mirage aircraft corporation
the dassault corporation designed the export mirage f1 e which could fulfill all the missions of the f1 c but was equipped with avionics for more precise air - to - ground missions and longer firing distances .
mirage aircraft, inc. , 4661 n stallion dr tucson, az 86314 phone: 928 - 273 - 6802 webpage: urltoken email: mirage @ urltoken
then there is mirage aircraft, inc. we are committed to helping our builders complete their project :
the french air force staff’s need for an aircraft to supplant its earliest mirage iiis, and simultaneously one able to land at slower speeds, triggered the mirage f1 program .
the mirage f1 c the mirage f1 c was the basic version optimized for all - weather all - altitude air defense. later, two new versions (the mirage f1 cr and the mirage f1 ct) were used to equip the air force when the mirage iii r and iii e reached the end of their term .
complete landing gear assemblies and other finished components are available from mirage aircraft. six construction videos are also available .
in mid - 1964, aware of the dead end represented by aircraft with large engines too expensive for export, marcel dassault had initiated a discrete design for a small mach 2 aircraft on corporation funds. the mirage iii e 2, a single - seater with a sweptback wing like the mirage iii f2 and equipped with a snecma atar 9 k jet engine exactly like the mirage iv a, was primarily intended for export. as of the end of 1965, he launched the manufacture of a prototype suitable for the air force with contribution of industrial partners. it would be named the mirage f1 .
the mirage f1 r optimized for low - altitude day and night reconnaissance, the mirage f1 r was the export version of the f1 cr used by the french air force .
the mirage f1 b it was the two - seat version of the mirage f1 c. this version, initially developed at the request of kuwait was also acquired by the french air force .
answers to your questions are usually just moments away when you make a phone call to mirage aircraft. finally, “mirage aircraft builder, ” our newsletter, will keep you enthused, informed, and up to date on what’s happening with our design, our builders, and the products and supplies we evaluate on a regular basis .
the cost of many kit type aircraft is quite high, because you pay extra for someone else to do a lot of work. mirage aircraft’s designs allows you to complete everything yourself if you wish. the cost savings can thus be very substantial .
miraj corporation has recieved a number of new pma approvals for replacement parts utilized in goodrich & skurka starter generators including new brush approvals for the goodrich 23046, 23048, 23079, 23080, 23081 & 23085 series and more bearing approvals for skurka 150sg, 200sgl, 300sg, 300sgl & 400sg series .
mirage f1 02 (atar p l 31) accomplished its first flight at istres on march 20, 1969 piloted by jean - marie saget and reached mach 1. 15. mirage f1 03 equipped with a snecma 9 k 50 engine flew on september 18, 1969, and mirage f1 04 equipped with all the on - board electronics designed for the production aircraft, on june 17, 1970 .
when france announced its intention to withdraw from nato’s integrated military organization in 1966, the air force began focusing on an interceptor with secondary penetration capabilities. dassault’s engineering department started working on the mirage f3, but finally shelved the plans because the withdrawal from nato’s integrated military organization entailed reshuffling the entire combat equipment policy. the successive cancellations left dassault without a successor for its mirage iii. the need to overcome that deadlock, and to secure a future if the variable - sweep aircraft program was also aborted, led marcel dassault to start working on a new prototype, the mirage f1, a smaller version than the mirage f2 and mirage f3 .
from the outset, the mirage f1 was an export success: 473 aircraft equipped the air forces of south africa, spain, greece, kuwait, libya, morocco, ecuador, iraq, jordan and qatar .
flight trials continued until, during a low - altitude high - velocity pass, the horizontal stabilizers of mirage f1 01 broke away due to a divergent vibration phenomenon called ‘flutter’ and the aircraft struck the ground near fos - sur - mer, killing dassault chief pilot rené bigand. despite the accident, notification was given of an order for three pre - production aircraft: the mirage f1 02, 03 and 04 with the atar 9 k 50 jet engine .
most of the competition has straight line styling and squared off (
hershey bar
) wings, which reflects older design concepts. mirage aircraft has taken advantage of new materials that allow complex curves to be easily constructed, resulting in a truly beautiful airplane .
the experience designing the mirage f2 proved valuable in efforts to develop the mirage f1, a lighter (7. 4 ton unladen) single - seater. its light weight made it especially suitable for interception. one of the mirage f1’s features is its ample airspeed variations. it can fly at mach 2 and land at 125 knots, thanks to its wing’s extraordinary lift augmentation from its leading edge nose and double - slot flaps which are gruelingly difficult to fit on thin wings .
