Timber Tiger Currently Working On Weight And Balance Calculations
Timber Tiger Aircraft, which is working to bring a 95 percent scale replica of the Ryan ST aircraft to market, expects to have kits available shortly after AirVenture this year, the company says.
In a posting on Facebook, Timber Tiger said that its replica "looks more accurate than many original Ryan ST restorations."
According to the company website, the replica is a fairly faithful representation of the Ryan ST, ST-A, ST-A Special, PT-16, PT-20, and ST-M. It will be all-aluminum with optional cowlings and fairings of fiberglass or aluminum, depending on the builder's tastes. However, certain things had to change to bring the weight down and make manufacturing easier.
For instance, the bulkheads are not of original-style design. The bulkheads were designed with a different flange style. There are various other small differences, but we strived to keep the outward appearance as accurate as possible, along with the overall look and feel of the interior.
Some notable changes are: modern airfoil, simplified elevator trim, hydraulic brakes, better tailwheel geometry (easier to handle on the ground), non-steerable full-locking/full-swivel tailwheel with simplified design, modernized landing gear toe-in/toe-out adjustment, modern lightweight wheels, simplified shocks that are lighter and easier to maintain, simplified wire attachments at the lower landing gear, simplified modernized control systems, and aluminum I-beam wing spars (the original ST had wood spars). This replica retains the original-looking flying and landing wires with the one strut above the wing stub. All-in-all, it is a modern airplane that is very-well disguised as a classic.
According to Timber Tiger, the best engine options for the plane are the D-Motor LF-39 and the Rotax 912UL/ULS. There are also other options, such as the Mikron IIIC, Turbine Aeronautics turboprop, and many more.
Kits are going to have pre-welded and powder coated subassemblies, pre-cut and formed aluminum parts, and pre-drilled parts wherever possible (a lot of drilling must be done on assembly to assure perfect fitment). The goal is to keep the kits as straight-forward as possible. Quick-build fuselages are also available. Keep in mind, though, that the builder must meet the FAA's 51% rule, meaning they must complete a certain number of tasks.
To avoid unnecessary price hikes, some items are not included with the basic kit and must be purchased direct from the supplier. The order form has a list of things not included and the build manual will have a list of recommended suppliers.
Estimates indicate about 1000 hours for construction and about $55,000-85,000 for a finished, flying airplane.
(Image from Facebook)
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