Lon Pinaire's Ultra-Aire was beautifully built and few well, but
by 1983 standards it was already behind the technology curve.
They both love aviation, and both also fly foot-launched
powered paragliders. However, it was becoming hard
for his dad to foot-launch, so they wanted to get into
trikes. The pair purchased a maroon Sky Cycle trike
manufactured by Fly Hard Trikes in Wildwood, Georgia
that was displayed at the 2011 Sun 'n Fun International
Fly-In & Expo at Lakeland, Florida. Later they traveled
to Tennessee to train in a two-seat trike with designer
and manufacturer Michael Theeke. Each pilot received
several hours of dual instruction over a weekend, but
they didn't solo. The plan was to return later for more
instruction, but they never managed to do it.
He flew around the pattern and appeared to make a
landing approach but was not aligned with the runway.
He angled away from the runway as if to go around for
another try when suddenly the trike descended wings
level as if in a stall, from an altitude of about 100 to 150
feet. The engine was still making power. Just before it
Jeff said he doesn't remember how it happened, but
apparently he and his dad decided to take the Sky Cycle
to the airport and try some low hops down the long
5,200-foot runway. His dad tried it first and got airborne
briefly; the single-place trike handled quite a bit differently than the two-place trainer. He pulled back on the
control bar too much after the initial liftoff, and the trike
descended sharply and landed hard enough that he felt
a bit shaken up.
Dad brought the trike back to the start of the runway,
and Jeff took his turn. According to witnesses, Jeff
made a full takeoff and climbed away from the runway.
Photography by Dan Grunloh
Te Sky Cycle trike involved in the Edwards accident when it was on display
at Sun 'n Fun 2011, where it won the Best Type Trike award.
EAA Experimenter
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