Fred Smith, president of Frederick-Ames Research Corporation at Novi, Michigan, USA, designed a small single-seat sporting aircraft called the EOS (after the Greek goddess of the dawn) N10AE, which first appeared in an incomplete form at the 1973 EAA Fly-in at Oshkosh.

 

Type: Single-seat light sporting aircraft.

Wings: Cantilever tapered low-wing monoplane. Wing section NACA 651212. Light alloy all-metal structure, except for glass fiber wing fillets, pop riveted and epoxy resin bonded.

Fuselage: Conventional light alloy semi-monocoque structure, pop riveted and epoxy resin bonded. Glass fiber engine cowling and 7 in (178 mm) prop extension shaft with Mooney 201 spinner.

Tail unit: Cantilever light alloy structure, comprising triangular fin, integral with rear fuselage, rudder, and all-moving tail plane with projecting balance arms at roots. Tail plane actuated via servo tabs.

Landing gear: Manually-retractable tricycle type. Main units retract inwards. Fully castoring and steerable nose wheel. Rubber-in-compression shock-absorption. Disc brakes.

Accommodation: Single glass fiber seat under large transparent canopy.

Systems: Electrical system includes 45A alternator and starter.

 

On its maiden flight on April 25, 1974, the 55 hp Hirth 650 cc engine seized and the aircraft crash landed, causing extensive damage. Despite some restoration work, the aircraft was abandoned through lack of finance.

 

In early 1978 the project was revived, with a modified Volkswagen motor car engine in place of the original engine. First flight of the reworked aircraft was in mid-1978, piloted by Robert Bishop. By August 1978 the EOS had completed about ten flying hours, and further modifications to the aircraft had been made. Eventually the release of plans and/or kits was never realized, and the prototype remains the only example ever built.

 

Power plant: Volkswagen 1,834 cc, 70 hp
Propeller: Rand Robinson three-blade ground-adjustable

Propeller diameter: 4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)

Span: 26 ft 0 in (7.92 m)

Wing area: 75 sq.ft (6.97 sq.m)

Wing aspect ratio: 9

Length: 16 ft 7 in (5.05 m)

Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Empty weight: 670 lb (304 kg)

Loaded weight: 975 lb (442 kg)

Fuel capacity 15 gal (56.75 l)

Max speed: 200 mph (322 kmh)

Cruise speed: 175 mph (281 kmh) at 5,000 ft (1,525 m)

Stall speed: 57 mph (92 kmh) at 4,500 ft (1,370 m)

Climb: 1,000 ft (305 m)/min

Take off run: 1,000 ft (305 m)