What does a small plane look like? The smallest plane in the world. Top smallest planes in the world

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. At this time, work on the development of the X-47B combat drone is being completed.

Little ones passenger aircraft

IN last years Demand for aircraft used for corporate and individual business travel has increased significantly. We're talking about airplanes 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 a 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.

There is a rating of the smallest military aircraft, and the world's smallest passenger aircraft are also known. Despite their size, their production is not cheap at all, despite the desire to reduce costs.

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 at the extreme points of eleven meters, and a rear wingspan of 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.

Small passenger planes

In recent 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 military aviation market.

The Canadian concern Bombardier Aerospace is a leader in the small passenger aircraft sector. 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 a European country like Germany.

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?

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

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. 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.

It is possible that time will pass and these records will be broken. In addition to micro planes, there are other aircraft that look more like toys. .
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen

Most small aircraft were developed for military purposes; they are ideal for fighter or reconnaissance roles. After the end of World War II, demand for tiny biplanes, including those for one pilot, increased greatly in Europe. And then an unspoken battle began between manufacturers to see who would produce the smallest aircraft in the world.

BD-5J

In 1971, American designer Jim Bede developed this device. Its mass was only 162 kilograms, length - 3.6 meters, wingspan - just over 5 meters. Such tiny dimensions allowed the BD-5J to accelerate to 480 km/h, and the fuel tank capacity allowed it to fly 1,500 km. If we take into account the prices of gasoline at that time, it turned out that flying on a private plane was even more profitable than on public airliners.

The BD-5J entered the Guinness Book of Records as the lightest jet aircraft.

The developer paid special attention to the ease of control of the aircraft, so that the jet could be controlled even by a novice pilot. In addition to ease of use, the model is easy to store: if you remove the wings, the BD-5J can be placed in a standard car garage. Initially, the price for the aircraft was set at $1,800, but after some time, after all the tests, it increased to 2,600. However, this did not hinder the popularity of the model; in 2.5 years, five thousand copies were sold out, and another twelve thousand were reserved. No airline on Earth could boast similar sales.

One of interesting features deliveries of the jet: it was sold disassembled and with detailed instructions on assembly. The installation process took an average of 700 hours, and in the first versions of the aircraft the presence of welding operations was assumed, and later all this was replaced with screws.

One of the BD-5J models is in the Arizona State Museum

In appearance, the aircraft resembles a hybrid of a sports jet with a fighter. The body is quite streamlined, with a propeller at the back. All this combined with low weight gives exceptional speed and maneuverability. The smallest aircraft regularly took part in air shows and enjoyed the love of the audience there. But safety is not the strong point of this model. Suffice it to mention that out of the first 25 tests, 14 ended in disaster. As a result, 9 people died. As it turned out, the planes had defective parts and defects in engine operation.

In 1979, production ceased due to the bankruptcy of the manufacturer. The purchased models were subjected to various amateur modifications, and several services for servicing these aircraft were opened in the United States.

BD-5J took part in the filming of the Bond film "Octopussy"

American engineer Robert Starr was able to design in 1988 an aircraft that became the second heaviest (180 kg) and with a wingspan of just over 1.6 meters.

The first flight almost ended tragically. The plane lasted in flight just long enough to set a record, demonstrating sufficient stability, but then suddenly began to behave completely unpredictably. Having reached a height of 120 meters, the engine of the mechanism stalled. The plane fell down along with the pilot. There was practically nothing left of the device, and Starr escaped with multiple fractures.

Bumble Bee II was pieced together after testing to be put on display in a museum

Bumble Bee

An earlier creation by the same Robert Starr could also easily fit into a standard garage shell, having a wingspan of 168 cm and a weight of 180 kg. Experts said about the “bumblebee” that it would never be able to take off, but the predictions did not come true: the world’s smallest biplane easily flew a sufficient number of kilometers.

Having learned about Starr's planned development, another engineer, Ray Stits, immediately got the idea to outdo him. True, his son Donald took up this task. Back in 1980, he began designing new model in his own garage, and his wife and children not only supported him, but also helped him. Baby Bird is based on a monoplane (an airplane with only one wing). Stits placed the wing higher and reduced the wingspan to 190 centimeters. True, the monoplane does not have a high speed - only about 170 km/h. Over the 5 years of operation of the first copy, it made 35 flights, all quite successful.

