# Spectrum Aircraft > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spectrum_Aircraft > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spectrum_Aircraft.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_Aircraft > Source revision: 1178577155 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Canadian ultralight aircraft manufacturer Spectrum Aircraft Industry Aerospace Defunct 1992 Fate Out of business Successor Aircraft Sales and Parts (ASAP) Products Spectrum Beaver **Spectrum Aircraft** was a Canadian [ultralight aircraft](/source/Ultralight_aircraft) manufacturer that commenced operations in 1983 and went out of business in 1992. The company was known for its Beaver ultralight design, which remains in production by successor companies in the 21st century.[1][2][3] ## History [Spectrum Beaver RX 550](/source/Spectrum_Beaver) Sprectrum's first product was the [RX-28 Beaver](/source/Spectrum_Beaver), a single-seat, high wing ultralight aircraft powered by a 28 hp (21 kW) [Rotax 277](/source/Rotax_277) single cylinder, two stroke powerplant. It was introduced in 1983 and gained quick popularity in Canada and the USA. The following year the RX-28 was joined in production by the [RX-35](/source/Spectrum_Beaver), which used the 35 hp (26 kW) [Rotax 377](/source/Rotax_377) engine.[1] In 1986 the company started production of a two-seat version of the Beaver, designated the [RX 550](/source/Spectrum_Beaver) and powered by a [Rotax 503](/source/Rotax_503) 50 hp (37 kW) engine. This model proved very popular as both a [trainer](/source/Trainer_(aircraft)) and for private use and propelled the company into the forefront of ultralight aircraft production in North America.[1][2] In 1991 the company introduced the [RX-650 Beaver](/source/Spectrum_Beaver), intending to market it in the then-newly introduced Canadian [Advanced Ultra-light Aeroplane](/source/Ultralight_aircraft_(Canada)#Advanced_ultra-light_aeroplane) (AULA) category that allows passenger carrying. The aircraft proved to have structural issues that caused [Transport Canada](/source/Transport_Canada) to remove it from the AULA list. The company went out of business in 1992, before rectifying the deficiencies in the RX-650's design.[1][4] ## Successors ### Beaver RX Enterprises The RX-550 design was acquired by a new company, Beaver RX Enterprises, who returned the aircraft to production. The company did not last long and soon went out of business.[1][2][4] ### Aircraft Sales and Parts In 1995 [Aircraft Sales and Parts](/source/Aircraft_Sales_and_Parts) (ASAP) of [Vernon, British Columbia](/source/Vernon%2C_British_Columbia) purchased the RX-550 tooling and redesigned the aircraft. The new version was designated the [RX 550 Plus](/source/Spectrum_Beaver) and remains in production in [kit](/source/Homebuilt_aircraft) form. By the end of 2007 a total of 2000 RX 550s had been produced by all manufacturers.[1][3][4] In 2000 ASAP introduced a single seat version of the Beaver based on the RX-28, designated the [Beaver SS](/source/Spectrum_Beaver) (Single Seat). Powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) [Rotax 447](/source/Rotax_447) engine and with a wing derived from the RX 550 Plus design, this aircraft remains in kit production.[1][3][5] ### Freedom Lite & Legend Lite In 1996 a new company, *Freedom Lite*, introduced a redesigned version of the Beaver RX 650. This improved RX 650 incorporated 186 changes over the previous version and was designated the [SS-11 Skywatch](/source/Spectrum_Beaver) and the company placed the aircraft in the Canadian AULA category. Freedom Lite soon went out of business and the design was acquired by *Legend Lite* of [New Hamburg, Ontario](/source/New_Hamburg%2C_Ontario). This new company also closed its doors in the early 2000s.[1][4] ## Aircraft Model name First flight Number built Type Beaver RX-28 1983 Single seat ultralight aircraft Beaver RX-35 1984 Single seat ultralight aircraft Beaver RX-550 1986 Two seat ultralight aircraft Beaver RX-650 1991 Two seat ultralight aircraft ## 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, pages B-9 B-70, B-103 & E-6. 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-Johnson_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Johnson_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Johnson_2-2) Johnson, Dan (April 2000). ["Canada's Popular Beaver Gets a New Lease on Life"](http://www.ultralight.ca/articles2.htm). Retrieved 5 August 2009. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-KitplanesDec2007_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-KitplanesDec2007_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-KitplanesDec2007_3-2) Downey, Julia: *2008 Kit Aircraft Directory*, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 37. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AULA_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AULA_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AULA_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AULA_4-3) [Transport Canada](/source/Transport_Canada) (May 2009). ["Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)"](http://www.tc.gc.ca/civilaviation/general/CCARCS/advancedullist.htm). Retrieved 5 August 2009. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-SSspecs_5-0)** Aircraft Sales and Parts (2002). ["Beaver SS - General Specs"](http://www.ultralight.ca/beaverss_specs.htm). Retrieved 5 August 2009. ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Spectrum Aircraft](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Spectrum_Aircraft). v t e Aircraft Sales and Parts and Aeroplane Manufactory aircraft Aircraft Beaver RX 550 Plus Beaver SS Chinook Plus 2 Summit 2 Summit SS Summit 103 Mini Breeze Summit Steel Breeze Affiliated Companies Canadian Ultralight Manufacturing GSC Systems ASAP Canopies Steel Breeze Powered Parachutes Summit Aerosports ulparts.com Predecessor Companies Birdman Enterprises Spectrum Aircraft Beaver RX Enterprises Freedom Lite Legend Lite Successor Company Aeroplane Manufactory --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spectrum Aircraft](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_Aircraft) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectrum_Aircraft?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.