230:, found a Sunburst's Cuyuna UL-430RR engine to have thrust ranging from 10 pounds at ground idle to 208 pounds maximum in flight. In static testing, the report said: "...fuel consumption ranged from about 1.0 Ibs/Hr at idle to 18 Ibs/Hr at 2600 RPM and, from there, increased to 35 Ibs/Hr at 2810 RPM."
241:
A number of
Sunbursts suffered structural failures that resulted in fatal accidents (reportedly involving cable breakages killing four pilots). The cause was traced to cable attachment brackets that were made with rough holes that over time in service sawed through the cable thimbles and caused the
176:
tubing (mostly anodized). (On the
Sunburst C, the wing spars and mixer assembly use 6061-TS stock, not anodized, with thicknesses of 0.058-inch and 0.049-inch.) Its 36 ft (11.0 m) span wing is supported by cables (on the Sunburst C: 3/32-inch and 1/8-inch plastic-coated, stainless steel
203:
features a steerable nose wheel and suspension on all three wheels (two large, one small, fiber-spoked wheels). The aircraft originally came without brakes, and was configured to allow the pilot to use his feet to hold the aircraft stationary on the ground under the engine's static thrust.
256:
Starting in
January, 1983, the University of Kansas, sponsored by NASA, initiated several different analytic studies of various aspects of an Airmass Sunburst Model 'C', with the reports published by NASA in the public domain.
330:(owner: Bob Sterner), who resumed production of the two Double Star company models, and a third, the Star Fire (along with Sterner's own unrelated Sky Walker design). By early 1985, Sterner Ultracraft had ceased operation.
245:
In service, the propeller extension shaft suffered from vibration issues that caused failures of the engine output shaft. This was addressed by the use of a vibration dampening shaft coupler made from rubber.
282:. Following a series of fatal crashes, the craft was modified. A Sunburst Model 'C' was also produced by Airmass, and studied extensively in 1983 by the University of Kansas for NASA.
181:. (The Sunburst C's upper flying wires are not plastic-coated.) Sunbrust C fasteners are AN-aircraft grade standard hardware, with assorted plastic caps, plugs, saddles, and spacers.
233:
Construction time from the factory-supplied assembly kit was estimated at 30 hours. The aircraft can be disassembled and stored in a bag suitable for car-top ground transportation.
302:
In April, 1983, the company's chief pilot, Robert Burger, was killed in the crash of his ultralight, and by July, 1983, the company had announced plans to dissolve the business.
219:- is mounted under the wing. It drives the pusher propeller through an extension shaft. The Sunburst C was supplied with a 54"x27" laminated, 2-ply birch-wood propeller.
150:
rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb (115 kg). The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 253 lb (115 kg). It features a
878:
683:, NOTE: Document at both locations includes a photocopy of the original manufacturer's description / equipment list / spec sheet for the Sunburst Model 'C'.
184:
Wing and tail of the
Sunburst C were originally surfaced with 3.9-ounce stabilized Dacron fabric. The control system is three-axis, with roll controlled by
888:
119:
65:
594:
560:
250:
310:
In the autumn of 1983, the design was acquired by Double Star
Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc., of Texas, and marketed as the
857:
841:
819:
796:
718:
676:
216:
291:
883:
147:
327:
131:
290:
The design was acquired by
Personal Planes, Inc. (owned by James Bender and Robert Blackman), the operator of the
555:
2nd. Ed., 1985, Foulis/Haynes
Publications (Sparkford, Somerset, England, UK / Newbury Park, Connecticut, USA),
680:
249:
In 1982, designer Massey piloted one of his
Sunburst ultralights across the English Channel, as part of the
111:
61:
372:(two-seat version produced by Double Star Manufacturing & Engineering, Inc., and Sterner Ultracraft)
185:
162:
127:
69:
738:
714:
702:
672:
223:
166:
278:
were designed by John Massey, and originally produced by
Airmass, Inc. in the Kansas City suburb of
786:
735:"Summary of the Weight and Balance, and The Drag Characteristics of a Typical Ultralight Aircraft,"
679:
report NAS 1.26:175356, retrieved from NASA Technical
Reports Server, September 13, 2021; also at
103:
99:
57:
32:
831:
809:
135:
759:
366:(version produced by Double Star Manufacturing & Engineering, Inc., and Sterner Ultracraft)
348:(referenced as test subject in series of NASA-sponsored research tests by University of Kansas)
836:
814:
791:
768:
744:
590:
556:
279:
107:
721:
report NAS 1.26:175354, retrieved from NASA Technical Reports Server, September 13, 2021
212:
360:(improved model, with early post-fatality fixes, as produced by Personal Planes, Inc.)
