Sat, Aug 28, 2004
Two Engines, Four Wheels And A Parachute
On-again/off-again PPC manufacturer Buckeye
Aviation will debut what it believes to be the first aerial
ATV at the Iowa Farm and Field Fest in Ames/Boone, Iowa, this
weekend, August 26-28. The combination powered parachute and
all-terrain vehicle has two engines-a three-cylinder, 100-hp Hirth
to drive the propeller, and a 150-cc motorcycle-type engine to
power the drive train. Using a 550 square-foot ram parachute as its
wing, the two-place, side-by-side machine will fly at 34 mph and
travel across the ground at 40 mph.
The machine was reportedly conceived and designed by Butch
and Ralph Howard of Buckeye Aviation, (who's previous corporate
incarnations have had a pretty checkered history over the
years, FYI). This time, though, Ralph says the company sees the
aerial ATV, or Buckeye Outback as it's currently named, as a boon
to ranchers and farmers... and, of course, the Howards believe it
will appeal to recreational enthusiasts as well. Buckeye claims to
have filed patents for various adaptations of the machine.
Ralph Howard said the company is currently looking at a price in
the high-$20,000 range. He added that the implementation of the
sport pilot/light-sport aircraft rule makes this a good time to
introduce the "Outback." Pilots will need to earn a sport pilot
certificate with a powered parachute rating to operate the aircraft
in the air, while operating the ATV will be governed by state motor
vehicle regulations.
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