Just Aircraft adds ultralight, Just 103, to product line

Just Aircraft has added a new ultralight aircraft design to their growing list of flying machines. It was created to conform to the FAA's Part 103 criteria for an ultralight; hence the name "Just 103". Therefore it is a single seat aircraft, weighs less than 254 pounds and flies with a top speed of 63 mph. The Just 103 will be available as a ready-to-fly aircraft or as a complete kit.

Designed by Troy Woodland, who also created the Just Aircraft SuperSTOL, the Just 103 was flown for 1.5 hours before it was introduced to the public at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In this spring. It was not flown during the Fly-in, but will undergo extensive flight testing at the factory before any copies or kits are shipped. The company expects to have at least two examples of the Just 103 when it introduces the finalized design to AirVenture. The prototype is currently in a three-axis, high wing configuration with an aluminum boom tube that connects the tail group to the 4130 steel tube fuselage. Woodland has announced that he will be changing from the aluminum tube to a steel truss, similar to that used in a Breezy.

The design goal with the Just 103 was to provide optimum visibility and Woodland believes he has succeeded. Aside from a narrow windscreen, the pilot is pretty much in an open air environment which was typical with a lot of the earlier Part 103 designs. Ultralight pilots are not required to have any kind of license or medical certificate, though training is considered essential.

Power for the Just 103 is provided by a Polini Thor 250 engine, from Italy, which develops 37 horsepower at 7500 rpm, generating a whopping 200 pounds of thrust. The engine, which retails for under $4,000, has been popular in backpacks used with powered paragliders. Woodland also expects to fly the airframe with a Rotax 582, which would exceed Ultralight speeds and weight, and thereby requiring registration in the ELSA or LSA category.

Pricing for the Just 103 kit or ready-to-fly version has not been established yet.