good.

Cons - No matter what, trikes aren't going to please all pilots and this may affect resale ability values. Zanzottera engine has uneven sales and distribution performance in the North American market; is not known well by Yankee pilots. Takedown requires removal of a seat frame member.

Smoother and More Refined Sabre Aircraft’s Wildcat is an evolving story of ultralight aircraft development. It also speaks to the increasing maturity of the light aviation industry. For years, Sabre Aircraft’s sales of their various trike models may have been the largest of any U.S. manufacturer. As 2003 ended the company was reporting delivery of some 700 ultralights. The company has long offered a good flying, simple trike with a modest price tag. Proprietor and designer Richard Helm made steady improvements to his Sabre Elite and Sabre 340 designs. But he took no major strides forward. The vigorous pace of Sabre trike sales and the company’s need to stay on top of manufacturing issues can explain a drawn-out development period. Little time was left over for projects such as getting an entirely new trike ready for market. That didn’t stop Helm. He kept working on elements of what would eventually become the Wildcat.

Aeros/Sabre Aircraft — Venture 500

By Dan Johnson || March 30, 2004 Leave a Comment

Richard Helms has been one of the stalwarts in the trike development among American companies. Enjoying a positive change in market share (by many expert opinions), trikes are finding customers all over the country. It may be news to you but Helms has been facing this demand for years. With some 300 machines in the field, Sabre may be the leading American brand. The Sabre stacks up well against the more elaborate machines from Europe. Across the Atlantic, trikes got expensive and complex as they searched for more buyers. Helms learned that Americans often admire simplicity and he built to this goal. However, some buyers want more feature laden aircraft. Realizing the potential for the growing light aircraft industry in the eastern European countries, Helms went overseas to cut a deal with Aeros of the Ukraine. In the summer of 1999, Sabre introduced the new Venture trike. With an airframe that makes extensive use of Titanium and a sleek fiberglass fairing, the two-place Venture is a veritable showplace for numerous beautifully hand machined parts. Venture 500 uses the Rotax 503 while the 600 comes with the 582 engine. In other ways the two models are the same but they come very well equipped. Standard gear includes full instrumentation, wheel pants, shoulder harnesses, composite prop, and large capacity fuel tank. It is offered with either the Stranger 15 wing Sabre has sold for some time or the new Stream 16 wing. For under $10,000, this two seater trike represents an excellent value.

Sky Ranger

By Dan Johnson || February 24, 2004 Leave a Comment

The high-wing Sky Ranger definitely has a similarity to the tri-gear version of the RANS Coyote, but its French designer and the United States importer state that's where the similarity ends. The Sky Ranger, with its side-by-side seating, dual throttles, and center control sticks is a popular trainer in France and is gaining popularity in this country.

Entry and egress into/from the cockpit of the Sky Ranger is easy because there are no tubes, high doorframes, etc. to get in the way. But, without doors, the aircraft may feel a bit too wide open to some, as Dan Johnson discovered. The aircraft is available with doors to fully enclose the machine.

Side-by-side is generous for even a couple of 200-pound-plus occupants, especially with the doors off. The seats can be adjusted fore and aft during construction, but once set do not adjust. Seat backs do flip forward to allow access to the fuel tank and a baggage compartment.

The Sky Ranger uses a Wittman/Cessna-style landing gear that appears to take the bumps and hard landings common to instructional aircraft well. Another of the benefits of the design is its easy repairability.

With a wide skylight window in the roof of the cockpit, a wide windshield, and side windows behind the seats, visibility from the aircraft is excellent.

The wide cockpit also offers a generous instrument panel area, though this machine, which had just been constructed, did not yet have complete instrumentation installed. Again, because of its dual throttles, rudder pedals, and center-mounted stick with hand brake, the airplane is a convenient training aircraft.

