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.[1]
Starduster | |
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Stolp-Adams Starduster, amateur-built in 1966, at Long Beach Airport, California, in 1971 | |
Role | Single seat sport aircraft Type of 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) |
Variants | Stolp Starduster Too |
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.[2]
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.[2]
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,[2] though more powerful engines of up to 200 hp (150 kW) have been fitted.[3] 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.[1][2]
Starduster plans remain available more than 50 years after the first flight and homebuilding building continues.[4] A Starduster register[5] 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.[6]
Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1966/7, p.331,[2] Aerofiles[9]
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Stolp aircraft | |
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Fixed wing aircraft |