Alexander Flyabout D

The Alexander Airplane Company D-1 Flyabout was an early entry into the light aircraft market by the popular biplane aircraft manufacturer.[2] The aircraft was later manufactured by Aircraft Mechanics, Inc.

Flyabout D
Role Light Monoplane
National origin United States
Manufacturer Alexander Aircraft Company, Aircraft Mechanics, Inc.
Designer Proctor Nichols
Introduction 1931 Detroit Air Show[1]
Unit cost
$1,465 in 1931

Design

The D-1 was a conventional landing geared high winged monoplane with side-by-side seating powered by a 35 hp (26 kW) Continental engine, with a firewall-mounted fuel tank. The cabin featured doors on both sides of the aircraft.[3] It was the first aircraft certified under new CAA rules for aircraft under 1,000 lb (454 kg).[4]

Operational history

The prototype's capabilities were demonstrated by flying up to 15,000 ft (4,572 m) above Pikes Peak with the 38 hp (28 kW) model.[5] Test pilot Proctor Nichols later reported having flown through a tornado formation in the demonstrator returning from the Cleveland National Air Races.[6]

Variants
D-1
First outfitted with a 35 hp (26 kW) Continental engine.
D-2
Improved model with Szekely engine.[7]

Specifications (Flyabout D-1)

Data from Popular Aviation

General characteristics

  • Capacity: 2
  • Length: 21 ft 4 in (6.50 m)
  • Wingspan: 37 ft 2 in (11.33 m)
  • Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
  • Empty weight: 536.5 lb (243 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 8 U.S. gallons (30 L; 6.7 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × continental horizontally opposed piston, 35 hp (26 kW)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 74 kn (85 mph, 137 km/h)
  • Cruise speed: 65 kn (75 mph, 121 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 30 kn (34 mph, 55 km/h)
  • Range: 152 nmi (175 mi, 282 km)
  • Rate of climb: 650 ft/min (3.3 m/s)
gollark: You could use that to argue that if you, say, start up a competing brick company and drop the market price of bricks, you are stealing from other brick companies.
gollark: *However*, that doesn't work on other stuff.
gollark: Anyway, ignoring the "inherent", you raise an interesting point regarding it diminishing the value of other copies.
gollark: Yep!
gollark: If a book sits in an empty vacuum in a universe devoid of all life, it does not have value because nobody cares about it and values it.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References
  1. "none". Popular Aviation: 32. June 1931.
  2. David Mondey. The complete illustrated encyclopedia of the world's aircraft.
  3. "none". Popular Aviation: 11. July 1931.
  4. Aerospace Industries Association of America; Manufacturers Aircraft Association; Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America (1932). Aircraft year book, Volume 14. American Aviation Publications.
  5. "none". Popular Aviation: 35. November 1931.
  6. "none". Popular Aviation: 96. December 1931.
  7. "none". Popular Aviation: 134. December 1931.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.