The Leading Trainer in French Flight Schools To many observers, the Sky Ranger looks like a RANS Coyote. Based on general appearances, it appears the French light plane borrowed heavily from the popular model sold by the Kansas light plane kit leader. But, Sky Ranger importer Richard Helm bristles a bit when he hears that statement and retorts, “People compare the Sky Ranger to the RANS Coyote. They say it’s a knockoff, but the French designer didn’t take anything from the Coyote. It’s built completely different,” although he admits, “It does look a lot like the Coyote.” Give a Yankee welcome to the Sky Ranger. The French-designed ultralight is typical of a trend I think we’ll be seeing with increasing frequency—imported light planes from Europe. Sky Ranger is built in the Ukraine by Aeros, Ltd. I visited this factory with Phil Lockwood of Lockwood Aviation in the spring of 2001. Once built by Synairgy in France, Sky Ranger production moved to this former eastern-block country in 1997. Aeros has found a ready market in the United States and around the world for its attractively priced and good-flying hang gliders. The company also makes trike wings for Sabre and many other trike manufacturers, so its entry into fixed-wing ultralights using the construction methods of hang gliders was a logical development. Because the Sky Ranger was first introduced to the French market, it has become one of the most popular club planes in its native country, widely used by instructors to train new pilots. In France, as in most of Europe, ultralights are commonly owned by aero clubs that manage recreational airfields. These aero clubs provide an easy, low-cost way for average pilots to fly and for newcomers to be introduced to flying. Many aero clubs provide instruction, and the clubs own and maintain the aircraft. The aero club concept has worked especially well with sailplanes; Europe has more than twice as many sailplanes as the United States and several times the sailplane pilot population. In fact, the aero club concept is an idea that U.S. enthusiasts may want to consider when the new sport pilot/light-sport aircraft rules are adopted. French Origins Creator Phillippe Prevot had ambitious design goals for the Sky Ranger: He sought to “develop an airplane…with good performance but with the possibility of being built by two persons in a week and that could be inspected and maintained by a person without special or technical knowledge.” Build it in a week! And maintain it yourself? With ease? Sounds like hype, but according to Rich and east coast representative, Kevin Green, Sky Ranger does go together fast and simply. Rich states, “It’s the most popular ultralight in France, especially in the flight schools.” In just over half a decade, the company claims deliveries of 500 Sky Rangers. Because the Sky Ranger is appropriate for newer pilots, its landing gear may occasionally suffer hard landings, but its easy repairability is a benefit for recreational pilots who prefer flying to handling wrenches. Owners can reasonably handle more of their own repair work, say Rich and Kevin. Phillippe worked hard to keep the design as simple as possible. The Sky Ranger requires no welding, uses only straight main airframe members, and does not use composite materials for structural components. “The Sky Ranger is of typical ultralight construction with tubes bolted together,” clarifies Rich. Overall, Sky Ranger is based on triangulation from the centerline of the fuselage. According to Rich, the design has earned a French patent for the tubing airframe structure and its lack of complex, formed members. Besides the simple design concept, the Sky Ranger has no obstructing aircraft components to make your entry harder. You need not slide behind, around, or step over any tubes to enter the Sky Ranger. This is rare among light aircraft designs, especially those using aluminum tubing for the main structure. Rich says two people can fold the wings in 20 minutes; however, I never witnessed the effort. Folding wings have become a marketing plus for many designs, and Sky Ranger has also found this to be true. I found the Sky Ranger I flew to be a well-equipped ultralight, especially at a fairly modest price ($12,500 without engine). My evaluation aircraft had hydraulic brakes, flaps, in-flight trim, remote primer, electric start, and an electric Ivo prop joined to a Rotax 503. Sky Ranger’s standard equipment flap lever is tucked almost out of sight between the seats and has a squeeze handle to allow movement between three positions of flaps plus a neutral position. The in-flight trim is located at the back of the seat frames between pilots. A small lever adjusts tension on the elevator linkage in a manner common to ultralights. Americans Will Fit Well “Two large pilots should fit well in the Sky Ranger,” says Rich. “Another 200-pounder and I fit comfortably, and the Rotax 503 performed very well,” he explained while also endorsing the lower cost engine. In my flying, I also found the popular two-stroke to be ample. Even for big folks, entry into the Sky Ranger is not hampered, thanks to a lone side structural member. Positioned at your hips, this single tube on a 45- degree angle is padded and mostly out of the way. In fact, you may come to like it just as sports car buffs prefer their auto seats with side bolsters to securely hold you in place. Especially with the doors off, pilots accustomed to some side structure may like the tube’s position. In fact, I found it comforting. I have lots of experience with even-more-open ultralights, and I usually enjoy the sensation. However, in the Sky Ranger with no doors installed and almost no side structure, I got a weird feeling that I could fall out. This sensation heightened when I deliberately made uncoordinated turns or maneuvers to test the ultralight’s control responses. Though I rarely get this feeling and can’t explain it in Sky Ranger, at least the machine’s very sturdy seat belt system and that short, padded tube at my outside hip offered me a little security. Doors are available for the truly uneasy. I found the access to the primary controls such as the joystick, flap lever, and trim lever to be good, but I really didn’t care for the throttle in the Sky Ranger. For me, it was too much of a reach and offered no place to rest my hand. If you keep your hand on the throttle constantly, as I often do, the location caused fatigue. Rich says you can set up the throttle as a push-pull knob, like a Cessna, but that wouldn’t help much over the lever arrangement. You’d still have the reach and no support point. Because the Sky Ranger’s seats are only adjustable during construction, I couldn’t move the seat up closer to reduce my reach to the throttle. My reach to other switches and knobs was fine, so moving the seat forward wouldn’t ease the long reach to the throttle. The Sky Ranger’s cockpit arrangement felt somewhat like the older Kolb Mark III as your legs and feet had to angle toward the center of the fuselage (New Kolb’s Mark III Extra fixes this shortcoming). The angle was less pronounced than in the Kolb, which has a pointier nose, but I found it less than optimal in comfort. I also noticed heat being directed onto my left, outside leg and generally into the foot area of the cockpit. While I would love this during a Minnesota winter, my foot broiled in Florida’s stifling heat. Locating the brake on the forward side of the joystick was as useful and effective as any other designs that employ this mount, and the Sky Ranger’s hydraulic brakes worked with surprising power. Prevot’s skylight design—basically encompassing the entire fuselage over the cabin—allows you to look out the skylight in turns opposite your seating side. But, because you sit high relative to the wing, turns had to be rather steeply banked to see laterally. In the Sky Ranger it seemed to me that you’re best off using lateral vision before the turn. With the doors off and its large skylight, including two windows in the fabric above the fuel tank area, the Sky Ranger offers broad visibility. Perfect for Instructional Use For this flight evaluation, I used an aircraft donated by owner Tony Berman. Tony and Phillippe built this Sky Ranger; talk about your