# Kolb Flyer

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American homebuilt airplane

This article is about the 1970 era single seat ultralight aircraft. For the 2008 Kolb Flyer SS two seat light sport aircraft, see [Ultravia Pelican](/source/Ultravia_Pelican).

Kolb Flyer General information Type Ultralight aircraft National origin United States Manufacturer Kolb Aircraft Designer Homer Kolb Status Production complete History Manufactured 1980-82 Introduction date 1980 First flight 1970

The **Kolb Flyer** is an American single seat, high wing, [strut-braced](/source/Strut), twin-engine, [pusher configuration](/source/Pusher_configuration), [conventional landing gear](/source/Conventional_landing_gear)-equipped [ultralight aircraft](/source/Ultralight_aircraft) that was produced in kit form by [Kolb Aircraft](/source/Kolb_Aircraft) of [Phoenixville, Pennsylvania](/source/Phoenixville%2C_Pennsylvania), and intended for [amateur construction](/source/Homebuilt_aircraft).[1][2]

The Flyer was the first design produced by [Kolb Aircraft](/source/Kolb_Aircraft). Based on the Flyer's success, the company and its successor, [New Kolb Aircraft](/source/New_Kolb_Aircraft), have gone on to produce over 3000 aircraft as of 2010.[2]

## Design and development

The Flyer was a very early ultralight design that first flew in 1970. The first aircraft designed by [Homer Kolb](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Homer_Kolb&action=edit&redlink=1), it was ahead of its time and was not produced commercially until 1980, when the ultralight boom hit North America.[1][2]

The Flyer is a very light and simple aircraft with a standard empty weight of only 185 lb (84 kg). 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 [ailerons](/source/Aileron).[1]

When the Flyer was designed there were no suitable lightweight engines available, so the prototype aircraft first fitted [Chrysler](/source/Chrysler) powerplants. Later these were exchanged for [Solo 209](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solo_209&action=edit&redlink=1) engines producing 11.5 hp (9 kW) each. The small Solo engines make the Flyer a very quiet aircraft in flight.[1]

The design features a forward [fuselage](/source/Fuselage) of welded [4130 steel](/source/4130_steel) tubing, mated to an [aluminum](/source/Aluminum) tailboom. The [horizontal stabilizer](/source/Horizontal_stabilizer), [tail fin](/source/Vertical_stabilizer) and wings are also constructed of riveted aluminum tubing with all flying surfaces covered in doped [aircraft fabric](/source/Aircraft_fabric).[1][2]

The conventional landing gear consists of sprung steel tubing for the main gear, with a sprung tail skid.[1]

The Flyer was later improved and developed into a single engine aircraft, the [Kolb Ultrastar](/source/Kolb_Ultrastar), which succeeded it in production in 1982.[1]

## Specifications (Flyer)

*Data from* Cliche[1]

**General characteristics**

- **Crew:** one

- **Wingspan:** 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)

- **Wing area:** 160 sq ft (15 m2)

- **Empty weight:** 185 lb (84 kg)

- **Gross weight:** 392 lb (178 kg)

- **Fuel capacity:** 1.7 US gallons (6.5 litres)

- **Powerplant:** 2 × [Solo 209](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solo_209&action=edit&redlink=1) single cylinder, [two-stroke](/source/Two-stroke) engine, 11.5 hp (8.6 kW) each

**Performance**

- **Cruise speed:** 40 mph (64 km/h, 35 kn)

- **Stall speed:** 20 mph (32 km/h, 17 kn)

- **Range:** 35 mi (56 km, 30 nmi)

- **Service ceiling:** 6,850 ft (2,090 m)

- **g limits:** +4/-2.5

- **Maximum glide ratio:** 10.8:1 at 27 mph

- **Rate of climb:** 250 ft/min (1.3 m/s)

**Avionics**

- none

## See also

**Related development**

- [Kolb Ultrastar](/source/Kolb_Ultrastar)

**Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era**

- [Eipper Quicksilver](/source/Eipper_Quicksilver)

- [Ultraflight Lazair](/source/Ultraflight_Lazair)

- [Zenair Zipper](/source/Zenair_Zipper)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-Cliche_1-7) Cliche, Andre: *Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide* 8th Edition, page E-20. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-9680628-1-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9680628-1-4)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-About_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-About_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-About_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-About_2-3) The New Kolb Aircraft (2010). ["30 Years of Distinguished Service!"](http://www.aerokml.com/index.php). Retrieved May 19, 2010.

## External links

- [Photos of Kolb Flyer](http://phroghair.com/pix/pix.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080705024323/http://phroghair.com/pix/pix.html) July 5, 2008, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

v t e Kolb and New Kolb aircraft Ultralight airplanes Firefly Firestar Flyer Flyer Super Sport King Kolbra Kolbra Mark III Mark III Xtra Pelican Slingshot Ultrastar Powered parachutes Flyer Powered Parachute

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Kolb Flyer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolb_Flyer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolb_Flyer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.