Photograph:
An incomplete Jeanie Teenie at an aviation event at Mangalore, VIC in April 1990 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 28 kw (36 hp) converted Volkswagen four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 5.49 m (18 ft)
- Length: 3.63 m (11 ft 11 in)
- Wing area: 5.01 m² (54 sq ft)
- Max speed: 136 km/h (85 mph)
- Rate of climb: 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min)
- Endurance: 3 hours
- Empty weight: 130 kg (285 lb)
- Loaded weight: 250 kg (550 lb)
History:
The Jeanie Teenie was designed by Calvin Parker of Coolidge, Arizona, was his first design and was known as the JT-1. It was first shown to the public in 1967, its initial development taking place in Alabama. It received its name from the designer’s daughter who assisted in its initial development. It subsequently was offered to the light aircraft market for home construction and was referred to in a Popular Mechanics magazine in May 1968. It was certified in the Experimental category. It later received some development and was renamed Teenie One, which was sold in some numbers in kit form.
The design was further developed into the Teenie Two, the prototype of which first flew in 1969. Subsequently the Double Teenie became available, this being a two-seat variant which is usually fitted with engines in the 45 kw (60 hp) range, such as the modified Volkswagen, Continental, Franklin, and Rotax.
The Jeanie Teenie was designed as a simple all-metal aircraft to take the modified Volkswagen engine. It was built using simple construction methods so that amateur constructors with virtually no metalwork experience could build the aircraft. These aims were achieved and no special tools or jigs were required. It was a much cleaner aircraft than the original design and was stressed for full aerobatics, although the fuel and oil systems were not suitable for inverted flying. The fuselage was monocoque, the outer wings being detachable for transport and storage. The undercarriage was a fixed tricycle with tubular steel construction with springs for shock absorption.
At least one was constructed in Australia, being noted partially complete at an aviation event at Mangalore, VIC in 1990. One example was built by Messrs Ronald Pugsley and Bruce Medlam at the Ettalong Caravan Park on the NSW central coast in 1968 but it is not known if it was complted and flown.