Belite To Show Its Single-Seat STOL Chipper at SNF

The Chipper SS, Chipper Aero's newest kitplane for the amateur-built market arrives at Sun n' Fun late Tuesday from Wichita, in time to strut its short takeoff and landing (STOL) stuff for the crowds through the weekend. Belite Aircraft company president James Wiebe said, "We continued to hear the call for a Part 103 (ultralight) airplane that was built and flew like a real airplane." Chipper Aero is a division of Belite Aircraft.

Chipper says the new single-seat aircraft includes honeycomb aluminum and honeycomb fiberglass included in the kit just like the original two-seat Chipper. The new airplane includes a sizable cabin and can be completed as either a Part 103 ultralight or as an experimental homebuilt airplane. The ears of many interested builders will perk up when they hear the Chipper demands no welding to assemble.

When assembled as an amateur-built kit, Chipper SS performance using a Rotax 503 engine delivers a takeoff roll of 120 feet, a 100-foot landing distance, a cruise speed of up to 70 mph and a stall speed of less than 32 mph. At gross weight, the SS climbs at 600 fpm.

The Chipper SS includes a conventional landing gear configuration (tailwheel), with tricycle gear an optional, as are folding wings and cabin doors. Sun n' Fun visitors can find the Chipper SS displayed in the Ultralight area on the south side of the show.