Birdman Enterprises
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Canadian ultralight manufacturer. For the unrelated US ultralight manufacturer, see Birdman Aircraft
Birdman Enterprises Limited was a Canadian
aircraft manufacturer that commenced business in 1973 and became well known for its line of hang gliders
and later its ultralight aircraft until its demise in late 1987.
An redesigned version of the company's Chinook
ultralight design was later placed back in production by Aircraft Sales and Parts
of Vernon, British Columbia
in 1989 and remains available as a kit aircraft
.
The Birdman MJ-4, MJ-5 and MJ-6 were very successful designs and sold in large numbers. Next the company developed a power package for self-launching hang gliders and started marketing it in 1979 as the Altair.
In 1980 the company introduced its first ultralight aircraft design, the Birdman Atlas
, which was based on the Eipper Quicksilver. Operational experience resulted in a greatly improved Atlas model for 1981. The redesigned aircraft provided more lift, engine thrust and a better rate of climb. A total of more than 500 were produced.
In 1981, the company hired experienced Ukrainian
hang glider designer Vladimir Talanczuk, who had recently immigrated to Canada. He was assigned the task of designing a "clean-sheet" ultralight aircraft for mass-production as a kit. Talanczuk's eleventh design, the WT-11, became the Birdman WT-11 Chinook
(later redesignated the Birdman Chinook 1S), first flying on 12 December 1982 and entering production the following year.
As a result of its focus on ultralight aircraft, including a new factory in St. Paul, Alberta
that became known as Canadian Ultralight Manufacturing, Birdman ceased production of hang gliders in 1983. With the WT-11 single-seat ultralight in production, Talanczuk produced the design for the planned Chinook two-seat trainer, which was designated as the Chinook 2S (2 seater). The 2S entered production in 1984.
China Daily
newspaper carried a story on 9 November 1985 announcing that the government of the People's Republic of China
had signed a ten year contract with Birdman Enterprises to construct 5,000 aircraft in China for sale world-wide. This was announced as part of China's strategy to diversify military production into civil aircraft as part of the nation's modernization program.
Between starting Chinook production in 1983 and going out of business in late 1987, Birdman produced approximately 700 WT-11 and 2S Chinooks.
(ASAP), Holomis next embarked on a redesign of the Chinook 2S and by 1989 the ASAP Chinook Plus 2
was available in kit form. The Chinook Plus 2 remains in production.
Birdman Aircraft
This article is about the U.S. ultralight manufacturer. For the unrelated Canadian ultralight manufacturer, see Birdman EnterprisesBirdman Aircraft was a U.S. aircraft manufacturer that marketed the Birdman TL-1 ultralight in the 1970s and early 80s, at the time, the lightest aircraft to have ever...
Birdman Enterprises Limited was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
aircraft manufacturer that commenced business in 1973 and became well known for its line of hang gliders
Hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
and later its ultralight aircraft until its demise in late 1987.
An redesigned version of the company's Chinook
Birdman Chinook
The Birdman Chinook is a family of single and two-place, pusher configuration, high-wing ultralight aircraft that was first flown on 12 December 1982 and produced by Birdman Enterprises of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada starting in 1983....
ultralight design was later placed back in production by Aircraft Sales and Parts
Aircraft Sales and Parts
Aircraft Sales and Parts is a Canadian kit aircraft and parts manufacturer, based in Vernon, British Columbia.ASAP produces a line of single and two place ultralight kit aircraft, powered parachutes and parts though the parent company and also through its divisions Summit Powered Parachutes, Steel...
of Vernon, British Columbia
Vernon, British Columbia
Vernon is a city in the south-central region of British Columbia, Canada. Named after Forbes George Vernon, a former MLA of British Columbia who helped found the famed Coldstream Ranch, the City of Vernon was incorporated on December 30, 1892. The City of Vernon has a population of 35,944 , while...
in 1989 and remains available as a kit aircraft
Homebuilt aircraft
Also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, homebuilt aircraft are constructed by persons for whom this is not a professional activity. These aircraft may be constructed from "scratch," from plans, or from assembly kits.-Overview:...
.
History
The founder of Birdman Enterprises, Terry Jones, first learned to fly in 1970 from Bill Moyes, the originator of the modern sport of hang gliding. In 1973 Jones started designing and building his own gliders in Edmonton, Alberta. He named the company after the nickname that he had personally acquired as a hang glider pilot, "Birdman Jones".The Birdman MJ-4, MJ-5 and MJ-6 were very successful designs and sold in large numbers. Next the company developed a power package for self-launching hang gliders and started marketing it in 1979 as the Altair.
