Fly Baby

[Ron Wanttaja]

Originally Posted by fgcason

Ron,

Do you know anyone who's done the biplane version?
I like biplanes and I don't care how slow I go as long as it's safe. (the slower I go the more flying time I get anyway)

This looks like a fun project plane to build over a few years in my spare time.

I know a few online friends who have one, but haven't been around one much.

The additional wing improves takeoff and climb, but cost in cruise speed. On the plus side, it lets the builder install shock-absorbing gear and avoids the issues related to monoplane wing bracing.

Looks pretty good, too....


With THAT said...there are a lot of rather nice little single-seat biplane designs out there. If I wanted a biplane, I think I'd build a Hatz and get a two-seater out of it.

The Fly Baby is one of the few designs that can be built as either a monoplane or biplane, and is one of the even fewer that can be converted back and forth within an hour or so. That was Bowers' main target; he wasn't just trying to produce yet another biplane.

One thing about the biplane is that Bowers lost his illustrator about 3/4 the way through writing the plans. The biplane plane aren't really as complete as the monoplane version...the written text peters out and the last batch of illustrations are just sketches.

My advice for builders is to make the monoplane version, since there's two wings and a center section less to build. Build the biplane mods into the fuselage (they can be added after completion, but it's easier during construction), get flying in a monoplane version, and if you're still hankering for a biplane, you can be flying while building the new wings.

I have the biplane addendum available for free download on the Fly Baby web page:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/#Free_B...Plans_Download

I've also got the first 50 pages of the main plans available for free:

http://www.bowersflybaby.com/plans_sample.pdf

Ron Wanttaja

[jssaylor2007]

Ron I figured you might be familiar with the fly baby that was my CFI's first plane. It was N2288C. He said it was destroyed beyond repair from wind damage, but I do believe it is in the first few pages of the build manual where all of the different pictures of the fly baby's are.

[Ron Wanttaja]

Originally Posted by jssaylor2007

Ron I figured you might be familiar with the fly baby that was my CFI's first plane. It was N2288C. He said it was destroyed beyond repair from wind damage, but I do believe it is in the first few pages of the build manual where all of the different pictures of the fly baby's are.

That was the Frank Londo airplane...

[jssaylor2007]

That fits the description he has given me. He said he was very fortunate to get such a well built airplane as his first owned plane.

He said it had a C85-12 if I remember correctly.

[Frank Cason]

Thanks Ron.

I'm a few years out from doing anything however the longer term plan is to build a fun plane. I am currently poking around at different designs that I can build when the time comes. Inexpensive to build and fly, fun, fly off grass, do it right, enjoy the build process then fly it when it's ready to fly is the plan.

I agree about the monoplane first with the biplane modifications during the initial build. And who knows, the monoplane may be too much fun to add the second set of wings to but the option and plans is nice to have without invasive modifications later.

I didn't know about the Hatz. I'll have to look into that now.

[Ron Wanttaja]

And for those interested in the Fly Baby, around the St. Louis area, we're having a Fly Baby 50th Anniversary Fly-In at Sparta Mount Vernon IL on the 8th of September:


Gonna be real laid-back, with the emphasis on fun.

Ron Wanttaja

[Jesse]

No promises but I hope to be able to make an appearance in N48ML. Any idea how many FlyBaby's will be there?

[Tim Winters]

That's only 50NM from here...I might come over for grins.

[Ron Wanttaja]

Originally Posted by jesse

No promises but I hope to be able to make an appearance in N48ML. Any idea how many FlyBaby's will be there?

Sparta is the home base for Brian "Brain" Kissenger, who is doing all the organizing. He bases his Fly Baby there. The Flying Monkeys Squadron is from the area, and Brian's a member.

His plane is on the far right. I think at least one of these has sold since this picture was taken, but don't know whether it stayed local.

So...we're looking at probably two, plus (hopefully) yours. That would be more than were at Oshkosh.

Ron Wanttaja

[tinerj]

I have a Fly Baby with a starter, but no electrical 'system.' Instead, it has a battery on board that powers only the starter. The battery needs charged periodically, but not that often. I'm looking into putting a solar charger somewhere to keep it topped off.

[Ron Wanttaja]

Originally Posted by tinerj

I have a Fly Baby with a starter, but no electrical 'system.' Instead, it has a battery on board that powers only the starter. The battery needs charged periodically, but not that often. I'm looking into putting a solar charger somewhere to keep it topped off.