we highly recommend the construction video tapes, available from mirage aircraft, inc. , for those who wish to learn about celerity and marathon wood construction techniques, fiberglass skills, installation of controls, fuel cell construction, etc. there are presently five titles available, and we will be offering more in the future .
unfortunately, the world of sport aviation lost larry in late 1994 due to a sudden heart attack while he was walking out to his shop. but larry' s dream lives on in the marathon and celerity designs. the owners of mirage aircraft are dedicated, as larry was, to making your airplane building and flying experiences enjoyable .
the mirage f1 a it was the day version of the f1 c with simplified electronic equipment and additional fuel capacity. this version was realized at the request of south africa as the f1 az .
as a builder, you will be asked to sign a builder’s agreement before you begin construction. this agreement limits you to the building of only one airplane from a set of plans, restricts you from manufacturing parts for sale to others, and limits the liability of mirage aircraft, inc. , against any possible builder errors or substandard workmanship .
we are also seeing a lot of other experimentation with auto engines, especially the hot little v6 engines produced by gm, ford and chrysler. we also have builders experimenting with the mazda rotary engine, the older aluminum block buick v8s, and even a cadillac northstar engine! we will keep subscribers to the “mirage aircraft builder, ” our newsletter, updated on any recent engine developments .
we expect a very high level of performance with our new fixed gear marathon. it should cruise at about 185 mph, and the rate of climb will be about 1, 500 to 2, 000 fpm. once you reach cruise in either aircraft, you will find the control response is light and quick, similar to other high performance aircraft .
nearly all other sportplanes are made of one type of material, either all metal or all fiberglass and foam, which limits the designer’s and the builder’s flexibility. mirage aircraft takes advantage of the time - honored qualities of wood construction, coupled with the strength and ease of construction inherent in foam and fiberglass. the result is a hybrid that is easier to construct, stronger, quieter, and much less expensive to build .
the basic airframes of both the marathon and the celerity are constructed of wood. we have been asked, “why wood? ” the answer is, wood offers the average builder ease of construction, the use of ordinary tools and equipment, and with the use of modern glues and sealers, very high strength and durability with low weight. wood has the time - honored respect of aircraft engineers, has been used to construct wing spars for aerobatic aircraft for many years, and has been extensively used on recent production aircraft such as the bellanca .
equipped with an interim snecma atar 9 k 31 jet engine, the mirage f1 01 made its first flight on december 23, 1966 at melun - villaroche piloted by rené bigand. on january 7, 1967, he reached mach 2 on the 4th flight .
we are dedicated to having successful builders of our aircraft, people like you who are glad they chose this project. builders who are energized by an opportunity to build the very best !
always fascinated by speed, larry was a model airplane, motorcyclist and auto racing enthusiast as well as a dedicated sportplane builder. larry' s aircraft reflected his very high standards of aircraft design and craftsmanship. his distinctive and unique cavalier, which he dubbed
his mistress ,
won numerous awards at air shows and fly - ins and provided many years of flying pleasure .
we offer a set of six excellent construction video tapes (vhs) at $ 25. 00 for each video, postpaid. (shipping is extra for overseas orders). see below for a list of the construction video contents. we also have a bi - monthly newsletter, “mirage aircraft builder, ” available for just $ 7. 50 per year ($ 10. 00 international) to keep you well informed and to help maintain your level of enthusiasm .
your celerity or marathon will be a fun, responsive aircraft for your flying pleasure. you will get more pleasure from flying your own celerity or marathon, a beautiful plane you have crafted with your own hands, than you have ever had with any other high performance aircraft, no matter who constructed it. to tell the truth, you will probably have more fun than any one person deserves !
the retractable gear on the celerity is an electro - hydraulic actuated system using slider type gear legs designed by mirage aircraft, inc. a hydraulic pump driven by an electric motor supplies pressure to the landing gear actuation cylinders. a unique feature of the retractable gear celerity is that even the tail wheel retracts, reducing landing gear drag to zero in cruise. high quality wheels and brakes from matco allow the retractable main gear to fold completely into the wing with no bumps or bulges in the gear doors .
in july 1990, following the fourth u. s. fatal accident, the safety board initiated a special investigation of the facts, conditions, and circumstances that led to the loss of the four malibu / mirage airplanes in the u. s. as other accidents occured, they were included in the special investigation. two of the seven fatal accidents occurred in japan and mexico, and the available information on the accidents was included in the special investigation. the special investigation included a review of the relevant design features of the malibu and mirage airplanes, including structural integrity, flight control systems, and operating limitations. the investigation also focused on the flight experience and training of the pilots of the airplanes, particularly as these factors related to flying the malibu / mirage airplanes in instrument meteorological conditions (imc) at and above the freezing level with relatively sophisticated integrated flight guidance and control systems .
