Photograph:
A factory finished Invader in the United States (Author’s collection)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Single-seat ultralight sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 10 kw (14 hp) Yamaha air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.4 m (31 ft)
- Length: 5.5 m (18 ft)
- Height: 1.2 m (4 ft)
- Wing area: 13 m² (140 sq ft)
- Cruising speed: 64 km/h (40 mph)
- Stalling speed: 32 km/h (20 mph)
- Service ceiling: 1,219 m (4,000 ft)
- Rate of climb: 152 m/min (500 ft/min)
- Max glide ratio: 14:1
- G limits: +4/-4
- Range: 161 km (100 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 9.5 litres (2.1 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 111 kg (245 lb)
- Loaded weight: 215 kg (475 lb)
History:
The Invader was one of a number of aircraft introduced to the ultralight market in the early 1980s. It was designed to meet US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicle rules and was a cantilever, mid-wing, pod-and-boom configuration aircraft with a V-tail, a single open cockpit, a tricycle undercarriage and a low-powered engine in the pusher configuration. It was conceived by Nickolas Leighty and the prototype was shown at the Sun ‘n Fun fly-in in Florida in 1982.
The fuselage was made from gas tungsten arc-welded aluminium tubing and composite material attached to a partially double-sleeved aluminium pipe. The wing was constructed of wood with foam ribs and one-third span ailerons. The V-tail was all-flying and made from foam ribs glued to the aluminium tubular spar. All flying surfaces were covered with Mylar or doped aircraft fabric. Early production aircraft had two-axis controls operated by the control stick but later aircraft had rudder pedals.
A couple of variants were made available. The Mk IIIB had the 21 kw (28 hp) Rotax 277 engine; the Mk IV Sport followed with the Rotax 277, and the Mk IV Sail also with the Rotax 277. The series was offered as a set of plans in 1983 and it was said the geodesic structure ensured excellent rigidity. At the Sun ‘n Fun fly-in in March 1983 the Company announced it would sell the Invader series in kit form and it would be fitted with the Yamaha engine with a reduction drive or a Zenoah G-25B using direct drive; but eventually most aircraft were built with the Rotax 277 engine. Further variants produced included the Invader Mk II with a tailwheel; and the Invader Mk III with a tricycle undercarriage.
One example was imported to New Zealand, this being Mk IIIB ZK-FKX (c/n MAANZ-323) which was first registered on 10 April 1985 to Mr R A McQuillan of Auckland. On 24 January 1989 it was sold to Mr D A Campbell-Morrison of Waitakere, and on 3 February 1994 it was re-registered to Mr C W Ginders of Waitakere.