Experimenter

October 2013

Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.

Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/194874

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 21 of 40

The Sam LS a STOL version with a longer (31.8-foot) wing to allow slower flight and shorter takeoffs and landings. (The CC model is not LSA eligible because the clean stall speed will be a bit higher than authorized.) Using Solidworks computer design software, Thierry and his team kept ease of construction, strength, weight, and cost in mind at each step. Thierry said, "We chose to design the aircraft on Solidworks for precision: Parts are CNC pre-drilled, and pre-bent with matched holes. It allows us precision repeatability and therefore offers ease of construction for the builder." The framed, monocoque hybrid is built with 4130 chromoly tubing and aluminum (plus some composite materials for the cowl, tail cone, and fairings). Using common materials and building techniques, plus planning for maintenance, inspection, and repair, the Sam LS can be worked on at any shop. Maintenance and inspection holes are built in throughout the aircraft. A comprehensive look at everything you usually need to see or adjust in the airframe requires very little disassembly. Portholes and inspection access, plus an easily removable tail cone, armrest, instrument panel, and floorboard, allow a thorough check or easy adjustment of virtually all the controls and main attachment points for the structure and controls. Up front, the cowling is easy to remove, and the spinner is a balanced Sensenich unit that is matched to the two-blade composite prop and covers the pitch key access. That key allows auto-indexing of pitch changes in just moments, and without protractors or other special tools. Well-known techniques, common tools, transferable skills, and no magic are required to build the Sam. As the plans took shape and Thierry focused on serving his market, he moved to Canada and set up his factory just west of Montreal. Flying the Sam is the object, however. Thierry wanted to make this airplane very much a primary trainer, with predictable, mellow handling. A big rudder, linear controls, elevator and ailerons connected by push-pull tubes, and a steerable nose wheel (a tailwheel model is planned) are all designed to make handling in the air and on the ground as friendly as possible. A die-hard classic aviator can fly the Sam without the side-hinged and removable canopy, enjoying as much fresh air as he'd like. The vintage look envelops all-modern technology. Electric flaps and trim, a 10-inch Dynon (plus an optional 7-inch unit in the rear cockpit—the primary pilot sits up front), Matco disc brakes, and a Rotax engine up front that turns a Sensenich auto-indexing composite groundadjustable prop are all mated with 21st-century control balance and aerodynamics. The flight envelope is LSA all the way: 1,320 pounds gross weight, 125-mph top cruise, with a 49-mph clean stall (42 with flaps), and a better-than-average 500-plus mile range courtesy of the 22-gallon fuel tank. With full fuel and configured as an LSA, there are still 358 pounds of useful load available. Te Ryan ST shown here was the inspiration for the Sam LS design, and it's named afer Tierry's son, Sam. 22 Vol.2 No.10 / October 2013 Photography courtesy of Sam Aircraft

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Experimenter - October 2013