The Bug first flew in February 1999. The aircraft was designed to be an inexpensive and easy to fly three axis controlled aircraft similar to a primary glider, although the designer terms it an airchair. The Bug has an empty weight of under 1550NaN0 and so qualifies to be operated under the United States FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles regulations. The aircraft is made available as technical drawings, not plans, to allow potential builders to study them. Sandlin makes his computer assisted design drawings available free of charge as downloads in .dxf, .dwf and .gif formats and has explicitly released them to the public domain. The Bug 4 drawings comprise 66 sheets. The designer considers his aviation activities a hobby only.
The aircraft is made from bolted together aluminium tube, braced with steel cables and covered with heat shrunk Dacron fabric. Its 321NaN1 span wing uses V-shaped interplane struts. Controls are conventional three axis, with the ailerons and elevator controlled by a center stick and rudder controlled by pedals. The landing gear is a fixed monowheel gear. The pilot sits on an open cockpit seat without a windshield and is secured with a four-point harness. The aircraft is designed to be car-top transportable and can be assembled by one person.
The Bug is designed to be launched by aerotow behind an ultralight aircraft, auto-tow, winch-launch or by rolling it down a slope. It is flown for soaring and is not recommended for aerobatics.
