Photograph:
Eastern Ultralights Snoop II two-seat trainer (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat ultralight aircraft
Power Plant:
One 26 kw (35 hp) Cuyuna UL II two-cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 10 m (33 ft)
- Wing area: 15.3 m² (165 sq ft)
- Max speed: 89 km/h (55 mph)
- Cruising speed: 72 km/h (45 mph)
- Stalling speed: 29 km/h (18 mph)
- Service ceiling: 3,048 m (10,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 182 m/min (600 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity: 19 litres (4.2 Imp gals)
- Range: 201 km (109 miles)
- Empty weight: 108 kg (238 lb)
- Loaded weight: 235 kg (518 lb)
History:
In the United States in 1981 the Eastern Ultralights company commenced designing and building ultralight aircraft for the world market, the aircraft being designed by Robert Able and being produced in some numbers for the amateur construction market. The Snoop was similar in appearance to the Eipper Quicksilver series and was designed to meet FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicle Regulations in the United States. It was a minimum type aircraft which had a cable-braced high wing, a single-seat open cockpit, a tricycle undercarriage and an engine in the pusher configuration behind the pilot.
The aircraft was built of aluminium tube which was bolted together, the flying surfaces, ie the wing and tail, covered with Dacron sailcloth. The wing was braced with an inverted kingpost in the shape of a “V” and was a three-axis control unit. The undercarriage had a suspension on all wheels but there was no nosewheel steering. The engine was mounted on the wing leading-edge and drove the propeller via an extension shaft. Three basic models were produced, the Snoop I with spoilers used for roll control and a 10.1 m (33 ft) wingspan; the Snoop + with ailerons for roll control, a shorter wing and flaps; and the Snoop II which was a two-seater for training operations.
A number of examples were imported to this part of the world, the New Zealand registered examples including ZK-FKV (c/n TL-001) registered in March 1985 and retired in August 1997; ZK-FHL (c/n MAANZ222) registered in December 1983; and a Snoop II trainer ZK-FKC (c/n MAANZ291) registered in November 1984 and retired in June 1988.