The shortest plane in the world. The smallest planes in the world. Top smallest planes in the world

Cricket plane

The smallest aircraft in the world, the E-12, was designed by Ulyanovsk aviation enthusiasts based on a single-seat French super light aircraft called “Cricket”, which, with a mass of 170 kg and a speed of 200 km/h, could perform aerobatic maneuvers. The main task of the future aircraft was to make safe, short-distance flights, and takeoff and landing should take place even from an ordinary field with a short take-off run, and not on a special runway.

In addition, the main idea was to make an aircraft that could be disassembled and assembled in a matter of minutes, easily transported, and would not take up much space when stored.

Airplane structure

Thus, an aircraft was designed with a unique wing design and skin made from Dacron fabrics. Initially, the aircraft was equipped with two chainsaw engines, but due to insufficiently good performance, noise and inefficiency, they had to be replaced with engines that were specially developed for this aircraft by Kharkov manufacturers. The basis of the structure frame is duralumin pipes with diameters of 42-48x1(1.5) mm.

The aircraft is controlled by a steering wheel in the form of a handle, which is located in the center. The pilot sits in a reclining position in the aircraft, which reduces air resistance and ensures greater safety. There are weight restrictions for the pilot - up to 80 kg, while the take-off weight is 140-150 kg.

During testing, the E-12 had a total of 40 hours of flight time. The maximum speed during landing reached 145 km/h. The reliability, stability and good controllability of the aircraft at wind gusts of 10-12 m/s were also proven.

Nakhodka for tourism

The result of the work done was an excellent ultra-light aircraft for tourism and pleasure flights. From manufacturers you can purchase both a finished aircraft and drawings for it. Basic flight performance: D-150 engine; wingspan – 5020 mm; fuselage length – 4100 mm; weight – 45 kg; fuel consumption – 6 l/hour; run - 90m.

The cost of the smallest and cheapest aircraft in the world is only 4-6 thousand euros, while the smallest helicopter in the world, designed in Japan, costs hundreds of times more.

IrinaIvanitskaya, Samogo.Net

Surely someone dreamed of a jet plane, imagining it to be big and strong, the envy of all his helicopter-flying comrades. But no, it turns out everything can be quite the opposite, which by the way does not detract at all from the skill of the pilot.... So, the smallest jet aircraft in the world, controlled by a person from the inside so to speak.. Microturbo FLS Microjet, the successor to the BD-5 Micro, a series of small ones, single-seat homebuilt aircraft developed in the late 1960s by aircraft designer Jim Bede and marketed as kits produced by the now-defunct Bede Aircraft Corporation in the early 1970s.


website of the show organizers of this aircraft
products webpage
As always, I use information from sites
http://www.airwar.ru
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki
and other sources I found on the Internet and literature.

Microturbo FLS Microjet C/N 2010701 N60LC is the first copy of this type. It was difficult to record its takeoff due to the fact that that part of the runway was closed from public view.

On May 5, 2011, the smallest jet aircraft, the FLS Microjet, manufactured by the American BD-Micro Technologies (BMT), completed the first phase of flight testing. Aircraft showed that the actual characteristics corresponded to the calculated ones, and even surpassed them in a number of indicators.

The modern version of the old and proven BD-5J is ready for serial production. Piece production has already begun, and the VMT company has begun accepting orders for the supply of assembly kits. The cost of the model has not yet been announced.

Single seat concept jet plane for self-assembly was developed by aircraft designer Jim Bede in the late 60s. In the early 70s, the company Bede Aircraft Inc, founded by him, began mass production of models with a piston or jet engine to choose from. They even tried to adapt a turboprop, and also make a motor glider out of all this, which, looking at the source of inspiration, can immediately be called not very good idea.

A jet aircraft priced under $2,000, the aircraft has gained immense popularity. The company has received more than 12,000 orders for factory-assembled aircraft and more than 5,000 for assembly kits.

But not a single aircraft was assembled at the factory due to problems with choosing a reliable engine. Before the company went bankrupt in the mid-70s, only a few hundred pieces were assembled by the owners, some of which are still flying today.

In 1992, BMT decided to revive the project. Design upgrades and concept changes resulted in the creation of a new line of aircraft called the FLIGHTLINE Series or FLS. The aircraft acquired safer wings that reduced stall speed and had stronger spars.

