7/8 Nieuport 11 flying qualities?

The 7/8 scale Nieuport 11 (Graham Lee plans) can't be built as a legal
Part 103 Ultralight - 254 pounds - without making so many changes to the
plans that the result would almost certainly be an unsafe structure.

Most VW engine N-11's weigh about 450-475 pounds. Use a Rotax 277
engine, eliminate the brakes, battery and a bunch of other non-essential
stuff and you're still going to be around 100 pounds overweight for a UL.

They fly OK. Ground handling is typical of many taildraggers that
require constant dancing on the rudder pedals. It is not among the more
benign taildraggers. YES, it is easy to groundloop.

Information and pictures of Nieuport building process:
http://eaa292.org/noonpatrol.html
http://www.kcdawnpatrol.org/

The Graham Lee plans are not very detailed and leave at lot up to the
builder to figure out. If I were going to do it again I'd go with a
Nieuport Kit from Robert Baslee:
http://www.airdromeaeroplanes.com/

I'd use a VW 1600 or 1835 engine with a redrive. The thrust is far
greater from a big slower turning prop than the small prop used on a
direct drive VW.

- John Ousterhout -



Chris Wells wrote:
I'm considering a Nieuport 11 ultralight, and I was wondering if anyone
here has flown one, or heard anything about how they fly. Will they fly
hands off, or do you constantly have to stay on top of things? Are they
easy to ground-loop?