factory service! The two assembled the plane in three, 16-hour days (or 48 hours’ construction time) and flew it. Granted, the clear coating, instrument fitting, and attachment of the cowl came later but in only three long days, my test Sky Ranger went from crate to flight. Despite the factory attention to building, this test bird had a mild right turn in it that caused me to use left rudder nearly all the time. Combined with the angled reach, I kept having to reposition my feet on the pedals to get a better purchase on them. Rich says that by adjusting the bungee cord attached well aft of the pilot in the tailcone, you could fix some turn tendency by sliding the bungee to the appropriate side. This has limits, of course, but for small adjustments, it may prove sufficient. By creating a small opening in the skin on the underside, you can reach up and manipulate the bungee, which is attached to a mid-cone cross member. Using such an access point, you could occasionally make adjustments. Making this access point is easier than it sounds because the aircraft’s covering envelope, which slips on the fuselage, has reinforced seams joined by cord lashing or Velcro closures. Ultimately, you’d want to correct the turn by aileron rigging when time permits, but a quick adjustment as just described would help while en route to a destination. Rich explained that Phillippe always tightens up the return bungees on the rudder pedals quite firmly as he believes this configuration is better for students, as Rich accounted for some rudder stiffness I noted. By making the pedals resist movement, a student must work a little harder to fly the plane, but Phillippe feels they’ll get necessary feedback while their tactile sense of control movement sharpens. The dissimilarity of efforts—smooth, fairly light stick versus stiffer rudder pedals—made the harmony between stick and rudder less than perfect. My Dutch roll coordination exercises in the Sky Ranger were done with much less bank angle than in the Sky Raider II I’d flown earlier in the day. I made good quality but shallower Dutch rolls, which says a lot about overall control lightness, response, and harmony. As I tried to do them as steeply as I’d just done the Sky Raider II, I wallowed around the sky. Of course, my lack of experience in the model also contributes to control sloppiness. Get Up and Go on the Cheap Sky Ranger has sprightly if not inspiring performance. I loved that this airplane had a Rotax 503 engine, though Rich admits that he sees the logic for the 912-engine installation. Naturally, 80 hp versus 48 hp would give shorter take off rolls and stronger climbs, but it’d also cost $8,500 more and raise the weight by 70 pounds. My experience suggests that the agreeably priced Rotax 503 could perform well in a flight school environment. Everybody loves the 503, and you save a lot of upfront cash, though one argument in favor of the 912 is that total overhaul expenses will be lower in the long run. Climb in the Sky Ranger with the 503 engine is only about 500 fpm, I’d estimate. Tony had not installed an altimeter, so I couldn’t be certain. Conversely, Rich and his 200-pound friend found the Sky Ranger climbed well even in Rich’s hot home state of Arizona with its higher density altitude. Individual performance categories are important, but Sky Ranger’s overall package is a good one. Sky Ranger has won World Championship status two times since 1996. In the first two contests since the model arrived on the market— not counting one in 2001—Phillippe Zen, then a dealer for the Sky Ranger in France, won in his competition class. Rich summarizes this achievement simply. “If it wins, it must be a pretty good performing ultralight.” Wellrounded qualities and good piloting technique combined to help Zen and his Sky Ranger to log the dual victories. The Sky Ranger’s cruise was fairly speedy, thanks to an electrically adjusted prop. I recorded a high of 88 mph during some runs, while Phillippe reports that a 80-hp 912 will only go about 93 mph. Keep in mind that installed instrument error is always a factor in my reporting. Stalls occurred at low speeds, in the high 30s, again dependent on instrument accuracy. But intuitively I felt I could sense the lighter weight of the smaller engine and lighter airframe. All stalls—power on, power off, and accelerated—resisted any tendency to fall on a wing, and the nose break was mild or nonexistent. Indeed, these characteristics are good for students and for the rest of us. I did no spins or other unusual attitude maneuvers because the aircraft didn’t have a parachute. Sabre Aircraft, Rich’s company, works closely with BRS and a system installation for the Sky Ranger is expected, but none was installed on this test ultralight. However, chutes have been fitted on the design, as Rich referenced a deployment in South Africa in the last couple years. Unfortunately, information was sparse as to why the need arose or how the emergency system performed. I’d Advise a Close Look If you have an interest in this airplane, you have several sources to see it. At the time of its introduction, Sky Ranger was already represented in three distinct locales of the United States and in Canada. Sabre Aircraft, located in the greater Phoenix, Arizona, area, has the U.S. and Mexican distribution rights; Speedwing has Canada. Acting as dealers through Sabre Aircraft, Florida-based Arnet-Pereyra, manufacturers of the Aventura and several other aircraft, and Kevin Green of West Virginia-based Green Landings, distribute the aircraft. Kevin is enthusiastic about the Sky Ranger and has consummated numerous sales. He also represents Flightstar Sportplanes. The Sky Ranger is billed as an “ultra-fast build kit” with the flaps, ailerons, tailplane, vertical stabilizer, rudders, and elevator coming pre-built and covered. The rest of the airframe is referred to as “a number of subassemblies.” In addition, the factory says that, “All joints come with the bolts already in position and attachment brackets already in their places.” Tony Berman says that covering the Sky Ranger was one of the easier jobs, as those surfaces merely slip on and tie up. This is a big difference over conventional dope-and-fabric covering, which then requires heat-stretching, priming, and painting. You save both time and money with the Dacron envelope solution. Green Landings advertises good prices on all models of Sky Rangers, and they have clear pricing about the cost to build it for you. Even if the task is supposedly quick and simple, it still takes 100 hours or more, making the Green Landings’ offer of interest to many time-starved pilots. And, if built as a Part 103 ultralight, building the aircraft for you is completely legal. The basic Sky Ranger kit, without engine, runs a shade over $12,000. Add the Rotax 503 plus mounts, exhaust, (non-electric) prop, and your choice of colors, the price tag hits $15,500. If you must have the 80-hp 912 Rotax plus its electric starter, you’ll spend almost $24,000. Those interested in four-stroke advantages might also choose the HKS 700-E engine, which would offer more than adequate power at lower cost. But those aircraft will definitely not meet the weight limitations of FAR Part 103, so builders would need to register those aircraft in the experimental amateurbuilt category. Despite the higher price of the 912 model, Rich says, “I’ve looked at it all and I’m convinced the 912 is the way to go.” He calculated purchase price, overhaul and maintenance, and fuel consumption and believes the fourstroke engine is worth the considerable extra cost. Rich also agreed that the HKS 700E would make a good powerplant for the same reasons. To compare, the Rotax 503 adds about $3,500 to the airframe price, not including the effort of installation. Have Sabre install a Rotax 912 and the comparable value is around $11,000 (though they do the work of installation for this price). Have Sabre fit an HKS and the add-on to the airframe will be under $9,000 thanks to new, lower prices from the Japanese engine distributed by HPower Ltd. Big engine or little, four stroke or two, Sky Ranger makes an interesting new choice for private owners and flight schools. Either way, you might feel at home in the Sky Ranger.

