The General Aircraft Corporation was established to build an aircraft designed by Doctor Otto C. Koppen from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[1] The aircraft was the G1-80 Skyfarer, a two-seat cabin high-wing braced monoplane with a light alloy basic structure and a mixed steel tube and fabric covering. It had an unusual tail unit, a cantilever tailplane with the elevator mounted on the upper surface of the tail with aluminum endplate fins and no movable rudders. It was powered by a 75 hp (56 kW) Avco Lycoming GO-145-C2 geared air-cooled four-cylinder engine.[2]
The aircraft incorporated aerodynamic control principles covered by patents issued to Fred Weick, an early aeronautical engineer who went on to design and market the Ercoupe. Since it had no rudders (or rudder pedals), it was simpler to fly (it had a single control wheel, which controlled the ailerons and elevator), and was considered spin-proof. The aircraft was certified in 1941 with a placard that stated that the aircraft was characteristically incapable of spinning.[3] It was claimed that an average person could learn to fly the Skyfarer in about an hour.[4]
It was anticipated that many aircraft would be ordered and built, but the United States became involved in the Second World War and the Skyfarer program was abandoned after either 17 or 18 examples had been built.[5] At one point, a company called Tennessee Aircraft planned on manufacturing the airplane.[6] However, the rights and tooling passed to Grand Rapids Industries, who built two aircraft before stopping production.[7] The company became a manufacturer of the Waco CG-4A troop glider.
Operational historyedit
The prototype was built in 1937 in a stable behind the General Aircraft Company president's house.[8]
In October 1944, a Skyfarer was used by Alverna Babbs, the first legless pilot to be granted a student pilot's permit, to complete her first solo flight at Lunken Airport.[9][10]
Variantsedit
L.W. DuVon and Dr. David O. Kime of Western Union College convinced the type holder Grand Rapids Industries, to give the equipment, tools and one of the finished planes to the college. They then found local investors who formed Mars Corporation in 1945. The aircraft was later licensed as the Mars M1-80 Skycoupe with a 100 hp engine. One example was built and production plans were estimated to be as high as 75 planes in its first year. The glut of aircraft produced after the war left little market for the aircraft. The facility to manufacture the aircraft was sold by 1946.[11][12]
^"New Foolproof Plane Designed by Tech Man Produced at Lowell". Boston Daily Globe. AP. 29 May 1941. p. 16. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
^"Legless Cincinnati Woman Wins Battle to Fly Alone". Cincinnati Post. 30 October 1944. p. 1.
^Borja, Elizabeth (26 July 2020). "Alverna Babbs: Fighting to Fly – Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Part 1". National Air and Space Museum. Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
^Morris, Sue (10 September 2004). "Skycoupe returns to Le Mars". Le Mars Daily Sentinel. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
^Allen, Don (21 October 1945). "Le Mars Bids for Share in Air Markets". Des Moines Sunday Register. pp. 1, 6-L.
^Beverly Van Buskirk (November 23, 2004). "Mars Skycoupe makes final stop". Le Mars daily Sentinel.
^Joseph P. Juptner. U.S. Civil Aircraft Series. Vol. 8.
Bibliographyedit
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to General Skyfarer.
