ULBI WT-01 Klassik Wild Thing (Only One) of New Zealand

The next type of sport aircraft to be registered here was Jersey Seipel's ULBI WT-01 Klassik Wild Thing ZK-DTT2 (c/n 052).  The WT-01 Klassik Wild Thing was introduced by ULBI (Ultra Leight Bau International GmbH) of Hassfurt, Germany in 1997.  It was supplied as a kit or a fully built up aircraft and quite a number were built, but ULBI went out of business in 2014.

Jersey's built his Wild Thing in Germany where he registered it D-MDTT.  The aircraft was based on the Murphy Rebel however it is much lighter than the Rebel (MAUW 544 Kg against the 750 Kg of the Rebel).  It is fitted with a 6 cylinder Jabiru 3300 engine.

The specifications for the aircraft are:  length 6.6 metres (21 feet 4 inches), wingspan 9.2 metres (30 feet) and a wing area of 149 square feet.  Empty weight is around 273 Kg (600 pounds) and MAUW in New Zealand is 544 Kg (1,200 pounds).  Cruise speed is around 90 mph and the stall speed is around 35 mph.

Jersey immigrated to New Zealand along with his aircraft in 2010, and he registered it as ZK-DTT2 on 15/10/10 as a Class 2 microlight.  Its first flight in New Zealand was on 11/11/10 at Parakai.  In the above photo Jersey proudly stands in front of his Wild Thing in its North Shore hangar, very early on in its New Zealand life, on 28/11/10.   

In these 2 photos, ZK-DTT2 taxies at North Shore on 24/12/11.

And takes off.  The performance is sprightly with the Jabiru 3300.

I have not seen it out at North Shore for quite a while, but it is still registered.