Personal Flight Sky-Tender

{{Short description|American ultralight trike flying boat}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Use American English|date=January 2022}}  {{Infobox aircraft | name = Sky-Tender | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = [[Ultralight trike]] [[flying boat]] | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = [[United States]] | manufacturer = [[Personal Flight]] | 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 = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = }} The '''Personal Flight Sky-Tender''' is an American [[ultralight trike]] [[flying boat]] that was designed and produced by [[Personal Flight]] of [[Chelan, Washington]]. Production is complete and the aircraft is no longer available.<ref name="Cliche">Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page C-26. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN|0-9680628-1-4}}</ref><ref name="Johnson">{{Cite web|url = http://www.bydanjohnson.com/?b=3&m=4&i=28|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130119000645/http://www.bydanjohnson.com/?b=3&m=4&i=28|url-status = dead|archive-date = 2013-01-19|title = American trikes|accessdate = 26 January 2012|last = Johnson|first = Dan|date = March 2002}}</ref>

==Design and development== The aircraft has a standard empty weight of {{convert|380|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}. It features a [[Flying wires|cable-braced]] [[hang glider]]-style [[high-wing]], weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-[[tandem]], open cockpit, a hull made from an inflatable boat and a single engine in [[pusher configuration]].<ref name="Cliche" />

The aircraft is made from bolted-together [[aluminum]] tubing, with its large area {{convert|206|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} single surface wing covered in [[Dacron]] sailcloth. Its {{convert|32|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} span wing is supported by a single tube-type [[kingpost]] and uses an "A" frame control bar. An off-the-shelf commercial inflatable boat hull is used. A water [[rudder]] is fitted at the rear of the boat hull. The standard engine supplied was the twin cylinder, [[two-stroke]], liquid-cooled [[Rotax 582]] of {{convert|64|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}, including an electric starter.<ref name="Cliche" />

The large wing area was employed to keep the [[stall speed]] low to avoid porpoising problems while conducting water operations. The weight shift nature of the wing means that hull pitch angle cannot be controlled and loss of control is a risk when higher take-off and landing speeds are required.<ref name="Cliche" />

The Sky-Tender was assembled in the [[United States]] by Personal Flight from aircraft and marine components from [[Italy]], [[France]] and [[Austria]]. The price in 2000 was [[US$]]20,000.<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="Johnson" />

==Specifications (Sky-Tender) == {{Aircraft specs |ref=Cliche<ref name="Cliche" /> |prime units?=imp  |genhide=

|crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m= |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=32 |span in=0 |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=206 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=380 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=580 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity={{convert|10|u.s.gal}} |more general=  |eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=[[Rotax 582]] |eng1 type=twin cylinder, [[two-stroke]], liquid-cooled [[aircraft engine]] |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=64

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=55 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |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= |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=500 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics= }}

{{aircontent  |see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists= }}

==References== {{reflist}}

{{Personal Flight aircraft}}

[[Category:Personal Flight aircraft|Sky-Tender]] [[Category:1990s United States ultralight aircraft]] [[Category:Single-engined pusher aircraft]] [[Category:Ultralight trikes]]