In 1989, the engineer donated his creation to the museum

This aircraft, 210 cm long and weighing 200 kg, was also designed by Ray Stits with a claim to the title of the smallest in the world. The device has one engine, a standard chassis and wings based on the biplane principle. The fuselage is made of welded steel tubes with fabric covering.

The upper wings have flaps, the lower wings have ailerons. While most airplanes use a flat firewall between the engine and the pilot's legs, the Sky Baby is designed with the enclosed motor located above the pilot's knees and the pedals under the oil pan at the front of the hood.

The short plane, with a tricycle landing gear and a relatively light tail, requires a pilot weighing approximately 77 kg to maintain its center of gravity. The model took part in various air shows, including advertising ones.

At the end of 1952, after 25 hours of flight, he was retired with a gift National Museum aviation and astronautics. Stits continued to work on aircraft design.

Sky Baby first flew in 1952

Another brainchild of Ray Stits, created in collaboration with Martin Young. The wingspan of the aircraft was 280 cm, the speed reached 240 km/h. It was not built from scratch, but based on the TaylorCraft L-2 model, released for military purposes. For the tiny plane, engineers selected single-piston engines that were quite powerful. After successful tests, Junior was recognized as the most successful monoplane existing at that time.

The success of Junior inspired Stits to continue working with aircraft.

In 2011, Finnish developers surprised the world with a new masterpiece aviation industry. This is a seaplane powered by an almost silent electric motor, which in itself is quite unusual. In addition, the body of the device is made of carbon fiber, an environmentally friendly material. Thus, the device as a whole is as environmentally friendly as possible, and this quality is highly valued these days.

On this moment the aircraft can operate continuously for about an hour. In Finland, the cost of the device is 40 thousand dollars, for Russia this amount is increased by another 7600.

The model weighs 154 kg and is capable of reaching speeds of 140 km/h at an altitude of three kilometers

Back in 1971, an aircraft designer from France, M. Colomban, decided to build a very small-sized and economical aircraft. And within two years his creation was ready to soar into the sky. The wingspan was 2.9 meters, the length was 3.9 meters, and the weight was only 78 kg. Thus, it became the world's smallest twin-engine aircraft.

The recommended speed of the aircraft is 185 km/h, and it can easily fly for no less than 2.5 hours without refueling. Thanks to such pleasant technical specifications Cri-Cri quickly gained popularity around the world, and what’s most surprising is that it is still in demand to this day. There are 110 in France, 20 in the States, and another 30 in other countries. European countries. In 2010, the model underwent renovation, four electric motors were installed on it, thanks to which the baby once again stormed the Book of Records, this time as the most small plane, equipped with four engines.

The model received its name Cri-Cri in honor of Colomban’s little daughter

This unusual model was created by three dedicated engineers back in the 1940s in California. The name in translation sounds approximately like “tiny bee,” which is justified by its small dimensions - 425 cm in length and 550 in width. At that time, the device was truly unique, and even now it seems quite unusual: in order to fly, the pilot did not have to climb into the cockpit, but simply lie on the body of the aircraft. I must admit that this control was very inconvenient.

The model made only a few flights, after which it was placed in the San Diego Museum. The irony is that Wee Bee was not harmed by the flights, but he was injured in a fire while in the museum. The exhibit displayed there now is just a copy.

The maximum flight speed on an airplane is 80 km/h

X-12H

In tenth place is a product developed in Russia by Armavir resident V.P. Dmitriev. He created a tiny airplane weighing 80 kg. The wingspan was 6 meters, length - 3.5 meters. This miracle of aviation can reach a speed of 125 km/h. When disassembled, the aircraft takes up so little space that it can fit into a regular suitcase, and assembly takes only about half an hour.

To take off, the device only needs an acceleration of 30 meters, so it can be used almost anywhere. No pilot license or registration is required to operate. The only condition is that the pilot must be light in weight, since the aircraft has a low carrying capacity including fuel.

The X-12H is in the process of flight testing, upon successful completion of which it is planned to launch the model into mass production

The developer, Viktor Pavlovich, states that he has been interested in aviation all his life and strives to develop the smallest aircraft in the world. The X-12H is not his only creation, and all of the devices he made are easy to operate and accessible even to beginners. They are easy to learn because they are forgiving of minor mistakes. Victor also claims that a similar aerodynamic design is also suitable for ultra-high-speed aircraft, only in this case the machine must have a powerful all-metal fuselage, as well as a jet engine.

