Author: Spencer Gould

SA 103 Cavalier – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

I always thought the Cavalier was a sharp looking homebuilt aircraft, tail # C-FGDC is likely one of the best I’ve seen. It’s based on the French GY-20 Minicab (one of these is on display at Sun-N-Fun). Latest design ownership is with MacFam. Common engine options are the Continental O-200 & the Lycoming O-235

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacFam_Cavalier

The wooden aviation web site has even more details on the aircraft

http://woodenaviation.com/103%20cavalier.html

The EAA has additional info on the aircraft but not a dedicated page I can find.

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/news-and-publications/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/bits-and-pieces-newsletter/12-15-2017-my-unique-rg-cavalier-taildragger

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/news-and-publications/eaa-news-and-aviation-news/bits-and-pieces-newsletter/12-15-2017-a-cavalier-attitude

EAA Chapter 1541 has a local build documented https://eaa1541.org/members/newsletters/february-2016/builders-corner/

Jonny Sprague’s YouTube channel has a few videos on his Cavalier, here is one below:

Outerzone did not have any plans on this aircraft, quite surprising as it would be a great RC model.

Aero Ae-45 – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

This Aircraft of the month is the Aero AE-45 twin, a rare vintage twin. Designed in Czechoslovakia the first flight was in 1947. Production run was from 1947 to 1961 with a production run close to 600.

The tear drop shaped fuselage combined with the well forward mounted props makes for a unique look.

Outerzone did not have any plans results, very surprising due to the age and RC model potential. There are some RC models out there but it could be hit or miss to find a kit or plans

Glasair – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

The classic Glasair has always been one of my favorite home built aircraft, it has very clean lines but its not overly stylized.

There where 3 generations of the aircraft with the first flight being in 1979

A very detailed history can be found in: https://glasair-owners.com/news/history-of-glasair-aviation/

With the peak of its popularity being before YouTube there is actually quite a few videos on the aircraft.

Outerzone has one plan, a 71″ span from Model Airplane News

https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=10085

Seabird Seeker – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

The Seeker was developed in the late 80’s as a light Observation aircraft, its built in Australia and powered by an O-360 engine.

The Main US domestic commercial use is for the New Mexico State Police, however the Seeker has a far reaching international market share including middle east and African countries. The Helicopter like forward fuselage offers excellent viability at a much lower operating cost compared to a comparable helicopter.

Its part 23 certified for the US and can be equipped with cameras and sensors for law enforcement, power line inspection, search and rescue.

Features and usage is similar to the EA-7 Edgley Optica (previous aircraft of the month)

Company web site can be found at: https://www.seekeraircraft.com/aircraft.html

An interesting article on the aircraft: https://www.flightglobal.com/seeker-observation-aircraft-to-be-built-in-the-us-by-erickson/119949.article

There is a good amount of YouTube videos on the Seeker:

I could not find any RC models or plans however with modern cad systems, internet images and 3D printers it would not be too difficult to make one.

EM-11 Orka – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

This aircraft of the month is the EM-11 Orka from Margański & Mysłowski Aviation Works located in Poland.

The prototype first flew in the early 2000’s and has flown with both Rotax 912′s & Lycoming IO-320 engines in a Pusher configuration along with Fixed and retractable landing gear. The front has almost a helicopter like viability. Speed and range #’s are also impressive.

Similar to another Aircraft on the site the J-1B Don Quixote, Polish Aeronautical Engineers know how to make very elegant designs.

I have not seen one that I recall at Airventure or Sun-N-Fun but it would be quite interesting to check out. I remember doodling aircraft with very similar lines in college.

Wiki Pages:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marga%C5%84ski_%26_Mys%C5%82owski_EM-11_Orka

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marga%C5%84ski_%26_Mys%C5%82owski

Company web site:

http://www.mmaviation.pl/en/

The EM-11 has quite a few videos on YouTube, here are a few:

With being a rather rare European aircraft there does not appear to be any RC models of it but I did find a 3 view from Blueprints.com that could the the basis for a 3D model in a Cad system like Rhino 3D and would be a good candidate for 3D printing due to all the thin sections and compound curves

https://www.the-blueprints.com/blueprints/modernplanes/modern-m/81240/view/marganski_em-11_orka/

Volmer Sportsman VJ-22 – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

This Aircraft of the month is the Volmer Sportsman, This is a design I just recently learned about from long time friend and fellow EAA member William Wynne from www.flycorvair.com Reading the spec’s a Corvair power-plant would actually work on this bird. It can be setup as a Pusher or Tractor configuration, while the pusher configuration gets the prop further away from the cockpit and water spray.

My own Corvair engine build can be found at: https://gouldaero.com/0-164-corvair-aircraft-engine-build/

Corvair Colleges can be found at: https://gouldaero.com/aviation-events-destinations/corvair-colleges/

This aircraft first flew in the late 1950’s and actually has quite a bit of history to it.

This aircraft is very similar to a Home build sea plane I am familiar with the Anderson Kingfisher: https://gouldaero.com/2020/03/15/anderson-kingfisher/

Some useful links:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volmer_VJ-22_Sportsman

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/kitspages/volmer.php

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-building/kits-and-plans/t—z/vj-22-sportsman

Plans are still available along with the controlling interest in the design:

http://www.volmeraircraft.com/plans_and_info_packets

YouTube has a good amount of videos on the Sportsman

Outerzone has a 50″ span version from Model Aviation: https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=13629

RC Plans has a few build photos and extra info for this plan: http://rc-plans.com/catalog/item339.html

And AMA’s Model Aviation Article on it: https://www.modelaviation.com/volmer-pt2-kohlmann

Baker Supercat – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

The Supercat is an Ultralight from the mid 80’s powered by a 50 hp Rotax 503. It’s similar to a Mini-MAX and Volksplane,

The EAA has quite a few sport aviation articles on the aircraft, more info at:

https://www.eaa.org/eaa/aircraft-building/kits-and-plans/r—s/supercat

While I don’t believe I’ve seen one of these in person at the airport or air show the Outerzone article caught my eye.

There is a 54″ span version from the May 1988 issue of RCM

https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=6445

Meyers 200 – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

The Meyers 200 was introduced in the mid 50’s with clean lines and good performance. this 4 seat-er is powered by a Continental IO-470 to 520 engine(s) and cruse at 180 knots. The aircraft where hand built with minimal use of tooling resulting in lower production numbers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meyers_200

Even with the low production numbers there are still a few that show up at large airshows like Airventure or Sun-N-Fun.

Like previous aircraft articles on this site (Sea Bee & BD-5) the Meyers is also a Bond Plane staring with Sean Connery in you only live twice:

Here are a few photos I took at Airventure and Sun-N-Fun in the 2000’s

Like a PA-28 the only door is on the right side.

The Unique aft section of the cabin is quite the work of art considering its all made out of metal.

Every now and then you may even see one for sale (this one was from Airventure 03′)

Here are a few YouTube Videos:

The aircraft was even adapted into a turboprop version in the late 60’s called the Interceptor 400. a good write up on this aircraft can be found at: http://www.airbum.com/pireps/PirepInterceptor400.html

Outerzone currently does not have any plans for a RC version of the Meyers 200 and any RC models I could find would be one-off’s. Of course with modern smart phones having 3D scanning capability and if someone wanted to get a good 3D cad model going of the aircraft it would be a prime candidate for a 3D printed electric version.

Avid Magnum – Aircraft of the Month

/ Spencer Gould

The Avid Magnum was one of the main E-AB aircraft I was interested in as a teenager, in the 1990’s. I started going to Airventure in Oshkosh in 1992 and have attended quite a few times since then. I got to go for quite a few demo flights in the prototype (in the picture above) at Airventure, with floats at the sea plane base, in Denver CO and at there factory in Idaho.

The Experimental – Armature built option is really what caught my attention due to the access ability and not dealing with the extremely expensive upkeep on a certified aircraft that is decades old with who knows what real history behind it. The one problem with the E-AB category is the bulk of the options are setup for people 5’6″, 120 Lbs operating at sea level, good for them, not for me. The Magnum was sized for people bigger than me, only 2 seats and a lycoming O-360 engine designed and operated in the northern rocky mountain state of Idaho (high density altitude). A common feature of all Avid designs is wings that could fold back so the aircraft could be put on a trailer or kept in less space at an airport.

Dean Wilson was the designer and was influential on many of the construction methods and features that are also common on the Kitfox and Just Aircraft series. However unlike these 2 companies the Avid company was sold moving the factory to a highly unpopulated area of Montana, this closed for good in 2003. Its really a shame because Avid had such good aircraft. There is some info about company restarts but being a regular attender of airshows this looks to be parts support and not full new kits.

There is not too much info online any more about the aircraft but I see an avid of some model every now and then at a local airport or airshow. here are a few articles I found on it:
http://www.ultralightnews.com/reviews/eaa/mayfeat.htm
https://www.skytamer.com/Avid_Magnum.html
https://www.kitplanes.com/advert/2019-avid-magnum/
http://avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/5789-some-good-fun/

I’m un-able to find any RC options of this aircraft, the closest thing would be the freedom fox collaboration between flite test and Trent Palmer (ref previous post)

https://store.flitetest.com/flite-test-freedom-fox-v2-pnp/

‘This Can Make You A Better Pilot’ – Video Share

/ Spencer Gould

I’ve been a long time believer in RC aircraft being the most practical & cost effective entry point into Aviation. One of the best aviation YouTube channels I watch regularly is Trent Palmer, a proffecional cinema drone pilot who fly’s a Kit Fox Bush plane in Nevada as one of his hobbies along with collaborations with other Aviation YouTube Channels. In this video He goes over how his start into aviation was RC planes while at the Flite Test HQ in Ohio and how flying RC can make you a better full scale pilot.