AFFORDAPLANE

Builders:  Dylan and Dad Robson

Build Start:  /  Status:  Ongoing

The fuselage is made of square aluminum tubing, with flat plate gussets bolted to them to hold it all together.  It is designed this way for a number of reasons:  One is that it is extremely strong but light.  Gyrocopters have used this method for decades.  Another is that you can cut it with a chop saw or jigsaw, drill it and it is basically done.  There is no welding involved at all with this airplane.  You do not need any welding equipment, and you never have to worry about whether your welds will hold.  Plus everything is out in the open, there is nothing hidden that can cause problems.

The wings and tail are made of round aluminum tubing, and are built the same way as many other ultralight airplanes.  The flying surfaces are covered with Dacron, shrunk with a clothes iron, and painted with house paint.  It looks great and holds up for years.  The airfoil used gives you optimum performance with 40 horsepower.  The stall is gentle and straightforward.  The wings feature full span ailerons.  Crosswinds are no problem at all.  It goes where you point it.  All the pilots who have flown it say it is a very sweet flying airplane.

The Affordaplane is a solid, proven design that has been flying for over 25 years and has logged thousands of hours.  If you build it as an FAR 103 legal ultralight, you do not need a license to fly it.  Many people build it as a light sport aircraft, so they can put hours in their logbook.  So it is your choice.