dazza 38 Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hi Guys does anybody know must about these aircraft.The Fuselage is Metal Tubing, the wings have a spruce spars and ply ribs.There is one for sale in the RAA magaine.I think it has been forsale for a long time.Does anybody know this particular aircraft? Thank you in Advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 From the Youtube channel of MrMazz1970 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Dazza, There were a lot of those around in California when I was there in the 80s and 90s. They were always at the airshows. They are a pretty popular homebuilt aircraft with a pretty good safety record. The wing and ailerons are very nicely curved in a 30s sort of style, and they use a good range of engines. Just by the look of them I'd say they'd be pretty quick, even without a lot of horsepower. There should be a bit of floor space for some tile !.Doesn't look like they'd be too much of a handfull on landing either, with good distance between tail wheel and mains. I too have looked at that aircraft for sale in the mag a few times...I'm sure the wood wing wouldn't be a drama if it was built well...................................................Cheers Maj.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vorticity Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 I saw one take of at caboolture this afternoon, the guy looked like he was having a lot of fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 Apparently there is only one in Australia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpacro Posted July 17, 2011 Share Posted July 17, 2011 The Starduster is a pretty biplane. The video above is a Starlet. One of the forum members flew the Starlet today so perhaps he will pop up with a report shortly. So, Dazza, did you mean SA-500 or 300 or? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreywh Posted July 18, 2011 Share Posted July 18, 2011 I believe you are talking about the Stolp Starlet SA 500 that has been for sale for quite a time...Lycoming 235 too!....I think it's an absolute bargain. If I didn't already have an aeroplane I would have bought that one!... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mario Mayerhofer Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hello everyone here, It is a SA-500 Starlet, which was completed in 2006 and was up for sale for ages after the first sale ended in tears in Mudgee on the flight home, and was bought back and repaired (minor damage on undercarriage) by the original owners, before I bought it early march this year. There is going to be a basic write-up on it in the coming September issue of Pacific Flyer. If any of you guys want to know anything about it, please feel free to email me on: [email protected] Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Hi Mario and welcome to the site ... Nice plane! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mario Mayerhofer Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Thanks Windsor :-) Tried to attach you guys here the Starduster info brochure on it, but the file's too big apparantly. The late Art Scholl did considerable testing on the prototype in the early 70's....here is the link for the test report: http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Stolp%20Starlet%20Specific%20History.asp#TopOfPage Cheers and best Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Is that you flying in the video Mario? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mario Mayerhofer Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Is that you flying in the video Mario? Yes mate, done so far about 14 hours since March, and over the last couple of weeks, I gave a couple of young hotshots a go up Caboolture who wanted to fly it. Have flown a pretty colourful variety in the last 25 years, but dont think there was anything as much fun as that thing. Been in love with the actual design since I was a kid, and pretty much had to have it, but it definately outperforms any expectations I had, and makes you wonder why nobody snatched it up as soon as it came on the market - there is as far as I been told by Aircraft Spruce, there is only a handful flying these days. I didnt know anything about its flying characteristics at all either on the first flight, but reading up what Art Scholl had to say about it, there was no surprises and he was spot on. It's not hard to fly at all, just very different as the two other guys who flew it the other day confirmed...the only thing that gets you initially is the complete lack of stick forces.its like a PC sim joy stick, regardless of airspeed - but once used to that, its hard to wipe the grin of the face :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 Oh mate... Delicious! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpacro Posted July 19, 2011 Share Posted July 19, 2011 I was waiting for one of those young hotshots to share his views with us but perhaps he doesn't come to the forum as often as he used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potter Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hey Dave, Yeah I've just been lurking in the background lately. Just like Mario says. First thing you notice is lack of stick forces Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Yes mate, done so far about 14 hours since March, and over the last couple of weeks, I gave a couple of young hotshots a go up Caboolture who wanted to fly it. Have flown a pretty colourful variety in the last 25 years, but dont think there was anything as much fun as that thing. Been in love with the actual design since I was a kid, and pretty much had to have it, but it definately outperforms any expectations I had, and makes you wonder why nobody snatched it up as soon as it came on the market - there is as far as I been told by Aircraft Spruce, there is only a handful flying these days.I didnt know anything about its flying characteristics at all either on the first flight, but reading up what Art Scholl had to say about it, there