EAA Biplane explained

The EAA Biplane is a recreational aircraft that was designed by the Experimental Aircraft Association in the United States and marketed as plans for home-built aircraft.^[1]

Design and development

A preliminary design was produced for the EAA by a team of Allison engineers led by EAA member Jim D. Stewart in 1955.^[2] This team took the Gere Sport of the 1930s as their starting point and eventually developed a completely new design, which also incorporated several later design changes made by Robert D. Blacker, the prototype's builder and one of its test pilots.^[3]

Blacker's design changes included adding a +2 degree of dihedral to the upper wing, redesign of the horizontal stabilizer, installation of a diagonal brace at Stations 2 and 3, a change to the fuselage truss assembly, strengthening of the control column support, and a ball-bearing arrangement.^{[4] [5]}

The design is a single-seat biplane of conventional configuration, with staggered, single-bay equal-span wings braced with N-struts. The undercarriage is of fixed tailwheel type. The fuselage is fabric-covered welded steel tube, and the wings fabric-covered wood.^[6]

This prototype EAA Biplane was built by Blacker and his students at St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chicago, Illinois, as the second airplane completed as part of EAA's Project Schoolflight.^{[7] [8] [9] [10]} The EAA Biplane construction began in September 1957, with a first flight in June, 1960.^{[11] [12]} During the construction of the prototype, Blacker wrote several "EAA Biplane Progress Reports" published in EAA's Sport Aviation magazine.^{[13] [14] [15] [16]} Blacker put the prototype's incomplete fuselage as on display at EAA's 1958 fly-in. The prototype EAA Biplane work, along with the other facets of Project Schoolflight, resulted in the award of the Mechanix Illustrated trophy for "Outstanding Achievement in Home-Built Aircraft".^[17] The completed prototype EAA Biplane was first publicly shown at the 1961 Rockford, Illinois Fly-In.

Operational history

Plans for the biplane remained available until 1972, with 7,000 sets sold.

Aircraft on display

• EAA Aviation Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin - prototype.^[18]

References

• Book: Taylor, John W. R. . John W. R. Taylor. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66 . 1965. Sampson Low, Marston & Company . London.
• Book: Taylor, Michael J. H. . Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation . 1989 . Studio Editions . London . 347 .
• Book: Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977-78 . Jane's Yearbooks . London . 536–37 .
• AirVenture Museum page on type
• airVenture Museum specification page for Biplane with 85 hp engine and open cockpit
• List of magazine articles about the EAA Biplane

Notes and References

1. Popular Science. June 1970. All these planes you can build from plans. 99.
2. Poberezny. Paul. September 1961. The EAA Biplane. Sport Aviation. September. 4. EAA.org.
3. Book: Poberezny, Bonnie. Poberezny : the story begins--. 1996. Red One Pub. Chuck Parnall. 0-9655654-0-8. [Signature ed.]. Oshkosh, Wis.. 329–330. 36703839. "The new airplane being constructed.....EAA Biplane.....".
4. Blacker. Robert D. March 1958. Progress Report on the EAA Biplane. Sport Aviation. March Issue. 24. EAA.org.
5. Book: Cole, Duane. This is EAA. Ken Cook TransNational. 2002. Milwaukee, Wi. P 89. "Bob Blacker......taken on the project of building the EAA Biplane project in 1957.".
6. Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 139. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977.
7. Blacker. Bob. March 1983. SCHOOLFLIGHT- It Really Works. Sport Aviation. March Issue. 62. EAA.org.
8. Blacker. Robert D.. March 1956. A Place for Amateur Built Aircraft in Education. EAA Sport Aviation . 4–5.
9. Blacker. Robert D.. June 1959. How EAA can Further Aviation Education. EAA Sport Aviation Magazine . 18–19.
10. Blacker. Robert D.. April 1958. One High School's Aviation Program. Sport Aviation. April Issue. 11–12. EAA.org.
11. Book: Cole, Duane. THIS IS EAA. Ken Cook Transnational . Milwaukee, WI . 1972 . 89.
12. Book: Lande, D.A.. Oshkosh- GATEWAY TO AVIATION - 50 Years of EAA Fly-Ins. Experimental Aircraft Association. 2002. 1-58932-005-0. Oshkosh, WI. 22. " .....Bob Blacker and his students......completed the EAA Biplane......which resides in the EAA Museum"..
13. Blacker. Robert D. June 1959. Progress Report on the EAA Biplane. Sport Aviation. June Issue. 17. EAA.org.
14. Blacker. Robert D.. March 1958. EAA Biplane Progress Report. Sport Aviation. March Issue. 24. "Blacker reports that a few too many Design changes are needed in certain areas." Causing schedule delay. EAA.org.
15. Blacker. Robert D. August 1960. EAA Bi-Plane Report. Sport Aviation. August. 23. EAA.org.
16. Blacker. Robert D.. February 1960. Progress on the EAA Biplane. Sport Aviation. February Issue. 31.
17. Book: Cole, Duane. This is EAA. Ken Cook transNational. 2002. Milwaukee, Wi. 60. " no one was surprised when the 1958 trophy went to Bob Blacker for his outstanding work in Project Schoolflight with his students at St. Rita High School.".
18. Poberenzy. Paul. March 2002. Homebuilding's Heritage. Sport Aviation. March Issue. 72. PHOTO: Paul Poberezny in the original EAA Biplane built by Robert D. Blacker & Project Schoolflight at St. Rita's High School.. EAA.org.