US Aviation Cloud Dancer

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title: "US Aviation Cloud Dancer" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1980s-united-states-ultralight-aircraft", "homebuilt-aircraft", "single-engined-pusher-aircraft", "aircraft-first-flown-in-1983", "mid-wing-aircraft", "motor-gliders"] description: "American ultralight motorglider" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Aviation_Cloud_Dancer" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American ultralight motorglider ::

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

Field	Value
name	Cloud Dancer
aircraft_type	Ultralight motorglider
national_origin	United States
manufacturer	US Aviation
designer	Erwin Rodger and Roger Delura
status	Production completed
construction_date	1991-1994
introduction	1983
variants	US Aviation Cumulus
::

| name = Cloud Dancer | logo = | logo_size = | image = | alt = | caption = | long_caption = | other_names = | aircraft_type = Ultralight motorglider | aim = | outcome = | related = | national_origin = United States | manufacturer = US Aviation | design_group = | designer = Erwin Rodger and Roger Delura | 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 = 1991-1994 | introduction = 1983 | retired = | first_flight = | initiated = | in_service = | last_flight = | expected = | developed_from = | variants = US Aviation Cumulus | developed_into = | preservation = | fate = | predecessors = | successors = | concluded = The US Aviation Cloud Dancer is an American ultralight motorglider that was designed by Erwin Rodger and Roger Delura and produced by US Aviation. The aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

Design and development

The Cloud Dancer was designed to be a motorglider that would also comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 254 lb. The aircraft has a standard empty weight of 252 lb. It features a cantilever mid-wing, a single-seat, open cockpit, conventional landing gear, a V-tail and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from aluminum and fiberglass. Its 40 ft span wing with a 12:1 aspect ratio is built around an aluminum D-cell leading edge, with the aft part of the wing fabric is supported by removable fiberglass battens. The wing fabric provides an 80% double surface airfoil. The controls are three-axis, using spoilerons for roll control. Air brakes are also fitted. The landing gear features fiberglass suspension and the tailwheel is steerable. The wings are quickly removable and the whole aircraft was designed to be transported on the roof of a 1980s-era station wagon, taking 20 minutes to assemble or disassemble. The standard engine supplied was the 28 hp Rotax 277 single cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine.

Production ended in 1994 and the conventional-tailed, but otherwise similar US Aviation Cumulus commenced production in 1995.

Specifications (Cloud Dancer)

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

|genhide=

|crew=one |capacity= |length m= |length ft=17 |length in= |length note= |span m= |span ft=40 |span in=0 |span note= |height m= |height ft=4 |height in=6 |height note= |wing area sqm= |wing area sqft=132 |wing area note= |aspect ratio=12:1 |airfoil= |empty weight kg= |empty weight lb=252 |empty weight note= |gross weight kg= |gross weight lb=520 |gross weight note= |fuel capacity=5 u.s.gal |more general= Powerplant

|eng1 number=1 |eng1 name=Rotax 277 |eng1 type=single cylinder, two-stroke aircraft engine |eng1 kw= |eng1 hp=28

|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=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=250 |range nmi= |range note= |endurance= |ceiling m= |ceiling ft= |ceiling note= |g limits=+4.2/-2 |roll rate= |glide ratio=15:1 |climb rate ms= |climb rate ftmin=600 |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 E-11. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. {{ISBN. 0-9680628-1-4
2. Perkins, Scott. (n.d.). "Designer's List".
3. Virtual Ultralight Museum. (n.d.). "Cloud Dancer. (1983)".

::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. ::