My next project will be???

You know, trying to decide what plane I will replace my MX with has be a real mixed bag. I have several planes in mind. But, it seems that it all comes down to cost and time to put into one.

My first plane was a Weedhopper. I always seem to gravitate back to it at times because of its simplicity of design. Yet it also incorporates asthetic values that appeal to me as well. Anything with a swept wing or leading edge grabs my attention.

My second plane is another thing because I have it. But the MX is a late eighties model and more expensive to repair than a Weedhopper would be. I also don't think that it is worth what would need to be put into it.

I would love to build a modified Ultracruiser. The mod I'm speaking of is to use a light weight 2-stroke. I'm a heavy man and feel the weight savings and power gain is worth the use of a 2-stroke. Mr. Hummel is sure to disagree with my sentiments, but it would be my plane.

Now, I'm also considering the Hart Aero Sweet Pea. I like the way it is built and the fact that it should even come in UL legal with a four stroke that should be able to handle my weight.

I just have to figure out which one to do!

Ultralights on Youtube

I have close to 20 videos of Ultralight planes on Youtube. They are mostly of Weedhoppers. But, there is also a Falcon UL, a Mitchellwing B-10, and a Quicksilver MX.

Hope Yall Enjoy

Youtube Troubles Again

Well I was able to get it to work. I removed the original player and replaced it from my on playlist. The original was an Adsense linked module. Apparently they want to make you watch commercials on my page.

Anyway, I was able to add more than just one Hart Aero video. Plus, a few of other planes.

Youtube Troubles

As a lot of you may have notice, I'm having trouble with getting proper content on my Youtube module.

The closest I've come to is video of airliners landing and taking off.

Well, I've uploaded some files that I've downloaded from other sites to my Youtube account and I hope to get that content to my module.

One video is of Hart Aero's Babylite. If you like what you see, check the link out under the "Great Links" section to the right of this page.

Hopefully you'll be able to enjoy.

A Reason for Proper Tie Downs

Ok, this one comes from personal experience. Everyone knows that a plane must be properly tied down to keep wind damage to a minimum. Well, if the tie down stakes aren’t properly inserted in the ground, the wind will eventually flip or damage a plane.

My experience was due to a recent move. Having sold my home, I needed to relocate my plane.

Yes I had it tied down at home. I was planning repairs.

Anyway, my parents have property adjacent to our old home, so I pulled up the properly inserted tie down augers I was using and moved them and the plane onto my parent’s property. The ground was dry and hard to get the tie downs fully inserted in the ground. I stopped inserting them with them only half their length in the ground. Now while I had them in my yard the tie downs had never budged. Yet due to not being too shallow in the ground, one came out of the ground due to the wind causing a repeated jerking on it. From there you know what happened. My plane was flipped.

My plane, a Quicksilver MX, now has one severely damaged wing and damage to the rudder, king post, and elevator pushrod. The planes age makes it not worth repairing.

Now a few tips from experience:

1. Use proper tie downs. The ones I have are adequate for an ultralight. They go 18” into the ground when fully inserted. They auger disc is 3” in diameter and the shaft is ¼” rod with an eye formed in the top.

2. Fully insert the auger. The auger eye should be no more than 1” from the ground.

3. Water tamp the auger for an hour to make sure the soil that has been loosened is packed firmly. Let dry for a day.

4. Use ¼” or larger rope or the small tie straps of the pull through or ratcheting variety.

5. Properly secure your plane, preferably with the tail to the prevailing winds.

Most probably realize these thing, but if this will save some trouble for someone who hasn’t.

By the way, does anyone want a parts plane. I’m interested in selling it less the engine.

All About Hart Aero

Doug Hart has been involved in aviation all of his life. He completed flight school in 1989. He attended Carl Sandburg Community College in Galesburg Illinois for Aviation Business Management. He served us proudly in the US Army as a warrant officer and helicopter pilot, during Desert Storm. After the Army he attended the University of Illinois receiving an A+P certificate/Aeronautical Science degree, also completing Aeronautical Engineering courses as well as Human Factors in Aviation. He received 1st Graduate Honors.

