Light Miniature Aircraft

{{Short description|American aircraft manufacturer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Light Miniature Aircraft | logo = | caption = | type = Privately held company | traded_as = | fate = Out of business | predecessor = | successor = | founded = circa 1985 | founder = | defunct = circa 2010 | hq_location = | hq_location_city = Okeechobee, Florida | hq_location_country = United States | area_served = | key_people = | industry = Aerospace | products = Homebuilt aircraft plans | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsidiaries = | website =  | footnotes = | intl = }}

'''Light Miniature Aircraft''' was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Okeechobee, Florida. The company specialized in the design of ultralight aircraft and supplied plans for amateur construction.<ref name="KitplanesDec1998">Downey, Julia: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 55. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2007">Downey, Julia: ''2008 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 60. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="Cliche">Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-38. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}</ref><ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 197. BAI Communications. {{ISBN|0-9636409-4-1}}</ref>

The company seems to have gone out of business about 2010, but Wicks Aircraft continues to provide kits for the designs.<ref name="archive">{{cite news|url = https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.lightminiatureaircraft.com/ |title=Light Miniature Aircraft |website=Internet Archive Wayback Machine |access-date = 13 March 2015|date = 13 March 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Wicks">{{cite web|url = http://aircraftproducts.wicksaircraft.com/category/aircraft-kits|title = Aircraft Kits|access-date = 13 March 2015|last = Wicks Aircraft}}</ref>

==Products== The company's LM-1, 2 and 3 family of aircraft were designed in the mid-1980s during the initial ultralight boom. At the time many pilots did not find the typical early "flying lawnchair" ultralights confidence inspiring or appealing. The company's designs were intended to fit the same FAR Part 103 rules, including its {{convert|254|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} empty weight, but provide aircraft that look and fly like a traditional light aircraft. However, many of the designs result in completed aircraft that are heavier than the US ultralight rule empty weight limit.<ref name="Cliche" /> The LM-1 family of designs are built from wood, or optionally 4130 steel tube and finished with doped aircraft fabric covering. The completion involves minor changes in the cowling, window and tail shapes to make them resemble well-known light aircraft designs. The first in the series, the LM-1 is a single seat 75-85% scale replica of a Piper J-3 Cub and was first flown in 1985. The LM-2 is a single or two seat 75% scale replica of a Taylorcraft B, while the LM-3 is a single seat 75% scale replica of an Aeronca Champ. The follow-on Light Miniature Aircraft LM-5 is a full-sized tandem two-seat replica of the Piper PA-18 Super Cub.<ref name="KitplanesDec1998" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2007"/><ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="Aerocrafter" />

The LM-J3-W is a full-sized two-seat J-3 Cub replica, while the LM-TC-W is a full-sized two-seats in side-by-side configuration Taylorcraft replica, both rendered in wood and fabric.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lightminiatureaircraft.com/plans%20&%20manuals.htm |title=Plan and Manuals |access-date=13 March 2015 |last=Light Miniature Aircraft |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050309100859/http://www.lightminiatureaircraft.com/plans%20%26%20manuals.htm |archive-date= 9 March 2005 }}</ref>

== Aircraft ==

{| class="wikitable" align=center |- |+ align=center style="background:#BFD7FF"| Summary of aircraft design by Light Miniature Aircraft |- style="background:#efefef;" ! Model name ! First flight ! Number built ! Type

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Official website|http://www.lightminiatureaircraft.com/}} - previous location *[https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.lightminiatureaircraft.com/ Company website archives] on Archive.org {{Light Miniature Aircraft}}

Category:Light Miniature Aircraft aircraft Category:Defunct aircraft manufacturers of the United States Category:Ultralight aircraft Category:Homebuilt aircraft

Light Miniature Aircraft

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