Skye Treck Skyseeker

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 248 lb (112 kg). It features a cable-braced high-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminium tubing, with the flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its single-surface 32 ft (9.8 m) span wing's cable bracing is supported by a single kingpost. The pilot is accommodated on an open seat, without a windshield. The landing gear features bungee suspension on all three wheels and the tail wheel is steerable. No brakes are fitted. The standard engine supplied was the single cylinder two-stroke Rotax 277 of 28 hp (21 kW) and it is mounted on the wing trailing edge, with the propeller turning in between the tail boom tubes. The engine utilizes a 2:1 belt reduction drive with a centrifugal clutch to allow the propeller to stop when the engine is at idle.

The Skyseeker sold in very large numbers in the 1980s in Canada.

Variants

Skyseeker Mk I

Initial single seat version with hybrid weight-shift and aerodynamic controls.

Skyseeker Mk II

Two seat version.

Skyseeker Mk III

Improved single seat version with three-axis aerodynamic controls, with spoilers for roll control.

Aircraft on display

British Columbia Aviation Museum

Specifications (Skyseeker Mk III)

Data from Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum

General characteristics

Crew: one

Length: 12 ft (3.7 m)

Wingspan: 32 ft (9.8 m)

Height: 9 ft (2.7 m)

Wing area: 160 sq ft (15 m²)

Empty weight: 248 lb (112 kg)

Gross weight: 496 lb (225 kg)

Fuel capacity: 5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal)

Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 277 single cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine, with a 2:1 belt reduction drive with a centrifugal clutch, 28 hp (21 kW)

Propellers: 2-bladed wooden, 4 ft (1.2 m) diameter

Performance

Maximum speed: 45 mph (72 km/h; 39 kn)

Cruise speed: 40 mph (64 km/h; 35 kn)

Stall speed: 20 mph (32 km/h; 17 kn)

Never exceed speed: 55 mph (89 km/h; 48 kn)

Range: 180 mi (156 nmi; 290 km)

Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m)

g limits: +5/-4

Maximum glide ratio: 6:1

Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (3.8 m/s)

Wing loading: 2.7 lb/sq ft (13 kg/m²)