There is a partition between the cockpit and the fuselage, and the list of equipment includes modern systems, including a dual digital instrument panel, a triple redundant electrical system, a lever and HOTAS engine control buttons.

According to company representatives, the most significant improvement was power point Quantum Turbine Powerplant System with TJ100 engine equipped with FADEC and developing 120 kg thrust. I can’t say that such thrust for an aircraft with a maximum weight of 300 kilograms is a direct achievement, but it is what it is...

The owner of the first FLS Microjet (our aircraft), Justin Lewis of Lewis & Clark Performance, conducted flight tests of the model in Newport (Oregon, USA). As he states, the plane is easy to control, despite its high flight characteristics. He also demonstrates this aircraft at numerous air shows. Such a display costs from 3 thousand.

I can’t even believe it, but with an empty weight of 190 kg, the aircraft can carry up to 200 kg of payload, including up to 178 liters of fuel. The run length is 450 m, and the run is 300 m. I think both are quite difficult. It would be interesting to know the approach speed, but based on the stall speed of 65 knots, I think they are at least 85 knots. It’s not easy on such a bug.

The FLS Microjet is capable of reaching air speeds of up to 250 km/h. The maximum flight duration is 2.5 hours.

Currently, approval to fly the jet requires completion of ground and flight training and then obtaining a Letter of Authorization (LOA) from the FAA authorizing continued flight training. By the way, such a letter is issued to pilots who have a total flight time of at least 1000 flight hours, 100 of which are on a jet aircraft. Upon completion of the program, you must pass an FAA inspector flight test. The flight training programs themselves are available from BD-Micro.

Self-assembly must be carried out under a special assistance program under the supervision of the company. Completing the program points ensures that the complex machine is assembled correctly and efficiently. The program also allows you to register your FLS Microjet with the FAA as an experimental aircraft.

in the meantime, enjoy his flight.

Photo 16.

He demonstrated almost full complex aerobatics, and in addition it was accompanied by smoke. This means that somewhere else they managed to squeeze in a smoke system with an oil tank.

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Smoke against a large background

Photo 21.

This makes it much easier to estimate the size of the aircraft in relation to the pilot.

Pilot on this plane: Justin “Shmed” Lewis.

Born in Texas and raised in Virginia, Justin began flying at 14, and earned his pilot's license at 17. In 1999, he graduated from the University of North Dakota with a degree in aeronautical engineering, earning a Multi-Engine Commercial Pilot Certificate, and a Flight Instructor Certificate along the way.

He worked as a pilot instructor for several years until he went to Navy Officer Candidate School. After admission, he married Sarah Clark Lewis, thanks to whom he achieved everything he wanted.

After graduating from Navy flight school, Justin became a pilot in 2001 jet aviation. He was drafted as an F-14D Tomcat pilot, and in 2004, he switched to the E-6B Mercury (a modification of the Boeing 707). In 2007, he was sent for further training as a Navy fighter and carrier pilot in the T-45 Goshawk.

After approximately 11 years of active duty, Justin continued to teach on the T-45 as a Naval Reservist before joining the Arkansas Air National Guard in 2011.

Justin is currently a certified transport pilot and also flies the A-10C in the Air National Guard. Well, an air show for the soul :-)))

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Landing, landing gear retracts as you can understand

Photo 40.

Photo 41.

But no, the lane is busy or something else and he goes around for the second round.

Modifications:
BD-5 prototype and initial kit for short-wing aircraft production
The BD-5A is a variant with even shorter wings, a wingspan of 14ft 3in (4.34 m) for higher speed and aerobatics.
The BD-5B is the main production kit with a piston engine and a wingspan of 21ft 6in (6.55m). Kits were still available in 2011.
The BD-5D is a factory-built aircraft.
The BD-5G is a piston-engined whale with a wingspan of 17 ft (5.2 m) and a weight of 660 lb (299 kg). Kits were still available in 2011.
BD-5J version with jet engine Sermel (Microturbo) TRS-18-046 turbojet, former APU.
BD-5S glider version with retractable engine and increased wingspan. Tests showed futility and work was stopped.
The BD-5T is a turboprop version from BD Micro Technologies of Siletz, Oregon powered by a Solar T62 engine.
Acapella 100/200 An unusual variant of the BD-5, Acapella 100, appeared in the early 1980s. Developer Carl D. Barlow of Option Air Reno added a twin-boom fuselage to the BD-5 empennage and equipped with a 100 hp Continental O-200 piston engine. Later, a 200 hp Lycoming IO-360 was installed, and the wing was shortened from 26.5 feet to 19.5, and called the Acapella 200. The prototype of this aircraft made its first flight on June 6, 1980, piloted by Bill Skiliar. But it flew poorly and handled poorly. Only one prototype was built, and then it was donated to the Experimental Aircraft Association's Airventure Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA, where you can still see it.
The FLS Microjet is a kit model manufactured by BD-Micro Technologies and powered by a Quantum Turbine TJ100 jet engine. In 2011, a 500 hour whale sold for US$189,500.

