Solo Wings Windlass

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title: "Solo Wings Windlass" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1980s-south-african-ultralight-aircraft", "single-engined-pusher-aircraft", "ultralight-trikes", "solo-wings-aircraft"] description: "South African ultralight trike aircraft" topic_path: "geography/south-africa" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solo_Wings_Windlass" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary South African ultralight trike aircraft ::

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

Field	Value
name	Windlass
aircraft_type	Ultralight trike
national_origin	South Africa
manufacturer	Solo Wings
Bateleur Sky Sports
status	Production completed
number_built	over 600 (by 2001)
introduction	circa 1987
variants	Solo Wings Aquilla
::

| name = Windlass | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Ultralight trike | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = South Africa | manufacturer = Solo Wings Bateleur Sky Sports | design_group = | designer = | builder = | issuer = | status = Production completed | owners = | primary_user = | more_users = | service = | major_applications = | proposals = | prototypes = | number_built = over 600 (by 2001) | construction_number = | civil_registration = | military_serial = | radio_code = | requirement = | aircraft_carried = | flights = | total_hours = | total_distance = | construction_date = | introduction = circa 1987 | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = Solo Wings Aquilla | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The Solo Wings Windlass is a South African ultralight trike designed and produced by Solo Wings of Gillitts, KwaZulu-Natal. The aircraft was also sold in the United States by Bateleur Sky Sports of Palm Coast, Florida in the early 2000s, under their own name.

Design and development

The aircraft was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight category, including the category's maximum gross weight of 450 kg. The aircraft has a maximum gross weight of 350 kg. It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a two-seats-in-tandem open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from tubing, with its wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 34 ft span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame control bar. The landing gear includes suspension on all three wheels and a steerable nose wheel. The aircraft has been used for flight training and for this role has dual controls, including dual ground steering. The standard engine supplied is the Rotax 503 50 hp twin cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine. Wings used include the Aquilla 150 sqft and 177 sqft.

In the early 2000s the company had planned to phase the Windlass out, but customer demand has kept the model in production through 2012.

Operational history

The aircraft placed well in a number of European microlight competitions and was used to set an altitude record of 25200 ft in 1987.

Specifications (2000 model Bateleur Windlass)

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

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity=one passenger |length m= |length ft= |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=34 |span in= |span note= |height m= |height ft= |height in= |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=165 |wing area note= |aspect ratio= |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=385 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=785 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity=10 u.s.gal |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Rotax 503 |eng1 type=twin cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=50

|prop blade number= |prop name= |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=50 |cruise speed kts= |cruise speed note= |stall speed kmh= |stall speed mph= |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=200 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft=18000 |ceiling note= |g limits= |roll rate= |glide ratio= |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=650 |climb rate note= |time to altitude= |sink rate ms= |sink rate ftmin= |sink rate note= |lift to drag= |wing loading kg/m2= |wing loading lb/sqft= |wing loading note= |power/mass= |thrust/weight= |more performance= |avionics=

|see also= |related= |similar aircraft= |lists=

References

References

1. Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page C-30. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4
2. Downey, Julia: ''2000 Trike and 'Chute Directory'', Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 2, February 2000, page 45. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
3. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04'', page 110. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. 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. ::