Flying K Sky Raider Explained

The Flying K Sky Raider is a family of American, high wing, strut-braced, single engine, conventional landing gear ultralight aircraft that was designed by Ken Schrader and produced by Flying K Enterprises and later Sky Raider LLC of Caldwell, Idaho for amateur construction.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Design and development

First flown in 1996, the original Sky Raider is a single seater designed as an FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles compliant aircraft with an empty weight within that category's 2540NaN0 empty weight limit, when equipped with a light enough engine. The Sky Raider can also be built in the US homebuilt and light-sport aircraft categories and in the United Kingdom as a BCAR Section S microlight. The design was developed from the Avid Flyer and the Denney Kitfox and the designer formerly worked for both those companies.[8]

The aircraft has a 4130 steel tube frame fuselage and a wing constructed from aluminium tubing, all covered in doped fabric. The wings are equipped with slotted-style flaps and fold for transport or storage without a requirement to disconnect the flaps and ailerons. The landing gear is bungee suspended. The Sky Raider has a fully enclosed cockpit design, allowing flying in cooler weather. The Sky Raider is available as a kit, including quick-build options, including a pre-welded fuselage and quick-build wings. The power range is 28to and original standard engine specified was the 280NaN0 Rotax 277 with the 400NaN0 Rotax 447 as an optional, although the additional weight would probably put the aircraft in the US homebuilt category.

The Sky Raider can be equipped with floats and skis.

Variants

Sky Raider
  • Original single seat high wing US FAR Part 103 ultralight powered by a 280NaN0 Rotax 277 or homebuilt powered by 400NaN0 Rotax 447 engine. Production completed
    Sky Raider II
  • Stretched version with two seats in tandem, a gross weight of 9500NaN0, an acceptable power range of 60to. Engines used include the two-stroke 500NaN0 Rotax 503 and the four-stroke 600NaN0 HKS 700E engine. Described as an "intimate tandem two seater" due to the small rear seat space. Production completed.[1] [6] [8]
    Super Sky Raider
  • Two seats in tandem, a gross weight of 10500NaN0, an acceptable power range of 50to. Engines used include the 800NaN0 Jabiru 2200 engine. In production, with fifty completed and flying by 2011.[9] [10] [11] [12]
    Frontier
  • Two seats in tandem, a gross weight of 16000NaN0 and floats as an option. Engines used include the 1300NaN0 Lycoming O-290 engine and the 850NaN0 Jabiru 2200. Floats are optional. In production, with two completed and flying by 2011, the construction time is estimated at 300–400 hours.[9] [10] [11] [12]

    Notes and References

    1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, pages B-55 and B102. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.
    2. Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 49. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
    3. Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 54. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
    4. Newby-Gonzalez, Tori: 2004 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 20, Number 12, December 2003, page 77. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
    5. Downey, Julia: 2005 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 79. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
    6. Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 53. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
    7. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter – Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 166. BAI Communications.
    8. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003–04, page 142. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. ISSN 1368-485X
    9. Web site: Sky Raider Aircraft. 14 January 2011. Sky Raider LLC. 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20110716083239/http://www.skyraiderllc.com/aircraft.htm. 16 July 2011. dead.
    10. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 70. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
    11. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 119. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
    12. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 125. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.

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