Air-tech Skylark

The Skylark is high-wing with a for-ward engine mounted on a cantilever beam fuselage. The forward-swept wing is rectangular with a tapered trapezoidal tip, and is supported by a single strut. Tail surfaces are classic, and tricycle landing gear is used. The engine and propeller are well forward of the cockpit. The forward-swept wing and under-wing cockpit location produce good visibility; pilot weight has minimal effect on the aircraft’s center of gravity; and the ideal spanwise lift distribution inhibits stalling of the wingtips, ensures against spinning and signals approaching stall by buffeting of the tail surfaces.

Two people can easily disassemble the Skylark. By removing three bolts, the horizontal tail surfaces can be folded up against the fin. Each wing can be detached by removing only four bolts. The Skylark wing profile was designed by NASA using technology specially for use in slow-flying aircraft. Features include low drag in the range of useful airspeeds, low stall speed, and mild stall characteristics (which are fully exploited by the forward-swept wing to produce a “spinproof” design). Aluminium sheet, extruded tubes and angles, all of general-aviation proven 2024 alloy are used throughout. Airtech uses modern adhesive bonding technology, along with blind and solid rivets. High-strength PVC foam, stamped aluminum ribs, silky-smooth Teflon bellcrank bearings, aluminum pushrods with spherical couplings, “Ceconite 7600 Process” aircraft fabric, precision molded fiberglass fairings, molded plexiglas windscreen all combine to satisfy the most demanding aviators. The standard airspeed indicator, alti-meter, tachometer and toe-operated disk brakes are as comforting to the pilot as the contoured seat designed for those up to 6 feet, 6 inches, with “stick-and-rudder” controls.

The Skylark uses the Konig SD-570 four-cylinder radial. Using a 2.8:1 reduction drive, the Skylark’s engine turns its 72-inch propeller at only 1500 rpm during takeoff; the result is exceptional static thrust and the vir-tual elimination of propeller noise.

Engine: Koenig SD-570 4-cyl radial two-stroke
Reduction: 2.8:1
Prop: 72 in