mirage aircraft' s double tapered wing (tapered in both thickness and chord) enhances the graceful beauty of the airplane. the wing construction utilizes a strong wood box type spar, plywood ribs, and a wood rear spar. all the covering on the wing uses a layer of 1 / 4 inch high density foam with a single layer of fiberglass cloth on the inside and three layers of glass cloth bonded to the outside after the foam has been sanded to shape. the tail is constructed in similar fashion .
it also needed to accommodate two basic operational factors: longer autonomy and mission radii, and shorter take - off and landing distances freeing it from having to use easy - to - spot and exposed larger runways – at the lowest possible cost. the mirage iii family’s delta wing meant pilots needed to approach and land at high speed. extensive research on minimum combat aircraft speeds led dassault to look at swept - wing designs which, at that point in development, were the ones able to house high - lift flaps .
the mirage marathon features fixed tricycle gear manufactured from spring steel or aluminum. it' s about as simple as you can get, with a swiveling (castering) nose wheel. steering on the ground is accomplished with the rudder and differential braking. once installed, our landing gear is virtually maintenance free .
mirage aircraft, inc. , offers a set of plans for the celerity or the marathon priced at just $ 250. 00 which includes u. s. shipping. (add $ 25. 00 for international shipping) the plans are well illustrated with many parts drawn full size. all ribs are full size and fittings are drawn to size and are shown in multi - view for clarity. the plans were drawn by an aeronautical engineer. any changes are sent to builders free of charge, as long as we have your correct address .
the celerity was originally designed for 150 to 180 horsepower lycoming engines. just as introduction of tricycle gear offers our builder / pilots more variety, we now encourage the use of alternative power plants. we have examined several automotive engines that are available for the homebuilt aircraft market. however, many auto engines turn out to be a little heavy, and due to their size and shape, difficulty arises in making the front of the aircraft clean and sleek .
welcome to mirage aircraft' s marathon and celerity series, unique sportplanes that are
fast with class !
crafted to really move you, both literally and figuratively! with their streamlined double tapered wings and tail, a roomy and quiet cockpit, and 150 to 180 horsepower up front, you will rethink the notion of cross country flight. you' re going to find out that having the best airplane in its class will not bankrupt you, does not require superhuman aircraft construction skills, and it doesn' t mean that you have to fly in a noisy, cramped cockpit holding onto baggage! what’s more, the celerity and marathon feature easy - build wood structures with fiberglass over shaped foam. this unique construction combination absorbs sound and vibration, giving you the quietest ride in the industry .
quality, speed, and comfort are hallmarks of the original celerity design that have been incorporated into our new mirage marathon with its fixed gear. we believe the new marathon tri - gear will appeal to persons who have little or no tail dragger experience and to those who would like to realize additional savings in builder time and cost .
material packages are available from aircraft spruce & specialty co. (western u. s. 1 - 800 - 824 - 1930, or eastern u. s. 1 - 800 - 831 - 2949 - - they also have international warehouses. )
between may 31, 1989, and march 17, 1991, piper pa - 46 series mallibu and mirage airplanes were involved in seven fatal accidents in the united states, mexico, and japan following departures from controlled flight. in addition to the seven accidents, another pa - 46 airplane was involved in an incident that included substantial departures from controlled flight .
the celerity and marathon are both equipped with dual stick controls, a popular design that is easy to construct. some pilots have expressed concern over using a control stick (or
joy stick
) rather than a yoke type control. actually the transition to a stick control is extremely easy, and everyone who has tried both prefers the stick over yoke control. the armed forces have performed numerous studies and you will find stick controls in all their fighter aircraft. the only reason so many of the commercially available aircraft designs (beech, cessna, piper) use a yoke type control is because they are yesterday’s designs. (1930' s and 1940' s) at that time their promoters were trying to interest every auto owner in buying an aircraft, and it was believed that the control yoke' s resemblance to the steering wheel on an automobile would increase airplane sales !
one of our builders has said his plane is “in a class by itself. ” other aircraft designs may do one thing quite well, or fulfill a certain expectation but disappoint you in other respects. you won’t really find another airplane as unique as the celerity or the marathon, proven designs that do so many things so well .
