Belite Aircraft

Belite Aircraft is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Wichita, Kansas and founded by James and Kathy Wiebe in 2009. The company specializes in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly complete aircraft under the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules.[1][2]

Belite Aircraft
TypePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
Founded2009
Headquarters
Wichita, Kansas
,
United States
Key people
James and Kathy Wiebe
ProductsUltralight aircraft
OwnerBelite Enterprises LLC
Websitewww.beliteaircraft.com
Belite Aircraft Superlite
Belite Ultra Cub

The company was formed to produce the Belite Aircraft Superlite, a derivative of the Kitfox Lite single-seat ultralight design. Belite extensively redesigned the aircraft to incorporate carbon fibre wings, struts, spars and ribs, lowering the empty weight to 245 lb (111 kg). They "...acquired the production rights to a previously designed aircraft, the Kitfox Lite" and they "...acquired the tooling, existing parts and manufacturing rights to the aircraft in March of 2009. As a condition of the transaction, they agreed to rebrand the airplane to prevent any confusion with the larger, two-place light sport Kitfox".[2][3][4][5][6]

In January 2010, at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, the company debuted two variants of the company's initial Belite 254: its "easy-to-land" tricycle-geared Trike, and its "higher performance" Superlite, a lighter-weight, higher-powered "STOL" (short takeoff and landing) version.[6][7]

In 2013 the company flew the floatplane version of its new Belite Ultra Cub design, designated the Belite Sealite.[8]

On 6 June 2019, the Belite facility was destroyed by fire. The company has since been unable to continue to operate.[9]

Aircraft
Summary of aircraft built by Belite Aircraft
Model name First flight Number built Type
Belite Aircraft 254 2009 Single seat ultralight aircraft
Belite Aircraft Superlite 2009 10 (2011) Single seat ultralight aircraft
Belite Aircraft Trike 2009 Single seat ultralight aircraft with tricycle gear
Belite Ultra Cub 2012 Single seat ultralight aircraft
Belite Sealite 2012 Single seat floatplane ultralight aircraft
Belite ProCub Lite Single seat ultralight aircraft
Belite Chipper Two seat experimental aircraft[10]

References
  1. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 32. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
  2. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 34. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  3. Grady, Mary (July 2009). "Former Kitfox-Lite Model Re-launches As Belite Ultralight". Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  4. Grady, Mary (July 2009). "First Flight For Belite Ultralight". Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  5. Belite Aircraft (June 2009). "Wichita Entrepreneurs Acquire Kitfox Lite Ultralight Aircraft Manufacturing Rights, Plan Reintroduction, Weight Savings and Improvements". Archived from the original on 3 September 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  6. "Belite Tricycle Gear And Superlite Models To Debut At Sebring," January 19, 2010 Aero-News Network, retrieved February 29, 2020
  7. McMillin, Molly, "Belite to unveil two ultralight aircraft," January 19, 2010, Wichita Eagle retrieved February 29, 2020
  8. Niles, Russ (17 December 2013). "Ultralight Amphib Flies". Avweb.com. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
  9. Belite Aircraft (6 June 2019). "Belite / Chipper Aircraft Business for Sale". beliteaircraft.com. Archived from the original on 9 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  10. "Home - the Chipper Aircraft Co". Home - the Chipper Aircraft Co. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
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