In my humble opinion, his education sounds like he could be designing the SR-71's replacement.

Now, since graduating, he has been employed as an A+P at the Air Combat Museum at Springfield Illinois, Maintenance Base Manager for United Express/Great Lakes, Director of Maintenance For Capital Aircraft, Regional Aircraft Maintenance Manager for Evergreen Air Center and employed as Corporate Aircraft maintenance Lead for Air Evac EMS.
During his employment he specialized in structural repair and modifications as well as working on Pratt & Whitney PT6 series engines. During this time he has done main wing spar repairs on a King Air 1900 and a medical bar modification on a Bell 206L3. He converted a PT6-67A Starship engine for use on agricultural aircraft in Australia. Additionally, He has attended quite a variety of training schools and has received several awards from past employers as well as the FAA.


He said,"Over the years I have been heavily involved in the ultralight and experimental aircraft hobby away from my full time jobs. I have owned and built several aircraft from a Weedhopper to a Early Bird Jenny(s). I have also performed many, many experimental conformity inspections over the years."

He just recently finished his MBA last year(2007). In his words,"This was a huge self accomplishment and a long time goal for myself."

"On a personal note, I am married and have 2 sons, ages 3 and 7. My family fully supports and helps with my passion for the light aircraft."



About Hart Aero:

Hart Aero, was newly formed last year, 2007.

The aircraft have been in private development since 1995.

He, with the help of his family in one way are another, has built and flown 18 ultralight and experimental aircraft since 1990.

He has a perfect track record regarding safety in structural design and personal injury or fatality.

The 5 aircraft he currently has on the website have undergone extensive testing and some are in the third or more generations of type.

He moved into his new shop in the fall of 2007. He says it's a small shop located behind his home, and that it houses all of the production phases from start to finish. "We have learned very quickly to be very efficient at utilizing our limited space to it's full potential!"

Despite that, he will be starting construction in the next couple of weeks on a dedicated fabric shop and paint booth. He also has plans to add another building this spring for storage of materials and parts.

All of the fabrication and construction is completed in house by trained and highly skilled personnel (most have an A+P license or repairman certificate or have the experience in homebuilding necessary).

The staff includes 2 full time and 4 part time people. Each specialize in one or two phases of each aircraft and assist as needed with all other phases.

In remark about the money behind the venture, he said,"I have used my own money from ground up on all our aircraft and facilities. We never have spent more than we have had available. This has slowed our development, but has eased the pressure to push kits to make bank loan payments or investor payments and is true to our plan of keep it simple, keep it strong and keep it affordable. The end result is that we have proven aircraft at an affordable price and most important to me is that we make these aircraft because we want to, not because we have to."

"I do have several other designs that I have not built as yet, but plan to in the near future as time allows."

"The positive response to our aircraft is overwhelming. We have had visitors from all over the USA and have customers from all over the world. On average we receive at least 100 emails a day and at least 2 to 3 dozen phone calls a day from people wanting more information about us and our aircraft."

At this point I would like to go through the questions posed to Doug in our correspondence.

Donnie Watson: What do you hope to accomplish with this endeavor?

Doug Hart: Fun factor and affordability are very high on the priority list. We hope that by offering affordable aircraft that we can awaken the kid in everyone that has dreamed of flying and make it a reality for those that really want to fly and for those older pilots that can no longer fly general aviation.

Donnie Watson: How has this impacted your family and life as of late?

Doug Hart: It has consumed me and my family! But we all enjoy it very much. My boys are always around "helping daddy build airwings". My wife likes it that I'm happy doing something I really like. With all my previous jobs, I was gone a lot and always had erratic schedules. Even though I'm working harder and longer than ever, I have more time with my family now than before. It helps ALOT that our shop is behind the house! :-)

Donnie Watson: How many plane designs do you have now?

Doug Hart: On paper I have designed well over 30 aircraft. Mostly powered ultralight type, a few sailplanes and a few 2 place. I hope to build prototypes for a few of them. Most were drawn up more for exercise than anything else, but each and everyone has produced ideas for the next or previous.

