Kolb Flyer

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title: "Kolb Flyer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["kolb-aircraft", "1970s-united-states-ultralight-aircraft", "high-wing-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1970", "twin-engined-piston-aircraft", "aircraft-with-fixed-conventional-landing-gear"] description: "American homebuilt airplane" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolb_Flyer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American homebuilt airplane ::

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

Field	Value
name	Kolb Flyer
aircraft_type	Ultralight aircraft
national_origin	United States
manufacturer	Kolb Aircraft
designer	Homer Kolb
status	Production complete
construction_date	1980-82
introduction	1980
first_flight	1970
::

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The Kolb Flyer is an American single seat, high wing, strut-braced, twin-engine, pusher configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that was produced in kit form by Kolb Aircraft of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, and intended for amateur construction.

The Flyer was the first design produced by Kolb Aircraft. Based on the Flyer's success, the company and its successor, New Kolb Aircraft, have gone on to produce over 3000 aircraft as of 2010.

Design and development

The Flyer was a very early ultralight design that first flew in 1970. The first aircraft designed by Homer Kolb, it was ahead of its time and was not produced commercially until 1980, when the ultralight boom hit North America.

The Flyer is a very light and simple aircraft with a standard empty weight of only 185 lb. It features a completely open cockpit with the pilot exposed to the slipstream. Unusually for this period in aircraft history when most ultralights had two-axis control, the Flyer has standard three-axis controls, including half span ailerons.

When the Flyer was designed there were no suitable lightweight engines available, so the prototype aircraft first fitted Chrysler powerplants. Later these were exchanged for Solo 209 engines producing 11.5 hp each. The small Solo engines make the Flyer a very quiet aircraft in flight.

The design features a forward fuselage of welded 4130 steel tubing, mated to an aluminum tailboom. The horizontal stabilizer, tail fin and wings are also constructed of riveted aluminum tubing with all flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric.

The conventional landing gear consists of sprung steel tubing for the main gear, with a sprung tail skid.

The Flyer was later improved and developed into a single engine aircraft, the Kolb Ultrastar, which succeeded it in production in 1982.

Specifications (Flyer)

|ref= Cliche |prime units?=imp

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=29 |span in=0 |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=160 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=185 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=392 |gross weight note= |max takeoff weight kg= |max takeoff weight lb= |max takeoff weight note= |fuel capacity=1.7 US gallons (6.5 litres) |more general=

|eng1 number=2 |eng1 name=Solo 209 |eng1 type=single cylinder, two-stroke engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=11.5 |eng1 note= |power original=

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

|perfhide=

|max speed kmh= |max speed mph= |max speed kts= |max speed note= |cruise speed kmh= |cruise speed mph=40 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph=20 |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=35 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=6850 |ceiling note= |g limits=+4/-2.5 |roll rate= |glide ratio=10.8:1 at 27 mph |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=250 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note=

|power/mass=

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References

References

1. Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page E-20. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4
2. The New Kolb Aircraft. (2010). "30 Years of Distinguished Service!".

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