Victor considers the main feature of his aircraft to be well-developed wing mechanization and extremely effective stabilization. All cracks are carefully profiled. All this provides the aircraft with an impressive lift coefficient, responsive handling and sufficient stability in the air.

These are the smallest aircraft today, but almost every year new models appear and old ones are improved. Manufacturers continue to break records, focusing mostly on comfort and safety. That is why the demand for such solutions has not fallen for several decades.

The concept of “ultralight aviation” appeared in our country more than forty years ago. It was then, in 1973, that this designation was officially adopted in the USSR for aircraft with particularly low mass. According to established standards, in Russia this category includes aircraft weighing less than 495 kg and having a minimum flight speed of up to 65 km per hour. Not included in this class aircraft lighter than air - Balloons, airships, balloons, as well as all unmanned models - radio-controlled bench models, combat UAVs, etc. In most countries of the world, this concept refers to motorized aircraft equipped with wings: airplanes, helicopters, gyroplanes, motorized hang gliders, and motorized paragliders.

Meanwhile, in different countries Ultralight aircraft are classified differently. For example, in Brazil, the “ultralight” (“ultralight”) class includes aircraft weighing less than 750 kg, and in the United States, the “ultralight” class includes only those aircraft whose weight does not exceed 115 kg. The same applies to determining the minimum speed: in the USA it is 45 km/h, in Europe (including Russia) - 65, and in New Zealand - 83 km/h.
The lightest aircraft in this class are various types of motor hang gliders and motor paragliders. Due to the peculiarities of their design, the main mass falls on the engine, while other mechanical control systems are practically absent. However, gliders and hang gliders, even those equipped with motors, can hardly be considered full-fledged vehicles with which you can cover the distance between neighboring cities. Really airy vehicle is an airplane, even if this airplane is “ultralight”. There has been an unofficial competition between aircraft designers for decades to see who can create the lightest aircraft in the world. The Guinness Book of Records contains several record models of ultra-light aircraft, but, unfortunately, they are not practical. Therefore, these “champions” were created in a single copy with only one purpose: to set a record. The notorious microplane “Bumble Bee” - 2, built in 1988 by the American designer R. Starr. This baby, 2 m 70 cm long and with a wingspan of less than two meters, was able to get off the ground, but fell from a height of hundreds of meters. Its creator received severe injuries, but the plane was still included in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest aircraft in the world.
Undoubtedly, such curious aircraft models can hardly be regarded as something serious. However, among the “ultralights” there are quite functional and safe models, launched into mass production. If we consider full-fledged aircraft, made according to the traditional design for aircraft, their rating in this case will look like this (in order of increasing mass):
Most ultralight aircraft models weigh more than 100 kg. And only a small number of serial ultra-light aircraft can boast a weight of less than a hundredweight.
1. Aeropraktika E-12 (Russia). The “dry” weight of the aircraft is 45 kg.

