Dart Skycycle

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title: "Dart Skycycle" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1980s-united-states-ultralight-aircraft", "high-wing-aircraft", "single-engined-piston-aircraft"] description: "American homebuilt aircraft" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dart_Skycycle" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American homebuilt aircraft ::

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

Field	Value
name	Dart Skycycle
aircraft_type	Ultralight aircraft
national_origin	United States
manufacturer	Dart Aircraft
designer	Robert Dart
status	Production completed
introduction	1985
::

| name = Dart Skycycle | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Ultralight aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United States | manufacturer = Dart Aircraft | design_group = | designer = Robert Dart | builder = | issuer = | status = Production completed | 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 = 1985 | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The Dart Skycycle is an American single-seat, high wing, strut-braced, single-engine, conventional landing gear ultralight aircraft that was designed by Robert Dart and produced by Dart Aircraft of Mayville, New York for amateur construction.

Design and development

Introduced in 1985, the Skycycle is a single-seater designed as an FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles-compliant aircraft with an empty weight within that category's 254 lb empty weight limit.

The aircraft has a 4130 steel tube frame fuselage and a wing constructed from spruce, all covered in doped fabric. The landing gear is bungee-suspended. The Skycycle can be built with an open cockpit or fully enclosed, allowing flying in cooler weather. The Skycycle was available as plans only or with some prefabricated components, such as the welded fuselage or assembled wings already completed. The standard engine specified was the 28 hp Rotax 277.

Reviewer Andre Cliche wrote: "The Skycycle is an ultralight-legal aircraft that resembles the average taildraggers of the 40s and 50s. It looks like a 'real airplane' and should satisfy the more conservative pilots who hesitate to fly 'colourful lawn chairs' as basic ultralights are sometimes called. It is a good all-around ultralight that is easy to fly and cheap to operate."

Specifications (Skycycle)

|ref=Cliche |prime units?=imp General characteristics

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft=20 |length in=0 |length note= |span m= |span ft=30 |span in=0 |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=145 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=253 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=543 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity=5 US gallons (19 litres) |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Rotax 277 |eng1 type= |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=28

|prop blade number=2 |prop name=wooden |prop dia m= |prop dia ft= |prop dia in= |prop note= Performance

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=55 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=27 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin= |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=3.8 |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics=

References

References

1. Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-53. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4

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