Mathews Turnerkraft Explained

The Mathews Turnerkraft, also called the Turnercraft, is an American ultralight aircraft that was designed by Lyle Mathews in conjunction with his partners Al Petit and Kindall and Wink Turner. It was made available in the form of plans for amateur construction.^{[1] [2]}

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to comply with US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 2540NaN0. It features a biplane wing configuration, a single-seat, open cockpit and a single engine.

The aircraft is made from aluminum tubing, riveted together using gussets. Its top wing features full-span ailerons. The wings and tail are covered with aircraft fabric that is glued into place, heat shrunk and then finished with latex house paint, with two coats of paint on bottom surfaces and three on top to provide extra UV protection. The conventional landing gear includes a steerable tailwheel.

Notes and References

1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page E-23. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.
2. Web site: Designer's List. 30 November 2011. Vintage Ultralight Association. 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20111003092920/http://vula2.org/designers_of.html. 3 October 2011. dead.