Acrolite Explained

The Acrolite is a family of Canadian amateur-built aircraft, designed by Ron Wilson and produced by Acrolite Aircraft of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, in the form of plans for amateur construction.[1] [2] [3]

Design and development

The aircraft in the series all feature one or two seats, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The Acrolite fuselages are all made from welded 4130 steel tubing, with wooden structure wings covered in hot laminated plywood and control surfaces made from aluminum sheet. All other surfaces are covered in doped aircraft fabric. Wing arrangements, cockpit and engines vary by model.[1] [2]

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co supplies plans and materials kits for the Acrolite 1C. The company claims that the 16 airframe-only materials packages cost under US$10,000.

Operational history

The Acrolite 1A won a Canadian Owners and Pilots Association "Good Show" award in 1998 and the Acrolite 1B was chosen as one of two finalists in the 1995 Aircraft Spruce & Speciality Scratchbuild Design Contest.[4] [5]

In March 2017, five examples were registered with Transport Canada, although a total of seven had been once registered.[6] [7]

Variants

Acrolite 1A
  • Single-seat biplane for the Canadian basic ultralight category, first flown in October 1986. Plans no longer available. The prototype was originally powered by a 380NaN0 Kawasaki 440 and later by a 400NaN0 Rotax 447 two-strokes powerplant.[4] [8]
    Acrolite 1B
  • Single-seat biplane for sportsman aerobatics. In addition to the standard wooden wing, optional 2024-T3 aluminum sheet wings can be built. The recommended engine is the 800NaN0 Rotax 912UL, although the 640NaN0 Rotax 582or the 1200NaN0 Rotax 618 two-strokes can be used as well.[1] [5] [8]
    Acrolite 1C
  • Single-seat biplane for sportsman aerobatics, with performance improvements over the 1B. Engines include 640NaN0 Rotax 582, 740NaN0, Hirth F30 1200NaN0 Rotax 618 two-strokes and the 800NaN0 Rotax 912UL, the 1000NaN0 Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant.[1] [2] [9]
    Acrolite 1M
  • Single-seat high-wing, strut-braced monoplane. Engines include 400NaN0 Rotax 447, 500NaN0 Rotax 503 and the 640NaN0 Rotax 582 two-strokes or other similar powerplants. Acrolight Aircraft reports that no prototype has been completed or flown by September 2012.[10]
    Acrolite 1T
  • Single-seat triplane for sportsman aerobatics, with wings covered with epoxy fiberglass sheet or optionally plywood. Ailerons are only fitted to the middle wing. Engines include 400NaN0 Rotax 447, 500NaN0 Rotax 503 and the 640NaN0 Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplants.[1] [2] [11]
    Acrolite 2M
  • Two seats in tandem, high-wing strut-braced monoplane intended for the Canadian advanced ultralight category and American light-sport aircraft category, first flown in June 1994. Engines include 640NaN0 Rotax 582, 740NaN0 Rotax 618 two-strokes and the 800NaN0 Rotax 912UL and 850NaN0 Jabiru 2200 four-stroke powerplants. As of August 2012, the design does not appear on the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft or on Transport Canada's list of advanced ultralights.[1] [2] [8] [12] [13] [14]

    Notes and References

    1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, pages 89-90. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011.
    2. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, pages 91. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.
    3. Web site: Acrolite. 16 September 2012. Aircraft Spruce and Specialty. 2012.
    4. Web site: The Original Acrolite Biplane. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. https://web.archive.org/web/20120317000111/http://www.acrolite.ca/acrolite1a.htm. 17 March 2012. dead. dmy-all.
    5. Web site: General Description of the Acrolite 1B Light Aircraft. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104045811/http://www.acrolite.ca/acrolite1b.htm. 4 November 2012. dead. dmy-all.
    6. Web site: Canadian Civil Aircraft Register. 28 March 2017. Transport Canada. 28 March 2017.
    7. Web site: Canadian Civil Aircraft Register History Search Result. 28 March 2017. Transport Canada. 28 March 2017.
    8. Web site: Ron Wilson design Acrolite Aircraft. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/20120514040239/http://www.acrolite.ca/. 14 May 2012. dead.
    9. Web site: Acrolite 1C Light Aircraft. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. https://web.archive.org/web/20140826113754/http://www.acrolite.ca/ac1cspecs.htm. 26 August 2014. dead. dmy-all.
    10. Web site: General Description of the Acrolite 1M Light Aircraft. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104050005/http://www.acrolite.ca/acrolite1m.htm. 4 November 2012. dead. dmy-all.
    11. Web site: General Description of the Acrolite 1T Light Aircraft. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104050052/http://www.acrolite.ca/acrolite1t.htm. 4 November 2012. dead. dmy-all.
    12. Web site: General Description of the 2 place Acrolite 2M Light Aircraft. 16 September 2012. Acrolite Aircraft. n.d.. https://web.archive.org/web/20120615064132/http://www.acrolite.ca/acrolite2m.htm. 15 June 2012. dead. dmy-all.
    13. Web site: SLSA Make/Model Directory . 27 August 2012 . . 21 June 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130516004527/http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport/media/SLSA_Directory.xls . 16 May 2013 .
    14. Web site: Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA). 16 September 2012. Transport Canada. 15 August 2012.

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