Tandem Flybaby

It is my intent to publish details of my tandem flybaby project here on the web as it proceeds. When the thing is done, tested and flying I intend to submit the details to Contact! magazine. I do this in the spirit of experimentation in the EAA. I have learned from the projects that others have undertaken, and I hope I have incorporated the good and avoided mistakes because of this. I publish so that others may learn from my mistakes and successes.

As of Jan 1998 I have completed the fuselage primary structure, the underfin structure, the tailwheel, the vertical fin and the aft turtledeck. I'm working on the main gear, and the super-structure around the cockpits, but I've returned to full time grad school and progress is glacial in pace.

I hope to have the fuselage on-gear, the tail attached, and the cockpits mostly complete by the Chapter 284 Flyin in Septermber 1998.

I purchased a Lycoming O-290-G engine for my project. It was an O-290 that I weighed and measured in planning my modifications to Pete Bower's design, so I'm happy to have found one at a reasonable cost. I have disassembled it completely. There is rust on the outside of the cylinders, but the insides look good. There are some occasional spots of rust (1mm or so) on the connecting rods and some shallow surface rust on the gears in the accessory case, but it looks shallow. The crank could use some polish on the journals, but it isn't out more than a thousandth or three.

As of March 2001 the project is on-hold. There's nothing wrong with the project itself. I have returned to school to get my PhD and this is a little time consuming, so I haven't had time to work on the plane for near two years.

Current status is that I was beginning to mock up a roll-over structure. I saw what happened to Charlie Hilliard at Sun-N-Fun a few years ago and it's not going to happen to me. There'll be a 4130 bar hidden behind the pilot's windscreen. The mock-up is in PVC pipe, and is at this point incomplete.

I will return the the project when I get some time. Maybe a little this summer.

  • What's a Flybaby? A brief synopsis on the standard single place design.
  • Ron Wanttaja's Flybaby Page The most complete description of the design.
  • I Drove N500F My brief encounter with the Flybaby prototype.

  • The Decision How I came to decide to make a two place out of the thing.
  • The Design What changes did I make in converting it to a two place.
  • Project Purchase About a partially complete project I bought.
  • Construction Photos Of the fuselage.
  • Three View Drawings Of what the thing should look like when it's done. (large .gif files)
  • Fuselage Drawings Shows the principal changes from the single place fuselage. (LARGE .gif files)
  • CAD Drawings New and improved. Shows fuselage side construction.
  • (FAQ) Frequently Asked Questions

  • Go to Dave Munday's Webpage