You Knew They'd Be OK, But It's Nice to Get Official
Approval
The FAA has approved New Glasair¹s Jump-Start
Kits for the GlaStar. The kits meet the "51% rule" for
Amateur-Built Aircraft, while saving builders up to 50% of the
build time.
Jump-Start Kits eliminate much of the redundancy required in
construction, and with the use of factory fixturing, assure a much
higher level of quality, fit and finish of all GlaStar
components.
GlaStar kits consist of tail, wing and fuselage assemblies. With
the Jump-Start fuselage, the composite fuselage structure arrives
at the builder¹s shop completely assembled and mated to the
steel tube cage with all structural bulkheads factory-installed.
The builder installs the windows and doors and then moves on to
wing, tail and systems installation.
The majority of even the cosmetic work is completed for the
builder, too: the cabin area is pre-painted so as to provide the
builder a nice-looking, completed interior, straight from the
factory. In addition, the exterior is finished with a durable white
gel-coat, which has been buffed to a high gloss.
Jump-Start wings are nearly ready to bolt onto the
fuselage when they arrive. Upper skins and stiffeners are drilled
and simply require final attachment. Ailerons and flaps are
completely finished and ready to hang on the wings.
The tail components are structurally complete. Tips need to be
added to the stabilizer, counterweights have to be attached to the
elevator and the rudder is finished except for the tip.
The only way to build it faster would be to make it
inflatable.
"Depending on the experience and determination of the builder,
the Jump-Start kits could knock anywhere from 600 to 800 hours off
the assembly process, and cutting the build time in half" said New
Glasair President Mikael Via. "The object of our Jump-Start program
is to assure that the customer gets the aircraft finished and
flying quickly. This program is the shortest distance between the
kit purchase and the runway. Pilots who start with the tail kit are
going to be amazed at how quickly it all goes together and how soon
they'll be moving onto the fuselage."
Presently, there are about 300 GlaStars flying and another 600+
under construction. With the Jump Start Kits, the company expects
completions to escalate dramatically.
Construction
The GlaStar features a composite shell over a
steel truss fuselage and all-metal wings and tail surfaces. It is a
two-seat, high wing airframe that accepts engines between 125 and
180 hp. With the 160 hp Lycoming engine, the GlaStar cruises at 160
mph, stalls at 49 mph and takes off and lands in less than 300
feet. It has a typical useful load of 760 pounds and a 1000-mile
range with VFR reserve. GlaStars can be built as tail-draggers,
with tricycle gear, and can be outfitted with floats or skis.
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