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we currently have several builders planning to use the 2. 2 liter subaru legacy engine. at the time of larry’s death he was building a celerity with a 170 hp subaru engine and a ross 2. 17 to 1 propeller speed reduction unit (psru). this engine shows excellent potential with its electronic ignition, fuel injection, and automatic mixture leaning to 15, 000 feet. also, the subaru has an excellent track record and it is being used in numerous other experimental aircraft designs. aircraft builders using the subaru engine are especially pleased with its light weight and its great fuel economy numbers. no wonder the ranks of those builders using subaru engines are steadily growing !
with other designs, cabin comfort and interior finish are frequently overlooked, or they are an afterthought. our aircraft offer ample cockpit space, a spacious baggage compartment with a door, comfortable seating, excellent visibility and low sound levels. we don’t design “creature comforts. ” instead, we take “personal comfort” as a given in our designs .
larry’s beautiful celerity won awards all the way from his home town of klamath falls, oregon, to oshkosh. he subsequently flew the prototype airplane more than 900 hours over nearly a decade, proving its worth as a comfortable, fast, and affordable cross - country aircraft. as larry used to say, the celerity is “fast with class. ”
the word
celerity
is unfamiliar to most people. it means
speed
or
rapidity
and comes from the same root word as
accelerate .
it' s also a good description of our flagship airplane, the celerity. the word
marathon
is synonymous with speed and endurance, qualities you will appreciate in our new tricycle gear speedster. and the word
mirage
in our corporate name is synonymous with
dream ,
describing your dream of building your own beautiful airplane .
but the real beauty of your marathon or celerity is most fully appreciated by you, the builder who has lovingly crafted his or her showpiece, a unique airplane like no other. for no other aircraft offers the combination of speed, beauty, strength, economy, safety, and ease of construction that marathon and celerity builders simply take for granted. “fast with class! ”
when larry burton wanted a faster, more roomy aircraft that was easier to build, it was characteristic of him to make his own design, the celerity, and then have an aeronautical engineer help work up the plans. not only that, larry then went out and sawed all his own lumber from a port orford cedar tree salvaged from a ravine to make the prototype celerity shown on the cover !
the marathon and celerity are, first and foremost, designed for speed and comfort. the main difference between the two aircraft is the landing gear - - the celerity is an all - retractable, tailwheel type design and the marathon features fixed tricycle gear. the airframes are otherwise almost identical. they both fly predictably, with no unusual quirks or super high - speed takeoffs and landings to get used to .
with the more upright seating that is a hallmark of both the marathon and celerity designs, and with plenty of cockpit room for looking around, you will find that visibility from the cockpit is outstanding to nearly 270 degrees. you can purchase a “blown” plexiglass canopy from van’s aircraft and adapt it to your celerity or marathon. or, you can construct gull - wing type entry doors for easy cockpit access .
but even more important than the ease with which you can work wood, the strength and fatigue properties of aircraft grade wood are well known. since the builder does not manufacture the actual piece of wood, the strength of the member does not depend on the builder' s skill as much as, for example, built up composite wing spars where the strength and fatigue properties are directly related to the builder' s construction skills .
the celerity is a delightful airplane to fly. ground handling is excellent and much easier than many tailwheel type aircraft. a competent tail dragger pilot should have no problem. visibility over the nose is good and the controls are responsive. the use of proven landing gear technology will make the marathon also easy to handle on the ground, and adapting the celerity airfoil and controls to the marathon design should give it the same excellent flying qualities .
materials kits are available from aircraft spruce & specialty co. (western u. s. 1 - 800 - 824 - 1930, or eastern u. s. 1 - 800 - 831 - 2949 - - they also have international warehouses .) call them for their catalog and for price quotes on the materials packages. all prices subject to change without prior notice. when you order, tell them you are building a marathon or celerity !
the fluid almost dreamlike streamlines of gracefully styled one - piece fiberglass skin gives the builder a totally smooth surface without the drag caused by rivets, joints and abrupt angles. inside your dream machine you will ride in total comfort, not sitting on a floor pad with your knees up in front of you. our ergonomic adjustable seats make you feel good at the end of a long flight, something you probably don' t associate with most small aircraft .
the celerity and marathon airfoil is the proven 23000 series, 23015 tapering to 23010 at the tip, with 2½ degrees of washout. unlike some aircraft, the one - piece wing on the celerity or marathon is removable. this makes construction easier because you can mount the wing on a stand and rotate it as your work on it, thus allowing construction in a smaller workspace. you can work on the fuselage and the wing separately, storing one or the other out of the way .