That's the best approach, with a small sport aircraft. You aren't required to have a transponder within a Mode C veil, only if you actually want to enter the airspace. A fully charged battery will do a number of starts. I ran about a whole year on my airplane with a bum generator, just plugging the battery into charge every once in a while.

Ron Wanttaja

[iHenning]

Anybody ever put a Fly Baby on floats?

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Henning

Anybody ever put a Fly Baby on floats?

Yes

[Jesse]

They're a very capable machine - here I am high and slow:

[iHenning]

What is your lap tank made of?

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Henning

What is your lap tank made of?

The tank itself is made out of aluminum.

[iHenning]

Originally Posted by jesse

The tank itself is made out of aluminum.

Welds in aluminum crystallize after 15 years and become very brittle. If you ever replace it I'd give a lot of consideration to a racing grade fuel cell or at least weld the next one up out do 90/10 Copper Nickle.

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Henning

Welds in aluminum crystallize after 15 years and become very brittle. If you ever replace it I'd give a lot of consideration to a racing grade fuel cell or at least weld the next one up out do 90/10 Copper Nickle.

I think it's only a few years old.

[iHenning]

I hate lap tanks...

[DenverPilot]

Originally Posted by jesse

They're a very capable machine - here I am high and slow:

Hopefully you've spoken privately with the ghost of your grandpa and told him you'll keep an eye out for Doctors in Bonanzas up there, reading the newspaper.

Otherwise, you're going to be haunted.

[Geico]

I got a close look at Jesse's new bird. Very nice. Looks great in the air and in the pattern. Fun to see these homebuilts being maintained, and in the air, knowing the people who fly them and the passion they bring to the sport. I love it!

Jesse's has an enclosed cabin and the open pit option! It's a convertible!

[Jesse]

I got up early this morning and rode the motorcycle out to the airport to do a little flying. I climbed up to a safe altitude and played with slow flight and stalls.

Below about 45 mph indicated things start to get pretty mushy. Around 35 mph the stick and airplane start to shake. At around 25 mph indicated it hovers on the brink of the stall. It wouldn't actually break into the stall for me unless I gave the stick a brisk pop for the last inch or two of it's travel. The break was pretty much the same as a C150. It didn't favor either wing, level throughout the break. Recovery was no big deal.

After that I descended down low and just flew around the country side looking at the farms and tractors.

Before long, it was time to get the airplane put away so that I could head into the office. I am pretty fortunate indeed.

[steingar]

At MERFI this weekend I saw the neatest thing. Looked like a two-seat Flybaby sans wires. Can't remember what the guy called it, some very old experimental design. Sorry, didn't bring the camera, so I can't post up a photo. Still, really near airplane.

And I believe there was a fly baby in attendance. And three Midget Mustangs, two more than there were at Oshkosh.

[Ren]

Originally Posted by jesse

I got up early this morning and rode the motorcycle out to the airport to do a little flying. I climbed up to a safe altitude and played with slow flight and stalls.

Below about 45 mph indicated things start to get pretty mushy. Around 35 mph the stick and airplane start to shake. At around 25 mph indicated it hovers on the brink of the stall. It wouldn't actually break into the stall for me unless I gave the stick a brisk pop for the last inch or two of it's travel. The break was pretty much the same as a C150. It didn't favor either wing, level throughout the break. Recovery was no big deal.

After that I descended down low and just flew around the country side looking at the farms and tractors.

Before long, it was time to get the airplane put away so that I could head into the office. I am pretty fortunate indeed.

Motorcycle and fly baby.. I bet you had all that fun on less than 15 bucks of gas

[Ron Wanttaja]

Originally Posted by steingar

At MERFI this weekend I saw the neatest thing. Looked like a two-seat Flybaby sans wires. Can't remember what the guy called it, some very old experimental design. Sorry, didn't bring the camera, so I can't post up a photo. Still, really near airplane.

If it was indeed an older design, it's probably a Spezio Tuholer:


The Spezio was another entrant in the 1962 EAA Design Contest (the one the Fly Baby won). Don't have any insight as to why the Fly Baby over the Spezio, but I believe the Tuholer has a welded-steel fuselage. This might have scored the plane lower for buildability.

Another similar design, but much, much newer, is the Warner Revolution:

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/430447.html

It's got a cantilever wing, and has no struts or wires. Which means it doesn't make that cool sound....

And Jesse, if you *really* want to have fun on those early-morning flights, take off the canopy and put the open-cockpit assembly back on....

Ron Wanttaja