T-100D Mariah!
"The Wings of Wind"
Gene Turner was photographed above by his daughter as he flew the Mariah prototype.
AAC is proud to make available once again after a 20+ year absence, the Gene Turner designed T-100D Mariah ultralight. It is exciting and an also a great honor for us to support Mariah and to breathe new life into this design.
Mariah was designed by Gene to meet or exceed FAA FAR Part 23 airworthiness standards, these are standards to which “true airplanes” are built in the USA. Mariah is an ultralight designed under the same standards that Cessna, Piper and others use to design their certified airplanes. Gene as an aeronautical engineer, designed aircraft to meet or exceed Part 23 standards, his design approach to Mariah was no different from any other aircraft that he designed even though Mariah was to be an ultralight air vehicle. Mariah was one of the first "airplane” style ultralights in that it was not a hang glider with an engine attached. Mariah also employs three axis controls rather than spoilers that were common at that time in Ultralight development.
3-View from actual plans (Click on small image above to view larger picture.)
T-100D Mariah Prototype
Mariah is a true ultralight and qualifies under the US FAR Part 103 Ultralight Regulations. Mariah is a high-wing design, has twin tail booms and tails, steel tube landing gear, and a pod type fuselage. The prototype used a 20 hp. Cuyuna 215 engine in a pusher configuration as the power plant. Mariah's construction is mainly of wood, and the ultralight was designed to be built using Spruce, however, a builder can substitute Spruce with Douglas Fir if desired. The only place that Douglas Fir is required to be used is in the main center wing section. Mariah also uses some fiberglass parts, birch plywood, and the structure is fabric covered. The plans consist of 26 pages of "D" size (24"' x 36") sheets containing detailed drawings and information, 16 pages of Bill of Material (BOM) information printed on 11" x 17" paper, and a 51 page construction and information manual.
Link to a Mariah FAQ document. (Click)
General Characteristics
- Crew: One
- Capacity: No Passengers
- Length: 19.1 ft. (229 in.)
- Wing span: 34 ft. (408 in.)
- Wing area: 146.5 sq. ft.
- Cockpit width: 22 inches
- Landing gear: Tri-gear
- Height (top of tails): 6.08 ft. (73 in.)
- Horizontal tail area: 14.6 sq. ft.
- Vertical tail area (each): 7.0 sq. ft.
- Aspect ratio: 7.9
- Wing chord: 54 in.
- Width with wings off: 76 in.
- Max takeoff weight: 504 lbs.
- Max pilot weight: 220 lbs.
- Empty weight (approx.): 240 lbs.
- Building material: Wood, Fabric, Metal
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 80 mph
- Maximum level speed: 63 mph
- Cruise speed: 55 mph
- Stall speed: 27 mph
- Range: 200 SM
- Rate of climb: 600 fpm
- Takeoff distance: 350 ft.
- Landing distance: 300 ft.
- Service ceiling: 10,000 ft.
- Wing loading: 3.7 lbs./ft²
- Fuel capacity: 5 US gallons
- Engine (prototype): 20 hp. Cuyuna 215R (20hp. to 35hp. range)
- Power/Mass: 25.2 lbs./hp.
The full size plans consisting of twenty-six, 24" x 36" sheets, may be purchased using US funds in the amount of $250.00 plus shipping cost:
Shipping:
U.S.P.S. Mail to Continental US: $20.00
U.S.P.S. Mail to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and Mexico: $25.00
U.S.P.S. Mail to other foreign countries: Contact us for shipping costs.
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This is an unbelievable price for a set of plans for an aircraft designed by a formally trained and experienced aeronautical engineer. The Mariah plans set was not "eyeball" designed by someone who doesn't know what they are doing, but by someone with years of experience in aircraft design. Mariah is an ultralight designed to the same standards as general aviation aircraft. Each set of plans is a new print, not copies of copies so each page is crisp, clear and easy to read. The plan set will be shipped out insured, rolled rather than folded and placed in a shipping tube for protection. You may use cash, personal check (must clear both banks), US Postal Money Order, or Certified Check for payment purposes. Note: Georgia residents must add 7% sales tax.