196:. The pilot is accommodated on an open (fiberglas bucket) seat, without a windshield.
872:
618:
295:
115:
47:
200:
193:
151:
863:
707:"Determination of the Static Performance of a Cuyuna CC Model UL-430RR Engine"
706:
665:"Weight and Balance for the Airmass Incorporated Sunburst Model C Ultralight,"
664:
451:
447:
208:
189:
154:
178:
173:
734:
326:
In the spring of 1984, Double Star merged with Sterner Ultracraft, of
242:
flight cables to break. This was addressed by replacing the brackets.
743:
Volume 93, Section 4: 840772––841109 (1984), pp. 718-733 (16 pages),
158:
102:
that was designed by John Massey and produced in the early 1980s by
844:
transcript, retrieved from NewspaperArchive.com, September 13, 2021
822:
transcript, retrieved from NewspaperArchive.com, September 13, 2021
799:
transcript, retrieved from NewspaperArchive.com, September 13, 2021
123:
710:
668:
227:
762:
Aug. 27, 1983, in "Blast from the Past: The top stories in the
553:
Berger-Burr's Ultralight and Microlight Aircraft of the World,
663:
Woltkamp, John A.; Carlos L. Blacklock and Dr. Jan Roskam:
589:
8th Edition, page E-38. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.
858:
Photos of an Airmass Sunburst in flight and on ground
563:, pages 411-412, in section for "Sterner Ultracraft."
547:
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521:
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760:"Norwalk’s airport loses its operators Thursday,"
440:5 U.S. gallons (19 L; 4.2 imp gal)
306:Double Star Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc.
120:Double Star Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc.
66:Double Star Engineering & Manufacturing, Inc.
146:The aircraft was designed to comply with the US
781:
779:
747:, retrieved from JSTOR.org, September 14, 2021
766:on Aug. 27, 1983," republished Aug 27, 2020,
8:
860:, from Barnstormers.com, September 12, 2021.
755:
753:
733:Blaclock, Carlos L., Jr.; and Jan Roskam:
729:
727:
659:
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172:The airframe is made from bolted-together
653:
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211:engine of 30 hp (22 kW) - with
134:. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for
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579:
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573:
571:
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499:3.30 lb/sq ft (16.1 kg/m)
454:aircraft engine, 30 hp (22 kW)
384:Cliche and the Virtual Ultralight Museum
879:1980s United States ultralight aircraft
511:
342:(original aircraft, as described above)
481:100 mi (160 km, 87 nmi)
475:25 mph (40 km/h, 22 kn)
469:35 mph (56 km/h, 30 kn)
20:
612:
610:
608:
606:
604:
602:
551:Berger, Alain-Yves and Norman Burr:
7:
787:"Airport Deal isn't off the ground,"
832:obituary: "Robert Burger, Collins,"
587:Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide
177:cable) attached to an inverted "V"
864:Video introduction to the Sunburst
810:"Ultralight Pilot Dies in Crash ,"
617:Virtual Ultralight Museum (n.d.).
