The UFM Easy Riser is an American swept wing

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

hang glider that was first powered in 1975, becoming the first modern

ultralight aircraft Ultralight aviation (called microlight aviation in some countries) is the flying of lightweight, 1- or 2-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Some countries differentiate between weight-shift control and conventional three-axis control aircraft with ailer ...

. The Easy Riser was still in production as an unpowered glider in 2002 by Ultralight Flying Machines.Cliche, Andre: ''Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide'' 8th Edition, page E-14. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.

Design and development

The Easy Riser was developed by Larry Mauro from the earlier Kiceniuk Icarus II biplane hang glider. An engine was installed by John Moody in 1975 so the glider could be launched from flat terrain.Rogers, Bennett: ''1974 Sailplane Directory, Soaring Magazine'', page 99. Soaring Society of America, August 1974. USPS 499-920 Early powered versions consisted simply of a motor added to the foot-launched hang glider version with control by a combination of weight shift for pitch and tip rudders for roll and yaw, with the tip rudders used together as air brakes. Because many pilots could not run fast enough to achieve take-off, wheeled tricycle gear was added. The aircraft exhibited poor pitch stability, so a

horizontal stabilizer A tailplane, also known as a horizontal stabiliser, is a small lifting surface located on the tail (empennage) behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed-wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplan ...

and elevator were added. Finally, on later versions, the tip rudders were replaced with a tail-mounted rudder. The Easy Riser is constructed with an aluminium structure and stamped ribs, covered in doped

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 ar ...

, Mylar or other coverings. The pilot sits on a fabric sling seat. Engines used include the McCulloch MAC-101, Hirth F-36 and Solo 210. Easy Risers were produced in large numbers until the ultralight market downturn of the early 1980s when the type was taken out of production. Later, the unpowered glider version was put back into limited production. In 1979, Larry Mauro installed solar cells and an electric motor on a stock Easy Riser and the resulting

Mauro Solar Riser The Mauro Solar Riser is an American biplane ultralight electric aircraft that was the first crewed aircraft to fly on solar power. It was also only the second solar-powered aircraft to fly, after the uncrewed AstroFlight Sunrise, which had ...

become the first solar powered aircraft to carry a person aloft.

Aircraft on Display

* Canadian Air & Space Museum - Easy Riser used by Bill Lishman in projects to teach birds to migrate * EAA AirVenture Museum - two Easy Risers and the Solar Riser. * US Southwest Soaring Museum - Easy Riser

Specifications (Easy Riser ultralight)

Notable appearances in media

References

External links