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/323139
EAA Experimenter 13 folding wings, a steel cage, and a composite fuselage. Only its traditional metal wings could be called Cessna-like. The folding wing feature probably caused the most design compromises, but the Arlington boys felt strongly that it also af orded the GlaStar a great economic advantage in that it could be stored in half the space of a normal airplane. To make the plane "trailerable," it had to fold down to no more than 8 feet, 6 inches wide; thus the wing chord really couldn't exceed 4 feet. That also constrained the span of the horizontal stabilizer unless it was to be removable. In the end the horizontal stabilizer became removable and grew to 10 feet, and a higher aspect ratio wing emerged as the best solutions. Interestingly, the "trailerability" of the GlaStar was a great sales tool, but one that customers seldom used afterwards. That said, there were a number of GlaStars with wings folded that were loaded on trailers and driven around the country. The miserly but underpowered Continental IO-240 was quickly replaced with the Lycoming O-320 and then the parallel-valve O (IO)-360 engines. The larger 360 engines barely fi t inside the GlaStar cowl, but their popularity could not be denied. The much-improved power of the larger engines re- ally woke up the GlaStar and enabled short takeof s that could match its short landings a reality. Of course, bigger engines needed more fuel, so auxiliary tanks were soon forthcoming as an option. One feature of the GlaStar that proved to be immensely popular was the ability to build the plane either as a tricycle gear or a taildragger, and if desired, to switch back and forth in a minimum amount of time. Of the 948 GlaStar kits sold, it is hard to say how many used each type of gear, but an eyeball check of past EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fl ightlines revealed about an even split, with a fair number spending at least some time on fl oats. If there is an airplane that just naturally fi ts on fl oats, it is the GlaStar. The big rudder and stout fuselage bracing mean that no added airframe work is needed to install fl oats. The engine mount even comes from the factory with a removable spacer that allows for the installation of the front fl oat attach- ment. With the 180-hp engine and a big prop, the GlaStar on fl oats never fails to impress. While it can't quite match a Super All of this Cabela's camping gear fi ts into the back of a Sportsman. This plane was made for fl ying and camping! The GlaStar also makes a great skiplane, and EAA outfi tted the GlaStar it uses for fl ying Young Eagles with skis. E A A E X P _ J u n e 1 4 . i n d d 1 3 EAAEXP_June14.indd 13 6 / 3 / 1 4 8 : 3 7 A M 6/3/14 8:37 AM