After ever-bigger Rebels, the JDM – 8 is a genuine ultralight
Darryl Murphy’s commitment to
small plane design is evident
by the fact that during the
years when Murphy Aircraft Mfg. exhibited
in two locations at various
fly-ins, Darryl frequently was seen
working his company’s booth in the
ultralight area. Other Murphy Aircraft
staff members would be working the
Rebel/Super Rebel booth. At the Northwest
EAA Fly-In in Arlington,
Washington, this past summer, that
pattern re-emerged; the boss stayed
with the JDM-8 in the ultralight exhibit
area. In my conversations with
him, he seemed pleased to be presenting
a genuine ultralight again.
Those who know the history of
Murphy Aircraft before the first Rebel
arrived won’t be surprised to see the
company marketing an ultralight.
This Canadian manufacturer was an
ultralight company that expanded
into homebuilts and has achieved success
through their Rebel series. The
new single-seat JDM-8—especially
when contrasted with the huge, radialengine-
powered Moose—shows this
company has not forgotten its roots in
ultralight aircraft.