But now the show is over and the plane with the pilot is on the ground.

Performance characteristics Microturbo FLS Microjet
Wingspan 5.18 m
Length 3.91 m
Height 1.71 m
Wing area 3.51 sq. m
Center section width 1.22 m
Scope horizontal tail 2.23 m
Cabin length 1.63 m
Cabin width 0.6 m
Cabin height 0.91 m
Empty weight 416 lbs.
Take-off weight 860 lbs.
Payload 194 kg
Fuel capacity 30 gal
Take-off distance 548 m
Landing distance 305 m
Rate of climb 12 m/sec
Landing speed 108 km/h
Max speed 515 km/h
Range 200nm
Max overload +-6 g
Height 7925 m
Engine: Quantum Turbine System PBS TJ-100
Max altitude 9144 m
Thrust (Sea Level) 265 lbs.
Fuel consumption (At maximum thrust) 128.4 kg/h
Engine weight 38.5 kg
Engine length 685 mm
Engine diameter 330 mm
Fuel type Jet A, JP4-JP5
Oil type MIL-L-23699

The smallest aircraft were originally developed for military purposes. Due to their small size, they coped well with the role of reconnaissance aircraft and fighters. After the end of World War II, there was a high demand in America and Europe for inexpensive miniature biplanes, monoplanes and jets for one person. Against this background, a secret competition began among aircraft designers around the world to create the most small plane in the world. We bring to your attention the TOP 10 smallest aircraft in the world.

1. BD-5J

The BD-5J mini-plane was developed in 1971 in the USA by aircraft designer Jim Bede. After flight tests, representatives of the Guinness Book of Records awarded it the title of “the lightest jet aircraft in the world.” In addition to its small weight of 162.7 kg, it also stood out for its modest dimensions - the length of the vessel was 3.66 m and the wingspan was 5.18 m. With such tiny dimensions, the BD-5J was capable of accelerating to 483 km/h, and its cruising speed the speed was 386 km/h. The little one had enough fuel for flights of more than 1.5 thousand km. Given the low price of gasoline in the United States, flying on a private jet was cheaper than flying on a public airliner.

2. Bumble Bee II

In 1988, Robert Starr wanted to beat his personal best and built Bumble Bee II. With its own weight of 180 kg, the dimensions of the aircraft were amazing - length 2.7 m and wingspan 1.7 m. Bumble Bee II flew at an average speed of 305 km/h. But during its first performance on May 8, 1988, the plane crashed due to engine failure at an altitude of about 120 m. Ray Starr himself was at the controls. He was seriously injured in this plane crash, but over time the aircraft designer recovered.

3. Baby Bird

Ray Stits, having learned about the emergence of a competitor in the form of Robert Starr, began working on a new project for a tiny aircraft. And although the Baby Bird was 3.4 m long, which was larger than the Bumble Bee, Stits reduced the wingspan to 1.9 m. In addition, the aircraft's dead weight was only 115 kg with a cruising speed of 177 km/h. This aircraft was included in the ranks of Guinness record holders as the smallest monoplane in the world. Thus, both Stits and Starr found a place in the book of records. Over the course of five years of operation, Baby Bird made 35 flights, all without incident. In 1989, the inventor donated his unique aircraft to the museum.

4. Bumble Bee

The creator of this aircraft is Robert Starr, who at one time was the pilot of Sky Baby. Having witnessed the success of Ray Stits, he also decided to leave his mark in the Book of Records and receive a cash prize. Starr worked on Bumble Bee for five years from 1979 to 1984. As a result, his biplane turned out to be heavier than Sky Baby. The empty weight of the new aircraft was 248 kg with a maximum load of up to 329 kg. However, the wingspan of 2 m and overall length of 2.9 m brought the long-awaited title of the smallest biplane in the world. Bumble Bee reached speeds of up to 290 km/h, which was almost comparable to Sky Baby.