14:
422:159 sq ft (14.8 m)
298:. The design was marketed as the
251:1982 London-Paris ultralight race
192:and pitch and yaw controlled by
215:, forced-air cooling, and dual
161:, a single-seat, open cockpit,
889:Single-engined pusher aircraft
493:800 ft/min (4.1 m/s)
1:
719:National Academies of Science
677:National Academies of Science
217:capacitive-discharge ignition
773:retrieved September 13, 2021
292:Norwalk-Huron County Airport
16:American ultralight aircraft
148:FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles
905:
328:Sterling Heights, Michigan
132:Sterling Heights, Michigan
434:525 lb (238 kg)
428:253 lb (115 kg)
377:Specifications (Sunburst)
23:
713:Report NASA-CR-175354 /
671:Report NASA-CR-175356 /
487:10:1 at 40 mph (64 km/h)
717:report KU-FRL-6135-1 /
675:report KU-FRL-6135-2 /
404:16 ft (4.9 m)
389:General characteristics
165:and a single engine in
416:9 ft (2.7 m)
410:36 ft (11 m)
142:Design and development
789:, October 26, 1983,
286:Personal Planes, Inc.
163:tricycle landing gear
112:Personal Planes, Inc.
88:Production completed
62:Personal Planes, Inc.
715:University of Kansas
703:University of Kansas
701:Roskam, Jan, Ph.D. (
673:University of Kansas
485:Maximum glide ratio:
224:University of Kansas
167:pusher configuration
136:amateur construction
834:, April 28, 1983,
709:, October 1, 1983,
237:Operational history
100:ultralight aircraft
33:Ultralight aircraft
884:Homebuilt aircraft
667:November 1, 1983,
322:Sterner Ultracraft
314:(single-seat) and
261:Production history
128:Sterner Ultracraft
70:Sterner Ultracraft
837:Sandusky Register
815:Sandusky Register
792:Sandusky Register
769:Norwalk Reflector
764:Norwalk Reflector
745:SAE International
280:Stillwell, Kansas
108:Stillwell, Kansas
92:
91:
896:
845:
829:
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812:April 28, 1983,
806:
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739:SAE Transactions
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96:Airmass Sunburst
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36:Type of aircraft
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222:A study by the
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98:is an American
43:National origin
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852:External links
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491:Rate of climb:
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497:Wing loading:
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467:Cruise speed:
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432:Gross weight:
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296:Norwalk, Ohio
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274:and two-seat
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116:Norwalk, Ohio
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104:Airmass, Inc.
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58:Airmass, Inc.
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54:Manufacturer
53:
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48:United States
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28:
27:
22:
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624:December 17,
622:. Retrieved
586:
552:
502:
496:
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484:
478:
473:Stall speed:
472:
466:
459:
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431:
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395:
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354:(two-seater)
351:
345:
339:
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318:(two-seat).
315:
311:
309:
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248:
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221:
207:The 2-cycle
206:
201:landing gear
198:
194:ruddervators
183:
171:
152:cable-braced
145:
95:
93:
80:John Massey
18:
681:Archive.org
460:Performance
444:Powerplant:
370:Double Star
352:Sunburst II
316:Double Star
300:Sunburst V.
276:Sunburst II
873:Categories
795:, p. 19",
619:"Sunburst"
506:References
452:two-stroke
448:Cuyuna 430
420:Wing area:
358:Sunburst V
346:Sunburst C
209:Cuyuna 430
190:side stick
188:, using a
408:Wingspan:
382:Data from
364:Lone Star
312:Lone Star
155:high-wing
130:based in
77:Designer
24:Sunburst
842:OCR text
820:OCR text
797:OCR text
340:Sunburst
334:Variants
272:Sunburst
186:spoilers
179:kingpost
174:aluminum
840:p. 6",
818:p. 1,"
414:Height:
402:Length:
266:Airmass
85:Status
593:
559:
479:Range:
226:, for
159:V-tail
396:Crew:
124:Texas
29:Role
711:NASA
705:):
669:NASA
626:2011
591:ISBN
557:ISBN
446:1 ×
270:The
228:NASA
199:The
126:and
94:The
398:one
294:in
122:of
114:of
106:of
875::
778:^
752:^
726:^
688:^
634:^
601:^
568:^
514:^
253:.
169:.
138:.
118:,
110:,
72:.
68:;
64:;
60:;
771:,
741:,
628:.
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