Sunday 28 July 2019

CLASS R 80 Bush Caddy (Only One) of New Zealand

The next type of sport aircraft to be registered in New Zealand and the last new type for 2010 was the R 80 Bush Caddy.  This is another example of the many varied types of sport aircraft we have had registered here.

The Bush Caddy was designed as a Canadian bush plane that can be operated on either wheels or floats (and in its most recent iteration it can be either a taildragger or a tri-gear and can be converted between both in a short time).  The aircraft was originally designed by Jean Eudes Poitvin of Quebec in 1994 and was produced by his company Club Aeronautique Incorporated (CADI).  In 1998 the rights to the design were purchased by Canadian Light Aircraft Sales and Service (CLASS), also in Quebec, who modified the name to Bush Caddy while the R 80 comes from Rotax 80 HP.  In 2011 the rights to the aircraft were purchased by Bushcaddy who have developed the aircraft into 5 models up to a four seater with a 1,200 pound payload.  The company is still in business and exhibited at Oshkosh 2019.

The construction of the Bush Caddy is aluminium with a strong cockpit cage.  And the specifications are:  length 22 feet 1 inch (6.73 metres), wingspan 32 feet (9.8 metres) with a wing area is 168 square feet.  Empty weight is around 710 pounds (322 Kg) with a MAUW in New Zealand of 1,200 pounds (544 Kg).  With the 80 HP Rotax 912 the cruise speed is around 105 mph and the stall speed is around 34 mph.

We have had only one R 80 Bush Caddy in New Zealand and because of its timing, I think it must be a CLASS Bush Caddy.

ZK-LIL (c/n CA 01-117) was built by Graham Johnston of Leeston and was first registered to him on 19/12/10.  It is photo'd above at the 2013 SAANZ flyin at Ashburton, on 9/2/13.

And here it is at Rangitata Island on 27/8/15, showing some of the construction technique.  Unsurprisingly, Graham has named his Bush Caddy "Lilly".



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