About the Affordaplane

Hi, I’m Dave Edwards. I designed and flew the Affordaplane ultralight airplane starting back in 1999, and my life’s dream and mission has been to help people to fly. For the past 25 years I have helped many people build and fly their own airplanes. You are here probably because you want to fly, or are  already flying and are looking for a safe, inexpensive airplane to explore the sky with. The Affordaplane was designed with you in mind!

I was a teenage airport kid back in the eighties when ultralights exploded on the aviation scene, and I was right in the middle of all that. To me, ultralights are the ultimate expression of freedom. You don’t need a license to fly them, but you do need training. Give me a grass strip and a couple of bucks worth of gas, and I can go flying, any time I want. I don’t need a radio,  an expensive transponder, or an annual inspection. I do all the inspecting myself. When you build it yourself you gain invaluable experience and confidence in the air that you just do not get by buying a completed airplane from someone else.

That is one big reason building an airplane is so appealing to people today. You know your aircraft. The other reason is money. You save a LOT of money when you do it yourself. You can build as your budget allows. The airplane is all aluminum, and you can build a part and then store it until you are ready for something else. It will not rust or rot. Speaking of money, the Affordaplane is a great investment and its value appreciates.

And the biggest ‘secret’ is that building an airplane like the Affordaplane is easy. Really easy, like building a large model airplane. You just have to pay attention to details, and if you can follow a good set of plans, step-by-step, you got it. Thousands of people since the Wright Brothers have done it, and you can too.

The fuselage is made of square aluminum tubing, with flat plate
gussets bolted to them to hold it all together. Gyrocopters have used this method for decades. It is designed this way for a number of
reasons: One is that it is extremely strong but light. Another is that you can cut it with a chop saw or jigsaw, drill it and it is basically done. There is no welding involved at all with this airplane. You do not need any welding equipment, and you never have to worry about whether your welds will hold. Plus everything is out in the open, there is nothing hidden that can cause problems.

The wings and tail are made of round aluminum tubing, and are built the same way as many other ultralight airplanes. The flying surfaces are covered with Dacron, shrunk with a clothes iron, and can be painted with house paint. It looks great and holds up for years. The airfoil used gives you optimum performance with 40 horsepower. The stall is gentle and straightforward. The wings feature full span ailerons. Crosswinds are no problem at all. She goes where you point her. All the pilots who have flown her say she is a very sweet flying airplane.

The Affordaplane is a solid, proven design that has been flying for over 25 years and has logged thousands of hours. If you build it as an FAR 103 legal ultralight, you do not need a license to fly it. Many people build it as a light sport aircraft, so they can put hours in their logbook. So it is your choice.

The Affordaplane is a simple, fun airplane to build and fly. The construction plans are designed for beginner and expert alike, and contain everything you need to build this airplane. The Affordaplane Plans are the best value in aviation today.
You can read all about them here:
Affordaplane Aircraft Plans
Blue skies!

Empty Weight: 254 pounds
Gross Weight: 540 pounds
Wing Span: 27.5 feet
Wing Area: 117 Square feet
Length 17 feet, 3 inches
Height: 5 feet
Fuel Capacity: 5 gallons
Engine: 35 to 40 horsepower
Stall Speed: 27 miles per hour
Cruise Speed: 65 miles per hour
Never Exceed Speed: 85 miles per hour
Takeoff Roll: 150 feet
Landing Roll: 150 feet
Build Time: Approximately 250 hours