The Steen Skybolt is an American homebuilt aerobatic biplane. Designed by teacher Lamar Steen as a high school engineering project, the prototype first flew in October 1970.[1][2]
Steen Skybolt | |
---|---|
Role | Aerobatic biplane |
National origin | United States |
Manufacturer | Steen Aero Lab Inc |
Designer | Lamar Steen |
First flight | October 1970 |
Status | Plans available |
Primary user | private owner pilots |
Number built | over 400 |
Variants | Starfire Firebolt |
The aircraft has a classic structure consisting of a welded tube fuselage and wooden wings, all fabric covered. It is a tandem open-cockpit two-seat biplane and is stressed for normal aerobatics. The cockpits are frequently constructed as a single tandem cabin with an enclosing bubble canopy. Some aerobatic competition aircraft are built as single seaters with the front cockpit closed off.
The original Skybolt had a 180 hp (134 kW) Lycoming HO-360-B1B engine, but powerplants of 150 to 260 hp (112 to 194 kW) can be installed.[3]
The Skybolt has become popular as an amateur-built sporting biplane, with over 400 aircraft having been completed from construction plans sold in over 29 countries.[3] A Skybolt won the Reserve Grand Champion Custom Built for 1979 at the Experimental Aircraft Association airshow in Oshkosh Wisconsin.[4] Sixteen examples were registered in the United Kingdom in January 2009.[5]
Data from Simpson 2001
General characteristics
Performance
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era