Stolp Starduster

The Stolp-Adams SA-100 Starduster is a U.S. single seat sport biplane designed to be built from plans supplied by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co. Though the first flight was in 1957, Stardusters continue to be built and flown.[2]

Starduster
Stolp-Adams Starduster, amateur-built in 1966, at Long Beach Airport, California, in 1971
Role Single seat sport aircraft
National origin United States
Manufacturer Stolp Aircraft
Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co.
Designer Louis A. Stolp and George M. Adams
First flight November 1957
Status Plans available (2012)
Unit cost
approximately $3600 to build in 1971[1]
Variants Stolp Starduster Too

Design and development

The SA-100 Starduster was designed by Louis A. Stolp and George M. Adams as a light sports aircraft for homebuilding from plans. It is a single bay biplane with fabric covered, wooden framed staggered wings, each pair braced by a single, wide chord interplane strut aided by bracing wires. A total of eight centre section struts join the upper wing to the fuselage, basically two pairs in N-form but with the forward strut doubled. The lower wing is unswept and has 1.5° of dihedral; the upper wing has 6° of sweep on its leading edge, no dihedral and a greater span. There are ailerons on the lower wings only, but no flaps.[3]

The fuselage and tail unit have a fabric covered steel tube structure, with the open cockpit positioned just behind the swept upper wing trailing edge which has a rounded cut-out for upward visibility. There is a long and prominent faired headrest behind the cockpit, on top of the curved upper fuselage surface. The Starduster has a conventional tail unit, with a wire braced tailplane and straight tapered, round topped fin and rudder, the latter extending to the keel between split elevators. Both rudder and elevators are horn balanced.[3]

The Starduster has a recommended power range of 125 to 160 hp (93 to 119 kW) and is usually powered by a four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, 125 hp (93 kW) Lycoming O-290-D-1,[3] though more powerful engines of up to 200 hp (150 kW) have been fitted.[4] It has a conventional tailwheel undercarriage. The mainwheels are mounted on V-struts hinged from the lower fuselage longeron, with rubber shock absorbers on diagonal extension struts between wheel and a short, central, under fuselage V-form mounting bracket. The main legs are often partially or completely faired and the wheels enclosed in spats.[2][3]

Operational history

Starduster plans remain available more than 50 years after the first flight and homebuilding building continues.[5] A Starduster register[6] currently shows 27 SA-100 Stardusters and 3 SA-101 Super Stardusters built and building. The FAA register shows 64 SA-100s and 1 SA-101, though not all are assigned and some further Stardusters appear without a type number.[7]

Variants
SA-100 Starduster
Original version, designed for non-aerobatic flight.[8]
SA-101 Stolp Super Starduster
Larger and more powerful — uses the longer wings of the CA300 Starduster Too, which have a symmetric M6 airfoil and no dihedral, together with a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming I0-360-A1A engine to produce a maximum speed of over 170 mph (275 km/h).[9]

Specifications (SA-100)

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1966/7, p.331,[3] Aerofiles[10]

General characteristics

  • Capacity: 1
  • Length: 16 ft 6 in (5.03 m)
  • Upper wingspan: 19 ft 0 in (5.79 m)
  • Lower wingspan: 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
  • Wing area: 110.0 sq ft (10.22 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 6.33
  • Airfoil: NACA 4412
  • Empty weight: 700 lb (318 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1,080 lb (490 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 20 Imp gal (24 US gal, 91 L)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-290-D-1 4-cylinder horizontally opposed air cooled, 125 hp (93 kW)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Sensenich M74DM61 fixed pitch

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 148 mph (238 km/h, 129 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn)
  • Stall speed: 55 mph (89 km/h, 48 kn)
  • Range: 400 mi (640 km, 350 nmi)

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

References
  1. Leo J. Kohn (Winter 1971). "The true cost of building your own plane". Air Trails: 63.
  2. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011–12, page 121. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. Taylor, John W R (1966). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1966–67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
  4. "Starduster One SA100". Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  5. "Kits – Starduster". Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  6. "Starduster registry". Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  7. "FAA register". Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  8. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015–16, page 128. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  9. "SA101 Super Starduster". Retrieved 2011-05-12.
  10. "Aerofiles-Stolp". Retrieved 2011-05-11.
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