In 1980 the company introduced its first ultralight aircraft design, the Birdman Atlas
Birdman Atlas
|-See also:...
, which was based on the Eipper Quicksilver. Operational experience resulted in a greatly improved Atlas model for 1981. The redesigned aircraft provided more lift, engine thrust and a better rate of climb. A total of more than 500 were produced.
In 1981, the company hired experienced Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
hang glider designer Vladimir Talanczuk, who had recently immigrated to Canada. He was assigned the task of designing a "clean-sheet" ultralight aircraft for mass-production as a kit. Talanczuk's eleventh design, the WT-11, became the Birdman WT-11 Chinook
Birdman Chinook
The Birdman Chinook is a family of single and two-place, pusher configuration, high-wing ultralight aircraft that was first flown on 12 December 1982 and produced by Birdman Enterprises of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada starting in 1983....
(later redesignated the Birdman Chinook 1S), first flying on 12 December 1982 and entering production the following year.
As a result of its focus on ultralight aircraft, including a new factory in St. Paul, Alberta
St. Paul, Alberta
St. Paul is a town in east-central Alberta, Canada. It was formerly called St. Paul de Métis and was originally a French-Catholic settlement and mission to the Metis people....
that became known as Canadian Ultralight Manufacturing, Birdman ceased production of hang gliders in 1983. With the WT-11 single-seat ultralight in production, Talanczuk produced the design for the planned Chinook two-seat trainer, which was designated as the Chinook 2S (2 seater). The 2S entered production in 1984.
China Daily
China Daily
The China Daily is an English language daily newspaper published in the People's Republic of China.- Overview :China Daily was established in June 1981 and has the widest print circulation of any English-language newspaper in the country...
newspaper carried a story on 9 November 1985 announcing that the government of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
had signed a ten year contract with Birdman Enterprises to construct 5,000 aircraft in China for sale world-wide. This was announced as part of China's strategy to diversify military production into civil aircraft as part of the nation's modernization program.
Between starting Chinook production in 1983 and going out of business in late 1987, Birdman produced approximately 700 WT-11 and 2S Chinooks.
Successor
In 1988 one of the owners of a Chinook 2S, Brent Holomis, decided to start producing Chinook parts to support the existing fleet of aircraft. Once parts were available from his new company Aircraft Sales and PartsAircraft Sales and Parts
Aircraft Sales and Parts is a Canadian kit aircraft and parts manufacturer, based in Vernon, British Columbia.ASAP produces a line of single and two place ultralight kit aircraft, powered parachutes and parts though the parent company and also through its divisions Summit Powered Parachutes, Steel...
(ASAP), Holomis next embarked on a redesign of the Chinook 2S and by 1989 the ASAP Chinook Plus 2
Birdman Chinook
The Birdman Chinook is a family of single and two-place, pusher configuration, high-wing ultralight aircraft that was first flown on 12 December 1982 and produced by Birdman Enterprises of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada starting in 1983....
was available in kit form. The Chinook Plus 2 remains in production.
Aircraft
| Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Falcon I & II | hang glider | ||
| XC | Single-place hang glider | ||
| MJ-4 | Single-place hang glider | ||
| MJ-5 | Single-place hang glider | ||
| MJ-6 | Single-place hang glider | ||
| Altair | Hang glider power package | ||
| Atlas Birdman Atlas |-See also:... |
more than 500 | Single-place ultralight aircraft | |
| Project 102 | 1 | Single-place ultralight motor glider Motor glider A motor glider is a fixed-wing aircraft that can be flown with or without engine power. The FAI Gliding Commission Sporting Code definition is: A fixed wing aerodyne equipped with a means of propulsion ,... |
|
| Chinook WT-11 Birdman Chinook The Birdman Chinook is a family of single and two-place, pusher configuration, high-wing ultralight aircraft that was first flown on 12 December 1982 and produced by Birdman Enterprises of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada starting in 1983.... |
700 WT-11 and 2S | Single-place ultralight aircraft | |
| Chinook 2S Birdman Chinook The Birdman Chinook is a family of single and two-place, pusher configuration, high-wing ultralight aircraft that was first flown on 12 December 1982 and produced by Birdman Enterprises of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada starting in 1983.... |
700 WT-11 and 2S | Two-place ultralight aircraft | |