the first flight of the first production model took place at mérignac on february 15, 1973, piloted by guy mitaux - maurouard. on march 14, 1974, it was delivered to the air force. the production models differed from the prototypes by the installation of slotted leading edge (inspired by the jaguar) on the outboard two thirds of the wing, which increased the maximum angle of attack. as with the other serially - produced aircraft, a number of partner firms and subcontractors were involved in production .
this is a natural question, often asked by prospective builders. it relates to their ability to perform all the work necessary to complete an aircraft. the builder should have some prior experience in woodworking. most skills, however, can be learned with practice. you can also find professional instruction at local eaa chapters, community colleges, etc. if you just ask, many other sportplane builders are more than willing to let you help them, or they will help you with your project or lend you a tool .
our fuselage features wood frame
truss
type construction using 3 / 4 inch square sitka spruce framing. the box type frame is covered with 1. 5 mm birch plywood skin for continuous gusseting, with lightening holes used to reduce weight. (see photos) the wood is all covered with foam and fiberglass, unlike designs that use heavier wood skin. as we have mentioned, the tremendous sound deadening properties of wood, foam and fiberglass make the celerity and marathon the most quiet and comfortable aircraft in their class .
with a fuel capacity of approximately 40 gallons in the marathon, you will have a 75 per cent power operating range of more than 700 miles, with reserves. if you have been around piper cherokees or cessna skyhawks, you need to change your way of thinking - - you simply do not need 50 gallon tanks with an airplane this fast! when you are cruising at 180 mph or more (versus 125 mph with the same engine in a slower design), your need for fuel capacity decreases proportionately. and flying around with unneeded fuel just detracts from the performance and the useful load of the aircraft .
the celerity is a high performance, 2 - place side - by - side airplane with fully retractable landing gear, including the tail wheel. it can also be built as the
marathon
with fixed tricycle gear. designed for builders with average skills, both aircraft are constructed from wood with fiberglass covering. six construction videos are available. celerity cruises in the 200 mph range on 150 to 200 hp and has an operating range of more than 750 miles with fuel reserve. the wing span is 25 feet and it is just under 22 feet. complete celerity materials kits are available through us. request free kit list .
both the marathon and celerity are two - place aircraft with wood structure and fiberglass covering that will fly you where you want to go in speed, style, and outstanding comfort. since the structural frame of the airplane is wood, a natural sound deadening material, we have been able to reduce cabin noise to levels the builders of metal, fabric or all composite airplanes can only dream about. the marathon and celerity both offer excellent comfort and visibility with a 40 - inch wide cockpit and more upright seating. we are adding an extended
ez - step
and recessed grab handle for easier boarding of the tri - gear marathon .
the celerity is a high performance, 2 - place side - by - side plans built airplane with fully retractable landing gear, including the tail wheel. constructed primarily of wood and fiberglass covering, the graceful celerity cruises in the 200 mph range on 160hp and has a range of over 900 miles. engines range from 150 to 180hp .
the celerity has a wingspan of 25ft and is 21ft, 10
in length. the builder has the choice of carrying all the fuel in the wing, or sleek tip tanks can be installed .
the complete set of plans, videos, and construction manual guide you through the project, teaching you the skills as you go .
the celerity was designed by larry burton, who flew the prototype in 1985 and won an oshkosh workmanship award that same year. the prototype has accumulated over 900 hours. it is designed to be built by the average person, with average skills, at low cost, yet perform as well as the most expensive kit airplanes in it' s class. complete celerity materials packages are available from
congratulations! you have just discovered a sleek, modern airplane design that is fast, affordable, and easy to build! after looking at the rest of them, you probably agree that most other designs are too slow, too expensive, or too difficult for the first time builder. some of you may have wondered if you would ever find a sport plane that would fit your needs and your budget. well, look no further, because you have found the answer !
in recent years we have all been spoiled by fast, efficient cars that offer intelligent use of storage space. so we actually expect to be able to take real baggage with us when we fly someplace! unfortunately many homebuilt airplane designs won' t let you do that. but with more than 12 cubic feet of baggage capacity in the marathon and celerity, you won’t have to hold extraneous items on your lap, or shove them under or behind the seat, any longer. our cavernous, covered baggage compartment holds up to 60 pounds of luggage, plus our large, deep hat rack extends almost four feet for those bulky, oversize but light weight items such as packages, a picnic basket or folding lawn chairs .
at last, you won' t need to shove things between you and your passenger or place items on the floorboards, dangerous but all too common practices in the cramped cockpits of our competitors. our roomy cockpit and large instrument panel (with a real glove box !) provide plenty of room for both ifr instrumentation and those critical items you need to have close at hand, but kept out of the way when you are handling cockpit chores .
our standard range tanks will take you more than 700 miles between refueling stops at 75 per cent power, and still leave you with fuel reserves for another 45 minutes of cruising flight. and at popular economy cruise settings you can go another 125 to 200 additional miles depending on your power settings, up to a whopping 900 miles on a tank of gas !
hopefully you' re beginning to understand why sales of plans and components for the marathon and celerity are literally booming! maybe you' re beginning to appreciate why it' s worth your time to take a good hard look at these designs, both of them leaders in their respective classes .
so let' s take a few minutes right now to find out more about what' s inside the celerity and the marathon. hopefully we can anticipate the answers to your questions and help you get started building the airplane of your dreams !
celerity builder jim glencross of florence, arizona, with his beautiful celerity, the first one constructed from our plans .
aviators have dreamed for years of an airplane that is solid yet lightweight, fast but inexpensive, classy and yet simple. a gentleman named larry burton shared that dream, only he decided to do something about it! larry burton came up through the ranks, building stick and tissue model airplanes as a child, later graduating to flying lessons and then construction of his own airplane, a cavalier that was famous in its own right .
we urge you to spend some time looking at various designs carefully. you will find that we have greatly reduced the parts count, and the related number of cutting, shaping and fitting operations that you need to do in order to build the airplane. all of the wing ribs are cut from a single material (plywood) and each rib is one - piece! compare that with other designs where each rib might consist of 10 to 15 or more pieces that all have to be put together in a jig. we have also greatly reduced the amount of welding required for the construction of hardware, fittings and controls. if you opt for the celerity rather than the marathon, you will however have to construct your own landing gear, as shown below, or find a fabrication shop that can do this for you .
also, the wood airframe builds very fast and you see results immediately. builders have reported constructing the entire wood fuselage and tail section in less than 100 hours logged time. and our wing ribs are simple, cut from full size patterns laid over 1 / 4 inch plywood, rather than built up piece by piece in table top jigs. in fact, all of the wood assemblies in the marathon and celerity are designed for fast construction by average builders. when sealed with modern urethane type varnish or thinned epoxy, the wood airframe will last indefinitely .
after the fuselage box assembly is built and sealed with varathane and the hardware is mounted in place, it is covered with a layer of one - inch foam and sanded to shape, then covered with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. techniques used in glassing and finishing the marathon and celerity are easily learned, even by people who have never done this sort of construction before. the result is an extremely smooth finish that reduces drag and is ready to accept nearly any type of painted finish .
the wing and tail skins, as well as the turtle deck, are similarly constructed except that we use a thinner 1 / 4 to 1 / 2 inch foam core with fiberglass and epoxy resin bonded to both the inside and outside. this creates an extremely strong, featherweight
sandwich
type skin. the strength to weight ratio of sandwich core composite panels is truly amazing, relegating aluminum and fabric covering to curiosity status .
fiberglass (upper right) is epoxied onto foam sheeting (foreground) to produce lightweight, strong composite panels like the two fuel tank baffles shown above .
the canopy of the celerity slides back to expose the entire cabin area for easy entry and egress. the lift - up type canopy on the prototype has been eliminated because it was difficult to build and was unsteady on its articulated supports. your canopy will have a built - in tube steel frame for rigidity and rollover protection. also, this will help to maintain a better quality canopy seal .
the marathon will feature a single, two - thirds gull wing type canopy door that you can more easily manufacture. it will eliminate a lot of the problems associated with getting a good seal around a sliding canopy and will be much easier to construct and install .
because of our extreme devotion to your comfort and safety, we are also working on an emergency window exit, something you just don' t see on other sportplane designs. they seem to be conceived with the notion that nothing bad can ever happen. take it from those who know, it' s very comforting to be able to pop open an escape hatch from either the inside or outside of the airplane in case of emergency !
on the comfort side, our roomy cabin, 40 inches across, can be beautifully appointed with custom upholstery, crafted in part from temperfoam®, giving the ultimate in comfort for the pilot and passenger. the seats are individually adjustable for persons of different sizes, and the builder has the option of forming a personally fitted, ergonomic seat back made from fiberglass with a foam core, or a plywood seat back. the builder or an upholstery shop should have no trouble installing custom upholstery. our interiors feature solid backing everywhere the material needs to be attached .
