Bowers Fly Baby

Classic award-winning design; may use J-3 Cub 12-gallon fuel tank or 16-gallon tank per plans; floats optional. First flights in 1960.

The Fly Baby was the winning entry in the 1962 Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Design Contest. Developed by Seattle resident Peter Bowers, the little plane specifically met the EAA's requirements for a low-cost, folding-wing plane that can be towed or trailered and is easy to build and fly. Still a popular design with many homebuilt-aircraft enthusiasts, the Fly Baby's plans sell for about $65. The finished airplane can fit in a standard garage and can also be built in biplane and twin-float seaplane versions.

Peter M. Bowers
Seattle resident Peter Bowers wrote his first aviation article as a high-school student in 1938. Today, he is one of the world's most respected aviation historians, with numerous books and hundreds of articles to his credit. Never far from a camera, Bowers also has one of the United States' largest collections of aviation prints and negatives. During WW II, he served the US Army Air Forces as an intelligence officer and later worked for The Boeing Company for 36 years. Bowers built a replica Curtiss Pusher which he flew at airshows and the prototype of his own design—the award-winning Fly Baby.

specifications
 
powerplant
propeller
length
height
wing span
wing area
seats
empty weight
gross weight
fuel capacity
range
Used Cont. C-85 HP Range85/65-100
x
18.9ft
7ft
28ft
120sq. ft
1
605lb
925lb
16gal
240n.m

performance

takeoff distance, ground roll
rate of climb
max speed
cruise speed
landing distance, ground roll
service ceiling
350ft
1050fpm
120mph
100mph
400ft
4,000ft

limiting and recommended speeds

design manoeuvring speed (Va)
never exceed speed (Vne)
stall, power off (Vsl)
landing approach speed
x
x
45mph
x

All specifications are based on manufacturer's calculations

No. Completed & Flown 500+ Classic award-winning design; may use J-3 Cub 12-gallon fuel tank or 16-gallon tank per plans; floats optional. First flights in 1960.