was no surprises and he was spot on. It's not hard to fly at all, just very different as the two other guys who flew it the other day confirmed...the only thing that gets you initially is the complete lack of stick forces.its like a PC sim joy stick, regardless of airspeed - but once used to that, its hard to wipe the grin of the face :-) Might have to hit you up for a fly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mario Mayerhofer Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I was waiting for one of those young hotshots to share his views with us but perhaps he doesn't come to the forum as often as he used to. Hello Dave, how are you? Just had a chat with the #1 hotshot :-) , and he told me a bit about your background. With an 19-rego, you cant really discuss any aerobatic issues, until it's in VH-EXP, but we been trying to track down the actual max design load factors on the SA-500 everywhere, from SAAA, RAA, EAA and also the Air Venture Museum without any success. Also, Aircraft Spruce and Specialty, who sells the plans and material kits hasnt got the faintest idea what that plane has been designed for by Lou Stolp. Being a homebuilt/experimental, a lot of factors have to be considered of what to do with it, but if you know anything about the design itself, or where to get the info from, any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and best Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpacro Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Mario, I know nought about it. Just a recent bit of googling indicates there's a chance of there being enough evidence around which might have satisifed the old amateur-built CAO with evidence of safe history to allow aerobatics. Worth doing some digging to see if enough can be found to substantiate it for Experimental. I'd start with the LAA - the UK rules are more onerous than ours and the LAA engineers are very thorough - if they approve it for aeros then its all easy. Some relevant discussions on the EAA forum: http://www.oshkosh365.org/ok365_DiscussionBoardTopic.aspx?boardid=147&id=1235&forumid=178&topicid=3065 http://www.oshkosh365.org/ok365_DiscussionBoardTopic.aspx?id=1235&boardid=147&forumid=175&topicid=5461 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpacro Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Just happened to see an LAA engineer on FB so got a quick reply from him. They don't know the g limits either and it is not approved for aerobatics in the UK. Only one example there I understand too. Details in private message for Mario. He suggested that some-one could easily do an analysis but I don't fancy the mental exercise myself. One of the things on my to-do list is an STC to increase max weight for the baby Decathlon in normal category but instead I waste my time on the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winsor68 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 I didn't think the SA-500 was built for Aerobatics... it seems like a great little sport plane to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mario Mayerhofer Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Just got off the phone to a guy in the US, who is selling one in the Aerobatic section of Barnstormers with a 290 Lycoming in it. He told me (and please note, I was only told that, and I dont have any facts on that), that Lou Stolp is not around anymore. Interesting though is, (and also a bit of a worry) that they sell the kits and plans as an aerobatic plane over there, without having any info on its max load factors either. I asked him what the plane is stressed to, and what I got for an answer was: " What they been doing with those planes in the last 40 years, it must be aerobatic since nothing has fallen off any of them" :-)... Sometimes its just better to sit back and just smile and nod. :-) http://www.barnstormers.com/Aerobatic%20Classifieds.html?page=9 Cheers guys, enjoy your evening :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djpacro Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 That was all that was required to get home-builts approved for aerobatics per the old CAO - evidence of safe history - signed statements by owners in the USA. The Stephens Akro was the example I am most familiar with. I did a basic stress analysis some years after we finished building ours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Hey djp ,I don't think your time on the forum is wasted at all. I've just read the flight report that Art Scholl wrote and the damn thing sounds pretty aerobatic to me !. I know Art would have talked with the designer before doing what he did in it (maybe it was a paid test flight), and I don't believe he would have dived it over 200 mph if he didn't know it was very strong. I had the pleasure of meeting Art Scholl and his beautifull wife Judy at the Reno Air Races not long before he was killed in the filming of Top Gun. He was a quality individual and very knowledgable about aviation generally. I believe he was a professor in Aeronautics at one of the LA area collages, where he taught and lectured. His main showplane the Super Chipmunk is now in the EAA Museum at Oshkosh. He was killed whilst doing an inverted flat spin in a Pitts, and dissappeared into the ocean off the California coast..If you look at the very last credit on the Top Gun movie it says 'dedicated to Art Scholl'......................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merc Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Art's book "Roll around a point" is an excellent read for any aspiring aerobat! roll around a point written by duane cole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Maj Millard Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Don't recall if Art ever wrote any books, he did take the time to autograph one of mine though, and it's now a treasured possession..................................................................Maj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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