Windecker Eagle

Eagle
Role Light aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Windecker Industries
Designer Leo and Fairfax Windecker[1]
First flight 7 October 1967[2]
Number built Two prototypes and six production aircraft[1]
Variants Windecker YE-5

The Eagle AC-7 Eagle 1 (USAF designation YE-5)[2] is an aircraft that was manufactured by Windecker Industries. It was the first composite airplane (foam and fiberglass construction) to receive FAA certification in December 1969 at a development cost of US$20,000,000. The fiberglass process was named "Fibaloy" by Windecker.[3]

Design and development

The Eagle's fuselage was molded in two pieces that were joined down the middle.[4] The first prototype had a fixed undercarriage but the second, known as the Eagle 1, had retractable tricycle gear. This aircraft first flew on 26 January 1969.[2] One prototype spun in on testing.[3]

Only eight Eagles were produced before production ended when the company ran out of money.[5]

No Eagle had been flying for many years, but one was restored and flown in December 2015, by Don Atchison and a team commissioned by Chinese entrepreneur Wei Hang. Wei Hang holds the rights and the type certificate and plans to produce the aircraft in China for Asian sales.[1][5][6][7]

Specifications

General characteristics

Performance

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Windecker Eagle Restoration Making Progress". avweb.com. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 Taylor 1974 p.481-2
  3. 1 2 "The Loaners". Flying: 52. May 1976.
  4. Mark Phelps (April 2013). "Composite Airplanes". Sport Aviation: 82.
  5. 1 2 "Windecker Eagle Flies, Heads To China". AVweb. Retrieved 21 December 2015.
  6. Kauh, Elaine (10 April 2015). "Windecker Eagle Restoration Underway". avweb.com. Aviation Publishing Group. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  7. Garvey, William (17 April 2015). "First All-Composite Aircraft Being Readied To Fly Again". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Retrieved 21 April 2015.

External links

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