The Stits SA-11A Playmate is a

homebuilt aircraft Homebuilt aircraft, also known as amateur-built aircraft or kit planes, 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.Armstrong, Kenn ...

design that features a rapid wing-folding mechanism for trailering or storage.

Design

The SA-11A is a single engine,

side-by-side configuration Tandem, or in tandem, is an arrangement in which a team of machines, animals or people are lined up one behind another, all facing in the same direction. The original use of the term in English was in ''tandem harness'', which is used for two ...

seating,

tricycle gear Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...

strut-braced In aeronautics, bracing comprises additional structural members which stiffen the functional airframe to give it rigidity and strength under load. Bracing may be applied both internally and externally, and may take the form of strut, which act in ...

, low wing

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...

. The

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

is welded steel tubing with

aircraft fabric covering Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...

. The wings have a quick release mechanism that allows them to fold and lock alongside the fuselage in 15–30 seconds. Safety mechanisms were put in place so pilots could visually inspect that the wings were locked in place. A small sideways seat in the rear can accommodate of luggage or a light passenger.

Operational history

The prototype was donated by Ray Stits in 1969 to the

EAA AirVenture Museum The EAA Aviation Museum, formerly the EAA AirVenture Museum (or Air Adventure Museum), is a museum dedicated to the preservation and display of historic and experimental aircraft as well as antiques, classics, and warbirds. The museum is ...

Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, of which it is the county seat. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-largest city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the Town of Oshkosh. History Oshkosh was ...

. Its engine went into the

Stits SA-9A Stits is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bill Stits (1931–2011), American football safety * Ray Stits (1921–2015), American inventor, homebuilt aircraft designer, aircraft mechanic and pilot See also * Stitz, surna ...

"Skycoupe" prototype for testing and development.

Specifications (SA-11A Playmate)

References

{{Stits aircraft Homebuilt aircraft Low-wing aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft