Acrolite

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title: "Acrolite" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["homebuilt-aircraft", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "aerobatic-aircraft"] description: "Family of Canadian homebuilt aircraft" topic_path: "arts/film" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrolite" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Family of Canadian homebuilt aircraft ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]

Field	Value
name	Acrolite
aircraft_type	Amateur-built aircraft
national_origin	Canada
manufacturer	Acrolite Aircraft
designer	Ron Wilson
status	Plans available (2021)
first_flight	October 1986
::

| name = Acrolite | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Amateur-built aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = Canada | manufacturer = Acrolite Aircraft | design_group = | designer = Ron Wilson | builder = | issuer = | status = Plans available (2021) | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = | retired = | first_flight = October 1986 | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The Acrolite is a family of Canadian amateur-built aircraft, designed by Ron Wilson and produced by Acrolite Aircraft of Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, in the form of plans for amateur construction.

Design and development

The aircraft in the series all feature one or two seats, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The Acrolite fuselages are all made from welded 4130 steel tubing, with wooden structure wings covered in hot laminated plywood and control surfaces made from aluminum sheet. All other surfaces are covered in doped aircraft fabric. Wing arrangements, cockpit and engines vary by model.

Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Co supplies plans and materials kits for the Acrolite 1C. The company claims that the 16 airframe-only materials packages cost under US$10,000.

Operational history

The Acrolite 1A won a Canadian Owners and Pilots Association "Good Show" award in 1998 and the Acrolite 1B was chosen as one of two finalists in the 1995 Aircraft Spruce & Speciality Scratchbuild Design Contest.

In March 2017, five examples were registered with Transport Canada, although a total of seven had been once registered.

Variants

;Acrolite 1A :Single-seat biplane for the Canadian basic ultralight category, first flown in October 1986. Plans no longer available. The prototype was originally powered by a 38 hp Kawasaki 440 and later by a 40 hp Rotax 447 two-strokes powerplant. ;Acrolite 1B :Single-seat biplane for sportsman aerobatics. In addition to the standard wooden wing, optional 2024-T3 aluminum sheet wings can be built. The recommended engine is the 80 hp Rotax 912UL, although the 64 hp Rotax 582or the 120 hp Rotax 618 two-strokes can be used as well. ;Acrolite 1C :Single-seat biplane for sportsman aerobatics, with performance improvements over the 1B. Engines include 64 hp Rotax 582, 74 hp, Hirth F30 120 hp Rotax 618 two-strokes and the 80 hp Rotax 912UL, the 100 hp Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant. ;Acrolite 1M :Single-seat high-wing, strut-braced monoplane. Engines include 40 hp Rotax 447, 50 hp Rotax 503 and the 64 hp Rotax 582 two-strokes or other similar powerplants. Acrolight Aircraft reports that no prototype has been completed or flown by September 2012. ;Acrolite 1T :Single-seat triplane for sportsman aerobatics, with wings covered with epoxy fiberglass sheet or optionally plywood. Ailerons are only fitted to the middle wing. Engines include 40 hp Rotax 447, 50 hp Rotax 503 and the 64 hp Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplants. ;Acrolite 2M :Two seats in tandem, high-wing strut-braced monoplane intended for the Canadian advanced ultralight category and American light-sport aircraft category, first flown in June 1994. Engines include 64 hp Rotax 582, 74 hp Rotax 618 two-strokes and the 80 hp Rotax 912UL and 85 hp Jabiru 2200 four-stroke powerplants. As of August 2012, the design does not appear on the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft or on Transport Canada's list of advanced ultralights.

Specifications (Acrolite 1C)

|ref=Bayerl and Acrolite Aircraft |prime units?=met General characteristics

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft=17 |length in= |length note= |span m=6.09 |span ft= |span in= |span note= |height m= |height ft=6 |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm=12.36 |wing area sqft= |wing area note= |aspect ratio=8:1 |airfoil=GA30U-212 semi-symmetrical airfoil or, optionally a GA30U-012 fully symmetrical |empty weight kg=205 |empty weight lb= |empty weight note= |gross weight kg=362 |gross weight lb= |gross weight note= |fuel capacity=34 L |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Rotax 912UL |eng1 type=four cylinder, liquid and air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine |eng1 kw=60 |eng1 hp=

|prop blade number= |prop name= |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note=

Performance

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh=210 |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh=176 |cruise speed mph= |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh=72 |stall speed mph= |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph=160 |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles=250 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits=+6/-4 |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms=9 |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2=29.3 |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics=

References

References

1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', pages 89-90. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. {{ISSN. 1368-485X
2. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', pages 91. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN. 1368-485X
3. [[Aircraft Spruce and Specialty]]. (2012). "Acrolite".
4. Acrolite Aircraft. "The Original Acrolite Biplane".
5. Acrolite Aircraft. "General Description of the Acrolite 1B Light Aircraft".
6. [[Transport Canada]]. (28 March 2017). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register".
7. [[Transport Canada]]. (28 March 2017). "Canadian Civil Aircraft Register History Search Result".
8. Acrolite Aircraft. (1999). "Ron Wilson design Acrolite Aircraft".
9. Acrolite Aircraft. "Acrolite 1C Light Aircraft".
10. Acrolite Aircraft. "General Description of the Acrolite 1M Light Aircraft".
11. Acrolite Aircraft. "General Description of the Acrolite 1T Light Aircraft".
12. Acrolite Aircraft. (n.d.). "General Description of the 2 place Acrolite 2M Light Aircraft".
13. [[Federal Aviation Administration]]. (21 June 2012). "SLSA Make/Model Directory".
14. [[Transport Canada]]. (15 August 2012). "Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)".
15. Acrolite Aircraft. (n.d.). "General Description of the Acrolite Model 1C Biplane".

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