EAA Biplane

A preliminary design was produced for the EAA by a team of Allison engineers led by EAA member Jim D. Stewart in 1955.{{Cite journal|last=Poberezny|first=Paul|date=September 1961|title=The EAA Biplane|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=September|pages=4|via=EAA.org}} This team took the Gere Sport of the 1930s as their starting point and eventually developed a completely new design, which also incorporated several later design changes made by Robert D. Blacker, the prototype's builder and one of its test pilots.{{Cite book|last=Poberezny|first=Bonnie|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36703839|title=Poberezny : the story begins--|date=1996|publisher=Red One Pub|others=Chuck Parnall|isbn=0-9655654-0-8|edition=[Signature ed.]|location=Oshkosh, Wis.|pages=329–330|oclc=36703839|quote="The new airplane being constructed.....EAA Biplane....."}}

Blacker's design changes included adding a +2 degree of dihedral to the upper wing, redesign of the horizontal stabilizer, installation of a diagonal brace at Stations 2 and 3, a change to the fuselage truss assembly, strengthening of the control column support, and a ball-bearing arrangement.{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Robert D|date=March 1958|title=Progress Report on the EAA Biplane|url=|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=March Issue|pages=24|via=EAA.org}}{{Cite book|last=Cole|first=Duane|title=This is EAA|publisher=Ken Cook TransNational|year=2002|location=Milwaukee, Wi|pages=P 89|quote="Bob Blacker......taken on the project of building the EAA Biplane project in 1957."}}

The design is a single-seat biplane of conventional configuration, with staggered, single-bay equal-span wings braced with N-struts. The undercarriage is of fixed tailwheel type. The fuselage is fabric-covered welded steel tube, and the wings fabric-covered wood.Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 139. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. {{ISBN|0-918312-00-0}}

This prototype EAA Biplane was built by Blacker (President of EAA Chapter 15 at the time) and his students at St. Rita of Cascia High School in Chicago, Illinois, as the second airplane completed as part of EAA's Project Schoolflight.{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Bob|date=March 1983|title=SCHOOLFLIGHT- It Really Works|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=March Issue|pages=62|via=EAA.org}}{{Cite magazine |last=Blacker|first=Robert D.|date=March 1956|title=A Place for Amateur Built Aircraft in Education|magazine=EAA Sport Aviation |pages=4–5}}{{Cite magazine |last=Blacker|first=Robert D.|date=June 1959|title=How EAA can Further Aviation Education|magazine=EAA Sport Aviation Magazine |pages=18–19}}{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Robert D.|date=April 1958|title=One High School's Aviation Program|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=April Issue|pages=11–12|via=EAA.org}} The EAA Biplane construction began in September 1957, with a first flight in June, 1960.{{Cite book|last=Cole|first=Duane|title=THIS IS EAA|publisher=Ken Cook Transnational |location=Milwaukee, WI |year=1972 |page=89}}{{Cite book|last=Lande|first=D.A.|title=Oshkosh- GATEWAY TO AVIATION - 50 Years of EAA Fly-Ins|publisher=Experimental Aircraft Association|year=2002|isbn=1-58932-005-0|location=Oshkosh, WI|pages=22|quote=" .....Bob Blacker and his students......completed the EAA Biplane......which resides in the EAA Museum".}} During the construction of the prototype, Blacker wrote several "EAA Biplane Progress Reports" published in EAA's Sport Aviation magazine.{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Robert D|date=June 1959|title=Progress Report on the EAA Biplane|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=June Issue|pages=17|via=EAA.org}}{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Robert D.|date=March 1958|title=EAA Biplane Progress Report|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=March Issue|pages=24|quote="Blacker reports that a few too many Design changes are needed in certain areas." Causing schedule delay|via=EAA.org}}{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Robert D|date=August 1960|title=EAA Bi-Plane Report|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=August|pages=23|via=EAA.org}}{{Cite journal|last=Blacker|first=Robert D.|date=February 1960|title=Progress on the EAA Biplane|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=February Issue|pages=31}} Blacker put the prototype's incomplete fuselage as on display at EAA's 1958 fly-in. The prototype EAA Biplane work, along with the other facets of Project Schoolflight, resulted in the award of the Mechanix Illustrated trophy for "Outstanding Achievement in Home-Built Aircraft".{{Cite book|last=Cole|first=Duane|title=This is EAA|publisher=Ken Cook transNational|year=2002|location=Milwaukee, Wi|pages=60|quote=" no one was surprised when the 1958 trophy went to Bob Blacker for his outstanding work in Project Schoolflight with his students at St. Rita High School."}} The completed prototype EAA Biplane was first publicly shown at the 1961 Rockford, Illinois Fly-In.

Plans for the biplane remained available until 1972, with 7,000 sets sold.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022}}

• EAA Aviation Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin - prototype.{{Cite journal|last=Poberenzy|first=Paul|date=March 2002|title=Homebuilding's Heritage|journal=Sport Aviation|volume=March Issue|pages=72|quote=PHOTO: Paul Poberezny in the original EAA Biplane built by Robert D. Blacker & Project Schoolflight at St. Rita's High School.|via=EAA.org}}
• Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, Londonderry, New Hampshire - regis. N317JJ

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66.{{Harvnb|Taylor|1965|pp=221–222}}

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|gross weight lb=1150

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|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Continental C85

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{{aircontent

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{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |last=Taylor |first=John W. R. |author-link=John W. R. Taylor|title=Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66 |year= 1965|publisher=Sampson Low, Marston & Company |location=London}}
• {{cite book |last= Taylor |first= Michael J. H. |title=Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation |year=1989 |publisher=Studio Editions |location=London |page=347 }}
• {{cite book |title=Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977-78 |publisher=Jane's Yearbooks |location=London |pages=536–37 }}
• [http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/EAA%20Biplane%20A-1(P-2).asp#TopOfPage AirVenture Museum page on type]
• [http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/EAA%20Biplane%20Specifications.asp airVenture Museum specification page for Biplane with 85 hp engine and open cockpit]
• [https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-communities-and-interests/homebuilt-aircraft-and-homebuilt-aircraft-kits/kits-and-plans/d---g/eaa-biplane List of magazine articles about the EAA Biplane] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503231617/http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-communities-and-interests/homebuilt-aircraft-and-homebuilt-aircraft-kits/kits-and-plans/d---g/eaa-biplane |date=2015-05-03 }}

{{commons category inline}}

{{Poberezny aircraft}}

Category:1960s United States sport aircraft

Category:Homebuilt aircraft

Biplane

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Category:Biplanes

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1960

Category:Experimental Aircraft Association