Glasair Glasair
The Glasair line, designed by Tom Hamilton, introduced the first pre-molded fiberglass composite kit sold to homebuilders when it launched at Oshkosh in 1980, a sharp break from the riveted-aluminum kits that dominated amateur construction until then. Its smooth composite skin and low-wing, tandem-seat layout gave builders cruise speeds well beyond typical homebuilts of the era, and the design won Hamilton the EAA's August Raspet Award for advancing light-aircraft design. The original Glasair I was followed by the faster Glasair II and III, and more than 3,000 kits have been delivered worldwide, making it one of the most successful homebuilt families ever produced.
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Did you know?
Look for the smooth composite skin: the first homebuilt kit sold in pre-molded fiberglass, a break from riveted aluminum.
Specifications
| Length | 6.5 m (21 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 7.1 m (23 ft) |
| Height | 2.3 m (8 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 1.2 t |
| Range | 1,000 NM (1,852 km) |
| Service ceiling | 24,000 ft (7,315 m) |
| Rate of climb | 2,900 ft/min (14.7 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 300 m (984 ft) |
| Landing distance | 450 m (1,476 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 250 l |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Glasair Glasair starts as a Uncommon catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Glasair, the Glasair family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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