The New Taylorcraft Light Sport Aircraft

[captjon]

The crowds at Oshkosh have throughly embraced the approval of the new Light Sport Aircraft rules and it showed last week in their interest at the Taylorcraft booth. I would guess perhaps 80 percent of the serious lookers were asking about the Light Sport Aircraft that Harry Ingram plans to build.

Specifications are still firming up, but basically it will be the old F19, with a Continental O-200, 100 hp. engine, fully electric, hydraulic toe brakes, small baggage sling, and no skylight with a max gross of 1320 (of course) Usefull load should be around 470 pounds.

We discussed throughout the week what it should be called, and now are looking for input from our forum users. Currently it is tentatively called the BC12 SP. Yes, we know the 12 is for 1200 gross......but nobody wants a model 13 anything (superstitious you know) And yes, the "S" has in the past stood for Seaplane version................ So, what should it be called? Give us your best opinions and I'll pass them on to Harry.

BC-LSA?
BC-SP?
LG Sport? (La Grange)
F19 Light Sport?
F19 LSA?

[paulnuss]

I like BC-LSA, the Model B, Continental-powered Light Sport Aircraft (assuming he makes a deal with Continental on engines). Or, BL-LSA for Lycoming pwer, or even BJ-LSA if the Jabiru might serve. The 12 for 1200 lbs could maybe be left out, in hopes of a 1320 lbs. gross weight to account for the increased size and girth of today's typical pilots and passengers. The tradition and continuity of model designations would be a nice touch.

A nice touch would also be some much-improved fabric work. I'm hoping the displayed example didn't turn too many people off. I realize there was a rush, of course, but it doesn't take any longer to do something right. As my father used to say to me, "So there's never time to do the job right the first time, but somehow there's always time to do it over again!". I don't mean to sound critical, but first impressions are important. And the outside is what shows.

[Howard Wilson]

How 'bout just 'Taylorcraft Sport' ?
Or is the Sport designation copyrighted now? Howard

[Steve Pierce]

Paul, Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed the fabric. I have a lot of covering experience, especially with Poly-Fiber and could pass on some tips and tricks on it. I can't imagine Teledyne Continental Motors going back into production of the O-200. Would be nice to see but I have my doubts. Is the Jabiru certified in anything, I know the Rotax has a good record and is certified in several A/C. Time and money will tell.

[crispy critter]

Taylorcraft Sport has a nice ring but a bit long in my opinion.How about combining the 2 words and call it a Sportcraft BC-100(if a continental is used),the second letter should abriviate the engine type and the number should be for the horse power.The fact that it is a sport aircraft already tells us the gross weight is less than 1320lbs.

[Chet Peek]

I very much hope they will rresurrect the F-19. I don't care what it is called, but I think Taylorcraft should be in there somewhare. I would offer two comments.

If the regular, mechanical brakes are available and considerably cheaper, they chould be considered.

Has anyone investigated the Corvair engine? A conversion costs about $6000, lasts forever, puts out 100 HP and available in any junk yard.
I bought an F-19 from Dorothy Farris, flew it a number of years, and wish I'd never let it go. With the O-200 it was almost overpowered.

Chet Peek

[selje]

One of the Continental people at OSH indicated that they were considering producing the C-90 engine. In my opinion, it is a better than the 0-200 and nearly as much horsepower.

Also, in the LSA, there is no requirement that the engine be certified.

[jgerard]

How about that Rotec R2800 radial, 110hp - 220lbs complete, and a long 76-42 prop spinning at 2400rpm. It would kind of look like a Monocoupe!

Jason
N43643

[Steve Pierce]

That would be way cool.

[crispy critter]

I like the way you think Jason.That would make for a beautiful t-craft!!They could call it the Taylorcraft Coupe.

[taylorcraftbc65]

rotec radial

Count me in, I have been heard saying that if I ever need to major the A-65, I'd stick the R-2800 in it's place, and do just enough "renovating" to qualify for the 51% rule to break it out of the utility catagory, and make it an experimental. If the factory does that, THEN "all" I'd have to worry about is where to get the money to buy one. Sabrina

[taylorcraftbc65]

rotec radial

Count me in, I have been heard saying that if I ever need to major the A-65, I'd stick the R-2800 in it's place, and do just enough "renovating" to qualify for the 51% rule to break it out of the utility catagory, and make it an experimental. If the factory does that, THEN "all" I'd have to worry about is where to get the money to buy one. Sabrina

[captjon]

Harry does think he can get Continental to come around on the pricing of their O-200.

They do produce the engine right now, without a data plate, by their Mattituck division as the TMX O-200 (as seen at both Sun and Fun and Oshkosh this year)


I talked to the Continental rep at Oshkosh and asked him if he would produce a certified version. He basically admited that the TMX O-200 was exactly the same as a certified O-200 engine, saying that if I could get my hands on an O-200 data plate that they would build me a new engine around it. Interesting!

Yes, many were disappointed to see the quality of the display aircraft. It was not what we would have hoped for from the factory, but at least it was there for interested prospective buyers to see, touch, smell, and sit in. And they did, several hundred of them, throughout the week. The interest was very strong!

That particular ship will be recovered before it gets it's christening from the factory.

Plans are for one or more factory demonstrator ships to be at the next big show (S&F '05?) and they will be flyers, not static displays.

I always did see a strong resemblance to a MonoCoupe.........that radial would be nice! Chris Hatton (who bought most of the Agawam Seaplane collection) has been working with the radial in a T-Craft fuselage for his Bushwacker experimental aircraft

http://www.taylorcraftclassics.com/bushwhacker

[Aeroking]

My vote for the new name: Taylorcraft Freedom

[taylorcraftbc65]

Name for T-craft LSA

Taylorcraft Freedom, I LIKE it. Forrest, can you get the names that those of us on the board, and the factory have come up with, and set up a poll and give the results to the factory?
Sabrina