Earthstar Thunder Gull | |
---|---|
Earthstar Thunder Gull Odyssey | |
Role | Ultralight aircraft |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Earthstar Aircraft |
Designer | Mark Beierle |
First flight | March 1987 (Thunder Gull) |
Introduction | 1987 (Thunder Gull) |
Status | In production (2012) |
The Earthstar Thunder Gull is a family of cantilever high-wing, tricycle gear ultralight aircraft, manufactured by Earthstar Aircraft of Santa Margarita, California as a kit for amateur construction or as a completed aircraft.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]
Designer Mark Beierle's original goals were an "airplane with the feel of a hang glider, the agility and visibility of a helicopter, the effortless smooth flight of a sailplane, and the utility and economy of a general aviation aircraft--all in the hopes of getting close to the feel and freedom of a bird." When queried by interviewer Don Downie if that was too much to ask, Beierle replied, "You bet! But it didn't stop me from trying."[11]
The Thunder Gull was introduced in 1987 as a development of the earlier Laughing Gull. The aircraft was quite revolutionary when it was introduced due to its high performance and particularly high cruise speed of 55 mph (89 km/h) on just 28 hp (21 kW).[1]
The aircraft is constructed from aluminum tubing and sheet parts and covered in aircraft fabric. The aircraft can meet the requirements of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, including its maximum empty weight limitation of 254 lb (115 kg) when it is equipped with a lightweight engine.[1][12]
The aircraft has a very small wing for the US ultralight category with a wing area of only 95 sq ft (8.8 m2) and a wingspan of 17.6 ft (5.4 m). The wing is equipped with flaps that give it a stall speed of 25 mph (40 km/h). The small wing gives the aircraft a high cruise speed and better resistance to turbulence than a lighter-loaded wing. The one-piece wing is quickly removable for storage or transport.[1][3]
Reported construction time of the kit is 150 hours.[1]
The prototype Laughing Gull was flown coast-to-coast across the USA seven times with 100 lb (45 kg) of baggage and a 180 lb (82 kg) pilot.[2]
Data from Cliche[1]
General characteristics
Performance