The Falconar F11 Sporty is a Canadian amateur-built aircraft, that was designed by Chris Falconar and produced by Falconar Avia. Falconar supplied it as a kit or as plans for amateur construction. Today both the F11A and E models are available as plans from Manna Aviation.Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 52. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 155 & 157. BAI Communications.

Design and development

The F11 is a variant of the

Jodel D11 The Jodel D.11 is a French two-seat monoplane designed and developed by Société Avions Jodel in response to a French government request for a low-wing aircraft for use by the nation's many emerging flying clubs. More than 3,000 examples have b ...

. Falconar indicated that it incorporates a larger cockpit, simplified fittings, shoulder harnesses and aerodynamic improvements to improve stall characteristics. Hans Teijgeler of Jodel.com says that the F11 varies from the D11 by using a new wing design, with new simplified

spar SPAR, originally DESPAR, styled as DE SPAR, is a Dutch multinational that provides branding, supplies and support services for independently owned and operated food retail stores. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1932, by Adriaan van Well, ...

and rib design and the dihedral point moved inboard, allowing the outer portion to fold for ground transport or storage, but at the cost of added weight. Teijgeler describes the wing as "less efficient". Teijgeler also notes that the F11 uses larger and heavier engines with higher fuel consumption. Teijgeler says of the Falconar F11, "the Falconar 'Jodel' should not be looked upon as a Jodel, but as a Falconar. This is ither good or bad. Just a fact to take into account" The F11 features a cantilever

low-wing A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

, a two-seats-in- side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit that is wide, fixed

conventional landing gear Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...

, or optionally

tricycle landing gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...

, and a single engine in

tractor configuration In aviation, the term tractor configuration refers to an aircraft constructed in the standard configuration with its engine mounted with the propeller in front of it so that the aircraft is "pulled" through the air. Oppositely, the pusher co ...

. The aircraft is made from wood, with its flying surfaces covered in doped

aircraft fabric Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...

. Its span wing has an area of and optionally can mount flaps. The aircraft's recommended engine power range is and engines that have been used include the

Continental O-200 The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...

, the

Continental A-65 The Continental O-170 engine is the collective military designation for a family of small aircraft engines, known under the company designation of A50, A65, A75 and A80. The line was designed and built by Continental Motors commencing in the 194 ...

, the

Lycoming O-235 The Lycoming O-235 is a family of four-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed piston aircraft engines that produce , derived from the earlier O-233 engine.Textron Lycoming: ''Operator's Manual, Textron Lycoming Aircraft Engines, Series O-23 ...

, the

Lycoming O-290 Lycoming may refer to the following, most of which are at least partly in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States: Geography * Lycoming, New York, a hamlet * Lycoming County, Pennsylvania * Lycoming Township, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania * L ...

, the

Franklin 4AC The Franklin O-150 (company designation 4AC-150) was an American air-cooled aircraft engine of the late 1930s. The engine was of four-cylinder, horizontally-opposed layout and displaced . The power output was nominally . Applications * Aer ...

Volkswagen air-cooled engine The Volkswagen air-cooled engine is an air-cooled, gasoline-fuelled, boxer engine with four horizontally opposed cast-iron cylinders, cast aluminum alloy cylinder heads and pistons, magnesium-alloy crankcase, and forged steel crankshaft and ...

four-strokes and the Hirth F-30

two-stroke A two-stroke (or two-stroke cycle) engine is a type of internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during one power cycle, this power cycle being completed in one revolution of ...

powerplant. Construction time from the supplied kit varies depending on the model built. The F11 was later developed into the larger

Falconar F12A Cruiser The Falconar F12A Cruiser is a Canadian amateur-built aircraft, designed by Chris Falconar and originally produced as a kit by Falconar Avia. The aircraft is now supplied as plans for amateur construction by Manna Aviation.Vandermeullen, Richa ...

, a two-seater with an option of a third seat.

Operational history

By November 2012, 20 examples had been registered with

Transport Canada Transport Canada (french: Transports Canada) is the department within the Government of Canada responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of road, rail, marine and air transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transporta ...

, 13 in the United States with the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic ...

and two with the CAA in the United Kingdom.

Variants

;F11A Sporty :Initial model with an empty weight of and a gross weight of . Construction time from the supplied kit is 1200 hours. One hundred reported completed and flown by 2011. Options for this model include flaps, vertical coil spring main landing gear, tricycle gear, auxiliary fuel tanks, a three piece folding wing and floats for water operations. ;F11E Sporty :Lightened model introduced in 1987 for the Canadian basic ultralight category with an empty weight of and a gross weight of . Construction time from the supplied kit is 1000 hours. One reported completed and flown by 2011

Specifications (F11A)

References

External links

F11A official websiteF11E official website
{{Falconar Avia aircraft Homebuilt aircraft F11 Sporty Single-engined tractor aircraft