Woodhopper ultralight aircraft, Woodhopper experimental aircraft, Woodhopper experimental light sport aircraft (ELSA), Light Sport Aircraft Pilot News newsmagazine.


Light Sport Aircraft Pilot is a directory of aircraft that generally fit into what are described as ultralight aircraft, advanced ultralight aircraft, light sport aircraft, experimental light sport aircraft, experimental aircraft, amateur built aircraft, ELSA or homebuilt aircraft in the United States and Canada. These include weight shift aircraft, more commonly known as trikes, powered parachutes, and powered para-gliders.

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Woodhopper Index

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Woodhopper ultralight, experimental lightsport, amateur built aircraft.

Yes Martha, there is a wood hopper!

On July 3, 1981 Popular Mechanics would offer the Wood Hopper. Number 33 in the long line of flying machines designs offered in plans form.  It was built and flown by John Chotia.

After a brainstorming session with editors of Popular Mechanics magazine, while at the 1980 E.A.A Oshkosh air show, John set out to design and build a low cost airplane using readily available materials and simple but proven construction techniques.

The result was a delightful blend of the modern and the traditional, a nostalgic all would taildragger, sporting a wider range 32 foot wing and tail feathers reminiscent of the Wright Brothers era.

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A tractor mounted engine, two axis control system and ample dihedral combine to make the wood hopper. A stable yet responsive wire, the ideal formula for an ultralight aircraft.

Weighing in at 149 pounds, the wood hopper is a foot launchable, part 103 legal ultralight aircraft. Top grade wood spars are teamed with fiberglass capped Styrofoam ribs to form the light weight, but incredibly strong wing and tail surfaces, which are then covered with ceconite using the time honored dope and fabric method of aircraft covering. The fuselage boom is a hefty spruce spar reinforced with fiberglass, and plywood sheet.

Affectionately dubbed Big Bird by the Weedhopper flight testing team, the all yellow airplane was ruled out of the hangar on a July evening for the first series of flight tests. After a skitterish high-speed taxi test down the strip, test pilot John Chotia poured the coal to the 460 CC powered craft and rolled a scant 75 feet before lifting off into a perfect sky.

After a few preliminary solo passes for the camera, the Woodhopper was joined by a pair of Weedhoppers for some formation flying. The new airplane, demonstrated an excellent climb rate, so good in fact, that the Weedhoppers were hard-pressed to keep up. After 45 minutes of effortless hands-off flying, John eased the Big Bird into an approach wide. At 25 mph indicated airspeed and greased her on in a near perfect three point landing with a landing roll of about 125 feet.

Further flight tests proved the Woodhopper to be an outstanding performer, with a rate of climb exceeding 400 ft./m. Although the prototype was powered by a 460 cc engine, the airplane will fly nicely on as little as 15 hp, especially at lower elevations. The Woodhopper was displayed at Oshkosh, 1981 and was featured in the November issue of Popular Mechanics.

Woodhopper ultralight aircraft, Woodhopper experimental aircraft, Woodhopper experimental light sport aircraft (ELSA), Light Sport Aircraft Pilot News newsmagazine.
Woodhopper ultralight - experimental lightsport aircraft

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Woodhopper Index

Woodhopper Pictures

Woodhopper Video

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