Spezio Tuholer

DAL 1 Tuholer
Role	Sport aircraft
National origin	United States
Designer	Tony Spezio
First flight	May 2, 1961
Unit cost	approximately $3365 to build in 1971[1]

The Spezio Sport DAL 1 Tuholer is a two-place low-wing homebuilt aircraft using tube-and-fabric construction. A folding wing is incorporated to allow for trailering.^[2]

Development

The prototype aircraft was built for $287 using tubing from a Cessna UC 78, a Tri-Pacer propeller, wheels from a TG-6 glider, a Lycoming Ground Power unit and a variety of surplus materials. The nickname came from the president of the Experimental Aircraft Association remarking that the plane was a "tuholer".^[3] (Link does not work)>

Design

The Tuholer is a tandem two-seat, strut-braced, low-wing, open cockpit aircraft with conventional landing gear. The dual control aircraft can be flown solo from the front or rear cockpit.^[4] The fuselage is welded steel tubing with wooden stringers and fabric covering.^[5] The dual wing spars are wood, with wood ribs and fabric covering. The fuel tank is made of fiberglass. The horizontal stabilizer uses a Piper Cub style screw jack for trim. The rear headrest can be built streamlined flush with the vertical stabilizer or tapered.^[6]

Operational history

The designer flew the prototype 16 years.

Specifications (Spezio Tuholer)

Data from http://www.tuholer.com/speziotuholer.htm

General characteristics

• Capacity: 2
• Length: 18 ft 3 in (5.56 m)
• Wingspan: 24 ft (7.3 m)
• Empty weight: 820 lb (372 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,200 lb (544 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming , 125 hp (93 kW)
• Propellers: 2-bladed

Performance

• Maximum speed: 139 kn; 257 km/h (160 mph)
• Cruise speed: 106 kn; 196 km/h (122 mph)
• Stall speed: 39 kn; 72 km/h (45 mph)
• Rate of climb: 2,200 ft/min (11 m/s)

References

1. Leo J. Kohn (Winter 1971). "The true cost of building your own plane". Air Trails: 63.
2. Popular Mechanincs: 94. February 1963. Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. http://www.tuholer.com/speziotuholer.htm
4. "Tandem "two holer" you can fly from either seat". Popular Mechanics: 85. July 1973.
5. "What kind of aircraft would you build". Air Progress Sport Aircraft. Winter 1971.
6. Air Trails: 5. Winter 1971. Missing or empty |title= (help)

http://www.pilotfriend.com/experimental/acft6/38.htm

External links

• http://www.crimsonstar.com/home/hbuilt0.htm
• http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/aircraft/international-aircraft-directory/homebuiltkitbuilt-aircraft/spezio-tuholer.html