Updated August 2020- Click the Picture to see what's new!





The Unofficial Fly Baby Home Page

Maintained by Ron Wanttaja (ron@wanttaja.com) This web page is for those interested in the Bowers Fly Baby homebuilt aircraft. This page is for information only, and is not affiliated with the owner of the rights to the Flybaby design. What's New?

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General Information

Why a Fly Baby?

Why not build one of them, instead of a 40-year-old-design?

The answer lies in your own flying habits.

Why do you want an airplane? Will you be making regular trips for long distances? Carrying passengers? Blasting up to high altitudes?

Or are you just looking for a fun, knockaround airplane? Something that doesn't cost much to own? Something that you can go sightseeing in without breaking the bank on fuel costs. Something more substantial than an ultralight or ultralight-based design.

Take an honest look at the way you fly an airplane now. Do you just make "Hundred Dollar Hamburger" runs on the weekends? Do you fly just for the joy of flight? Do you generally go by yourself?

Then maybe...MAYBE...a Fly Baby might be the plane for you.

They're cheap as dirt to operate. Our EAA Chapter operated Pete Bowers' prototype as a club airplane from 1987 to 1994. Rarely did our yearly maintenance bill exceed $100. That's not a typo... One Hundred Dollars. Even today, my airplane costs me, generally, less than $500 a year in maintenance. Including hiring an A&P for the yearly condition inspection.



The major drawback: Fly Babies don't come in kits. You carve every piece of wood; bend every bit of metal. Yet the Fly Baby is designed to be as simple as possible to build. EAA Judges rate aircraft at Fly-Ins, not only on how well the builder did, but on how difficult the airplane was to build. The Fly Baby has ALWAYS occupied the "easiest" category...even in today's modern kit era. They go together like a big balsa-wood model. You don't even have to build-up ribs like most wood homebuilts. Instead, you stack up sheets of plywood and "gang-saw" them all at once on a bandsaw.

By not buying a kit, you save tons of money. Even today, one can probably build a Fly Baby (less engine) for $6,000 or less. Even though it doesn't come as a kit, a lot of the major parts (fuel tanks, engine mounts) come from the J-3 Cub, and companies like Wag-Aero and Univair still sell these parts.

It's not "Tab A into Slot B" kitbuilding. But the Fly Baby was the seminal EAA project; it was the first (and so far, only) design ever to win an EAA design competition. EAA essentially cut its teeth on Fly Babies. If you need help building one, assistance is as close as your nearest EAA Technical Counselor.

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Description and Specifications

While a single-seat airplane, the Fly Baby isn't small. It has a wingspan just two feet less than a Cessna 150. It's got a big cockpit. Pete Bowers is six feet two inches tall, and I weigh about 250 pounds. That gives you an idea of the range of sizes that can be accommodated.

The Fly Baby can be built as a biplane as well as a monoplane. The two monoplane wing panels are replaced by four smaller ones, plus a center section for the top wing. The aircraft can be switched back and forth between versions in about an hour, but it does take a helper. The biplane, while cool in concept, doesn't really offer too much. It's slower, and the wings don't fold. Still, its swept-back upper wings make it look a bit like a Bucker or Tiger Moth in the air, so if you'd really rather have a biplane, the Fly Baby would do the trick.

The monoplane/biplane issue is more than a wing swap...there are some internal braces and external tangs that have to be added to the fuselage. You can do this once the fuselage is done (The prototype was converted after completion), but it is, of course, easier during construction.

Switching back and forth between the wings takes two people about an hour. This assumes the rigging has already been set. While I helped on a wing swap, I never flew the biplane version. Other than appearances, there isn't much advantage. It's slower, and glides at an even steeper angle.

In monoplane or biplane configuration, the Fly Baby does meet the US rules for Sport Pilot. In the United States, you do not need an FAA medical to fly a Fly Baby.

With the plans off the market, building a biplane is difficult. However, you might be able to buy a used set of plans. In any case, my advice is to build a monoplane first, to have something to fly, and build the biplane wings in your spare time after the first flight. The biplane wings take longer to build, since there are four panels and a center section, and they're swept rather than straight. If you build the monoplane wings first, you'll have something to fly while building the extra wings.



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Some Real-World Performance Numbers

Distance of ground run 265 feet/81 metres

lift off to 50' 450 feet/137 metres

total distance 715 feet/218 metres

add 30% safety factor = 925 feet/283 metres Take off Distance



Speed at 50ft 57 MPH/50 KIAS

50' to touchdown 640 feet/196 metres

ground roll 660 feet/201 metres (moderate braking)

add 30% safety factor = 1700 feet 516 metres recommended landing distance.

