Light Miniature Aircraft

Light Miniature Aircraft was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Okeechobee, Florida. The company specialized in the design of ultralight aircraft and supplied plans for amateur construction.[1][2][3][4]

Light Miniature Aircraft
TypePrivately held company
IndustryAerospace
FateOut of business
Foundedcirca 1985
Defunctcirca 2010
Headquarters
Okeechobee, Florida
,
United States
ProductsHomebuilt aircraft plans

The company seems to have gone out of business about 2010, but Wicks Aircraft continues to provide kits for the designs.[5][6]

Products

The company's LM-1, 2 and 3 family of aircraft were designed in the mid-1980s during the initial ultralight boom. At the time many pilots did not find the typical early "flying lawnchair" ultralights confidence inspiring or appealing. The company's designs were intended to fit the same FAR Part 103 rules, including its 254 lb (115 kg) empty weight, but provide aircraft that look and fly like a traditional light aircraft. However, many of the designs result in completed aircraft that are heavier than the US ultralight rule empty weight limit.[3]

The LM-1 family of designs are built from wood, or optionally 4130 steel tube and finished with doped aircraft fabric covering. The completion involves minor changes in the cowling, window and tail shapes to make them resemble well-known light aircraft designs. The first in the series, the LM-1 is a single seat 75-85% scale replica of a Piper J-3 Cub and was first flown in 1985. The LM-2 is a single or two seat 75% scale replica of a Taylorcraft B, while the LM-3 is a single seat 75% scale replica of an Aeronca Champ. The follow-on Light Miniature Aircraft LM-5 is a full-sized tandem two-seat replica of the Piper PA-18 Super Cub.[1][2][3][4]

The LM-J3-W is a full-sized two-seat J-3 Cub replica, while the LM-TC-W is a full-sized two-seats in side-by-side configuration Taylorcraft replica, both rendered in wood and fabric.[7]

Aircraft
Summary of aircraft design by Light Miniature Aircraft
Model name First flight Number built Type
Light Miniature Aircraft LM-1 1985 Single seat 75-85% scale replica of the Piper J-3 Cub
Light Miniature Aircraft LM-2 1987 Single or two seat 75% scale replica of the Taylorcraft B
Light Miniature Aircraft LM-3 1987 Single seat 75% scale replica of the Aeronca Champ
Light Miniature Aircraft LM-5 1991 more than 35 (2007) Tandem two-seat full-sized replica of a Piper PA-18 Super Cub
Light Miniature Aircraft LM-J3-W Tandem two-seat full-sized replica of a Piper J-3 Cub
Light Miniature Aircraft LM-TC-W Two-seat in side-by-side configuration full-sized replica of a Taylorcraft

References
  1. Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 55. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  2. Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 60. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  3. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-38. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-9680628-1-4
  4. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 197. BAI Communications. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
  5. "Light Miniature Aircraft website archives". Archive.org. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  6. Wicks Aircraft. "Aircraft Kits". Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  7. Light Miniature Aircraft. "Plan and Manuals". Archived from the original on 9 March 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
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