Donnie Watson: There has been mention of you designing a tow plane for your gliders. Would you speculate as to when you might start on that?

Doug Hart: A glider tug will most likely be a modified Aero Sport or Aero Trainer. A one off design for a UL glider tug just doesn't make sense at this time for us. The Sport and Trainer already have the basic qualities needed for such an application and I know with a little modification can complete the task quite well.

Donnie Watson: Has the growth of the company surprised you?

Doug Hart: The growth and interest has overwhelmed us. We are
currently at least 3-4 month lead time on new orders. There truly is a need for what we do and offer.

Doug, I hope that I speak for all in this, We wish you well in this business and hope that you will be blessed with success in it.

The Weedhopper

The Weedhopper is a well known plane among the UL initiated. Some love it and some hate it. It happens to be one of my personal favorites. In fact, my first plane was a Weedhopper. No the first picture was not mine. The second one was.


This plane is very docile in the air. Being 2-axis control it is easier to learn how to fly it than if you had to coordinate rudder, elevator and ailerons. It will roll in a turn without ailerons because of the dihedral pitch in the wings. It will cruise around 50-55 mph if setup right. An interesting thing about the Weedhopper is that around 60 mph and higher it will climb no matter what. I found mention in the Weedhopper Yahoo Group that some of the Weedhoppers owned by members will climb with full down elevator at full engine power.

Speaking of engines, the typical engine on a Weedhopper is rated at 40 hp or more these days. Although the original engine was only 18 hp. The brand that has been sold with the Weedhopper for the last 25 years or so has been Rotax. The first Rotax used was the 277. Later they came with 377, 447, & 503. Now, many people have rebuilt older ones and put the engine of there choice. Hirth, Zenoah, 2SI(know in the early days as Cuyuna) are just some of the names you'll find powering a Weedhopper these days. I've even seen a picture of one with a Subaru car engine hanging on the front. There where pictures of it flying as well. I wouldn't recommend that engine though.

Well, I mentioned the Weedhopper Yahoo Group above. If your interest has been peaked by my small post, you may become a member and learn a whole lot more at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/weedhopper. A link is also to the right.

A Little About Me and Mine

I'm Donnie Watson, an auto tech with many interest. My interests start with my family.

The first of my family is my God. Jesus Christ is the Savior and Lord of my life. He chose me when I was 8 years old. I chose to follow him right after that.

The second of my family is my beautiful wife of 16.5 years. She has loved me since she was 8 and I was almost 13. I have an unusual history with her. Unusual for this day and time that is. I've known her since she was born.

Third in line is my first child, a son. His name is Nathan. He is a 13 year old with a talent for basketball and the height to go with it. He is 5'10" and one inch taller than his daddy(me of course).

My first daughter and second child is Alyson. She is a cute little ten year old with great creativity.

My second son is eight and very mild-mannered. Although his big brother can get his dander up.

My youngest is a bright little five year old girl. She can light up any room she enters.

My second interest is ultralight aircraft. I like to build and fly them.

Now an ultralight is a plane that weighs no more than 254lbs. It can only have a single seat, which is a bit of a bummer cause you can't take anyone for a ride. The fuel tank isn't supposed to hold more than five gallons, but I know for fact that rule has been bent and even broke by many. It's supposed to be limited to 60 mph, top speed. Stall speed is supposed to be no more than 35 mph. Now, most UL's stall around 20. Maybe a little explanation is in order. Stall is the air speed at which the wing of the plane stops producing lift. This can be cause by simply going to slow or by trying to climb to steep. That is called having to much angle of attack.

Anyway, flying is a lot of fun. The view is incredible. You can even see to the bottom of some lakes when your around 500' off the ground. Not to mention that you can start to see the curvature of the earth at about 5000'.

Building is another thing all together. Needless to say, being in the automotive field I like to build and work on machines. The biggest thrill is having a plane you've built leave the ground and fly; and do it well.

Well, I believe that enough for now.

Did I wet your appetite?