Ameri-Cana Eureka
Canadian ultralight aircraft
title: "Ameri-Cana Eureka" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1990s-canadian-ultralight-aircraft", "low-wing-aircraft", "single-engined-tractor-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1997", "homebuilt-aircraft", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear", "single-engined-piston-aircraft"] description: "Canadian ultralight aircraft" topic_path: "geography/canada" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ameri-Cana_Eureka" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Canadian ultralight aircraft ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox aircraft"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Ameri-Cana Eureka |
| aircraft_type | Ultralight aircraft |
| national_origin | Canada |
| manufacturer | Ameri-Cana Ultralights |
| designer | Wilf Stark |
| status | Production completed July 2003 |
| introduction | 1997 |
| first_flight | August 1997 |
| :: |
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The Ameri-Cana Eureka is a Canadian designed and built low-wing, single seat, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that was produced as a kit by Ameri-Cana Ultralights of Irricana, Alberta between 1997 and 2003.
Development
Designer Wilf Stark conceived the Eureka as a US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles compliant aircraft. Stark identified that the US market lacked "an affordable Ultralight that is also easy to build".
Stark further noted: "Although there are ultralight kits available for about $4500-$6500 (prior to engine purchase), they often require building and fabrication times that can approach 600 to 1000 hours for first-time builders. This realistically translates into 2 or more years of building time that somehow has to be accommodated among other family obligations. It is a sad statistic that less than one-third of purchased airplane kits ever get completed by the original purchaser. They either quietly wither away in a corner, or they are sold at a fraction of their original price, to be completed by someone else."
Another aim of the design was to keep the complete purchase cost under US$6000 as the designer felt that this was the maximum figure that most builders could justify without causing marital discord.
As a result, he designed the Eureka to be both inexpensive and quick to construct from an assembly kit. The kit included pre-built wings, tail and fuselage that could be bolted together in about 20 hours of labour for the airframe, giving a total assembly time of two weekends.
The aircraft is constructed predominantly from foam, aluminum and wood with no aircraft fabric used in finishing. Each 12 ft wing uses a deep spar, foam ribs and is covered in a single pre-painted white aluminum panel. The controls are conventional three-axis, with full-span ailerons and an all-flying rudder. The wings are not folding, but can be removed in five minutes to allow trailering the aircraft.
To keep costs and aircraft weight down, the recommended engines are the 25 hp Hirth F-33 engine and the Zenoah G-25 of 22 hp.
The prototype Eureka first flew in August 1997.
In 1999, reviewer Andre Cliche said: "The kit sells for $6000, which is amazingly low when you consider that this number even includes the engine, propeller and basic instruments. I wonder if they will stay in business for long with such a low profit margin?"
After introduction, the price was increased to US$5000 for the airframe alone, estimating that it could be completed for US$8000 total. The company ceased providing kits in July 2003 stating "The Eureka has been withdrawn from the market due to lack of resources."
Specifications (Eureka)
|prime units? = imp |ref=Ameri-Cana |crew=one |capacity=230 lb (104 kg); no passengers |length ft= 14.5 |length m=4.42 |span ft=26.0 |span m=7.93 |height ft=5.0 |height m=1.53 |wing area sqft= 104 |wing area sqm= 9.67 |empty weight lb= 230 |empty weight kg= 104 |max takeoff weight lb= 460 |max takeoff weight kg= 209 |eng1 name=Hirth F-33 |eng1 type= fixed pitch |eng1 number=1 |eng1 hp= 25 |eng1 kw=19 |max speed mph= 63 |max speed kmh=102 |cruise speed mph= 55 |cruise speed kmh=89 |stall speed mph= 27 |stall speed kmh= 44 |ceiling ft= 10,000 |ceiling m= 3050 |climb rate ftmin= 500 |climb rate ms= 2.5 |wing loading lb/sqft=4.42 |wing loading kg/m2=21.61 |power/mass=18.4 lb/hp (0.091 kW/kg)
References
References
- Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-17. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4
- Downey, Julia: ''1999 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 36. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- Stark, Wilf. (July 2003). "Eureka by Ameri-Cana Ultralights".
- Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition'', page 113. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. {{ISBN. 0-9636409-4-1
- Stark, Wilf. (July 2003). "Performance Specifications".
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