Fisher FP-606 Sky Baby

FP-606 Sky Baby
Role Kit aircraft
National origin Canada
Manufacturer Fisher Flying Products
First flight 1986
Introduction 1986
Number built 15 (2011)[1]

The Fisher FP-606 Sky Baby is a Canadian single-seat, conventional landing gear or tricycle landing gear-equipped, single-engined, high-wing monoplane kit aircraft designed for construction by amateur builders. Fisher Flying Products was originally based in Edgeley, North Dakota, USA but the company is now located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Development

The FP-606 was designed by Fisher Aircraft in the United States in 1986 and was intended to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category, with the category's maximum 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight. The 606's standard empty weight is 250 lb (113 kg) when equipped with a two-stroke 25 hp (19 kW) Hirth F-33 engine. The design goal was to provide an ultralight version of the Cessna 150 or Cessna 152, including its looks, styling features and docile handling. To this end the 606 incorporates the 150's Omni-Vision style rear window and the swept fin found on post-1965 Cessna 150s.[3][5][6] The wings are the same design as the Fisher FP-202 Koala with modified wingtips.[7]

The construction of the FP-606 is of wood, with the fuselage built from wood strips arranged in a geodesic form, resulting in a very strong and light aircraft with redundant load paths. The wings, tail and fuselage are covered with doped aircraft fabric. Like the Cessna 150, the 606's wings are strut-braced, but where the 150 uses a single strut, the FP-606 incorporates a "V" strut with "N" jury struts. Also unlike the 150, which has large and powerful flaps, the 606 has no flaps. The FP-606 can be fitted with either conventional-configuration (taildragger) or tricycle-style landing gear, which is bungee suspended in either configuration. The FP-606 has a single door for pilot access, that can be removed for flight. The company claims an amateur builder would need 500 hours to build the FP-606.[3][5][6]

The US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicle category version of the FP-606 requires a light weight powerplant, such as the originally specified, but now out-of-production 28 hp (21 kW) Rotax 277 or the current 25 hp (19 kW) Hirth F-33. Amateur-built category versions can be powered by the 40 hp (30 kW) Rotax 447 or 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 engines.[3][5][6]

The FP-606 won the Experimental Aircraft Association's Best New Design Award for light planes in 1988. By late 2011 more than 15 FP-606s were flying.[1][6]


Specifications (FP-606)

Data from Company website, AeroCrafter, Kitplanes and Cliche[2][3][4][5][6]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: no passengers
  • Length: 17 ft 9 in (5.41 m)
  • Wingspan: 28 ft 0 in (8.54 m)
  • Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
  • Wing area: 116 sq ft (10.79 sq m)
  • Empty weight: 250 lbs (113 kg)
  • Useful load: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Max. takeoff weight: 500 lbs (226 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Hirth F-33 Single cylinder, two-stroke piston engine, 25 hp (19 kW)

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References

  1. 1 2 3 Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 54. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  2. 1 2 Downey, Julia: Kit Aircraft Directory 2005, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 58. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 162. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  4. 1 2 Kitplanes Staff: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 48. Primedia Publications. IPM 0462012
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-25 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fisher Flying Products (n.d.). "FP-606". Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  7. ↑ Air Progress: 21. February 1989. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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