In this article, I`m going to write about one of the cheapest aircraft you can build. Legal Eagle is neither fully built nor available in a complete kit. Just behind the Jenny, I came across the designer of the Legal Eagle, a legal American single-seat ultralight. The name Legal Eagle appeared when the plane was 10 pounds below the 254-pound weight limit for the United States — so “that eagle legally” became the “LEGAL EAGLE.” Additional plans for the construction of the wing of the Legal Eagle XL NUR. The IT department has often been asked if you can build the entire aircraft based on these plans, the answer is NO. These assume that you have the Legal Eagle XL blueprints and want to build the wing without questions asked and that you have a large set of full-length rib designs from which you can build your fixture. (one with a nasal vein, one without, i.e. one to use, one for wall inspiration. Dan, how do I get a bunch of blueprints to build this plane? I would love to build it and fly around it and if it`s as claimed, I`ll promote it.
Thank you Clifford C. Byrd 252-290-0648 clifford.byrd@gmail.com The Legal Eagle XL is the latest version of the classic Legal Eagle ultralight aircraft, first designed by Leonard Milholland 20 years ago. There are many options for tradespeople who want to build light, simple aircraft that meet the parameters of Part 103, but Milholland`s aircraft deviate from the ultra-light convention by being designed around a four-stroke engine. Two-stroke engines have always been the norm for ultralights, but after 250 hours of Rotax flight, my interest in a two-stroke engine waned. The failure mode of a four-stroke engine is more predictable and the exhaust tone more pleasant. Half of the VW uses the rear two cylinders of a Beetle-based engine to get an engine light enough to fit in Part 103 if careful attention is paid to the design and construction of the airframe. Milholland is fanatical in “giving lightness” to his creations, and the Legal Eagles are exercises in elegance that contain only what is necessary to accomplish the mission – nothing more. These priorities translate into an ultra-light aircraft with conventional design and flight characteristics and the four-stroke reliability that many of us demand. The Eagle is a ticket to the regulatory and medical freedom offered by Part 103 and is appealing to pilots who may already own a heavier aircraft, but also want to enjoy an easy, inexpensive and hassle-free flight. “The idea of this aircraft is to be economical – you can afford it if you want to get the job done.” The plans consist of a cover sheet with specifications, 42 sheets of drawings and a list of materials. Plans sell for $50. Yes, how are you! I am approaching 71 years old.
I always wanted to fly an airplane. Do you think starting with a legal eagle is a good start? That`s all I could afford anyway! Thank you very much! Perhaps not all pilots need affordable aircraft, but many do. And don`t all pilots – all customers – appreciate a good deal? The XL wing with 26 feet wingspan is made of aircraft wood and T-88 epoxy resin. Its design is based on the much-loved Mini-Max glider, which is familiar territory to me as my first two aircraft projects were a Fisher Flying Products Super Koala and a TEAM Mini-Max. Milholland tested an XL wing at +6 G without permanent deformation; the heavier Double Eagle wing was thoroughly checked by an aeronautical engineer. The wings can be easily detached from the fuselage by two people for seasonal transport or storage, but are not intended to be removed frequently. I`m looking for someone who can cover my wings on my legal ultralight eagle plane, I just bought it at my museum and I need the wings salvagedtommy West says fantastic article. I`m destined to build one, just get started! My second bedroom is too small, my garage is renovated and I am very motivated to rent it out and it leaves just enough space in my back patio, assuming 1 tenant parks a car there but I digress. I always wanted to get my license, but having recently paid for 1 flight hour (1 flight hour and 3 hours instructor time!), which is somewhat understandable given the ground training, I was able to build this aircraft before I could afford to complete my pilot training.
That`s not to say I don`t enjoy private pilot training very much, I`m sure I`ll continue to increase my hours over the years, especially in an LSA rating at a minimum, but the honest truth is that the complexity and cost of an LSA rating is so prohibitive that it drives the majority of the public away from general aviation. Which is a real shame! When I first heard about ultralight aircraft and saw this legal eagle powered by a VW, I knew it was one. I had a sand rail and I like to remember (or so I tell myself) when I got stuck in a bowl near the dunes of Pismo (mostly crappy bare tires…) and the carburetor cover came off one of the carburetors and sucked sand into the engine and grabbed it. Long story short, VW engines are ridiculously easy to use and I remember an old friend and I holding the engine on either side while my mom took a picture. It was the good old days, but I want more good days and I am convinced without a doubt that I have to build this plane. I have the tools, the money, just enough experience to think I can finish it and. I guess I have no excuse not to start now that I FINALLY have a home! See you up there one day, I hope, maybe in Oshkosh or the next LE meeting 🙂. The ribs are made up of 1/4-inch strips of spruce hat and folds of lightweight plywood, and I found that each of the 26 ribs could be built in 30 minutes in total. After two weeks of part-time work, a diligent construction worker can be rewarded with a stack of ribs ready to be assembled on the spars. Spars are spruce hat strips with 1/8-inch layer sheets, and common shop tools are all that is needed for making tie bars. The assembly of the wings took place quickly after the construction of the ribs and spars, and soon the workshop took on the aura of an aircraft factory.
All supports and fittings are detailed on the drawings and can be manufactured from readily available sheet metal, corner or tube. The rear surfaces are made of aluminum tubes mounted with rivets and pulled bellows. Initially weak in appearance, the tail surfaces are surprisingly rigid and light after final assembly. Each surface weighs about 1 pound! The rear assembly is a great start for the inexperienced builder, as the requirements for workshop space and tools are modest, and the production of the vacuum unit promotes confidence in the remaining construction process. Simple 4130 pipe hinges cause surfaces to fail as expected, and details of all control horns and mounting fittings are included in the drawings. You buy a number of plans for $50 and invest six to nine months of your time. Other packages offer a range of videos and more details. Some manufacturers choose the welded shell and a set of materials, although these increase the cost beyond the absolute minimum. Two 2×8-foot tables were built at the beginning of the XL project, allowing the fuselage, tail and wing to be assembled using simple mountings. The Eagle XL shell is welded with 4130 tubes and looks conventional in design to any manufacturer who has seen a Champ or Cub shell. In my role as a technical advisor to the EAA, I supported many builders, but most of them were RV owners.
The production of a welded fuselage, as found in most conventional aircraft, remained a mystery to me and seemed more like black art than science. But the Eagle served as an introduction to oxy-fuel welding, and I enjoyed assembling a hull in the traditional way. There is something Zen about welding a hull, and the eagle is light and strong. A Meco Midget flashlight proved comfortable to use, but still able to weld all fuselage groups. A simple rotisserie spindle with an engine mount allowed the fuselage to be rotated so that welding could be done sitting on a chair. Legal Eagle Ultralight is a true Part 103 eligible ultralight vehicle and weighs only 244 pounds. The three-axle aircraft is designed around the 30hp VW half-stroke engine, more than enough for most applications. But the most intriguing aspect of the Legal Eagle for this RV manufacturer is not the mechanical details, but the absolute simplicity and purity of the small plane. This is an aircraft construction, reduced to the simplest elements – no avionics, electricity, interior, hood or expensive paint.
Every component of the aircraft is on display for easy access and inspection. The simplicity, slowness and low cost of the Eagle stand in stark contrast to the complexity, speed and cost of the motorhome. Just as the RV is perfectly suited to its use, the minimalism of the Eagle makes it perfect for its mission. Not shown here: Details such as lighting holes, rib spacing, instructions/warnings on strut suspension and fill block, as well as views of the attachment bar shape with fill blocks are shown in the plans.