- Design and development
- Operational history
- Variants
- Specifications (Escapade, Rotax UL)
- Notes
- References
- External links
| name=Escapade | image= Just Highlander (N942K) - 1.jpg | caption= Just Highlander }}{{Infobox Aircraft Type | type=Two seat ultralight aircraft | national origin=United States | manufacturer=Just Aircraft LLC
Reality Aircraft Ltd | designer= | first flight=22 February 2003 | introduced= | retired= | status= | primary user= | more users= | produced= | number built=230 kits, all variants, by mid-2010 | program cost= | unit cost=Escapade, 2010, plus tax:- United Kingdom, £12,600, without engine or instruments
- United States, $ 23,800
| developed from= | variants with their own articles=Lanitz Escapade Two
Just Superstol
}} |
The Just Escapade is a single-engine, high-wing light aircraft, seating two in side-by-side configuration. It was jointly developed in the United States and the United Kingdom in the early 2000s and by 2010 some 145 Escapades and its "bush plane" variant, the Highlander, had been built and many more kits sold. Design and developmentThe Escapade design can be traced back to that of the Avid Flyer, via the Denney Kitfox and Reality Easy Raider,[1] marrying the Easy Raider's wing to a stretched Kitfox Lite fuselage. The key differences between the two types are the Escapade's side-by-side seating in a widened cabin, dual controls, and the option of a tricycle undercarriage[2] It was developed jointly in the United States and United Kingdom by Just Aircraft and Reality Aircraft respectively,[3] the American prototype flying in February 2003, four months before its British counterpart. These prototypes differed to fit into local classifications.[2] The Escapade has a Chromoloy steel frame and is largely fabric covered. The wings have constant chord, ending in Hoerner-type wingtips; the trailing edges are aluminum. The ailerons and flaps have glass fiber leading edges. The wings are braced to the lower fuselage longerons with V-form struts and vertical jury struts. The fuselage is polygonal in section, sloping inwards above and below the center line, with a flat aluminum upper surface that slopes upwards from the tail to the wing trailing edge, at the rear of the cabin. The empennage is conventional, the low aspect ratio tailplane with its swept leading edge and rounded elevators located at the top of the fuselage. There is a portside flight-adjustable elevator trim tab with optional electric drive. The unbalanced rudder extends to the keel, moving in a V-shaped gap between the elevators.[2] The seating is under the leading edge of the wing with a cabin roof window in the wing center section. Access is through side transparencies. Engine options include several Rotax or Jabiru units in the 37-89 kW (50-120 hp) range, driving two- or three-blade propellers and enclosed in a cowling manufactured from composite materials. Both undercarriage versions have the main wheels on faired-in V-form struts mounted on the lower fuselage longerons, with rubber-sprung half axles fixed to a compression frame. The conventional tailwheel is steerable but the alternative nose wheel castors freely, though a steerable version is planned.[2] The Highlander version, intended for rough airstrips and marketed only in the United States, is designed to fly slowly and has a more robust undercarriage. Its wing has a 3 ft (910 mm) greater span, with vortex generators over the whole upper leading edge, and the fin is square cornered and 8 in (200 mm) taller. Its tail control surfaces are horn balanced and increased in area. The Highlander always has the conventional undercarriage, strengthened, with tundra tires and enhanced brakes. A 99 hp (74 kW) Rotax 912 ULS engine is fitted and allows a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 lbs (598 kg).[2] The Jabiru-engined United Kingdom prototype Escapade gained its permit to fly in September 2003 and the SLA prototype received British Civil Aircraft Rules section S approval from the Light Aircraft Association in April 2008. The Highlander was introduced in 2004.[2] Operational historyThe Escapade made its first public appearance in the United States at the Sun 'n Fun airshow at Lakeland, Florida in April 2003 and in the United Kingdom at the Popular Flying Association International Rally at Kemble in July. The type was Grand Champion lightplane at the following year's Sun 'n Fun. By mid-2010 some 230 kits had been produced, with more than 65 Escapades and 80 Highlanders built and flown.[2] In early 2012 there were 34 Escapades on the United Kingdom register.[10] One ex-United Kingdom aircraft had by 2010 moved to the Irish Republic register.[11] As of January 2019 there are four Highlanders registered in New Zealand.[12] Variants- Escapade
- Standard version, with range of engines, including the {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912ULS, the {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} turbocharged Rotax 914, {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 2200 and the {{convert|120|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 3300 powerplants.,[1] choice of undercarriage; kits sold in both the United States and United Kingdom; 65 flown by 2010.
