Connie Amphibious
ultralight aircraft, Connie Amphibious experimental aircraft, Connie Amphibious experimental light sport aircraft (ELSA), Light Sport Aircraft Pilot News
newsmagazine.
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Light Sport Aircraft Pilot is a directory of aircraft that generally fit
into what are described as ultralight aircraft, advanced ultralight
aircraft,
light sport aircraft, experimental light sport aircraft, experimental
aircraft, amateur built aircraft, ELSA 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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Connie Amphibious ultralight, experimental
lightsport, amateur built aircraft.
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Manufacturer
- Bob Bailey
Quest Air Soaring Center
6548 Groveland Airport Road
Groveland, FL 34736
I first met Bob Bailey in the early 80's. He was working for
Highcraft Aeromarine who were producing the Buccaneer
Amphibian XA.
While Bobby was not the designer of the Buc, in my opinion
if it were not for him the design would never have come to
market. |
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He took the "concept or idea" of an
amphibious ultralight and made it come to life. Every time
there was a problem Bobby came up with a fix, every time a
tool was needed he would design and build it. Not only was
he helping design and build the plane, but he was also "the
chief cook and bottle washer," if you were a customer you
didn't waste your time talking to the "owners" - to get the
real story you went looking for Bobby.
Since the XA Bobby has been involved in a
number of other designs including the Buccaneer 2, The
Buccaneer SX, and Carrera series of aircraft.
His heart and sole though has always been
hang gliding. To that end he developed his "Dragonfly" and
it's tow system for launching hang gliders. When he decided
he wanted better performance than a hang glider would give
him - he designed a number of "ultralight gliders" which
could be towed up behind the Dragonfly.
While traveling through Florida prior to
Sun N Fun looking for a motor home I came across an airfield
just north of Orlando. I dropped in just to see what it was
all about and low an behold there was Bobby, working away on
his latest design - the Connie!
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Russ Brown
seated, Bob Bailey standing with the Connie! |
The Connie is an amphibious single center
float ultralight, with wing tip floats on the wings. It uses
the same style of wing used on Bobby's glider, and features
a main aluminum boom tube like the Dragonfly.
The pilot sits in front of the wing, in a
seat on top of the float. The single lever retract system
retracts the two main wheels and the tail wheel in one quick
and easy motion.
Bobby reports a climb rate using the 447
Rotax engine of over 1,000 feet per minute with a cruise of
55 mph at 5200 rpm, stall comes in at 25 mph. Controls are
standard stick and rudder with a center mounted stick and
left hand throttle.
The Connie uses bolt and rivet together
construction, covered in dacron sail cloth, with estimated
building times in the 100 hour range. |
Connie Amphibious ultralight -
experimental lightsport aircraft |
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