Personal Flight Sky-Bike

The Personal Flight Sky-Bike is an American paramotor that was designed and produced by Personal Flight of Kent, Washington for powered paragliding. Now out of production, when it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

Sky-Bike
Role Paramotor
National origin United States
Manufacturer Personal Flight
Status Production completed
Variants Personal Flight Sky-Bike Trike

Design and development

The Sky-Bike was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules. It features a paraglider-style wing, single-place or two-place-in-tandem accommodation, depending on the model and a single engine in pusher configuration. As is the case with all paramotors, take-off and landing is accomplished by foot.[1]

The aircraft is built from welded aluminium tubing. Inflight steering is accomplished via handles that actuate the canopy brakes, creating roll and yaw.[1]

The standard day, sea level, no wind, take off with a 22 hp (16 kW) engine is 30 ft (9 m) and the landing distance is 15 ft (5 m).[1]

The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as just a few minutes, without special tools.[1]


Variants
Sky-Bike
Base single-seat model with a variety of engines available including the Solo 210 of 15 hp (11 kW) and the Zenoah G-25 of 22 hp (16 kW).[1]
Sky-Bike ZR 250 BI
Two seats in tandem model with the Zenoah G-25 of 22 hp (16 kW).[1]
Sky-Bike Trike
Powered parachute adaptation, with the addition of a three-wheeled carriage.[1]

Specifications (Sky-Bike ZR 250 BI)

Data from Purdy[1]

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Wingspan: 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m)
  • Wing area: 374.0 sq ft (34.75 m2)
  • Aspect ratio: 4.7:1
  • Empty weight: 80 lb (36 kg)
  • Gross weight: 450 lb (204 kg)
  • Fuel capacity: 3 U.S. gallons (11 L; 2.5 imp gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Zenoah G-25 single cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled aircraft engine, 25 hp (19 kW)
  • Propellers: 4-bladed wooden, fixed pitch

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 30 mph (48 km/h, 26 kn)
  • Cruise speed: 25 mph (40 km/h, 22 kn)
  • Stall speed: 15 mph (24 km/h, 13 kn)
  • Service ceiling: 18,000 ft (5,500 m)
  • Rate of climb: 300 ft/min (1.5 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 1.2 lb/sq ft (5.9 kg/m2)

References
  1. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, pages 341 and 342. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998. ISBN 0-9636409-4-1
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