5. Sky Baby

Another creation of Ray Stits, which, unlike the previous model, was a biplane. The dimensions of Sky Baby were very tiny - a length of 3 m and a wingspan of 2.1 m. But at the same time, it had a fairly impressive weight of 205 kg with a maximum load of up to 302 kg. The body of the aircraft was made of chrome pipe, and the wings consisted of wood, which was covered with fabric on top. The Sky Baby's main problem was its low center of gravity. To minimize this disadvantage, Stits decided to place the engine above the pilot's legs, and the fuel tank and carburetor between the knees. This design solution, combined with an 85 l/s engine, allowed the biplane to fly at a top speed of 300 km/h.

This tiny plane, called Junior, was created by Americans Ray Stits and Martin Young as a counterweight to the Wee Bee. Their main goal was to get into the Guinness Book of Records, thanks to its miniature dimensions - a wingspan of 2.8 m and a length of 3.4 m. Interestingly, the aircraft was not assembled from scratch, but on the basis of the Taylorcraft L-2, developed for participation in the Second World War. world war. For a small aircraft, single-piston engines with power from 36 to 75 l/s were selected. As a result, Stits opted for the most powerful option, so the maximum speed of the aircraft was 240 km/h.

7. Nano

The Nano electric seaplane was created by the Finnish company FlyNano in 2011. With a length of 3.8 m and a wingspan of 4.8 m, it weighs only 70 kg. This low weight is made possible by the use of modern carbon fiber as the main material. Since the Nano is designed exclusively for takeoff and landing on water, it does not have landing gear.

8. Colomban Cri-cri

The history of the miniature Cri-cri began in 1971, when French aircraft designer Michel Colomban came up with the idea of ​​​​building a very small and economical aircraft with two engines. A couple of years later, on July 19, 1973, his dream came true - the plane took off for the first time. Kolomban named his creation Cri-cri in honor of his own daughter. The plane had a wingspan of 4.9 m and a total length of 3.9 m. The Cri-cri also stood out for its low dead weight of 78 kg. Thanks to these parameters, Guinness representatives recognized it as the smallest aircraft with two engines.

9. Wee Bee

In the late 40s of the twentieth century, this unusual aircraft appeared in San Diego, California. It was created by three ambitious young aircraft designers eager to surprise the world. They called their creation Wee Bee, which means tiny bee in English. The aircraft justifies this name due to its tiny dimensions - 4.25 m in length and 5.5 m in width.

10. X-12H

Tenth place is occupied by the development of a Russian resident from Armavir. Dmitriev Viktor Pavlovich independently designed a miniature aircraft weighing 80 kg. When unfolded, this aircraft miracle takes up very little space, so it can even be stored in a suitcase. It takes just over half an hour to assemble and disassemble this unusual aircraft. On this moment The X-12H is in the flight testing stage, after which mass production of the small aircraft is planned.

Small military aircraft

Not all military aircraft that have ever existed were large in size. There were also planes with “modest” sizes among them. One of these was the “Sh-tandem”. Its weight without armor was slightly more than three tons. The plane was made of wood. Its dimensions are eight and a half meters in length with a front wingspan of extreme points- eleven meters, and the rear wings - seven meters. Due to its miniature size, it was used in the USSR as a catapult reconnaissance aircraft for cruisers and battleships, as well as a reconnaissance spotter due to its good protective fire pattern and high speed. Its serial production began in the summer of 1940.


"Sh-tandem" one of the first small aircraft was made of wood

Among the small small Russian aircraft is the Yak-130. The weight of this light fighter is four and a half tons. It is capable of reaching speeds of up to one thousand fifty kilometers per hour. This aircraft can be used both as a combat aircraft and as an aircraft for pilot training.


Yak-130 small domestic fighter

The Sukhoi Design Bureau is one of the light Russian fighters. It is smaller than the Su-27 fighter. Its mass is eighteen and a half tons, and its maximum speed is two thousand six hundred kilometers.


F-16 "Fighting Falcon" small American combat aircraft

The United States is armed with light aircraft such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters. It is expected that production of the F-35A will begin in 2018, but so far only a dozen such fighters have been built. Small military aircraft are used by US naval aviation - these are the F/A-18 Hornet aircraft of four modifications. IN given time work on the development of the X-47B combat drone is ending.