the marathon and celerity instrument panels provide plenty of room for all ifr instruments and radios, especially since there isn' t a control yoke in the way. the radio stack is in the center of the panel, and on the right side there' s room for a glove box and other storage. seat belt and harness attachments are well placed and securely anchored for safety. baggage storage of up to 60 pounds is provided in a compartment behind the seats, which is covered with a nicely fitting lid constructed from foam - core fiberglass .
the celerity prototype (pictured in front) had wing tip tanks with 15 gallons of fuel capacity on each side. auxiliary tanks (five gallons each) were installed between the front and rear wing spars. we now offer wing leading edge fuel tanks with a total fuel capacity of 40 gallons on the marathon. the celerity leading edge tanks are limited to 30 gallons total capacity because of the need for a landing gear wheel well, so the builder may wish to install auxiliary tanks behind the main spar. unlike many designs, we do not carry fuel inside the fuselage, not even a small
header
tank, for safety reasons !
we can provide the drawings for you to make your landing gear, or you may wish to work with a fabricator. we will work with you no matter which option you choose .
after a short take - off roll (600 feet at sea level, 1, 500 feet at 4, 100 feet elevation), you' ll lift off at about 60 to 65 mph. your climbout is 1, 500 to 2, 000 fpm depending on the gross weight. best rate of climb is 110 mph, and best angle is 90 mph. once level, speed builds up rather quickly and you soon find yourself slipping along at 200 - plus mph cruise in the celerity and around 185 mph in the marathon (based on 150 to 160 hp lycoming engines and a constant speed prop in the celerity). if you like long cross - country flights, you will get where you are going in a hurry .
with the retractable celerity, your true airspeed at cruise is 200 to 205 mph using only a 160 horsepower lycoming engine with a constant speed prop! that’s about 190 mph indicated airspeed at 2, 300 rpm and 20 inches manifold pressure. at 2, 000 feet msl, settings of 2, 400 rpm and 24 inches manifold pressure yield a speed of 200 mph indicated, and 25 square gives 210 mph indicated. top speed is 220 mph .
roll response is excellent, with coordinated aileron and rudder inputs. the cabin is quieter than anything you' ve ever flown, and the excellent visibility will really be appreciated. you' ll always feel safe in cruise, with the knowledge that your wing is designed for plus 6 and minus 3 g' s .
when it' s time to slow down you have to plan ahead with such a sleek bird! the celerity landing gear can be extended at speeds below 100 mph, and pattern speeds of about 85 - 90 mph are just about right for either design. extend the big 80 - inch flaps as needed, and bring your celerity or marathon in “over the fence” at about 70. you will touch down at less than 60 mph in a full stall type landing. a landing rollout of as little as 600 feet can be expected, due to the low landing speed !
fuel stops will never be the same either! you better be prepared to meet a lot of people, because you won’t be able to pull up at a gas pump, even at a small airport, without a crowd quickly forming to admire and ask you questions about your beautiful airplane, one that you created with your own hands .
the most basic shop space required to build your airplane is a single car garage (14 x 24 feet) or equivalent. a bench 28 inches wide and the length of the shop (24 feet) must be built to construct the wing spar. usually you can add extensions to an eight - foot bench and take them down afterwards. about 16 feet of tabletop is needed for building the fuselage. some method of storage should also be planned, such as parts drawers, bins, tool storage, and racks to store wood and foam pieces. basic tools for construction include :
welding equipment, if you are making your own engine mounts, wing mounts, and landing gear .
optional tools which are nice to have, but not required, include a band saw, drill press and belt sander. some builders have been able to borrow certain tools they don’t own from friends, or rent them when needed .
the basic celerity airframe can be built for approximately $ 12, 000 to $ 14, 000, depending on various options that you choose. with the simpler fixed gear marathon, plan to spend between $ 8, 500 and $ 10, 500, depending on your choice of pre - built options. at this stage your airframe is ready for wheels, tires and brakes, paint, interior, and your choice of engine, prop, instruments and radios .
the engine and propeller choices approved for use in the marathon and celerity can vary greatly in price, but this gives the builder a lot of flexibility. for those on a tight budget, or if you simply prefer automotive engine reliability, a used auto engine, speed reduction unit and new fixed pitch prop can be installed for $ 5, 000 or less. this will give you excellent performance. a new lycoming engine with a new constant speed prop will run $ 20, 000 or more .
