- Development
- Operational history
- Variants
- Aircraft on display
- Specifications (CA-6)
- See also
- References
| name=CA-6 Airsedan | image=Spokane Sun-God.jpg | caption=CA-6 Airsedan "Spokane Sun-God", Felts Field 1929 }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Civil utility aircraft | manufacturer=Buhl Aircraft Company | designer=Etienne Dormoy | first flight=1928 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=about 60 | variants with their own articles=
}} |
The Buhl AirSedan was a civil utility aircraft manufactured in the United States that holds the first transcontinental non-stop roundtrip flight record in 1929 with the Buhl AirSedan "Spokane Sun-God". DevelopmentThe Buhl Airsedan was a civil utility aircraft manufactured in the United States by Buhl Aircraft Company in the late 1920s and early 30s. Later models featured gradually increased seating and larger engines, but all were conventional sesquiplanes with fully enclosed cockpits and passenger cabins. After Buhl ceased operations, the drawings and jigs were purchased and a small number of CA-6's were built in Canada by the Ontario Provincial Air Service (OPAS) for use as fire spotting aircraft. These differed from the original plans in having more powerful 440 HP Pratt & Whitney engines and Vickers floats. The prototype CA-3 Airsedan was flown in the 1928 National Air Races, and was purchased in the 1960s by Ed Marquart for restoration. The aircraft was modified for a Lycoming radial engine installation and sold to the Buhl family after his death in 2007. The aircraft was restored to flying condition by Andy Bowman in 2012.[1] Operational historyOne Airsedan, Angelino Jr was piloted by Loren Mendell to first place in the 1929 Oakland-Cleveland Air Derby, and another, Spokane Sun God was used to make the first nonstop roundtrip flight across the United States. Nick Mamer and Art Walker flew it from Spokane, Washington to New York City and back between 15 and 21 August 1929, taking 120 hours 1 minute 40 seconds for the trip and using inflight refuelling to make the distance. Another Airsedan, dubbed Miss Doran, took part in the Dole Air Race but was lost at sea. Variants- CA-3 Airsedan - original three-seat version powered by Wright J-5
- CA-3A
- CA-3B Junior Airsedan - slightly smaller version with Warner Scarab engine
- CA-3C Sport Airsedan
- CA-3CW Sport Airsedan - Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine
- CA-3D Sport Airsedan - Wright J-6 engine
- CA-3E Sport Airsedan - Packard DR-980 engine
- CA-5 Airsedan - five-seat version powered by Wright J-5
- CA-5A Airsedan - Deluxe version
- CA-6 Airsedan - six-seat version powered by Wright J-6
- CA-6A Airsedan - 420 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine
- CA-6B Airsedan - 450 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine
- CA-6D Special - six-seat conversion of CA-3D (2 converted)
- CA-6J Airsedan - five seats and 300 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp (1 converted from CA-6)
- CA-6W Airsedan - four seats and 420 hp Pratt & whitney Wasp (1 converted from CA-6)
- CA-8 Senior Airsedan - eight-seat version powered by 450 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp
- CA-8A Senior Airsedan - Wright Cyclone engine
- CA-8B Senior Airsedan - 520 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp
Aircraft on display- Golden Wings Museum, Blaine, Minnesota
- Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario - some parts from the unrestored remains of two OPAS Buhls (C-FOAR and C-FOAT)
Specifications (CA-6) {{Aircraft specs
|ref=American Landplane Specifications[2]
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=1
|capacity=5 passengers
|length m=
|length ft=29
|length in=8
|span ft=40
|span in=0
|height m=
|height ft=8
|height in=7
|wing area sqft=315
|empty weight kg=
|empty weight lb=2478
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=4500
|max takeoff weight kg=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|more general=
|fuel capacity={{convert|100|USgal|impgal L|abbr=on}}
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Wright J-6
|eng1 type=radial engine
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=300
|eng1 shp=
|eng1 kn=
|eng1 lbf=
|power original=
|thrust original=
|eng1 kn-ab=
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|rot number=
|rot dia m=
|rot dia ft=
|rot dia in=
|rot area sqm=
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|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=140
|max speed kts=
|cruise speed kmh=
|cruise speed mph=120
|cruise speed kts=
|stall speed mph=45
|range km=
|range miles=720
|range nmi=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=15000
|g limits=
|roll rate=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=900
|lift to drag=
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|disk loading lb/sqft=
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}}
See also{{Portal|Aviation}}- Buhl CA-1 Airster ; Buhl Bull Pup
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}}References{{commons category|Buhl Airsedan}}1. ^{{cite web|title=A Rare chance to see a Rare Buhl|url=http://www.airventure.org/news/2012/120722_rare-chance-to-see-buhl.html|accessdate=17 August 2012}}
2. ^Aviation March 1931, pp. 180, 183.
- {{cite magazine|title=Table 2: American Landplane Specifications: Single-Engined Planes With Seats For More Than Three Persons |magazine=Aviation|date= March 1931 |volume=30 |issue=3 |pages=180, 183 |url=http://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19310301#!&pid=180|registration=y}}
- {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |pages=216 }}
- aerofiles.com
- The Flight of the Buhl Airsedan Spokane Sun-God first airplane to make a non-stop transcontinental round-trip flight
{{Verville Air}} 7 : Buhl aircraft|United States civil utility aircraft 1920–1929|Racing aircraft|Sesquiplanes|Single-engined tractor aircraft|High-wing aircraft|Aircraft first flown in 1928 |