Little ones passenger aircraft

IN last years Demand for aircraft used for corporate and individual business travel has increased significantly. We are talking about airplanes for business people. It is expected that this market will develop more dynamically than the market military aviation.


The interior of a small Global 5000 passenger aircraft

The Canadian concern Bombardier Aerospace is a leader in the small passenger aircraft. He has created business aircraft such as the Global 5000 and Continental, which can carry up to eight passengers. It is known that the leader in demand for the smallest passenger aircraft for business is this European country like Germany.

Small aircraft with diesel engines are also in demand. Amateur athletes and wealthy people are interested in them. Such aircraft are actively used in the American market, where they are used to transport small quantities of cargo. Thus, the aircraft of the French company Sokata, called “Generation Two”, is equipped with a turbodiesel and is intended, among other things, for transporting oversized cargo. The production of such small aircraft is carried out by Czech, Polish and German aircraft manufacturers.


European companies are most often involved in the production of small aircraft.

In recent years, especially in the G7 countries, small aircraft are replacing cars. In the “flyweight” category at the Berlin exhibition, Czech and German aircraft manufacturers were in the lead. They compete with each other not so much in weight and dimensions, but in passenger comfort, fuel consumption and the best aerodynamics.

The most common small-seat domestic passenger aircraft are the two-seat Yak-52, four-seat Yak-18T, ten-seat L-410 and Yak-40.

How much do small planes cost?

Today there is a real boom in small military aircraft, in contrast to aircraft designed to transport large numbers of passengers. Among the smallest aircraft is a new miniature military spy plane created by American designers CyberBug. The cost of developing each such “cyber bug” costs thirty thousand dollars. It is controlled via a remote control, rises to a height of one hundred and fifty meters and can be controlled with a flight range of up to seventeen kilometers.


Small aircraft are often used by the military

Having your own small plane is not a cheap pleasure. According to experts, such an acquisition will never pay off. However, wealthy people have long been interested in personal aircraft.

The smallest plane in the world

The Guinness Book of Records lists the Wee Bee microplane, created in 1948 in San Diego (USA), as the smallest aircraft. With a length of four meters and twenty-five centimeters, the length of its wings was five and a half meters. This “bee” reached speeds of up to one hundred and thirty kilometers per hour.

Later, in the same 1948 year, the “bee” was supplanted by another small plane in the Guinness Book of Records - the tiny plane “Junior” or “Baby” became the leader. Its wingspan is two meters and seventy centimeters, its length is three meters and forty centimeters, and its maximum speed is two hundred and forty kilometers.

Wee Bee airplane, included in the Guinness Book of Records due to its size

In the early fifties, a new miniature aircraft appeared, created according to the biplane design. Its name is “Sky Baby”, and its homeland is California. With a length of three meters, the weight was only two hundred and five kilograms. It was inconvenient and difficult to control, but this plane reached a speed of up to two hundred and ninety kilometers and supplanted its predecessor in the Guinness Book of Records.

The next record was recorded in 1984. Its creator, Robert Starr, named his creation “Bumble Bee” or “Hornet.” With a length of two meters and ninety centimeters, the wingspan was only two meters, and the weight was two hundred and forty-eight kilograms. “Malyutka” reached a speed of up to two hundred and ninety kilometers.

Already in the same year, the aircraft created by Donald Stits “Baby Bird” was recognized as the smallest. Its weight was only one hundred and fifteen kilograms, with a wingspan of one meter and ninety centimeters.


The creator named this small plane the Hornet.

It seemed that it was impossible to create a smaller aircraft, but Robert Starr made such an attempt. The wingspan of his new aircraft was one meter and seventy centimeters with a weight of one hundred and eighty centimeters. As the creator assumed, his “Bumble Bee-2” was supposed to reach a maximum speed of up to three hundred kilometers per hour. Unfortunately, this tiny plane was unable to confirm its capabilities, since during its first flight a disaster occurred: the Bumble Bee-2 fell from a height of one hundred and twenty meters due to a stalled engine. This happened in May 1988. At the helm was Robert Starr himself, who miraculously survived. He suffered many injuries while trying to take a new place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Thus, the smallest monoplane aircraft in the world today is considered to be the one invented by Donald Stits “Baby Bird”, and the smallest biplane aircraft is the same “Bumble Bee-2”, which died during its first flights and is the invention of Robert Starr.

It is possible that time will pass and these records will be broken.

 

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