- Escapade Two
- Version built by Escapade Aircraft of Salisbury, United Kingdom. The original Escapade model was renamed Escapade Two from 2011 to differentiate it from the single-seat version.[15]
- Highlander
- Larger wing, with anti-stall devices; larger fin and elevators; balanced tail control surfaces; strengthened conventional undercarriage. Engines are the {{convert|100|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Rotax 912ULS, the {{convert|115|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} turbocharged Rotax 914, {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 2200 and the {{convert|120|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} Jabiru 3300 powerplants.[1] Kits sold in the United States only.[15] 80 flown by 2010.
- //Just Superstol">Just Superstol
Development of the Highlander with leading edge slats and robust landing gear.[2] Specifications (Escapade, Rotax UL){{Aircraft specs
|ref=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011/12[2]
|prime units?=imp
|genhide=
|crew=
|capacity=two
|length ft=19
|length in=0
|length note=excluding propeller. Wings folded 19 ft 2 in (5.84 m)
|span ft=28
|span in=6
|height ft=5
|height in=9
|height note=with tailwheel undercarriage
|wing area sqft=108.0
|wing area note=
|width ft=7
|width in=11.5
|width note=wings folded
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight kg=255
|empty weight lb=
|empty weight note=UK; US, 615 lb (279 kg)
|gross weight kg=
|gross weight lb=
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight kg=450
|max takeoff weight note=UK; US, 1,320 lb (598 kg)
|fuel capacity= 68 L (18.0 US gal; 15.0 Imp gal) standard
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Rotax 912UL
|eng1 type=air- and water-cooled flat four
|eng1 kw=
|eng1 hp=
|eng1 note=
|power original=
|more power=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=Powerfin
|prop dia m=
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|perfhide=
|max speed kmh=
|max speed mph=
|max speed kts=
|max speed note=
|cruise speed kts=80
|cruise speed note= ;as all performance data, at maximum US take-off weight
|stall speed kmh=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed kts=23
|stall speed note=power off, flaps down
|never exceed speed mph=130
|never exceed speed note=
|minimum control speed kmh=
|minimum control speed mph=
|minimum control speed kts=
|minimum control speed note=
|range km=
|range miles=
|range nmi=
|range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling m=
|ceiling ft=
|ceiling note=
|g limits=+4/-2
|roll rate=
|glide ratio=
|climb rate ms=
|climb rate ftmin=
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|wing loading kg/m2
|wing loading lb/sqft=
|wing loading note=
|power/mass=
|more performance=
- Take-off run: 300 ft (92 m)
- Landing run: 300 ft (92 m)
|avionics=
}}{{aircontent
|see also=
|related=
|similar aircraft=
|lists=
}}Notes1. ^1 Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 65. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. {{ISSN|1368-485X}}
2. ^Bernard, Mary and Suzanne B. Bopp: "Just Aircraft Superstol", Kitplanes, Volume 29, Number 12, December 2012, page 26. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
3. ^1 2 Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 46 and 62. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
4. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 {{cite book |title= Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2011-12|last= Jackson |first= Paul |coauthors= |edition= |year=2011|publisher=IHS Jane's|location= Coulsdon, Surrey|isbn=978-0-7106-2955-5 |pages=771–2}}
5. ^1 {{cite web|url=http://www.microlighting.com/pressreleases/escapade.html |title=BMAA on Escapade |author= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=6 February 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819192043/http://www.microlighting.com/pressreleases/escapade.html |archivedate=19 August 2008 |df= }}
6. ^1 {{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/hub/A687242|title=Escapade lineage |author= |date= |work= |publisher= |accessdate=6 February 2012}}
7. ^1 {{cite web |url=http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&aircrafttype=Escapade |title=CAA - Escapade registrations |accessdate=6 February 2012}}
8. ^1 {{cite web |url=https://www.caa.govt.nz/script/aircraft-register-query/ |title=NZ CAA - Aircraft Registrations |accessdate=15 January 2019}}
9. ^1 {{cite book |title=European registers handbook 2010 |last= Partington |first=Dave |coauthors= |edition= |year=2010|publisher= Air Britain (Historians) Ltd|isbn=978-0-85130-425-0|page=180}}
References{{reflist|refs=[3][4][5][6][7][8][9]External links{{commons category|Just Escapade}}- {{Official website|http://www.justaircraft.com/}}
{{Just Aircraft}} 3 : United States sport aircraft 2000–2009|Single-engined tractor aircraft|Just Aircraft |