#Zipster ultralight pro

It has a steerable tailwheel, three-quarter-span ailerons and is one of the best performing aircraft on the ultralight market when using a Rotax twin-cylinder, air-cooled engine.įireStar climbs out at over 800 feet per minute, cruises in the 55 to 65 mph range, and stalls in the 25 mile per hour range. Power for used Firestar will likely be supplied by the Rotax 377, 447, or 503 two-stroke aircraft engines, however, a variety of engines from 28 to 55 horsepower have been used.įireStar features standard stick and rudder controls, with a center-mounted stick, and a left-hand throttle. Once construction is completed the FireStar is then covered in standard aircraft covering materials. The rivet and bolt together aluminum tubing kit can be build with common hand tools in a single car garage but a small air compressor and air riveter are recommended - your rivet-pulling hand will definitely thank you. If you prefer to build, Firestar comes as an assembly kit taking about 350 hours to build. Part 103 ultralights are quietly out-selling many other types and for good reasons: they are proven, inexpensive, and involve almost no FAA regulations. However, the Kentucky factory is busy building these aircraft, so a ready-to-fly model might be a few months coming. If you prefer new to a used aircraft, the modern Part-103 compliant Kolb Firefly won’t cost you as much as you might think. This will let you fly in tricycle gear mode but you can experiment with tailwheel operation. However, if you’re still concerned you can get Firestar with a nosewheel and a tailwheel. This makes the tailwheel operation vastly easier and more docile for new taildragger pilots. This is partly as the “deck angle” is shallow, that is, the nose does not sit high compared to the tail. Many pilots have discovered that Kolb taildraggers are some of the easiest-to-fly aircraft on the market, tail wheel or not. To some aviators, “taildragger” is a negative. The FireStar is a high wing, strut braced, taildragger in a pusher configuration. In the early 1980s Home produced the UltraStar ultralight and then in 1984 introduced the FireStar which, after 35 years in active operation, is still available today in a number of versions. Kolb designs are some of the most time tested and proven aircraft on the ultralight and experimental market today. Continuing the friendly demeanor of people leading the Kolb company, Brian is intense and easy-going at the same time. Today, Kolb Aircraft (as it is known once again) is run by Brian Melborn. Souder, along with other partners, had owned the enterprise since 1994. In 1999 Bruce Chesnut and Brian Blackwood purchased Kolb Aircraft from Dennis naming it The New Kolb Aircraft Company. When Homer retired, the company continued under engineer Dennis Souder who had worked closely with Home for many years. When I visited many years ago, it was a family operation and every customer was well aware.

All Kolb designs exhibit these qualities but FireStar - one of his most popular designs - achieved this better than almost any aircraft that preceded it.Ī talented, gentle, soft-spoken man, Homer’s aircraft designs were created and manufactured at his farm in Pennsylvania.

While conventional in its configuration (three-axis control, fixed wing), Kolb demonstrates Homer’s appreciation for simplicity and his ability to deliver that. Some of it is simply that Homer Kolb‘s designs wanted to fly. Some of that performance is a credit to Dick being so utterly at one with his machine.

FlipBelt Zipper comparison of their review performance but, unfortunately, weren't able to find any review ratings on either product.Rahill’s Firestar with its twin cylinder Rotax left the ground in 100 feet and landed in less. However, it didn't make it to any of the top spots.Īs a last step, we wanted to do a head-to-head Nathan Zipster Adjustable-Fit Running Belt vs.

#Zipster ultralight pro

It did great in its ' The Best Bag to Bring to a Concert Is Actually a Running Belt' roundup where it was named its 'Ranked 1 out of 3', which, in itself, makes it a product worth considering.Īs for the FlipBelt Zipper - iMore, a source that conducts reliable hands-on testing, has featured it in its Best iPhone 12 Pro Cases for Runners 2022 roundup. The Nathan Zipster Adjustable-Fit Running Belt was loved by reviewers at Wirecutter (NYTimes), a highly trusted source that performs reliable in-depth testing. The FlipBelt Zipper, however, while overall a good product for its asking price, doesn't quite manage to stand out from its competition - there are better Running Belts that can be found for around $50 available here. The Nathan Zipster Adjustable-Fit Running Belt makes for an outstanding Running Belt at $30.