Today, the E-12 is the lightest mass-produced aircraft in the world. This model was developed by a group of specialists in the field of aircraft construction, who created the Aeropraktika production company in Ulyanovsk. The main goal The creation of this organization was the development of the latest models of ultra-light aircraft - simple and reliable in operation, and most importantly - inexpensive. The result of the hard work of Ulyanovsk aviation specialists was the creation in 1999 of the E-12 model, which became the lightest aircraft in the world put into production. When disassembled, the Ulyanovsk baby can be easily carried by two people. The plane can be disassembled and assembled in the field in just an hour.
The design feature is a completely collapsible wing, which separates in 10 - 15 minutes to the individual tubes of the duralumin frame. During assembly, this metal frame is covered with light material - lavsan, Kevlar, etc. The pilot sits in a reclining position in the cockpit, which improves overall aerodynamics. Two modified motors from the Ural chainsaw are used as the driving force. At the same time, the designers managed to give their brainchild such remarkable flight characteristics that the plane can continue to fly even if one of the engines fails. The aircraft has been in production since 1999, mainly in small series and to order.
Specifications:
* Length - 4 m 10 cm
* Wingspan - 4 m 60 cm
* Empty aircraft weight - 43 kg
* Power of two engines - 14 hp.
* Maximum speed - 130 km/h
2. UFM Easy Riser (USA). The empty weight of the aircraft is 54 kg.
According to experts, the United States is the world leader in the number of ultra-light aircraft. The exact number of aircraft Americans have in their possession weighing less than 115 kg (the maximum weight of the “ultra-light” aircraft class in the United States) is unknown. The fact is that aircraft of this class are not subject to mandatory registration, and you do not need to obtain any permission to fly them. Due to such a low weight limit, it was in the USA that the production of ultra-light aircraft “for individual use” became most widespread.
One of the firstborns of the American “ultralight aircraft industry” was the UFM Easy Riser. This model was developed by designer Mauro in the early 1970s, and was produced by Ultralight Flying Machines for a quarter of a century. The model, which is a synthesis of a motor hang glider and a light aircraft, turned out to be so successful that with minor changes the UFM Easy Riser was produced until 2002. This aircraft also went down in history as the first solar-powered aircraft. In 1979, Mauro installed an Easy Riser on one of the UFMs for experimental purposes. solar panels and an electric motor. This modification, assembled in a single copy, was called Solar Riser.
* Length - 2 m 70 cm
* Wingspan - 9 m 15 cm
* Empty aircraft weight - 54 kg
* Engine power - 11 hp.
* Maximum speed - 64 km/h
3. “Pterodactyl Ascender” (USA). The empty weight of the aircraft is 56 kg.

Another “baby” from the United States, which first took to the skies in 1977. Like many ultra-light motor vehicles of those years, the Pterodactyl traced its lineage back to motor hang gliders. The aircraft was created by aircraft designer McComack from California by improving the control system. Thus, “Pterodactyl” received elevators and steering rudders, which radically separated it from the class of hang gliders. The Pterodactyl had a 16 hp two-stroke engine. After successful testing, the ultra-light aircraft was put into mass production. True, “Pterodactyl” was produced in the form of a semi-finished product, or a do-it-yourself toy. Airplane in the form ready set was sent to the customer by mail, and all he had to do was assemble the “Pterodactyl” using the included instructions. Mass production of the aircraft continued until 1984. During this time, approximately 1,400 assembly kits were produced. However, the idea of a mini-aircraft sent by mail turned out to be so successful that in 1991 the rights to produce Pterodactyl were acquired by D. Frobl, who launched the production of a modernized version of Pterodactyl Ascender - 3. Small-scale production of the popular aircraft designer continues to this day.
* Length - 3 m 50 cm
* Wingspan - 10 m 15 cm
* Empty aircraft weight - 56 kg
* Engine power - 16 hp.
* Maximum speed - 80 km/h
4. FlyNano (Finland). “Dry” weight – 70 kg.

In 2015, designer A. Suokas designed the first Finnish ultra-small seaplane. The low weight of the aircraft was achieved thanks to the widespread use of carbon plastic in the design. Despite its modest dimensions, FlyNano is capable of lifting two people to a height of over three kilometers, and covering over 70 km on one tank fill. An electric motor powered by a battery is available as an option. True, in this case the flight range is halved. Serial production of FlyNano began in the summer of 2016, and, according to the designer, the plant is already provided with orders for the year ahead.
* Flight range - 70 km
* Speed - 200 km/h
* Ceiling – 3 km
5. Beaujon Mach .07 (USA). Weight - 73 kg.
The aircraft was designed by engineer G. Beaujon from Oklahoma. The frame is made of aluminum alloy and covered with thick fabric. The wings are made according to the monoplane - high-wing design and are strengthened with the help of struts connecting them to the fuselage frame. The aircraft is equipped with a 22 hp engine. It rests on three chassis, the rear of which is the steering one. The fuselage, like the pilot's seat, is open; the engine is installed in the bow. Fuel tank capacity is 9 liters.
* Empty aircraft weight - 73 kg
* Engine power - 22 hp.
* Maximum speed - 78 km/h
Among other serial ultra-light aircraft currently being produced and claiming the title of the smallest aircraft in the world are:
6. American Eaglet (USA) - weight 80 kg, speed - 100 km/h, engine power - 15 hp.
7. “Manta Foxbat” (USA) - weight 86 kg, speed - 56 km/h, engine power - 30 hp.
8. Ultraflight Lazair (Canada) - weight 95 kg, speed - 97 km/h, engine power - 10 hp.
In addition, in recent years, more and more ultra-light aircraft have been developed. This becomes possible, on the one hand, thanks to the improvement of aircraft manufacturing technologies and the emergence of more compact and powerful engines. On the other hand, thanks to the introduction of new lightweight materials, such as carbon fiber and other lightweight polymers.

