The Theiss Sportster is an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed and produced by

Theiss Aviation Theiss UAV Solutions, formerly known as Theiss Aviation, is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Salem, Ohio. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of unmanned aerial vehicles and at one time produced ultralight aircraft ...

of Salem, Ohio, introduced in 1998. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 360. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998.

Design and development

The aircraft features a

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

layout, a single-seat, open cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The Sportster was designed to comply with the US

FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles Ultralight aircraft in the United States are much smaller and lighter than ultralight aircraft as defined by all other countries. In the United States, ultralights are described as "ultralight vehicles" and not as aircraft. They are not requ ...

rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of . The aircraft has a standard empty weight of . It was intended to resemble biplane of the 1930s and mounts its upper wing not on

cabane strut In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...

s, but on a central pylon that has a tunnel to allow the pilot forward vision. The aircraft is made with mixed construction, from aluminum, steel, wood and foam. Its span wings have a total wing area of . The cockpit width is . The aircraft has a typical empty weight of and a gross weight of , giving a useful load of . With full fuel of the payload for the pilot and baggage is . The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 400 hours. The company later turned its attention to produce unmanned aerial vehicles for the US Navy and no longer produces manned aircraft.

Operational history

By 1998 the company reported that two Sportsters had been completed and were flying. Customer kits were forecast to start shipping in March 1998.

Specifications (Sportster)

References

{{reflist Sportster 1990s United States sport aircraft 1990s United States ultralight aircraft 1990s United States civil utility aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Homebuilt aircraft