The next type of aircraft to be registered in New Zealand was the Just Escapade, the first (and so far the only) example which was registered on 24/6/09.
The Escapade traces its roots back via the Denney Kitfox to the Avid Flyer and it was jointly developed by Just Aircraft LLC in the US and by Reality Aircraft in the UK (the UK version is now known as the Sherwood Scout). Construction is of a welded steel tube fuselage that is of polygonal cross section which slopes inwards above and below the mid line, and the aircraft is mainly fabric covered. The American prototype first flew in February 2003. It can be built with either a tri-gear or tailwheel undercarriage and the wings can be folded for transport.
Specifications for the Escapade are: length 19 feet (5.69 metres), wingspan 28 feet 6 inches (8.69 metres) and the wing area is 108 square feet. The empty weight is around 615 pounds (279 Kg) and in new Zealand the MAUW is 1,200 pounds (544 Kg). With a Rotax 912 engine the cruise speed is around110 mph, and the stall speed is quoted as 36 mph with 40 degrees of flap.
Just Aircraft LLC has gone on to develop the Escapade into the Highlander and the Super STOL of which we have had quite a few examples in New Zealand.
Just Escapade ZK-SKP (c/n JA169-07-08) was built by Julian R N Thornton of Hamilton and was first registered on 24/6/09. It first flew on 1/7/09, flown by Noel Bailey. (It was the third aircraft built by Julian Thornton after his Teenie Two ZK-DUO and Zenith CH 701 ZK-JRT). It is powered by a Jabiru 2200 engine. Julian has posted some nice videos of him flying his Escapade, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrR5xzm7Sb8
The above 2 photos were taken at the 2013 Black Sands flyin at Raglan, on 2/11/13. Note the long exhausts, more visible in the landing photo.
On my way home from Black Sands 2013 I caught up with Julian at Te Kowhai just as he was about to trailer his Escapade home. That is a big advantage in an aircraft!
On 4/5/16 ownership transferred to I G Win of Balclutha, where it was photo'd above on 9/2/19. It now has shorter exhausts and bigger tyres.
The Escapade traces its roots back via the Denney Kitfox to the Avid Flyer and it was jointly developed by Just Aircraft LLC in the US and by Reality Aircraft in the UK (the UK version is now known as the Sherwood Scout). Construction is of a welded steel tube fuselage that is of polygonal cross section which slopes inwards above and below the mid line, and the aircraft is mainly fabric covered. The American prototype first flew in February 2003. It can be built with either a tri-gear or tailwheel undercarriage and the wings can be folded for transport.
Specifications for the Escapade are: length 19 feet (5.69 metres), wingspan 28 feet 6 inches (8.69 metres) and the wing area is 108 square feet. The empty weight is around 615 pounds (279 Kg) and in new Zealand the MAUW is 1,200 pounds (544 Kg). With a Rotax 912 engine the cruise speed is around110 mph, and the stall speed is quoted as 36 mph with 40 degrees of flap.
Just Aircraft LLC has gone on to develop the Escapade into the Highlander and the Super STOL of which we have had quite a few examples in New Zealand.
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