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/418587
32 Vol.3 No.11 / November 2014 THE WINGS OF QUICKSILVER didn't have to lug to the top of a hill to fly, it was a bargain anyway you looked at it. A short word about the laudable Quicksilver kits, past and present: All the parts came shrink-wrapped on large cardboard sheets, clearly labeled and identified. The as- sembly manual was a work of art. All the instructions were step-by-step, with copious illustrations to guide you through construction. Dave Cronk, engineer/artist that he was, made those wonderful manuals what they were. One of my happiest memories of the time was cruis- ing alongside a road near Salinas, California, in 1981, 100 feet up in the air, feeling the morning wind in my face and enjoying the gentle manners of the Quicksilver. I'd wave at cars that would honk as they raced by—my airspeed was all of 30 or 35 mph. The "airplaney" Quick in time became the way so many people realized similar flight desires, without the hassle of having to go to an airport. What a heady, free time; it was at the beginning of ultralight flying as a sport and an industry. SUCCESS SECRETS Two prime reasons for the Quick's enduring legacy were its ease of assembly and the fact it was a cupcake to fl y. Forgiving, suf ciently responsive, and sheer fun, it was the perfect ultra- light for a world hungry for grassroots aviation. Call it OWT— on the wing training—many of us learned about powered fl ying by fl ying our ultralights. Before long it became clear the Quick would surpass even Byrum's original vision; it did sell like hotcakes: 15,000-plus and still counting. New models were developed, including the Quicksilver MX, which evoked Byrum's desire for three-axis control in- stead of simplifi ed two-axis (weight shift for pitch, rudder for yaw-roll coupled banking). The fi rst MX (for Multiple aXis) had a movable elevator for pitch, and because pilots asked for true three-axis control, Dave tried spoilers on top of the wing. Photography by James Lawrence The GT 500 was the fi rst Primary Category aircraft certifi cated in 1993. Very few aircraft took advantage of that category. The original High-Tailer red tail that evolved into the original Quicksilver design.