you also have a great deal of flexibility in choosing and installing your instruments, radios, paint, interior, and lighting. builders who choose to do their own sewing and painting, who don’t need any radios, and who purchase used instruments and lights, may spend less than $ 1, 500 finishing their airframe. at the other end of the spectrum, those who want an all out ifr panel, custom paint, and plush upholstery, should plan on spending another $ 20, 000 or even more. either way, it' s not bad for a brand new airplane that will last the rest of your life !
today there are many choices available for the sportplane builder. if you look at all of them, you will see why the celerity or the marathon is your design by choice :
high cruise speeds in most designs exact a tradeoff in landing qualities. not so with the marathon and celerity wing. patterned after the beechcraft bonanza wing, it gives you those same legendary qualities of fast and efficient cruise, as well as easy low - speed landings .
if the qualities mentioned above are important to you, then you have found the airplane you should be building. celerity and marathon are no - compromise designs for the discerning airman - - you don’t have to compromise quality for cost, or give up performance for easy handling .
, start ordering your building materials, line up your tools and get started! you will be in good company, and help is readily available from the series of six excellent construction videos, most of them featuring celerity designer larry burton .
we hope to have you on board soon as a builder of your very own dream machine. ordering information is contained in the next few pages of this booklet. we accept checks and money orders, and all the prices quoted for merchandise include postage and shipping within the u. s .
you can start building the airplane of your dreams in a couple of weeks! so why delay any longer? start your celerity or marathon now and in a few years you will be proudly showing your airplane to others and using it for quick, safe and economical cross - country flight. join other satisfied builders across the country and around the world, who are making their dreams into reality !
protecting wood surfaces - - seal coat application, vent holes for drainage and pressure equalization of wood cavities .
molded leading edge fuel tanks - - installing baffles, filler neck, fuel outlet and vent tube. final tank assembly, fuel pump placement, fuel selector .
the air force staff drafted its specifications for an all - weather low - altitude intruder in 1963. that plane, they stipulated, required supersonic interception capabilities, needed to use short and rudimentarily - equipped landing strips, and approach at less than 140 knots (260 km / h) .
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finally, as a consequence of the accidents, the federal aviation administration, with the safety board' s encouragement, conducted a special certification review of the airplanes, and the results are included in the report .
the probable causes of the five fatal accidents that occurred in the united states are included in the report. the investigation and analysis of the relevant data indicate that the causes of the accidents involved failure to use pilot heat freezing imc, possible misuse of the integrated flight guidance and control systems, loss of control, and in - flight airframe failures due to loads and stresses that substatially exceeded design limits. factors related to the accidents included the lack of an appropriate checklist item for pilot heat in the pilot' s handbook, and inadequate pilot training in the integrated flight guidance and control systems .
as a result of the special investigation, the safety board made safety recommendations concerning modifications to the pa - 46 airplane flight manual, the pilot training needed to operate small pressurized airplanes, the addition of a pilot heat operating light, additional training requirements for the use of integrated flight guidance and control systems in small pressurized airplanes, and the provision of training supplements by manufactures of integrated flight guidance and control systems.
mirage aircraft corporation is an american aircraft manufacturer based in prescott valley , arizona . the company specializes in the provision of homebuilt aircraft plans for amateur construction . the company markets plans for the mirage celerity that was designed by larry burton and first flown in 1985 . burton died suddenly of a heart attack in 1994 and mirage aircraft continued the sale of his aircraft design . kits for the celerity and the fixed gear mirage marathon variant are provided by aircraft spruce & specialty co . the company was originally located in tucson , arizona and later relocated to prescott valley , arizona .
mirage aircraft corporation is an american aircraft manufacturer based in prescott valley, arizona. the company specializes in the provision of homebuilt aircraft plans for amateur construction. the company markets plans for the mirage celerity that was designed by larry burton and first flown in 1985. burton died suddenly of a heart attack in 1994 and mirage aircraft continued the sale of his aircraft design. kits for the celerity and the fixed gear mirage marathon variant are provided by aircraft spruce & specialty co. the company was originally located in tucson, arizona and later relocated to prescott valley, arizona.
mirage aircraft corporation is an american aircraft manufacturer based in prescott valley, arizona. the company specializes in the provision of homebuilt aircraft plans for amateur construction. the company markets plans for the mirage celerity that was designed by larry burton and first flown in 1985. burton died suddenly of a heart attack in 1994 and mirage aircraft continued the sale of his aircraft design. kits for the celerity and the fixed gear mirage marathon variant are provided by aircraft spruce & specialty co. the company was originally located in tucson, arizona and later relocated to prescott valley, arizona.