Stits SA 7 Sky Coupe

Design

Ray Stits designed 14 different homebuilt aircraft kits that were some of the first available to the general public built in quantity. Stits is also known to the general public as the maker of the Stits Junior, Stits SA-2A Sky Baby, and Stits Baby Bird, each of which was once the world's smallest aircraft. Engineer Harold Dale assisted in the certification process after completing his Dale Weejet 800.

The Skycoupe was provided as a kit with a pre-fabricated steel tube fuselage. The surfaces are fabric covered. The aircraft was designed to accommodate engines ranging from 60 to 90 hp (45 to 67 kW).

Variants

SA-7A

SA-7B

Powered by a Continental C85

SA-7C

SA-7D

Updated with a squared off swept tail configuration.

SA-9A

A type certificated version.

Specifications Stits SA-7 Skycoupe

Data from Experimenter

General characteristics

Capacity: 2

Length: 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)

Wingspan: 24 ft 4 in (7.42 m)

Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

Wing area: 120 sq ft (11 m²)

Empty weight: 600 lb (272 kg)

Gross weight: 1,080 lb (490 kg)

Fuel capacity: 17 US gallons (64 litres)

Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65 , 65 hp (48 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 87 kn; 161 km/h (100 mph)

Cruise speed: 78 kn; 145 km/h (90 mph)

Stall speed: 30 kn; 56 km/h (35 mph)

Range: 261 nmi; 483 km (300 mi)

Service ceiling: 12,000 ft (3,700 m)

Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)

Wing loading: 9 lb/sq ft (44 kg/m²)