Aviation is such a commonplace phenomenon these days that a passenger plane flying in the sky does not cause anyone much surprise. There are several hundred different configurations of civil airliners, which are divided into several groups: small, medium-haul and designed for intercontinental flights.

There is such a thing as ultra-small aircraft construction. Initially, such models, sometimes weighing no more than 60-70 kilograms, were developed for military operations until the mid-20th century. But then they found a more functional use in civil aviation. Now several designers claim that they created the smallest aircraft in size and weight in the world. Their brainchildren compete in several categories:

shortest length
width,
weight,
wingspan and so on.

So what are they, the most miniature airliner models? In this article we will look at the aircraft challenging each other for this title.

X-12H

This small plane was designed by Viktor Dmitriev, who lives in Armavir. His life's work took more than two decades, and test flights are now underway. If they are completed successfully, it is planned to put the aircraft on production line. The main advantage of the model is that it is easy to assemble and disassemble; the procedure takes no more than half an hour.

Characteristics:

Weight – 80 kilograms;
Size – 3.6 meters (length);
Wingspan - 6.3 meters;
Load capacity – 150 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 120-125 km/h.

Wee Bee

An innovative model for those times, it was born thanks to the efforts of a trio of young and ambitious aircraft designers in the mid-20th century, in the US state of Florida. The name of the model can be translated from English as “tiny bee”, and the model fully justifies it. True, test pilots immediately found a significant drawback - control occurs from a prone position, which constrains the pilot’s actions and impedes his visibility. After several tests, the experiment was declared unsuccessful and the plane was transferred to a local museum.

Characteristics:

Weight – 95 kilograms;
Size – 4.25 x 5.5 meters;
Wingspan – 5.49 meters;
Load capacity – 186 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 121-132 km/h;

Colomban Cri-cri

Thanks to the perseverance and optimism of the French aircraft designer Michel Colomban, one of the first economically and technically successful models of miniature aircraft was born. It has been modified several times, the modern version has four engines and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest four-engine jet aircraft. To date, more than 150 copies of the airliner have been produced; many experts recognize it as the safest of the entire line of midget aircraft models.

Characteristics:

Weight – 78 kilograms;
Size – 3.9 meters (length);
Wingspan - 4.9 meters;
Load capacity – 170 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 185-220 km/h.

Nano

The Finnish aircraft design bureau FlyNano has been working on creating a miniature electric seaplane for more than 3 years, and in 2011 the first prototype was released. The aircraft is extremely lightweight due to the fact that it is made primarily of carbon fiber. There is also a significant drawback: the model does not have a landing gear, which means landing is possible only on a water surface. According to the original plan, two variations of models were planned: with electric and gasoline engines, but then preference was given to the electric version due to its environmental friendliness and ease of use. Test flights have been completed and the company will soon begin mass production. Anyone can buy such a miracle of engineering for 30 thousand euros.

Characteristics:

Weight – 70 kilograms;
Size – 3.8 meters (length);
Wingspan - 4.8 meters;
Load capacity – 200 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 140 km/h.

Junior

The model was created by designers with one single goal - to bypass Wee Bee engineers, make the device even smaller and get into the Guinness Book of Records. Junior's starting point was the Taylorcraft L-2, which was designed for potential service in World War II. But then he was considered too vulnerable, and the project was canceled. His successor suffered a happier fate, and the plane was recognized as the smallest monoplane in the world, and its creators had a hand in the emergence of a whole line of small aircraft models.

Characteristics:

Weight – 120 kilograms;
Size – 3.46 meters (length);
Wingspan – 2.85 meters;
Load capacity – 187 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 240 km/h.

This is another brainchild of the creators of the Junior monoplane, which is a miniature biplane. Wooden wings covered with fabric and a chrome-plated body made the aircraft unreasonably heavy and shifted its center of gravity. To eliminate this drawback, the designers came up with the idea of installing the engine under the pilot. The decision turned out to be successful, the model developed a decent speed and took part in several American air shows. Now the biplane is in a museum in Wisconsin.

