Its far from the first crash hes seen after years in aviation but this was the first to, quite literally, hit this close to home. Flight control continuity was confirmed, but numerous flight control surfaces had separated from the cockpit controls, consistent with impact overload. I bent it out of the way for some of the other pictures. Contact us for information about engine suppliers. Terry Hallett released an update to the public, touching on his time running the day-to-day operations at Hummel, and the transition away from it. All messages must be civil in tone; if critical, must be constructive. The heart weighed 420 grams (normal range for a male of this weight is 281 - 489 grams). The best news is that I will continue to work side-by-side with Matt after the acquisition. Accident occurred Tuesday, December 18, 2012 in Calhoun, GA, Aircraft: RUSSOM ROY G HUMMEL H5, registration: N156FH. Climb; Glide; Sink; Cruise/stall/max speeds; Endurance; Range; Maneuverability. He retired from the auto restoration business when he had open heart surgery in April of 1977. After maneuvering in the vicinity of the airport, the airplane flew at a low altitude, and descended towards the approach end of the runway opposite of its initial departure. Approaches can be done down to the 40-mph range. Pros Four-stroke power is worth giving up systems to some pilots. The 76-year-old pilot had no recent Federal Aviation Administration medical examinations, but none were required as he was operating the airplane as a sport pilot. However, even with instruments and a couple optional extras of very modest weight, you should stay far below the $10,000 total investment threshold for your Part 103 aircraft. The VW conversion is a Hummel creation now built by another company. Hummel Aviation also offers the UltraCruiser Plus for pilots weighing more than 200 pounds and taller than 6 feet. Roy Steve always does whatever it takes to get it done. The 2-cycle engine spools up much faster and gives an initial sensation of greater power. The Ultracruiser Classicwas designed to use a 1/2 Volkswagen. ABC Action News spoke with the pilot's wife, Harley Hargrove, who has identified him as 73-year-old James Hargrove. Share on email. All parts are pre-cut, pre-drilled, and designed to make construction easy and streamlined for new and experienced builders. Cons No flaps or in-flight trim can be accommodated if UltraCruiser is to remain within Part 103. Jacobs adds, Cruise speed [is] very good and stall very low. He likes the quick response and adequate power of the ailerons. Will deliver within 500 miles. Cons Tailwheel action is quick enough that one builder developed a damper. In April 2002, Morry started working with Terry Hallett to modify the UltraCruiser for larger pilots. That's the first thing that comes to your mind when I saw he landed straight in, the airplane stalled, it went right into the tree, nose down," said Porter. Required fields are marked *. Anyone have any insight? after departing the airport. Friends of James Hargrove say the plane reportedly lost engine power and that the pilot suffered a broken ankle in the wreck. Three years after my accident, I started building the UltraCruiser. Although the cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma, the autopsy report also revealed severe atherosclerotic coronary artery disease but did not contain information about the extent of occlusions, the vessels involved, or evidence of interventions, such as stents. No other details were released about the incident, including the identity of the pilot or went wrong with the aircraft. Canopy included. A: The Ultracruiser is capable of a maximum weight of 575 lbs. The UltraCruiser can be purchased as plans-only, partial kit, or full parts-kit. He flies the 37-hp version of the Half VW produced by Casler. JavaScript is disabled. When youre done with the project, I believe youll love the flight characteristics of Hummels nifty little ultralight. The design can be built straight from plans up to, and including a full kit. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. VW Engine built by Scott Cassler, Completed Plans-Built Part 103 Compliant Ultracruiser, - Cassler 32 HP 1/2 VW (with 2 hours of engine time). Wide gear track gives great ground stability. For those who want to hold their investment as low as possible, Hummel indicates that their step-by-step manual is very complete with all materials listed as well as addresses for where to buy off-the-shelf items. He writes, Flip the prop over once, and the Half VW comes to life. Kate passed away in 1989 after suffering a stroke. "Very thankful he's still living," said Harley Hargrove. Steve has been with Hummel nearly as long as I have. A spokesperson with Pasco Fire Rescue says the NTSB has been notified. A spokesman for Pasco Fire Rescue says the crash happened on Paddock Lane near Simmons Road on Monday around 2:30 p.m. Deputies say the pilot reported that he lost power while attempting the land the aircraft and ended up crashing it into a tree. The UltraCruiser is designed for. No other negatives. Takeoff roll start is surprisingly energetic for a small 4-stroke engine. During his four months in the hospital Morry made a deal with God. Morry made an amazing recovery from his injuries, and the UltraCruiser prototype was under construction by 1999 and completed in June of 2000. God had spared my life for a reason. Microscopic evaluation of the heart was not conducted. Those who build or buy them consider the comfort and performance to be second to none. Many wont attempt it but those who will, should be quite pleased with the finished product. Its designer, Morry Hummel, was not a young engineer with a passion for flying ultralights. The FAA allows for aircraft meeting certain weight, fuel, and airspeed requirements to be flown under Part 103 of the Federal, Regulations (FAR). Later I discovered that I could make an approach at considerably slower speeds, in the area of 45 mph, which significantly decreased ground roll. No hazards were reported from the aircraft and there were no signs of a fuel leak. Hummel Aviations UltraCruiser Plus has a 6.5-foot gear track for improved ground handling. James Morris Hummelwas born on August 5, 1915, in Bryan, Ohio. I had this new plane in the back of my mind for some time. Compared to the Rotax 582 and its 65 hp or even the Rotax 503 and its 50 horses, the Half VW with 37 hp the highest power offered by Hummels 2-cylinder powerplants sounds rather weak. Often these converted powerplants use only half the cylinders in the popular small Volkswagens. At one point in my airborne tape recording, my notes reflect that I removed all ear protection and was surprised at the low-noise results. No seat adjustment provided unless builder adds it. Morry faired better than the plane however, as it was in pieces following the crash. He married Kate in 1938 and they had two children. 16288 County Road D Bryan, OH 43506 Phone: (419) 636-6700 Email: Sales@flyhummel.com. He said the two hardest things he had to do were getting the bulkheads lined up on the building beam, and remembering to stop working on it and go to bed! Hummel Ultracruiser Rebuild part 1 4,723 views Jan 6, 2021 82 Dislike Share Lewis N. Clark 596 subscribers A walk-around of my recently acquired Hummel Ultracruiser Ultralight airplane. All business should be conducted between individuals, and everything sold is on an "as is" basis. In such tight-quarters flying I make nearly continuous throttle adjustments and the vernier control worked against this, at least when combined with the engines slower response (compared to a 2-cycle engine). Morry went up in his Mini Max as he had so many times before. It is a single-seat, single-engine, all-metal airplane typically powered by a 1/2 VW engine in the 32 hp-45 hp range although . Then if you back far enough, we had Mike Ingram and Tammy Sperling. Good power response test; power-up raised the nose and vice versa. Hummel UltraCruiser, Part 103 Legal Ultralight Hummel Aircraft Ultralight Aircraft Buyers Guide 2022https://www.patreon.com/lightsportandultralightflyer - He. Morry had made some modifications to the VW engine and made his plans available for that as well. The Hummel Aircraft Company is not involved with any classified ad sales, only promotion and display. Why should I jeopardize my precious digits just to start an engine? If your strands are in serious need of hydration, conditioning and repair, Fable & Manes hair masks, oils and scrubs are excellent. Intended for first time buiders as well as first time pilots, the UltraCruiser is an easy to build and even easier to fly aircraft. "He's very lucky he didn't have the engine in his face," said Ferman Geiger. The war effort dictated no more 450 Prat & Whitney engines, which caused Howard Aircraft to close. Fuselage, Motorbox, Center Wing complete and Landing Gear complete. The incident was reported at about 3:19 p.m. My faith has opened so many doors over the years. It is still one of the only all metal part 103 ultralights in the world. Landings went very well. And probably most of all, my wife Deb. 37HP Hummel Engine with MGL ASV-1. On the contrary, Hummel is one of aviations pioneers with many years of experience. He flew his Mini-Max to Osh Kosh in 1988 and 1994. Their noise is less whine and of lower decibels than most 2-strokes, fuel economy is substantially better, and ecological concerns favor the 4-stroke over the 2-cycle engine. The Ultracruiser Classicwas designed to use a 1/2 Volkswagen. Great mechanic and attention to detail. Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions, Observation Facility, Elevation: ZPH, 90 ft msl, Distance from Accident Site: 3 Nautical Miles, Latitude, Longitude: 28.260833, -82.210556. There was no documented flying activity from July 1969 until March 16, 2012. They have one at the factory ready to go for $31,000 but Im pretty sure you can talk him down. