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/471466
22 Vol.4 No.3 / March 2015 TEAM MINI-MA X If you want a sleek glass ship or all-metal, sit-out-in-the- weather airplane, look elsewhere than Team. If you are too timid or unwilling to learn to fl y a taildragger, look elsewhere. If you are in a hurry to get someplace and want air-conditioned comfort while relaxing or engaging in nonpilot activities, pur- chase an airline ticket or hire a charter company. However, if you can accept the delayed gratifi cation of building a working airplane and can enjoy wandering around the countryside with an extraordinary view and the unmatched freedom of fl ight, you need to read on. TEAM'S OFFERINGS The Team Mini-Max LLC product line is built around the concept of the easy-to-build, box frame, wood construction of the Mini-Max. As the product line developed, refinements were added to improve the appearance and performance of the product. The 1100R Mini-Max with a Rotax 447 engine was adapted to accept the Hirth F-33 engine and became the 1100F Mini-Max. The 1030R Mini incorporated the Rotax 277 to meet FAR 103 weight requirements. When that engine went out of production, the design became the 1030F with the Hirth F-33 engine. The AeroMax with a 14-inch-wide wood fuselage and the Hirth F-23 engine was developed and put into production by JDT Mini-Max as a replacement for the Team Airbike. The AeroMax remains a current production kit and has the laser cut and labeled rapid-build parts kit. The 1700R High Max and AeroMax are both over FAR 103 weight limits. They need to be registered as experimental amateur-built (E-AB) aircraft in the United States and also meet the LSA regulations. Some Mini-Max designs are no longer in production. The 1990s saw the introduction of the Zenoah G-50 two-cylinder opposed, air-cooled, two-cycle engine into the 1200Z Z-Max (open cockpit) and the 1300Z Z-Max with an enclosed cockpit. These designs have been replaced with the 1500R Sport (open cockpit) and the 1600R Sport (enclosed cockpit), both powered by the 40-hp Rotax 447. The open-cockpit 1550V V-Max was developed to accom- modate the four-cylinder, four-cycle, 50-hp VW engine. The fuselage was widened from 21 to 24 inches and the wingspan increased from 25 feet to 26.5 feet to account for the increased engine weight and wider fl at-four engine layout. Some builders have used the two-cylinder, one-half VW engine in this air- frame. The V-Max increased-span variant was further modifi ed by Team Mini-Max test pilot Larry Israel using a Rotax 503 en- gine and adding an attractive canopy and turtledeck. Equipped with wheelpants, fi berglass wingtips, and other quality details, it became the very popular 1650R EROS. Keep in mind that Team's aircraft are basic, minimum- cost, wood-and-fabric machines. Many are open cockpit with either a mid wing or high wing and a tractor engine confi gura- tion of generally moderate power. Both the wing and em- pennage are strut-braced, and the landing gear in mid-wing models supports the wing strut. This confi guration has a between-the-wheels cross brace and solid (no shock absorb- ing) landing gear where the spring suspension consists of the low pressure tires only. This can be a good confi guration, but it has limitations and is not as forgiving in some respects as more complex equipment. See the company's website for spe- cifi c model performance estimates, design specifi cations, and recommended limitation. Simple and low cost are powerful key words. But is there any word more powerful than "free"? Don't even consider add- ing the common scam of "You pay only for shipping and han- dling." Team Mini-Max LLC provides free downloadable plans for many of its basic models. Add this to its discounted prices on common building materials and pilot supplies, and you will do yourself a service by visiting the Team Mini-Max LLC web- site, www.teammini-max.com , on a regular basis. This company will support you and asks for your support by purchasing your supplies from it. Team Mini-Max does what it can to tailor its designs to the demands of the customer. One of those requests was to provide a two-place Mini-Max so builders could share the fun and convince their partners that this project is not for just one person alone. The two-seat, side-by-side, high-wing Epic is being developed to fill that need. The trend to evolve into bigger, faster, more expensive aircraft apparently ap- plies to Team Mini-Max LLC, too. However, by starting at the near bottom of the scale, its products are still very basic and economical. The prototype Epic is scheduled to fl y this summer. Team Mini-Max LLC hopes to have one at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015. High-quality kits will be available, and one lucky purchas- er in the fi rst 40 sets of plans will win a free Epic kit. Watch the website for special of ers and the latest developments. In summary, Team Mini-Max can provide: ultralight or light-sport aircraft kits; mid-wing or high-wing models; two- cycle or four-cycle engines; plans-only, partial, and complete kits; CNC laser-cut and labeled quick-build kits; and complete pilot shop and builder accessories. If your area of interest inter- sects those boundaries, you will fi nd much more of interest on the company website. A few pilots think the training wheel, aka nose wheel, should be mounted on the front of the aircraft. Team Mini-Max LLC has given in to the demands of those misguided pilots and offers a nose-wheel kit that may be installed on some of the aircraft models. Team Mini-Max LLC 2030 Lake St. Niles, MI 49120 269-262-0866 www.TeamMini-Max.com theecoop@comcast.net info@TeamMini-Max.com