Freebird II

---

title: "Freebird II" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["free-bird-innovations-aircraft", "1990s-united-states-ultralight-aircraft", "light-sport-aircraft", "single-engined-pusher-aircraft", "high-wing-aircraft", "aircraft-with-fixed-tricycle-landing-gear", "single-engined-piston-aircraft"] description: "American light sport aircraft" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freebird_II" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American light sport aircraft ::

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

Field	Value
name	FreeBird II
aircraft_type	Light Sport Aircraft
national_origin	United States
manufacturer	Freebird Airplane Company
status	In production (2016)
introduction	1996
variants	Freebird I
::

| name = FreeBird II | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Light Sport Aircraft | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United States | manufacturer = Freebird Airplane Company | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = In production (2016) | 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 = 1996 | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = Freebird I | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded =

The Freebird II is a family of American side-by-side two-seat, high wing, tricycle gear, pusher configuration single engined kit aircraft originally designed for construction by amateur builders by the Freebird Airplane Company of Marshville, North Carolina, and later Pro Sport Aviation of Wingate, North Carolina.

The Freebird II was produced until late 2014 by Free Bird Innovations of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, as the LiteSport Classic.

Development

The Freebird I was introduced at Sun 'n Fun 1996, and was intended to meet the requirements of the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles category under the two-seat trainer exemption, although it is now offered in the US Light Sport Aircraft or amateur-built categories.

The Freebird II is constructed from bolted aluminum tubing, covered with doped aircraft fabric. The aircraft features conventional three-axis controls, including a trim system. The tricycle landing gear is steered by differential braking and a castering nosewheel. The company estimated that an average builder would take 120 hours to build the aircraft from the assembly kit.

The standard engine recommended is the two-stroke 50 hp Rotax 503 and with this engine the standard empty weight is 385 lb. The 64 hp Rotax 582 is also used.

The Freebird II's wings can be folded in five minutes by one person and the aircraft can then be trailered or stored. Options available included full cabin doors, flaperons, brakes, wheel pants and a custom-fitted trailer.

Variants

;Freebird II :Initial version, two seats in side-by-side configuration, 28 ft wingspan, 50 hp Rotax 503, built by Freebird Airplane Company. ;Sportlite SS :Improved version, two seats in side-by-side configuration, 28 ft wingspan, 50 hp Rotax 503, built by Free Bird Innovations. ;Sportlite 2 :Improved version, two seats in side-by-side configuration, 26 ft wingspan, 50 hp Rotax 503, built by Free Bird Innovations. ;LiteSport II :Improved version, two seats in tandem configuration, 26 ft wingspan, 50 hp Rotax 503, built by Free Bird Innovations. 352 examples had been completed and flown by 2011. ;LiteSport Classic :Current production version, two seats in side-by-side configuration, 28 ft wingspan, 50 hp Rotax 503 or 64 hp Rotax 582, built by Free Bird Innovations. 102 examples had been completed and flown by 2011.

Specifications (Freebird II)

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

|genhide= |crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m= |length ft=17.8 |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=28 |span in= |span note= |upper span m= |upper span ft= |upper span in= |upper span note= |mid span m= |mid span ft= |mid span in= |mid span note= |lower span m= |lower span ft= |lower span in= |lower span note= |swept m= |swept ft= |swept in= |swept note= |dia m= |dia ft= |dia in= |dia note= |width m= |width ft= |width in= |width note= |height m= |height ft=5 |height in=5 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=132 |wing area note= |swept area sqm= |swept area sqft= |swept area note= |volume m3= |volume ft3= |volume note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=385 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=970 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |lift kg= |lift lb= |lift note= |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Rotax 503 |eng1 type=two-stroke aircraft engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=50 |eng1 kn= |eng1 lbf= |eng1 note= |power original= |thrust original= |eng1 kn-ab= |eng1 lbf-ab= |eng2 number= |eng2 name= |eng2 type= |eng2 kw= |eng2 hp= |eng2 kn= |eng2 lbf= |eng2 note= |eng2 kn-ab= |eng2 lbf-ab= |eng3 number= |eng3 name= |eng3 type= |eng3 kw= |eng3 hp= |eng3 kn= |eng3 lbf= |eng3 note= |eng3 kn-ab= |eng3 lbf-ab= |more power= |prop blade number=2 |prop name=ground adjustable |prop dia m= |prop dia ft=5 |prop dia in=8 |prop dia note= |rot number= |rot dia m= |rot dia ft= |rot dia in= |rot area sqm= |rot area sqft= |rot area note= Performance

|perfhide= |max speed kmh= |max speed mph=85 |max speed kts= |max speed note= |max speed mach= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=70 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=32 |stall speed kts= |stall speed note= |never exceed speed kmh= |never exceed speed mph= |never exceed speed kts= |never exceed speed note= |minimum control speed kmh= |minimum control speed mph= |minimum control speed kts= |minimum control speed note= |range km= |range miles= |range nmi= |range note= |combat range km= |combat range miles= |combat range nmi= |combat range note= |ferry range km= |ferry range miles= |ferry range nmi= |ferry range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits=+6/-3 design structural limit |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=800 |climb rate note= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft=7.3 |wing loading note= |disk loading kg/m2= |disk loading lb/sqft= |disk loading note= |more performance= Armament

|armament= |guns= |bombs= |rockets= |missiles= |hardpoints= |hardpoint capacity= |hardpoint rockets= |hardpoint missiles= |hardpoint bombs= |hardpoint other= |avionics=

References

References

1. Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page B-81 Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4
2. Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 166. BAI Communications. {{ISBN. 0-9636409-4-1
3. Downey, Julia: ''Kit Aircraft Directory 2005'', Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 60. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
4. Downey, Julia: ''2008 Kit Aircraft Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 53. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
5. Free Bird Innovations. (n.d.). "LiteSport Classic".
6. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', page 56. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
7. Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 55. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
8. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', page 56. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN. 1368-485X

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::