Published in Experimenter Magazine

Seating	2, side-by-side
Empty weight	405 pounds
Gross weight	992 pounds
Wingspan	31 feet
Wing area	152 square feet
Wing loading	6.2 pounds/square foot
Length	17.9 feet
Height	7 feet
Kit type	Fast-Build kit
Build time	100 hours¹
Notes:	¹See distributor and article for further details about the build effort.
Standard engine	Rotax 503
Power	50 hp at 6,500 rpm
Power loading	19.1 pounds per hp
Cruise speed	70-85 mph²
Never exceed speed	103 mph
Rate of climb at gross	600 fpm
Takeoff distance at gross	650 feet
Landing distance at gross	800 feet
Notes:	²Test Sky Ranger was equipped with an in-flight adjustable prop (see story).
Standard Features	Rotax 503, ASI, tach, hydraulic brakes, 3-position flaps, cabin with removable doors, remote choke, shock-absorbing gear, steerable nosewheel, choice of colors for slip-on Dacron covers with lash-up tightening (no painting required).
Options	Engines up to 100-hp Rotax 912S including Rotax 582, 618, and regular 912, also 60-hp HKS 700E, electric starter, 4-blade prop, additional instruments, assembly option, doors, and ballistic parachute.
Construction	Aluminum airframe, fiberglass fairing, presewn Dacron wing, fuselage, and tail coverings. Designed in France. Made in the Ukraine (by Aeros); distributed by U.S.-owned company (Sabre Aircraft).