• Welcome aboard HomebuiltAirplanes.com, your destination for connecting with a thriving community of more than 10,000 active members, all passionate about home-built aviation. Dive into our comprehensive repository of knowledge, exchange technical insights, arrange get-togethers, and trade aircrafts/parts with like-minded enthusiasts. Unearth a wide-ranging collection of general and kit plane aviation subjects, enriched with engaging imagery, in-depth technical manuals, and rare archives.

    For a nominal fee of $99.99/year or $12.99/month, you can immerse yourself in this dynamic community and unparalleled treasure-trove of aviation knowledge.

    Embark on your journey now!

    Click Here to Become a Premium Member and Experience Homebuilt Airplanes to the Fullest!

Belite's newest demo plane

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

1Bad88

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
870
Location
Bellville, TX
I know some people here don't use Facebook, so I figured that I'd post the information for Belite's newest demo plane that they plan to have at Sun-N-Fun this year. It's been fun to watch the development on their Facebook page. (I have no connection with them, I'm just an enthusiast of product development.

From Belite's Facebook page:

================================================
Lightest real american ultralight with biggest features?? Is it fat?? The facts are below. The first one ever done with 21" tundra tires, and with a complete panel, with transponder, radio, landing light, strobes, position lights??

OK. Here is the option list for our new demo plane:

1. BASIC: Airplane. RTF. 28HP engine, oracal: wings / cabin / tail feathers, basic instrumentation. Aluminum spars / wood ribs. Doesn't include spring gear, cowl, brakes, turtledeck, rear covering. 231.0 pounds base weight. Then add options:

2. WING TREATMENT: SWAP Carbon Fiber main spar and foam / aluminum ribs improves aerodynamics and appearance. Includes rounded wingtips. **This is the fully foam CNC cut wing.** No weight change with this option.

3. WEIGHT REDUCTION: SWAP Flaperons from wood ribs to foam / aluminum rib / aluminum spar; improves aerodynamics and appearance. Saves 4.0 pounds.

4. WEIGHT REDUCTION: SWAP Rear Fuselage ProCub Lite with Carbon Fiber / ProCub Tail Feathers / ProCub TurtleDeck. This option saves 6.0 pounds.

5. WEIGHT REDUCTION: SWAP Elevator Push Pull Tube Carbon Fiber. Saves 0.3 pounds.

6. WEIGHT REDUCTION: SWAP Lightweight Lift Strut - Carbon Fiber saves 2.5 pounds.

7. WEIGHT REDUCTION: SWAP from 4130 steel to 7075 aluminum Axles saves 1.0 pounds.

8. WEIGHT REDUCTION: SWAP Upgrade tail spring to fiberglass composite. Saves 0.4 pounds.

9. APPEARANCE: ADD Metal paint. This option adds 1.5 pounds of weight and was done with powdercoating.

10. APPEARANCE: ADD Complete Fuselage Fabric & more Oracal. This option adds 3 pounds.

11. APPEARANCE: ADD painted engine cowl. As this option is not structural and not required for flight, no additional weight is added.

12. GROUND HANDLING: ADD Disc brake set, installed . Adds 2.5 pounds.

13. GROUND HANDLING: SWAP Steel spring gear upgrade instead of solid link. Adds 2.2 pounds.

14. GROUND HANDLING: SWAP Upgrade main tires to 21" x 6 tundra tires, tubeless, includes mounting. Adds 18 pounds.

15. ENGINE: SWAP to 36.5 HP Polini 2 Stroke Water Cooled. Adds 13.0 pounds.

16. FUEL TANK: SWAP Upgraded Carbon Fiber seat back Fuel Tank, installed, with fuel probe. Removes 2.5 pounds.

17. BATTERY: Add Lithium Starter Battery (charges from engine). Adds 2.0 pounds.

18. PROPELLER: SWAP 3 blade composite ground adjustable prop. Adds 1.5 pounds.

19. SAFETY: ADD hand toss parachute, installed. Adds 9.0 pounds (FAA allows 24 pounds empty weight increase).

SubTotal 267.0 121.4

20. Custom Loaded Instrument Panel, radio, transponder, iPod Mini dock, antennas, lights, strobes, electrical, breakers, switches, dimmer, wiring, more. Adds 6.4 pounds

Totals (FAA maximum 278 pounds) 273.4 (124.3 KG)

The cowl adds around 5 pounds, but we don't include it in the FAR Part 103 weight calculations.

The turtledeck weighs 11 pounds, we also don't include it in the weight calculations.
 
Back
Top