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The aircraft was designed by Morry Hummel in 1999, and first flew in 2000. The UltraCruisers roll response was quite brisk, not in the range of aerobatic aircraft, but faster than your average ultralight by a clear margin. Rare as that is in ultralights, aluminum is an excellent way to keep the weight low. "Was he alive or dead? A complete set of plans contains 26 24-inch by 36-inch CAD-drawn pages pages with full size templates for bulkheads and wing ribs. Bargain price by anyones standard: can be flying for less than $8,000. Im just glad hes not hurt any worse than he is, Porter said, noting he has seen less-damaging plane crashes that still proved to be fatal. Hummel H5. You are using an out of date browser. Roll rate is better than the average ultralight, perhaps due to small wing and short span. -Terry Hallett, MORRY HUMMEL, AGE 85, FLYING HIS ULTRACRUISER, HUMMEL AIRCRAFT COMPANY AQUIRES HUMMEL AVIATION : HISTORY OF HUMMEL CONTINUES. Add to cart. Your feet slide readily on the interiors metal finish, so heel brakes were easy enough to operate. The airplane's initial impact point was in a tree, about 50 feet above the ground, in the vicinity of 34 degrees, 27.03 minutes north latitude, 084 degrees, 55.83 minutes west longitude. The companys demonstration aircraft is located at the Livingston County Airport in Howell, Michigan. The aircraft is small and efficient yet rugged, rated for 6G's. The Hummelbird was designed to use a 1/2 Volkswagen. Hummel wrote, "I crashed my miniMAX on July 19, 1995. (Empty weight can be as low at 254 lbs). The larger UltraCruiser Plus has been totally redrawn and provides much more detail than the earlier model, says Terry Hallett. Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen says the amateur-built aircraft crashed in the woods after departing from the Tom B. David airport in Calhoun at about 2 p.m. Tuesday. No flaps to permit low and slow over-the-field flying. Though the tailwheel lifts quickly and easily, I found that the UltraCruiser showed no tendency to overlift the tail. We are excited to see how far Hummel can go and cant wait to see everyone at OshKosh 2021 (booth 946 in Ultralight Area). A spokesman for Pasco Fire Rescue says the crash happened on Paddock Lane near Simmons Road on Monday around 2:30 p.m. Deputies say the pilot reported that he lost power while attempting the land the aircraft and ended up crashing it into a tree. The UltraCruiser can be purchased as plans-only, partial kit, or full parts-kit. Certainly most pilots reaching the ripe age of 85 years would have hung up their wings and retired to the easy chair. The production facilities have been movedfrom Ohio to Michigan. Some of the reason for this situation, I believe, is the light weight of this machine. - SOLD - Completed Ultracruiser Kit (45HP) Recently completed Ultracruiser from kit (240 build hours) with the following add-ons: Canopy, Throttle, Cabin Heat, Spinner. He then purchased a J3 Kitten kit, and became a dealer for the company. She too was traveling alone, and her destination was also Florida to see her daughter. I'll be. Long flights will require extra attention to seat comfort. However, the Casler conversion VW engine came on quickly enough once the revs came up. Is Florida getting another Buc-ees location? Despite the smoothly contoured aluminum fuselage, the UltraCruiser showed respectable slips. Though most customers will regard the UltraCruiser as scratch kit meaning you must obtain many raw material items and fabricate them to the plans Hummel Aviation doesoffer a selection of prefabricated parts. The crash occurred during the 3rd circuit. There is currently approximately 40 H5's flying. There's no word yet on the cause of the crash. Thin aluminum construction could see hangar rash more easily. Matt lives in Dexter, Michigan with his wife and two children who share his excitement for flight. Plans, UltraCruiser quantity. The sport pilot was seriously injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. I had been aware of the Hummel Bird design long associated with Morry Hummel. These days, Scott Casler produces Hummels converted engine in a location different from Hummel Aviation. For example, the somewhat larger UltraCruiser Plus for larger pilots lists the following items: formed parts such as laser-cut bulkheads, laser-cut rib sets, control linkage components, laser-cut stabilizer and tail fin ribs; welded parts such as the yoke assembly, landing gear, tailwheel bracket, rudder control, elevator control components; plus other items such as fuel tanks, canopies, hardware package, templates, and 4130 steel parts. Part 103 while canopy not in use. Hummel is also known for use of VW engine conversions. He likes it so much that he often does a touch-and-go just so I can go around and do it all over again. Scantlen recorded touchdown at 25 mph and notes he has very little rollout at that speed. 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