Suggested minimum runway distance for this aircraft:



1975 feet/600 metres.

Best rate of climb speed 57 MPH/50 knots IAS

recommended 69 MPH/60 Knots IAS

Takeoff safety speed 63 MPH/55 Knots IAS

Maximum level speed 112 MPH/97 knots IAS

maximum climb rate 1300 ft per minute at 50 KIAS

normal climb rate 1000 ft per minute at 60 KIAS

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Engines

On the subject of the Continentals, both 'Babies I've flown have been powered by the C-85. I've formated on A-65 powered versions. The performance difference was marked, especially considering I was heavier than the pilots flying the 65 HP versions. Tom Staples has replaced his A-65 with a C-85, and his daughter reports that his cruise went from 80 to 95 MPH and his rate of climb from 500 to 1000 FPM!

Other Engines

Volkswagens are too anemic. Draggy airplanes need large propellers, and your typical VW ends up with a little 42" toothpick to be able to turn the 3400 RPM where it produces 65 HP. VW-powered 'Babies have flown, but the owners soon convert them to Continentals.

An Rotax 912 (four cylinder four stroke) would be ideal, if you've got the $$$$$ to buy one.

Personally, I'm somewhat taken by some of the smaller auto-engine conversions. I've met the designer of the Stratus Subaru conversion a number of times, and think the engine has excellent possibilities as a Fly Baby powerplant.

An examination of Fly Baby engine options can be found on the Engines page.

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Suppliers

Those who like to get an idea of the total order size required can check out this attempt at a representative materials list. It's in Microsoft Excel format.

Several Fly Baby builders have been working with Ray Landis (president and also a pilot) of Advanced Manufacturing Systems (Decatur, AL) to fabricate new Fly Baby metal parts. Folks report excellent workmanship and fast response. Contact Ray at 256-350-8386.



Andrew Budek-Schmeisser is now selling welded Fly Baby components, from a single piece to a full-blown set.

Aircraft Spruce and Specialty sells practically all the individual components, and Materials Kits to provide all the raw materials.

Wicks Aircraft is a well-liked supplier of a wide variety of homebuilding materials. They also have Materials Kits.



Some Wood Sources:

B&D Plywood, in Tacoma, Washington is a good source for plywood.

Crosscut Hardwoods in Portland, Oregon sells marine plywood

Chesapeake Light Craft sells boat kits, but supposedly has some of the lowest wood prices around

Boulter Plywood is located near Boston, and is recommended by one of our New England builders.

McCormick Lumber and Cabinetry is in Madison, WI. They carry Sitka Spruce.



Also Available: Downloads/Reprints of The Fly Baby Bulletin

This are of pretty good interest to Fly Baby builders. There are a number of hints and suggestions, and a total of 200 pages (printed double-sided, so there are only 100 sheets). Be advised there is an equal amount of "What Joe Smith is working on now" sort of information...vital and informative when the newsletter is mailed out, but of less use to builders thirty years later. It's fun to read, though.

Steve Pitts took the old Bulletins and converted them to Adobe Acrobat format (.PDF). You can now download them for free. Also, I've still got a few hard copies left, if you would prefer. I'm selling these for $20, US Postage paid. Email me for ordering information.



Cost Estimates

One of the main reasons the Fly Baby was so popular in the 1960s is its low-cost construction. Back then, aircraft-quality wood was still in wide production, and huge stocks of aircraft hardware (like turnbuckles) had been produced during the war and were still being sold at low prices.

Unfortunately, in the 45 years since, things have changed. It used to be that wood was cheap but alumimum was expensive; that's no longer the case. The surplus turnbuckles are long gone, and the new production stuff is quite a bit costlier.

In September, 2006, Dirk Chubbic of San Jose, California, took the bull by the horns:

"I got my Aircraft Spruce and Specialty catalogue recently and spent some time pricing FB construction. I started with the materials list from Ron's site and plugged in prices from AS&S, using the lowest prices when a choice was necessary (e.g. cad plated vs. stainless bolts). "The total was about $8,125. "Of course, that doesn't include engine, fuel tank/lines, prop, instruments, covering, paint or even glue. It's just the airframe and fittings. Of course, a good scrounge/bargan hunter can do it for less, but I think that's a good benchmark, just in case somebody asks."

The price can go higher, too.. If you decide to add stuff like an electrical system, radios, and a transponder, you'll add quite a bit to the cost of the airframe.

As far as engines go, check Trade-A-Plane for prices. A good C-85 will probably run ~$3,000-$4,000. A run-out will go for quite a bit less, and you can overhaul it yourself. A wood prop will run $600 or so.

