A new Airborne model

[skeptic36]

Hi all,

 

Not much action in the trike section here lately, so here is a bit of forum fodder:

 

Cut from the Airborne site:

 

We are pleased to announce that it will be show-casing its new Part 103 trike The Thermalite (TLite) and Core wing at Wallaby Ranch during Sun 'N Fun (March 29 - April 2). We should have detailed information on this aircraft in the next couple of weeks but I can tell you this -- it has a 4-stroke engine!!!!

 

The Tlite utilizes the Bailey's 4V-200 engine. The Bailey's 4V-200 is a 200cc SOHC 4-stroke putting out 22hp at 8200 rpm. These are beautiful engines purpose built for ultralights, and did I mention they are 4-strokes!!! Also noteworthy is that the wing has been tested to Light Sport standards assuming a pilot weight of 242 lbs, so even though this is a Part 103 trike it is being built to Light Sport Standards.

 

Sounds like a lot of fun.

 

I wonder what the TBO will be for that engine.

 

I think I will put it on my (imaginary) list to go in the hanger alongside my(imaginary) big four stroke tourer and my (imaginary) amphibious trike. But for now Iguess I will just have to be satisfied with

 

[ATTACH]13446.vB[/ATTACH]:clap2: Life's tough ain't it

 

Regards Bill

 

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Here's some more info from Dan Johnson's blog. You have to scroll down the page as the article was dated March 27 and there's a few above it now. Look for the title "Four-Stroke Part 103 Ultralight? Yes! And Fun..."

 

Apparently, it is classed as a single seat "soaring trike". In other words like a self launching glider, but weight-shift.

 

A nice video of a Dragonfly soaring trike circa 2008. Apparently no rules where this was shot!

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

Apparently, it is classed as a single seat "soaring trike". In other words like a self launching glider, but weight-shift.

I suspect it will have to be classed differently for it to have RAAus rego

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

I suspect it will have to be classed differently for it to have RAAus rego

Good point.

Just been reading through the Part 103 NPRM and it could be classed as a "Glider" in the proposed wording, so maybe wouldn't be registerable with RAA if the design intent was "soaring". People often ask "what's in a name"!

 

... It also includes variants of the above which have an engine (fixed or retractable) that can be used either to sustain the aircraft in flight but with inadequate power for independent take-off capability, or those whose engine can be used for take-off and initial climb to a position and altitude from which soaring flight is possible.

 

 

[Guest Crezzi]

Aye it looks like a great fun minimalist trike & I suspect most will be used for exactly that.

 

For soaring, any of the many doodlebug type powered hang-gliders would be better so hopefully the TLite will be eligible for RAAus.

 

 

[eastmeg2]

Ok, so who's going to write up the first Thermalite v's Dragonfly comparo? Any takers?

 

 

[damo]

Some photos and flight review of the Airborne T-Lite at Sun N Fun 2011

 

It won Grand Champion in the Ultralight category.

 

 

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

Larry Mednick – Tampabay Aerosport

 

I am pleased to anounce that not only did I get to look over the new Airborne

 

nano light at this years Sun N Fun, but I got to fly it!

 

The construction, fit and finish is what you come to find with Airborne's larger

 

trikes. Even the cam lock mast block concept found on the Big 912 XT was

 

present. The seat frame and keel were very original and well executed. What I

 

was so impressed with was the overall simple, yet smart design of the carriage.

 

The padded, fiberglass, contoured seat for example was possibly the BEST seat

 

on any trike in todays market. It wrapped around my body and felt really nice

 

and gave me an extremely secure feeling compared to some other nano lights I

 

have flown where the seatbelt is what keeps you from falling out to the side of

 

the seat. The saddle bag skirts really cleaned up the trike aerodynamically. The

 

Motor mount was a firewall style install like a Tanarg, for example, which used

 

the least amount of material with the cleanest engine install. Even the fuel

 

pump was integrated into the frame which left nothing hanging off or bolted on

 

as an after thought. This design wasnt thought of overnight, it is clear some

 

real work went into making the T Light's extremely refined, non traditional, yet

 

simple design.

 

The engine itself was a 22 HP Bailey with electric start and was extremely

 

compact and clean looking as well. It ran with a little thump to it being a

 

single piston, but very smooth in general. Climb was pretty good, I weigh 200

 

pounds and was off and climbing in no time. I dont think it will keep up with

 

some of the AC racers or sky cycles using Rotax 447s or anything like that, but

 

i was up to several hundred feet within a couple of minutes regardless.

 

The wing is actually one of their existing, popular hang glider wings. It was

 

around 15 meters and all PX upper surface. The handing was very solid, the pitch

 

was very nice and the roll was very soft in the middle with a hair more

 

resistance than I would have expected when I really cranked a hard turn. the

 

roll was very light compared to most LSA trikes, just not as light as some

 

other nano light wings I have flown. When turning there is a bit of adverse yaw

 

until you push out and then the nose really swings into the turn with a very

 

tight radius which would be great for catching thermals. All and all the wing

 

is really solid and flew well.

 

I did find a few things that I would have preferred different based on my own

 

personal taste. first was the control bar height was about 4-6 higher than I

 

prefer, If you like the height of the XT's bar, this was quite similar. And

 

second there was a lot of rake in the forks which has benefits, but those do not

 

include moving it around on the ground without holding on to the forks. The

 

front wheel wants to constantly be all the way to the right or the left. Taxiing

 

with the high rake angle was not an issue nor take off or landing. Lastly the

 

wing had a king post and we had to actually fold the mast down to get it into

 

the same hanger the big REVO easily rolled into first with plenty of clearance.

 

All and all this is a true soaring trike, I would think it will compete head to

 

head with the Dragon Fly. The fit and finish of this product is stellar and the

 

design is very clean and well though out. As a package it is a perfectly

 

balanced flying machine. If you want to soar and want the same quality and

 

attention to detail you see when you look at a $60,000+ XT, your trike has

 

arrived!

 

Larry Mednick

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest nunans]

I saw one of these being demo'd today at Ag-Quip, looked really good and took off very short into the breeze. It was quiet, smooth and simple with a well built appearance much like its bigger siblings.

 

I bet they are a heap of fun to fly,

 

 

[andres chapero]

Larry, what´s the price on this Airborne Nano Trike ?

 

 

[skeptic36]

Airborne price guide

[andres chapero]

Thank you Skeptic 36. Super !

 

 

[andres chapero]

Does anybody know of any other Airborne nanotrike reviews ?

 

Thank you all.

 

 

[skeptic36]

Does anybody know of any other Airborne nanotrike reviews ?Thank you all.

You mean like this

or this

 

 

[andres chapero]

Excellent Skeptic 36. I´m very grateful for the links you provided . If anything else comes along please be so kind to let me know about it. I flew a big heavy Airborne trike here in Santiago, Chile where I live and have always expected something like this australian nanotrike to appear in the pendular ultralight market that I consider to be the safest form of flying.