Blue Yonder EZ Flyer
| EZ Flyer | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Kit plane |
| National origin | Canada |
| Manufacturer | Blue Yonder Aviation |
| Designer | Wayne Winters |
| First flight | October 1991 |
| Introduction | October 1991 |
| Primary user |
Flight schools Private owners |
| Number built | 64 (2011) |
| Developed from | Merlin |
| Variants | Twin Engine EZ Flyer |
The Blue Yonder EZ Flyer is a Canadian-designed-and-built, tandem two-seat, open cockpit, pusher configuration, recreational and training aircraft provided as a completed aircraft or in kit form by Blue Yonder Aviation.
It can be constructed in Canada as a basic ultra-light, an advanced ultra-light or amateur-built aircraft.
The EZ Flyer was the first aircraft design of Wayne Winters of Indus, Alberta. In 1991 Winters set out to design a high performance kit plane that he intended to produce commercially. While considering the design parameters of that proposed aircraft he saw a picture of a Breezy homebuilt and decided instead to design a smaller and lighter aircraft inspired by the Breezy instead. Winter's own past experience flying Ultraflight Lazairs provided the motivation for the design of a slow, easy to handle aircraft with an open cockpit.
Winters designed a new open lattice, "N" girder fuselage constructed from 4130 steel tube along with a new tail to be fitted with wings from the Merlin EZ. The aircraft retained the Junker's ailerons of the Merlin along with the Clark "Y" airfoil that produces docile handling characteristics. The wing also features the Merlin's leading edge "D" cell construction, with foam ribs. The prototype has two seats in tandem and is powered by a Rotax 503 two stroke engine of 50 hp (37 kW).
The first prototype of the new design flew in October 1991 and was initially unnamed. Winters allowed several pilots to fly the new design and all remarked on its docile handling, its suitability as a trainer and the ease with which pilots mastered it. As a result Winters initially named it Easy Flyer and later EZ Flyer (pronounced in the American way as "Eezee Flier").
The EZ Flyer can be equipped with a variety of powerplants, all mounted in pusher configuration:
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Wikipedia