{{Short description|American homebuilt airplane}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}} {{about|the 1970 era single seat ultralight aircraft|the 2008 Kolb Flyer SS two seat light sport aircraft|Ultravia Pelican}} <!-- This article is a part of [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft]]. Please see [[Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content]] for recommended layout. --> {{Infobox aircraft | name = Kolb Flyer | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Ultralight aircraft]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[United States]] | manufacturer = [[Kolb Aircraft]] | design_group = | designer = [[Homer Kolb]] | builder = | issuer = | status = Production complete | 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 = 1980-82 | introduction = 1980 | retired = | first_flight = 1970 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }}
The '''Kolb Flyer''' is an American single seat, high wing, [[Strut|strut-braced]], twin-engine, [[pusher configuration]], [[conventional landing gear]]-equipped [[ultralight aircraft]] that was produced in kit form by [[Kolb Aircraft]] of [[Phoenixville, Pennsylvania]], and intended for [[Homebuilt aircraft|amateur construction]].<ref name="Cliche">Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page E-20. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}</ref><ref name="About">{{cite web|url = http://www.aerokml.com/index.php|title = 30 Years of Distinguished Service!|accessdate = 19 May 2010|last = The New Kolb Aircraft|authorlink = |year = 2010}}</ref>
The Flyer was the first design produced by [[Kolb Aircraft]]. Based on the Flyer's success, the company and its successor, [[New Kolb Aircraft]], have gone on to produce over 3000 aircraft as of 2010.<ref name="About" />
==Design and development== The Flyer was a very early ultralight design that first flew in 1970. The first aircraft designed by [[Homer Kolb]], it was ahead of its time and was not produced commercially until 1980, when the ultralight boom hit North America.<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="About" />
The Flyer is a very light and simple aircraft with a standard empty weight of only {{convert|185|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. It features a completely open cockpit with the pilot exposed to the slipstream. Unusually for this period in aircraft history when most ultralights had two-axis control, the Flyer has standard three-axis controls, including half span [[aileron]]s.<ref name="Cliche" />
When the Flyer was designed there were no suitable lightweight engines available, so the prototype aircraft first fitted [[Chrysler]] powerplants. Later these were exchanged for [[Solo 209]] engines producing {{convert|11.5|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} each. The small Solo engines make the Flyer a very quiet aircraft in flight.<ref name="Cliche" />
The design features a forward [[fuselage]] of welded [[4130 steel]] tubing, mated to an [[aluminum]] tailboom. The [[horizontal stabilizer]], [[Vertical stabilizer|tail fin]] and wings are also constructed of riveted aluminum tubing with all flying surfaces covered in doped [[aircraft fabric]].<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="About" />
The conventional landing gear consists of sprung steel tubing for the main gear, with a sprung tail skid.<ref name="Cliche" />
The Flyer was later improved and developed into a single engine aircraft, the [[Kolb Ultrastar]], which succeeded it in production in 1982.<ref name="Cliche" /> <!-- ==Operational history== --> <!-- ==Variants== -->
==Specifications (Flyer) == {{Aircraft specs |ref= Cliche<ref name="Cliche" /> |prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=29 |span in=0 |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=160 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=185 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=392 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity=1.7 US gallons (6.5 litres) |more general=
|eng1 number=2 |eng1 name=[[Solo 209]] |eng1 type=single cylinder, [[two-stroke]] engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=11.5 |eng1 note= |power original=
|prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh= |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=40 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=20 |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=35 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=6850 |ceiling note= |g limits=+4/-2.5 |roll rate= |glide ratio=10.8:1 at 27 mph |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=250 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
|avionics=*none }}
==See also== {{aircontent <!-- include as many lines are appropriate. additional lines/entries with carriage return. --> |see also= |related= *[[Kolb Ultrastar]] |similar aircraft= *[[Eipper Quicksilver]] *[[Ultraflight Lazair]] *[[Zenair Zipper]] |lists=<!-- related lists --> }}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://phroghair.com/pix/pix.html Photos of Kolb Flyer] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705024323/http://phroghair.com/pix/pix.html |date=July 5, 2008 }} {{Kolb Aircraft}}
[[Category:Kolb aircraft|Flyer]] [[Category:1970s United States ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:High-wing aircraft]] [[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1970]] [[Category:Twin-engined piston aircraft]] [[Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear]]