Photograph:
Chotia Weedhopper 10-3621 (c/n 2307) at Holbrook, NSW in 2014 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat ultralight sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 30 kw (40 hp) Rotax 447 two-cylinder, two-stroke, horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.53 m (28 ft)
- Length: 5.64 m (18 ft 6 in)
- Height: 4.29 m (6 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 15.6 m² (168 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 105 km/h (65 mph)
- Cruising speed: 89 km/h (55 mph)
- Stalling speed 40 km/h (25 mph): 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity: 19 litres (4.17 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 113 kg (250 lb)
- Loaded weight: 249 kg (550 lb)
History:
The Chotia Weedhopper was a high-wing ultralight aircraft fitted with an engine in a tractor configuration, a tricycle undercarriage, and two-axis control. It was initially developed by John Chotia in the late 1970s during the boom in ultralight aircraft and was introduced to the market in 1977. It was available as a kit for amateur construction. It differed from a number of other ultralight aircraft of the time in that it had a control stick which operated the rudder and elevator, giving it two-axis control in pitch and yaw. There was a pronounced dihedral of the wings, along with a swept leading-edge which permitted it to bank into a turn. The wing was strut braced. The aircraft was built of aluminium tubing covered with Dacron in pre-sewn envelopes.
When initially made available the Weedhopper suffered, like other types, from poor reliability of the engines available but eventually, following the introduction of the Austrian-designed Rotax range, it took off and variants could be fitted with the Rotax 277 of 21 kw (28 hp) and the Rotax 447 of 30 kw (40 hp).
Initial production variant was the Weedhopper A known as the JC-24A. This was followed by the Weedhopper B known as the JC-24B which had some improvements. Then the Weedhopper C, with further improvements, was known as the JC-24C. Other models were the Weedhopper Standard, Deluxe, Weedhopper 40, Weedhopper Super and Weedhopper II which had a 37 kw (50 hp) Rotax 503 engine, seated two and was aimed at the market for ultralight training. The Weedhopper had optional storage bag, floats and an emergency parachute system.
One example has been placed on display at the US National Air and Space Museum at Dulles in Washington, DC, Virginia.
At least one was registered with the RAA in Australia, this being a JC-24C which became 10-3621 (c/n 2307) on 18 October 2001, registration expiring on 25 August 2007. It has survived and been placed on display at the Holbrook Ultralight Museum, NSW.