Reduced Size Plans Offered!!
NOTICE: The reduced size plans will soon be removed. The quality of the plans set is very good but the actual full size plans have been more popular with our builders. With that said... we examined the drawings and found that all but 5 of the pages could be reduced down to 11" x 17" in size allowing for a savings in printing costs. The most crucial drawings such as wing ribs, center section ribs and the horizontal tail assembly remain the full 24" x 36" size. The other drawings have the dimensions listed and full size templates can be drawn by the builder. Since this is a reduced size set, more work will be required by the builder. However, you will realize a substantial savings off the cost of the full size plans. If you want or need a particular drawing or drawings printed full size, we would be happy to accommodate you. Any of the additional full size sheets may be purchased by our plans set serial number holders for $10.00 per sheet plus shipping.
The reduced size plans consisting of five, 24" x 36" sheets may be purchased using US funds in the amount of $150.00 plus:
Shipping:
U.S.P.S. Mail to Continental US: $15.00
U.S.P.S. Mail to Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada: $20.00
U.S.P.S. Mail to other foreign countries: Contact us for shipping costs.
The reduced size plan sets will be shipped out insured and placed in a padded shipping envelope for protection. You may use a personal check (must clear both banks), US Postal Money Order, Certified Check, or Cashiers Check for payment purposes. Note: Georgia residents must add 7% sales tax.
If you wish to purchase online, please use PayPal as your option. This will allow you to use:
Click on the PayPal image below to go to the PayPal website. Use "contact @ adamsaero .com" for the recipient ("To") e-mail address. Remember to add the appropriate shipping amount plus tax if applicable to the plans total. Please e-mail "klacea @ yahoo dot com" or call 404.219.7326 when you use PayPal, we have had issues with their notification process.
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Gene Turner
Gene after first flight of his Turner T-40A/B at Mojave Airport, 1969.
UPDATE: Eugene L. "Gene" Turner passed away March 2, 2017. I have lost a great friend and mentor with his passing. The world has lost an amazing man, great aircraft designer and aviation enthusiast who taught and inspired countless thousands of individuals about aviation and his T-40 designs.
Gene Turner, the designer of the T-100D Mariah has had a passion for aviation ever since he was a young boy and that passion burned strong within until his very last days. At the time of his passing, he was an Authorized Flight Instructor, Aeronautical Engineer, A&P Mechanic, Author, and Publisher. Gene loved all things aviation related and could talk for hours about the subject without repeating himself. He was just amazing!
During WWII, Gene enlisted in the US Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet and graduated as a full fledged P-47 Fighter Pilot. After the war, he taught flight instruction in southern Michigan. In 1951, he graduated from the Aeronautical University with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He went on to have an exemplary aviation career in both government and private sectors, as well as owning and operating his own aircraft company, Turner Aircraft, Inc.
In 1962, Gene won 2nd place with his original design T-40 aircraft, N115ET, in the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA) design competition for a folding wing airplane. (See EAA's Sport Aviation Magazine, July 1965 for details.) He further developed this design into the ever popular 2 seat T-40A series and this design has enjoyed much popularity over the years. Gene's original T-40 which he named Ophelia Bumps, is now retired and on display at the Saxon Aerospace Museum in Boron, California where Gene is active as a Docent.
In 1982, Turner Aircraft, Inc. ventured into the ultralight aircraft arena with the Model T-100 aircraft Gene called Mariah. Gene saw the need for a light weight airplane designed to meet the needs of pilots who wanted to fly, but did not have an FAA flight physical or who could not afford to fly certificated airplanes. With this criteria defined, the idea for Mariah was developed and implemented in the T-100 series of ultralight aircraft.
Gene's web site is no longer online, however, we did save the content and will add most of it here soon. Also, we highly recommend obtaining a copy of his book "Fabulous Affairs With Aircraft and Federal Aviation Airheads". We will attempt to source this book in the near future.
Source: Personal conversations and e-mail with Gene Turner, his web site, and his book.
Information is subject to change without notice.