Country of origin:

Australia

Description:

Single-seat ultralight self-launched glider / sport monoplane

Power Plant:

One 19 kw (25 hp) [294 cc] KFM 107 ER two-cylinder, two-stroke, horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

The Sunbird was a single-seat low-wing monoplane designed and built by Mr Kevin Sedgman.  He had been involved in airworthiness and flying instruction for many years and had an interest in ultralight aircraft.  The design of the Sunbird evolved from past experience and research he had made into the work done by Mr Keith Jarvis. The aircraft was designed to meet the then parameters of ANO 95-10, particularly in relation to the then weight restrictions.  It made its first test flight on 4 August 1993 and was registered with the Australian Ultralight Federation in 1996 as 10-1363.  It could be deemed to be a motorised glider and it is said it was a delight to fly, being very light on the controls and had no bad habits.

The structure was of all wood using aircraft quality materials with Epoxy wing tips and cowlings, the wings and tail being covered in Stitz fabric.  The wings had spoilers fitted to steepen approach and reduce ground effect when landing.  Built into the rudder was a drag parachute to shorten the landing roll.  It had a central mono wheel and a tailwheel undercarriage, the tailwheel having steering. It had small wheels on the wingtips. The aircraft could be dismantled and transported / stored in a 5.48 m (18 ft) by 1.21 m (4 ft) trailer and it could be assembled for flight in 45 minutes by two people.  Power plant was the KFM 107 ER two-cylinder engine driving an Ivor fixed-pitch two-blade propeller through a 3:1 reduction V drive, and provided 19 kw (25 hp) at 6,000 rpm.

One example was built by Mr Sedgman in about 1993 and registered under RAA regulations as 10-1363. It was flown regularly by him and others up until October 2001 when it was placed in storage, having accumulated some 157 hours from 357 flights.  In recent years the aircraft has been in the collection of the Australian Aviation Museum.

Mr Sedgman, who died at the age of 93, had a long association with aviation, particularly with gliding and amateur-built aircraft.  He was involved in developing the Adelaide Soaring Club, which initially was known as the Gliding and Soaring Club of South Australia; was the first person to launch a glider by aerotow in South Australia; and with Keith Jarvis constructed an Olympia sailplane and an aircraft known as the Australite, which later was modified and became the Sunbird motorised glider.