unique plane thread

Henning said:
Al Martin used to have a literal 'basket case' of a Lancer. He kept threatening we'd put it together, but other projects always got in the way.
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Back when I was learning to fly at the Valley, Al Martin also had another airplane in his hangar that I've been trying to remember what it was for the past 15 years but I've never been able to find a picture or reference on the Internet. I think it was a customer's plane and I have no idea what became of it. It was a two-seat side by side low wing taildragger with retractable landing gear and had control sticks. I think, but not sure, that the wings were wood and the rest of the plane was aluminum. It looked like a large RV-6 and I think Al said it was French and fully aerobatic. Any ideas what it could have been?
 
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Neal Howard said:
Back when I was learning to fly at the Valley, Al Martin also had another airplane in his hangar that I've been trying to remember what it was for the past 15 years but I've never been able to find a picture or reference on the Internet. I think it was a customer's plane and I have no idea what became of it. It was a two-seat side by side low wing taildragger with retractable landing gear and had control sticks. I think, but not sure, that the wings were wood and the rest of the plane was aluminum. It looked like a large RV-6 and I think Al said it was French and fully aerobatic. Any ideas what it could have been?
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Sounds like a Culver Cadet or a Cap 10 if French. He had a whole grocery store full of airplanes.:rofl:
 
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Neal Howard said:
Back when I was learning to fly at the Valley, Al Martin also had another airplane in his hangar that I've been trying to remember what it was for the past 15 years but I've never been able to find a picture or reference on the Internet. I think it was a customer's plane and I have no idea what became of it. It was a two-seat side by side low wing taildragger with retractable landing gear and had control sticks. I think, but not sure, that the wings were wood and the rest of the plane was aluminum. It looked like a large RV-6 and I think Al said it was French and fully aerobatic. Any ideas what it could have been?
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Possibly a Jodel?
 
Oh, is that the one from Bell? Bell made some interesting observation planes.
 
It's actually called a Seabird Seeker. Made in Australia, only 3 in the US. Neat plane used for surveillance and recon or sensor stuff. Think he said around 500k new
 
overdrive148 said:
It's actually called a Seabird Seeker. Made in Australia, only 3 in the US. Neat plane used for surveillance and recon or sensor stuff. Think he said around 500k new
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Ah, built in Australia, too bad. She be right mate.:(
 
It looks like somebody tried to build a helicopter but then ran out of money.
 
They're trying to import them for use in the US or something was what the guy was saying. 6-7 hour time aloft, O-360 (optional 390), STOL, rough field operations, clean areas for sensors, lots and lots of visibility. Said they were being used in Africa/Middle East/Australia primarily but that there could be a market here for them.

He was trying to make it to Albuquerque, but he could barely make it to the fuel pump with all the pilots coming up to him and asking him questions :lol: maybe there's a market, who knows? Then again you could do a lot with 500k in the used market.

I think it looks awesome! The only thing that really bothers me is how low the tail boom is to the ground if you were to soft field onto a rocky area or something.


//edit
http://imgur.com/a/SZDpu for the full res with zoom pics. Check out the airspeed indicator! :lol: going nowhere fast for sure!
 
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overdrive148 said:
They're trying to import them for use in the US or something was what the guy was saying. 6-7 hour time aloft, O-360 (optional 390), STOL, rough field operations, clean areas for sensors, lots and lots of visibility. Said they were being used in Africa/Middle East/Australia primarily but that there could be a market here for them.

He was trying to make it to Albuquerque, but he could barely make it to the fuel pump with all the pilots coming up to him and asking him questions :lol: maybe there's a market, who knows? Then again you could do a lot with 500k in the used market.

I think it looks awesome! The only thing that really bothers me is how low the tail boom is to the ground if you were to soft field onto a rocky area or something.
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The only thing that bothers me is that they were built in Australia. I worked in both small aircraft and big boat manufacturing in Aus workin on the shop floor. I know how the workforce operates. Far too much "She be right mate" stuff happens.:(
 
Make a smaller LSA version and have a float option and you could sell them here. Either that or maybe a kit. How about this- the same airplane but with twin Rotax on it like the Air Cam? For the mission they have for this plane, seems like redundancy might be attractive.
 
Mark Beierle could plump up one of his designs' cockpits and play with his airfoil to accomplish the Light Sport version.
 
Check out the Rudder on this thing.
Saw this taxiing by this morning. Registration says it is a "2008 BIRON NORMAND R GLASTAR" Unfamiliar

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SixPapaCharlie said:
Check out the Rudder on this thing.
Saw this taxiing by this morning. Registration says it is a "2008 BIRON NORMAND R GLASTAR" Unfamiliar

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Glastar is one of the kits from Glassair, it's the forerunner to the Sportsman IIRC. There's a set of early molds for it in Melbourne Australia for sale that Tom used to build one of the Cobra models out of.

Biron Norman is the name of the guy that built it.
 
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Henning said:
Glastar is one of the kits from Glassair, it's the forerunner to the Sportsman IIRC. There's a set of early molds for it in Melbourne Australia for sale that Tom used to build one of the Cobra models out of.
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It is interesting for sure. I didn't get a chance to see it fly but that massive rudder stands out and a "cessna" looking thing w/ castoring nosewheel...
 
Looks like a flying green sea turtle.




 

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Another Seabird Seeker came through today - Same guy who flew the first! Glad to see they are getting some more business :D

Very nice cockpit to boot (taken with a much better camera this time too)

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I saw one too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hey, old thread revival! I'll jump in too I guess. I didn't see any one that posted the Airtruk!! I'm a sucker for homely airplanes lol.
 
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This was in my hangar today. What can you tell me about it?20160306_160716-800x450.jpg
 
I don't think I have seen a ribbed wing so to speak. (I know they have ribs but not built in to the skin)
 
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