Early Bird Spad 13

{{Short description|American homebuilt aircraft}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}}  {{Infobox aircraft | name = Spad 13 | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Homebuilt aircraft]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[United States]] | manufacturer = [[Early Bird Aircraft Company]] | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = Production completed | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = [[SPAD S.XIII]] | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Early Bird Spad 13''' (also '''SPAD 13''') is an American [[homebuilt aircraft]] that was designed and produced by the [[Early Bird Aircraft Company]] of [[Erie, Colorado]]. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit and also in the form of plans for amateur construction.<ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 147. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}</ref>

==Design and development== The Spad 13 is an 80% scale replica of the [[First World War]] [[SPAD S.XIII]]. It features a [[strut-braced]] [[biplane]] layout, a single-seat open cockpit, fixed [[conventional landing gear]] and a single engine in [[tractor configuration]].<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The aircraft is made from a mix of steel and [[aluminum]] tubing, with some wooden parts and its flying surfaces are covered with [[Aircraft dope|doped]] [[aircraft fabric]]. Its {{convert|20.17|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing has a wing area of {{convert|142.0|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}. The cockpit width is {{convert|24|in|cm|abbr=on}}. The acceptable power range is {{convert|80|to|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} and the standard engine used is the {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} [[fuel injected]] [[Geo Tracker]] four-cylinder, inline, liquid-cooled, [[four stroke]] automotive conversion powerplant.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The Spad 13 has a typical empty weight of {{convert|550|lb|kg|abbr=on}} and a gross weight of {{convert|800|lb|kg|abbr=on}}, giving a useful load of {{convert|250|lb|kg|abbr=on}}. With full fuel of {{convert|9|u.s.gal}} the payload for pilot and baggage is {{convert|196|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The supplied kit included the Tracker engine. The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the kit to be 600 hours.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

==Operational history== By 1998 the company reported that 35 kits had been sold and one aircraft was flying.<ref name="Aerocrafter" />

==Specifications (Spad 13) == {{Aircraft specs |ref=AeroCrafter<ref name="Aerocrafter" /> |prime units?=imp  |genhide=

|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft=16 |length in=3 |length note= |span m= |span ft=20 |span in=2 |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=142.0 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=550 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=800 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|9|u.s.gal}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Geo Tracker]] |eng1 type=four cylinder, [[fuel injected]], inline, liquid-cooled, [[four stroke]] automotive conversion engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=85

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph=90 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=80 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=45 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles=240 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=14000 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=800 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=5.6 |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics= }}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Early Bird aircraft}}

[[Category:Early Bird aircraft|Spad 13]] [[Category:1990s United States sport aircraft]] [[Category:1990s United States ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft]] [[Category:Biplanes]] [[Category:Homebuilt aircraft]] [[Category:Replica aircraft]]