The US Aviation CAVU (named for the aeronautical
meteorology
Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...
term meaning "Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited") is an American
high-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 co ...
,
strut-braced, single-seat, open cockpit, single engine in
pusher configuration,
ultralight aircraft that was designed and produced by
AeroDreams
AeroDreams S.A. is a defense contractor based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It has been working since 2001 in developing unmanned aerial vehicles for military and non-military use. The company's CEO is Raúl Fernández.
The company developed and ...
of
Manchester, Tennessee
Manchester is a city in Coffee County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 12,213 at the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Coffee County. The city is located halfway between Nashville and Chattanooga on Interstate 24.
Manchester i ...
, but marketed by
US Aviation of
St Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...
under their brand name. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for
amateur construction.
[Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 344. BAI Communications. ][Downey, Julia: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 74. Primedia Publications. ]
Design and development
The aircraft 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 req ...
rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of . The CAVU has an empty weight of . The design goals for the CAVU were a simple and inexpensive aircraft, achieving good performance with a small and inexpensive engine.
The aircraft is made from
aluminium
Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...
tubing, wood and fabric. The
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraf ...
is built on an aluminium tube, which supports the tail as well as the pilot's seat. Its span wing is braced by a single
lift 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 ...
. Powered by a
Zenoah G-25
The Zenoah G-25 is a single cylinder, two stroke, carburetted aircraft engine, with optional fuel injection, designed for use on ultralight aircraftCliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page G-8 Cybair Limited Publi ...
engine of , the CAVU cruises at . Acceptable engines can range in power from . The fuel capacity is , with optional. The
landing gear
Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Martin ...
is
tricycle 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 ...
.
Estimated assembly time from the kit is 100 hours.
Specifications (CAVU)
See also
References
{{US Aviation aircraft
1990s United States ultralight aircraft
Homebuilt aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1997
High-wing aircraft
Single-engined pusher aircraft