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When you cover the ultralight industry for over 20
years, and are as deeply involved in it as I am you meet a great many
people. It is amazing how you can develop a friendship with someone when
you only see them once or twice a year. It is also gratifying to watch
those you wish to succeed - do just that.
| Empty Weight: |
513 lbs. |
| Gross Weight: |
885 lbs. |
| Wing Span: |
28.8 ft. |
| Wing Area: |
130 sq. ft. |
| Engine: |
582 Rotax |
| Cruise Speed: |
75 m.p.h. |
| Stall Speed: |
30 m.p.h. |
| VNE: |
100 m.p.h. |
| Construction: |
Wood |
| Building time: |
500 Hrs. |
I met Mike Loehle and his wife Sandy at Sun N Fun in 1984. They
arrived late for the show because their "old white whale" of a bus had
broken down on the way to the show and they had to be towed in. At that
time Mike was still in the process of finalizing his P 51 Mustang.
The first time I saw it it was just a bare frame partially
covered. At Oshkosh that same year it was up and flying. Since that time
Mike has gone on to introduce his single place Sport Parasol, the P -40
Flying Tiger and several other WW 1 designs.
This year I met Mike down in the commercial end of Oshkosh, and while I
don't usually cover manufacturers down at that end, I do make exceptions
for exceptional manufacturers. This year Mike had a new design up to about
the same stage as the first Mustang I saw.
His latest is the Loehle Spitfire.
When Mike created the P 51 and then the P 40 he used basically the same
fuselage with the changes and additions in stringers to give it the
required look. That wasn't possible with the Spitfire so Mike has decided
to enter the market in a different way with this craft.
The difference is in the way the kit will be delivered to
the customer, according to Mike "this will be the most complete kit that
Loehle has ever
offered."
For more information contact
Loehle Aircraft Corporation at
380 Shippmans Creek Road
Wartrace TN 37183-3302
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