American Aerolights Eagle
| Eagle | |
|---|---|
| Role | Ultralight aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | American Aerolights |
| Designer | Larry Hair |
| Introduction | 1975 |
| Status | Production completed |
| Variants | American Aerolights Double Eagle |
The American Aerolights Eagle is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Larry Hair and produced by American Aerolights, introduced in 1975. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.
The Eagle was designed before the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules were introduced, but it fits into the category, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The Eagle 215B has a standard empty weight of 170 lb (77 kg). It features a cable-braced high-wing, canard, a single-seat, open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.
The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in 4 oz Dacron sailcloth. Its 35 ft (10.7 m) span wing cable bracing from a single kingpost. The wing incorporates downwards pointing wing tip rudders and a trailing edge that was defined only by the sailcloth edge. This latter feature caused a number of fatal accidents due to sailcloth UV deterioration. Heavier weight sailcloth was substituted and finally a steel cable was used at the trailing edge. A fore and aft boom that acts as the wing keel also supports the canard surface. Different Eagle models used different control systems, gradually becoming more conventional over time. Assembly time from the kit is 75 hours.
The Eagle was built in several models and in very large numbers. A two-seat version, the Double Eagle was produced and used by the Monterey Park, California Police Department in 1981. The accidents from the trailing edge design resulted in a number of lawsuits that eventually drove the company out of business.
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