EAA Biplane

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]

EAA Biplane
EAA Biplane on display at the EAA Museum
Role Homebuilt
Manufacturer Robert D. Blacker
Designer Allison Team & Robert Blacker
First flight 10 June 1960

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][3][8][9][10][11] The EAA Biplane construction began in September 1957, with a first flight in June, 1960.[12][8] 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.[2]

Operational history

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

Aircraft on display

Specifications (typical)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66.[19]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 1
  • Length: 17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
  • Wingspan: 20 ft 0 in (6.10 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
  • Wing area: 108 sq ft (10.0 m2)
  • Empty weight: 710 lb (322 kg)
  • Gross weight: 1,150 lb (522 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 18 US gal (15 imp gal; 68 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85 air-cooled flat-four engine, 85 hp (63 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 125 mph (201 km/h, 109 kn) at sea level
  • Cruise speed: 110 mph (180 km/h, 96 kn) (econ. cruise)
  • Stall speed: 50 mph (80 km/h, 43 kn)
  • Range: 350 mi (560 km, 300 nmi)
  • Service ceiling: 11,500 ft (3,500 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)

References
  1. "All these planes you can build from plans". Popular Science. June 1970. p. 99.
  2. Poberezny, Paul (September 1961). "The EAA Biplane". Sport Aviation. September: 4 – via EAA.org.
  3. Poberezny, Bonnie (1996). Poberezny : the story begins--. Chuck Parnall ([Signature ed.] ed.). Oshkosh, Wis.: Red One Pub. pp. 329–330. ISBN 0-9655654-0-8. OCLC 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 – via EAA.org.
  5. Cole, Duane (2002). This is EAA. Milwaukee, Wi: Ken Cook TransNational. pp. 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. ISBN 0-918312-00-0
  7. Blacker, Bob (March 1983). "SCHOOLFLIGHT- It Really Works". Sport Aviation. March Issue: 62 – via EAA.org.
  8. Lande, D.A. (2002). Oshkosh- GATEWAY TO AVIATION - 50 Years of EAA Fly-Ins. Oshkosh, WI: Experimental Aircraft Association. p. 22. ISBN 1-58932-005-0. " .....Bob Blacker and his students......completed the EAA Biplane......which resides in the EAA Museum".
  9. Blacker, Robert D. (March 1956). "A Place for Amateur Built Aircraft in Education". EAA Sport Aviation. pp. 4–5.
  10. Blacker, Robert D. (June 1959). "How EAA can Further Aviation Education". EAA Sport Aviation Magazine. pp. 18–19.
  11. Blacker, Robert D. (April 1958). "One High School's Aviation Program". Sport Aviation. April Issue: 11–12 – via EAA.org.
  12. Cole, Duane (1972). THIS IS EAA. Milwaukee, WI: Ken Cook Transnational. p. 89.
  13. Blacker, Robert D (June 1959). "Progress Report on the EAA Biplane". Sport Aviation. June Issue: 17 – via EAA.org.
  14. Blacker, Robert D. (March 1958). "EAA Biplane Progress Report". Sport Aviation. March Issue: 24 – via EAA.org. "Blacker reports that a few too many Design changes are needed in certain areas." Causing schedule delay
  15. Blacker, Robert D (August 1960). "EAA Bi-Plane Report". Sport Aviation. August: 23 – via EAA.org.
  16. Blacker, Robert D. (February 1960). "Progress on the EAA Biplane". Sport Aviation. February Issue: 31.
  17. Cole, Duane (2002). This is EAA. Milwaukee, Wi: Ken Cook transNational. p. 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 – via EAA.org. PHOTO: Paul Poberezny in the original EAA Biplane built by Robert D. Blacker & Project Schoolflight at St. Rita's High School.
  19. Taylor 1965, pp. 221–222

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