Falco F8L

{{Short description|1955 sportplane family by Stelio Frati}}  {{Infobox aircraft | name=Falco F8L | image=sequoia.falco.f8l.g-gane.arp.jpg | caption=1993 Sequoia Falco F8L | type=Homebuilt aircraft | national_origin=Italy | manufacturer=Aviamilano<br>Aeromere<br>Laverda<br>Sequoia Aircraft Company | designer=Stelio Frati | first_flight=1955 | introduction= | retired= | status=Production completed (2014) | primary_user= | number_built=90 (2011)<ref name="KitplanesDec2011" /> | developed_from= | variants= Sequoia 300, Sequoia 300, Sequoia Kodiak }} thumb|Sequoia Falco takeoff thumb|Sequoia Falco takeoff The '''Falco F8L''' is an Italian-designed lightweight 2-seater aerobatic aircraft.<ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 251. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}</ref>

==Design and development== The aircraft was designed by the renowned Italian designer Stelio Frati<ref name="WDLA11">Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 118. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X</ref> in 1955, with the prototype, powered by a {{convert|90|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Continental C-90 engine, flying for the first time on 15 June 1955.<ref name="aba823p69">{{harvnb|''Archive'' 1982, No. 3|p=69}}</ref> The prototype was soon re-engined with a {{convert|135|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Lycoming O-290-D2B, forming the basis for the initial production batch.<ref name="aba823p69"/> It was originally built in Italy by Aviamilano then Aeromere and later Laverda.<ref name="Munson1982">Munson, Kenneth; Taylor, John: ''Jane's Pocket Book Light Aircraft Second Edition'', pages 130-131. Jane's Publishing Company, 1982. {{ISBN|0 7106 0195 6}}</ref>

The aircraft is single-engined, propeller driven and designed for private and general aviation use.<ref name="KitplanesDec2011">Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 69. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="WDLA11" /> The Falco was sold in kit or plans form for amateur construction by the Sequoia Aircraft Company of Richmond, Virginia from the 1980s until its closure in 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=3a7da8e0-405f-4bb2-9543-81afaf58a459 |title=AeroSports Update: Falco Kit Producer Closes Its Doors |author= |date=August 15, 2014 |website=Aero-News Network |publisher=Jim Campbell |access-date=October 19, 2018 }}</ref> thumb|right|Laverda-built Falco IV from Denmark attending a UK air rally in 1984

The aircraft is widely considered to be one of the best handling, strongest, and most aesthetically pleasing designs ever made available to home builders. Pilots sometimes refer to the Falco as "the Ferrari of the air."<ref name="WDLA11" /><ref>{{cite journal|journal=Aero News Network|date=July 2018|title=Falco: The Ferrari of the Air|author=Tom Woodward|url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=9a66cb35-0ae2-4a0b-b835-90f58e0cadf9}}</ref>

Performance includes a 175 knot cruise speed and full aerobatic capability, with an inverted fuel tank an optional item.<ref name="WDLA11" />

The Falco F8L is constructed of spruce and typically Finnish birch plywood. The structure is built from laminated spruce bulkheads and the birch plywood is used for the skin.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Sport Aviation|date=September 1991|title=Grand Champion Falco|author=Jack Cox}}</ref> The plywood is often softened with hot steam, formed over the various structures and glued in place. The aircraft is rated for 6g positive and 3g negative.

Reviewers Roy Beisswenger and Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review as "a complex all-wooden construction in spruce and plywood and is therefore time-consuming to build. But the results in terms of weight and speed are remarkable., so much so that the Falco is considered a classic, with outstanding performance and handling."<ref name="WDLA15">Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 124. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}</ref>

==Variants== ;F.8L Series I: Initial production model powered by 101 kW (135 hp) Lycoming engine. Ten built by Aviamilano starting in 1956.<ref name="Janes 65 p94">{{Harvnb|Taylor|1965|p=94}}</ref><ref name="Munson1982"/> ;F.8L Series II: Improved model built by Aviamilano, with 112 kW (150 hp) engine.<ref name="Janes 65 p94"/> Twenty built.<ref name="jawa68p108">{{Harvnb|Taylor|1968|p=108}}</ref><ref name="Munson1982"/> ;F.8L Series III: (Also known as '''F.8L America''') Modified version of Series II built by Aeromere in conformance with US airworthiness requirements.<ref name="Janes 65 p94"/><ref name="Munson1982"/> 35 built by Aeromere.<ref name="aba823p71">{{harvnb|''Archive'' 1982, No. 3|p=71}}</ref> ;Super Falco Series IV: Similar to America, but with more powerful engine ({{convert|160|hp|kW|abbr=on}} Lycoming O-320-B3) and constant speed propeller. Built by Laverda.<ref name="Janes 65 p94"/><ref name="aba823p74">{{harvnb|''Archive'' 1982, No. 3|p=74}}</ref><ref name="Munson1982"/> Twenty built.<ref name="aba823p74"/> ;Sequoia Falco: Similar to the production aircraft but re-designed for homebuilding from kits or plans,<ref name="Munson1982"/> by Alfred Scott of Sequoia Aircraft Company and David Thurston of Lake Buccaneer fame.

==Specifications (Laverda Super Falco Series IV)== {{Aircraft specs |ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66 <ref name="Janes 65 p94-5">{{Harvnb|Taylor|1965|pp=94–95}}</ref> |prime units?=met  |genhide=

|crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m=6.50 |length ft= |length in= |span m=8.00 |span ft= |span in= |height m=2.27 |height ft= |height in= |wing area sqm=10.0 |wing area sqft= |aspect ratio=6.4:1 |airfoil=NACA 64213 |empty weight kg=550 |empty weight lb= |max takeoff weight kg=820 |gross weight lb= |fuel capacity={{convert|120|L|USgal impgal|abbr=on}}  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Lycoming O-320-B1A |eng1 type=air-cooled flat-four engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=160

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=Hartzell fixed-pitch propeller |prop dia m=1.75 |prop dia ft= |prop dia in=

|perfhide=

|avionics= }}

==See also== *Aermacchi SF.260 (military trainer designed by Frati) *PAC CT/4 (Pacific Aerospace Limited)

==Notes== {{reflist}}

==References== *{{cite magazine |title=Aircraft of European Civil Registers: 3 : The designs of Stelio Frati |magazine=Archive |publisher=Air-Britain |year=1982 |issue=3 |pp=67–74 |issn=0262-4923 |ref={{harvid|''Archive'' 1982, No. 3}}}} *{{cite book|last=Taylor|first=John W. R.|author-link=John W. R. Taylor |title= Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965-66 |year=1965 |publisher=Samson Low, Marston |location= London}} *{{cite book |last=Taylor |first=John W. R. |author-link=John W. R. Taylor |title= Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1968-69 |year=1968 |publisher=Samson Low, Marston & Company, Ltd. |location= London }} * {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London }}

==External links== {{commons category|Sequoia Falco}} * [http://www.seqair.com/ Sequoia's site] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20091217075414/http://www.richmondbizsense.com/2009/12/08/falco-kit-company-sees-orders-take-off/ Falco Kit Company Article]

Category:1950s Italian sport aircraft Falco, Sequoia Falco Category:Low-wing aircraft Falco Category:Aerobatic aircraft Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft Category:Aircraft first flown in 1955