Operating Costs

Fly Babies are very cheap to run. My C-85 burns ~5 gallons an hour of $3.00/gallon car gas. That's $15 an hour, plus a bit more for oil. Hangar costs vary widely, but you can probably get your Fly Baby under cover for ~$200 or less per month. Don't tie the plane outside for long periods--it isn't good for it.



Liability insurance (only) costs about $200/year.



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Links to other Web Pages on Fly Babies and Fly Baby-Like homebuilts:

Builder/Rebuilder Pages and Blogs



While Robert S. Hoover wasn't building a Fly Baby, he was a champion of those who want to build low-cost wooden airplanes. He'd written numerous articles on the subject. While he passed away in 2010, his blog is still up, and you can find his downloadable drawings and instructions on the Chuggers Group on Yahoo.

Fly Baby ++. Frank Stutzman's thoughts on a tandem Fly Baby concept plane.

William David is building Crowbird, a two-seater inspired by the Fly Baby.

Hevle Aviation two-seater. It's available in both plans and kit form.

The Warner Revolution is a single or two-seat homebuilt quite similar to the Fly Baby, but is available in a full kit.

The Buckeye Pietenpol Association runs a page for this "grand old dame" of homebuilding. The Piet is a parasol-winged two-seater dating back to the 1930s.

Social Media

The New Fly Baby Email list. Yahoo crippled their groups function in 2019, so we have migrated the list to Groups.io.



The Fly Baby Facebook (FB^2) is pretty active, with pictures regularly being posted.



BowersFlyBaby.com Index

Aerobatics



Accidents:

Avionics (See Also Electronics)

Biplanes:

Bracing:

Calendar







Every year, I generate a calendar that features Fly Baby pictures.

Comfort:

Electronics/Avionics

Engines:

Flight Simulator

Flying Advice/Reports:

Folding Wings

A Wing-Folding Guide

For Sale

Instruments





Landing Gear and Brakes

Light Sport Aircraft

Magazine Articles

Bibliography

Nouvelle Classique (KITPLANES pilot report by webmaster)

Fly Baby Bulletin downloads. Pilot reports, builder reports, etc. from the 1960s.

Microsoft

Patches

Painting

Poetry

Pictures

Pilot Reports

Parts:

Propellers:

Rebuilding a Fly Baby

This Old Plane - Drew Fidoe's rebuilding notes

Safety

Simulator

Sport Pilot

Stories

Structural Issues

The Bracing Page

English translation of Finnish Load-Test Report

Suppliers

Tailwheels

Drew Fidoe on the care and feeding of the Maule Tailwheel. PDF File.

Tail Post Repair

Tailwheel Springs

Technical Issues

Tires, Wheels, and Axles (See also "Tailwheels")

Transport



Trailer required for carrying a Fly Baby



Trim and Rigging:



Videos

In-Flight Videos with external cameras

Links to Youtube and other videos



Webinar:



Link to the Fly Baby Webinar hosted by EAA

Weights:

Windshields

Wood

What's New

12 August 2020



The airplane on the front this time is Jim Katz's N502F...which, as you can see, has a paint job identical to that of the original prototype.



Still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. Fly Baby owners are prepared, though....





Biggest news this time is that a man in British Columbia is offering add-on starter kits for A65s. Price for a ready-to-bolt-on unit is about $1100 US.



Bunch of new stories, too.



13 January 2020



Added a write-up on the legal issues and options regarding ADS-B Out in a Fly Baby.



16 December 2019



The Yahoo Groups function has been pared way back, so we've changed the email list to Groups.io.

12 November 2019



The Fly Baby is the famous winner of the 1962 EAA contest, but is it the Pretender to the Throne?



I've written a lot about how to stay warm while flying a Fly Baby, now here's the ultimate Guide to Open Cockpit Comfort.



I pick up some Remedial Education.



A guy wanted to know just how to build a low-profile headset like I use on my Fly Baby, but the original write-up had a lot of extranous material. I put together a Condensed Version to make it easier.



The belly panel makes it easy to access the bottom of the cockpit from under the airplane, but it makes maintenance access easier from above, as well.



Weird noises in any vehicle, airplane, car, whater, bug the heck out of me. Ban the Bonk is about chasing down one such.....



PB100 is essentially complete. I've got Guides written for the first 11 of 14 EAA articles. The last two are on fabric covering, and the other is on assembly. The EAA magazine article covers assembly pretty well, and the covering information is pretty much out of date. I may try to put something together on these in the future, but it won't be soon.



Back in the '60s, aviation artist Bob Parks worked with Pete Bowers at Boeing. Parks did a great large-scale drawing of a Radio Controlled Fly Baby.



The 2020 Calendar is out!

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