No Spin Plane Easy For Auto Drivers To Fly, October 1941 early article on Skyfarer
"No. 3027. General Aircraft G1-80 Skyfarer (NC29030 c/n 17)" Dan Shumaker Collection
January 01, 1970
general, skyfarer, general, aircraft, skyfarer, 1940s, american, seat, cabin, monoplane, aircraft, built, general, aircraft, corporation, lowell, massachusetts, skyfarer, role, seat, cabin, monoplane, manufacturer, general, aircraft, designer, otto, koppen, fi. The General Aircraft G1 80 Skyfarer was a 1940s American two seat cabin monoplane aircraft built by the General Aircraft Corporation of Lowell Massachusetts Skyfarer Role Two seat cabin monoplane Manufacturer General Aircraft Designer Otto C Koppen First flight 1940s Number built 18 Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specifications G1 80 Skyfarer 5 See also 6 References 6 1 Notes 6 2 Bibliography 7 External linksDevelopment editThe General Aircraft Corporation was established to build an aircraft designed by Doctor Otto C Koppen from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1 The aircraft was the G1 80 Skyfarer a two seat cabin high wing braced monoplane with a light alloy basic structure and a mixed steel tube and fabric covering It had an unusual tail unit a cantilever tailplane with the elevator mounted on the upper surface of the tail with aluminum endplate fins and no movable rudders It was powered by a 75 hp 56 kW Avco Lycoming GO 145 C2 geared air cooled four cylinder engine 2 The aircraft incorporated aerodynamic control principles covered by patents issued to Fred Weick an early aeronautical engineer who went on to design and market the Ercoupe Since it had no rudders or rudder pedals it was simpler to fly it had a single control wheel which controlled the ailerons and elevator and was considered spin proof The aircraft was certified in 1941 with a placard that stated that the aircraft was characteristically incapable of spinning 3 It was claimed that an average person could learn to fly the Skyfarer in about an hour 4 It was anticipated that many aircraft would be ordered and built but the United States became involved in the Second World War and the Skyfarer program was abandoned after either 17 or 18 examples had been built 5 At one point a company called Tennessee Aircraft planned on manufacturing the airplane 6 However the rights and tooling passed to Grand Rapids Industries who built two aircraft before stopping production 7 The company became a manufacturer of the Waco CG 4A troop glider Operational history editThe prototype was built in 1937 in a stable behind the General Aircraft Company president s house 8 In October 1944 a Skyfarer was used by Alverna Babbs the first legless pilot to be granted a student pilot s permit to complete her first solo flight at Lunken Airport 9 10 Variants editL W DuVon and Dr David O Kime of Western Union College convinced the type holder Grand Rapids Industries to give the equipment tools and one of the finished planes to the college They then found local investors who formed Mars Corporation in 1945 The aircraft was later licensed as the Mars M1 80 Skycoupe with a 100 hp engine One example was built and production plans were estimated to be as high as 75 planes in its first year The glut of aircraft produced after the war left little market for the aircraft The facility to manufacture the aircraft was sold by 1946 11 12 The aircraft NC29030 resides in the Plymouth County Iowa Historical Museum 13 14 Specifications G1 80 Skyfarer editGeneral characteristics Crew one pilot Capacity one passenger seated side by side with pilot Length 22 ft 0 in 6 71 m Wingspan 31 ft 5 in 9 58 m Height 8 ft 8 in 2 64 m Wing area 121 3 sq ft 11 27 m2 Empty weight 890 lb 404 kg Gross weight 1 350 lb 612 kg Powerplant 1 Avco Lycoming GO 145 C2 flat four piston engine 75 hp 56 kW Performance Maximum speed 144 mph 232 km h 125 kn Cruise speed 100 mph 161 km h 87 kn Range 350 mi 563 km 300 nmi Service ceiling 10 000 ft 3 050 m See also editChrislea Super AceReferences editNotes edit Grant Roderick M June 1942 If You Can Drive You Can Fly Popular Mechanics pp 72 75 166 167 Retrieved 1 January 2021 Engine description dead link C B Allen 1 June 1941 Auto Driver Can Solo New Plane In Two Hours The Washington Post You Steer This Plane Like an Auto And Brake It the Same Way Popular Science September 1941 Retrieved 4 February 2020 Cagle Howard C June 1974 General Skyfarer PDF The Vintage Airplane Vol 2 no 6 Hales Corners Wisconsin Antique Classic Aircraft p 20 21 Retrieved 26 July 2020 Ross John C August 1945 Return of the Private Plane Flying Vol 37 no 2 p 84 Retrieved 27 October 2021 Ercoupe history website Archived 2010 07 13 at the Wayback Machine New Foolproof Plane Designed by Tech Man Produced at Lowell Boston Daily Globe AP 29 May 1941 p 16 Retrieved 25 December 2020 Legless Cincinnati Woman Wins Battle to Fly Alone Cincinnati Post 30 October 1944 p 1 Borja Elizabeth 26 July 2020 Alverna Babbs Fighting to Fly Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act Part 1 National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution Retrieved 26 July 2020 Morris Sue 10 September 2004 Skycoupe returns to Le Mars Le Mars Daily Sentinel Retrieved 25 December 2020 Allen Don 21 October 1945 Le Mars Bids for Share in Air Markets Des Moines Sunday Register pp 1 6 L Beverly Van Buskirk November 23 2004 Mars Skycoupe makes final stop Le Mars daily Sentinel Joseph P Juptner U S Civil Aircraft Series Vol 8 Bibliography edit The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Part Work 1982 1985 1985 Orbis PublishingExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to General Skyfarer No Spin Plane Easy For Auto Drivers To Fly October 1941 early article on Skyfarer No 3027 General Aircraft G1 80 Skyfarer NC29030 c n 17 Dan Shumaker Collection Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title General Skyfarer amp oldid 1173345368, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
