Busker
ultralight aircraft pictures, Busker experimental aircraft
images, Busker
lightsport aircraft photographs, Lightsport Aircraft Pilot
newsmagazine aircraft directory.
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Lightsport Aircraft Pilot is a directory of aircraft that generally fit into what is described as ultralight aircraft, advanced ultralight aircraft, lightsport aircraft, experimental aircraft, amateur built aircraft, or homebuilt aircraft in the United States and Canada.
These include weight shift aircraft, more commonly known as trikes, powered parachutes, and powered para-gliders.
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Busker pictures, images of the
Busker ultralight, experimental, lightsport aircraft.
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Formed in 1978 by Steve Mahrle
to act as a research and development company, SAM's initial
work was centered on design, construction and test flight of
the fledgling ultralight air vehicles.
SAM concerned itself with safety and flight performance and
began the work of applying proven engineering and
aerodynamic principles to the then new concept of ultralight
aircraft.
Guided by a
company goal of efficient use of assets, SAM developed
several test vehicles, and utilizing its newly gained
expertise, offered systematic flight test programs to other
ultralight manufacturers. Various programs such as
developing one of the first replica WW1 ultralight fighters
(Fokker-lite E III), designing and building the first low
wing ultralight (L.Y.N.X.) and applying radio controlled
dynamic flight models for evaluation and analysis kept SAM
solvent through its early years of activity.
Key to the company's successful
activity was the concept of a team centered on each programs
development. Select talented members, hand picked by Mr.
Mahrle and allowed to do the job without being encumbered
with a conventional 'suit and tie' mentality, fostered an
environment of creativity during a time of national economic
upheaval. The company's 'up front' and pragmatic approach
was also a departure: "If it can be done, we'll do it. If it
can't be done by us, we will tell you so, and see if we can
find someone else for you."
Guided by the acquired skills of
design, engineering maintenance, and flight, Mr. Mahrle and
his team kept hard at work during the early years of SAM.
A contract to develop, build and
test fly a series of replica ultralight and standard
aircraft based on the design of the Ryan STA required Mr.
Mahrle to move from Southern California to Texas in 1984.
The project was literally from the ground up. Starting from
an empty warehouse, Mr. Mahrle recruited the required
personnel, designed craft
#1, trained the crew, built the required fixtures and had
the first prototype airworthy in 60 days. He successfully
test flew this first ship and immediately began work on the
2-seat version which was also personally test flown. A total
of nine craft (6 single place, 2 two seat, and 1 test
airframe) were constructed.
Due to family needs and requirements
in Southern California, Mr. Mahrle left the operation in
1985 to return to Southern California. Unfortunately without
the creative talents and drive of Mr. Mahrle no more
aircraft were completed and the Texas company's operations
crashed.
Upon return to his Southern
California shop, new space was acquired and work commenced
on reestablishing SAM with a three-fold business development
program. First, design and research on new aircraft; second,
restoration and maintenance of standard category aircraft;
and third, development of radio control application to
special motion picture projects.
Upon return to his Southern
California shop, new space was acquired and work commenced
on reestablishing SAM with a three-fold business development
program. First, design and research on new aircraft; second,
restoration and maintenance of standard category aircraft;
and third, development of radio control application to
special motion picture projects.
Then in April of 1992 disaster
struck, in the form of the Los Angeles riots in the
aftermath of the Rodney King trial. SAM's shop was located
in the path of the destruction. With the loss of the shop
due to the resulting inferno and the increase of violence
and general lack of safety a personal decision was made.
A move to the Midwest and the serene
environment of Oshkosh, Wisconsin to take advantage of
better schools for his two daughters and a less hectic
environment for his wife Tricia Mahrle, H.R.N. C.C.R.N.,
meant that a new shop was opened to continue SAM operations
from the heartland of America.
Contract work on Windway
Aviation aircraft which involved both maintenance and
restoration kept SAM quite busy. At which time there was a
shift in direction to the design and production of a series
of specialty aircraft developed around the concept of
production interchangeability. Examples of these are:
- Busker, a single place
biplane with an open cockpit
- Gee Bee Model D, a low
wing with an open cockpit
- Angel's one, negative
gull wing stagger closed cockpit pylon racing aircraft
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To view the
pictures, images of the Busker click on the smaller
images and they will enlarge. To return to the index page for the
Busker click on Busker Index link, to view
video of the Busker click on the Video link, to
return to the Main Index click on the Lightsport Aircraft
Pilot link. |
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