Characteristics:

Weight – 205 kilograms;
Size – 3 meters (length);
Wingspan – 2.1 meters;
Load capacity – 302 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 300 km/h.

Interesting fact. The Sky Baby held the title of the world's smallest biplane from 1952 to 1984.

Bumble Bee

The designer of this model was test pilot Robert Star, who took part in the experimental flights of Sky Baby. Inspired by the capabilities of midget aircraft and wanting to become the owner of a monetary reward from the Guinness Book of Records, he also tried his hand at design. He achieved his goal and beat Sky Baby - the length of his model was 0.9 meters shorter, and the speed was almost as good as its competitor.

Characteristics:

Weight – 248 kilograms;
Size – 2.9 meters (length);
Wingspan – 2 meters;
Load capacity – 329 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 290 km/h.

Baby Bird

After the success of Robert Star with his Bumble Bee, the creators of Sky Baby decided to design a new, even smaller model. This is how Baby Bird was born. The airliner achieved the title of “smallest aircraft” in the monoplane family. The model was in operation for about five years, and during this time not a single force majeure situation occurred. Now the plane is kept in the Smithsonian Museum in Washington.

Characteristics:

Weight – 115 kilograms;
Size – 3.4 meters (length);
Wingspan – 1.9 meters;
Load capacity – 193 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 177 km/h.

Bumble Bee II

After the resounding success of his debut model of a small plane, Robert Star set out to beat his own achievement and create an even smaller biplane. At the end of the 80s of the last century, the world saw a representative of ultra-small aviation with an extremely small wingspan - only 1.7 meters. Unfortunately, his ordeal led to tragedy. During the next test flight, the aircraft's engines failed and it crashed. It was flown by the aircraft designer himself, who spent a long time recovering from his injuries. The model was badly damaged and had to be reassembled to be sent to the museum.

Characteristics:

Weight – 180 kilograms;
Size – 2.7 meters (length);
Wingspan – 1.7 meters;
Load capacity – 250 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 305 km/h.

BD-5J

The progenitor of this representative of small aircraft was aircraft designer Jim Bede. After checking safety, strength and compliance with all specified dimensions, the airliner was awarded the title of “smallest jet aircraft in the world” according to the jury of the Guinness Book of Records. Possessing extremely miniature dimensions, the aircraft maintains a cruising speed of 386 kilometers per hour. According to the creator, it was capable of flying more than one and a half thousand kilometers without additional refueling.

Soon mass production of miniature jet airliners of this model began, and the advertising campaign emphasized the fact that buying and maintaining your own aircraft is much easier and cheaper than overpaying for passenger airline tickets all your life. Thanks to its tiny size, the model could easily fit into any garage after removing the wings. The original price for the BD-5J was equal to the approximate cost new car middle class, but even when the creators increased it, their products sold like hot cakes.

More than 20 thousand models were sold out or ordered during the first year from the opening of sales. This was a record that could not be boasted by such titans of the aircraft manufacturing business as Boeing and Airbus combined. The main inconvenience was that customers were simply sent a complete set of parts with a list of comprehensive instructions, which they had to assemble into a complete functioning aircraft, first by welding and later using heavy-duty screws.

Another advantage of the model is its extremely successful external design, which is something between military and sports aircraft.

Unfortunately, this jet aircraft was not particularly safe. During six months of widespread operation, there were about 15 serious plane crashes, 9 of which were fatal. After a painstaking investigation, which involved the services aviation security USA, it was found that the main problem causing accidents is poorly manufactured engine parts. Soon after this, the design bureau that produced the aircraft went bankrupt, and the production of life-threatening models was completed.

However, the story of the BD-5J did not end there. Many amateur aircraft designers rebuilt and modified the aircraft they bought to their liking and continue to use them today.

Characteristics:

Weight – 161 kilograms;
Size – 2.66 meters (length);
Wingspan - 5.18 meters;
Load capacity – 299 kilograms (including fuel);
Flight speed – up to 483 km/h.

Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with a personal car, but perhaps with a personal plane. Small aircraft are gaining more and more popularity every year, and the number of people wishing to obtain a flight license is growing. Small planes are no longer just a way to immortalize yourself in the book of records, but a serious business, the income of which is only multiplying these days. Such models take part in many of the world's leading air shows and invariably cause great delight among the public.

Video

It might be useful to read: