Taylor Bird
The Taylor Bird is a homebuilt aircraft that was designed by C. G. Taylor, the designer of the Taylor Cub.[1]
| Taylor Bird | |
|---|---|
| Role | Homebuilt aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Designer | C. G. Taylor |
Design and development
The part-built Taylor Bird was presented at the 1977 EAA airshow. The aircraft is a tandem seat, mid-wing pusher configuration design, with conventional landing gear. The fuselage is built with aluminum stressed skin. The aircraft features a unique entryway, mounting the entire nose and windshield on sliding rails that moves forward, allowing access to the cabin. The wingtips are slotted and wings are foldable.[2] The engine features a custom propeller speed reduction unit that remained in limited production after Taylor production ceased.[3] The prototype first flew on July 17, 1979.[4]
Specifications (Taylor Bird)
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81[4]
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: one passenger
- Length: 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
- Wingspan: 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)
- Height: 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
- Airfoil: NACA 23015
- Empty weight: 560 lb (254 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,000 lb (454 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Subaru with 2:1 gear reduction[1] 1400cc water-cooled horizontally opposed piston automotive conversion, 65 hp (48 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 109 kn (125 mph, 202 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 100 kn (120 mph, 190 km/h)
- Endurance: 4 hr
References
- Barnett Flight International August 20, 1977, p. 535
- Barnett Flight International August 20, 1977, pp. 535–536
- "Wayne Sprigle's Mite-T-Mustang". Experimenter. March 2009.
- Taylor 1980, p. 552
- Barnett, Clive (August 20, 1977). "Oshkosh: Sport Aircraft Galore". Flight International. Vol. 112, no. 3571. pp. 532–536, 541.
- Taylor, John W. R., ed. (1980). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1980–81. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0705-9.