Photograph:
Stits Playboy VH-AOL (c/n N26/488) at Bowral, NSW in April 1979 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Rolls Royce/Continental O-200 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.37 m (24 ft 2 in)
- Length: 5.44 m (17 ft 10 in)
- Height: 1.52 m (5 ft)
- Wing area: 10.03 m² (108 sq ft)
- Max speed: 193 km/h (121 mph)
- Cruising speed: 161 km/h (100 mph)
- Stalling speed: 88 km/h (55 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 213 m/min (700 ft/min)
- Range: 483 km (300 miles)
- Empty weight: 363 kg (800 lb)
- Loaded weight: 658 kg (1,450 lb)
History:
The prototype of the Playboy, the SA-3A, was designed by the well-known American light aircraft designer, Ray Stits. It was flown for the first time early in 1953 after four months of part-time construction by the designer. Designed as a high-performance, single-seat, aerobatic sportsplane for the amateur constructor, the Playboy could be fitted with any engine between 48 kw (65 hp) and 67 kw (90 hp). The wing was of wood, the fuselage being constructed from chrome-molybdenum tubing, and the structure was fabric covered. The prototype was at one stage fitted with a 63 kw (85 hp) Continental engine with an inverted-flight fuel system, and it was checked at 217 km/h (135 mph).
Subsequently the SA-3B appeared. The design was similar to the SA-3A but the new aircraft could seat two persons. Both aircraft could use components from other aircraft, such as the early Cessna undercarriage, tailwheel assembly, engine cowling etc. The prototype of the SA-3B was fitted with a 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320 engine, but most engines ranging from 75 kw (100 hp) to 134 kw (180 hp) could be installed.
Plans and kits were supplied originally but, after some time, only plans were supplied to amateur constructors. One aircraft, a SA-3B, has been completed in Australia. Registered VH-AOL (c/n N26/488) on 6 August 1976, it was first flown in 1970 fitted with a Continental O-200 engine obtained from Victa Consolidated Industries when the Airtourer production line closed. It was believed to have been retired and placed in storage in July 1982 but was restored to the register on 1 July 1983.