Phantom X1
Phantom Aeronautics · United States · first flew 1982 · light aircraft
The Phantom X1 is a single-seat, single-engined, tractor ultralight with a cable-braced high wing and tricycle gear, sold in kit form by Phantom Aeronautics of Michigan.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.08 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Cable-braced high wing held up by an inverted-V kingpost
- Bolted aluminium tube structure with Dacron-covered wings and tail
- Fibreglass cockpit pod, engine at the front of the main tube and a steerable nosewheel
Look for a small open-framework ultralight with a high wire-braced wing, a tail on the end of a long tube and a fibreglass pod for the pilot.
Specifications
- The Phantom X1 has a length of 5.08 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.69 m (29 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 98 km/h (61 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It was designed to fit the US FAR Part 103 ultralight rules and was introduced at Sun 'n Fun in 1982, where it won a major design award. It was originally designed as an aerobatic aircraft and tested to +9/-6.6 g before failure.
Variants
The X1E has an enclosed cockpit and the two-seat side-by-side X2 first flew in 1995. The Phantom I and II replace the cables with struts, and the Bell Sidewinder and Worldwide Ultralite Spitfire are derivatives.
Where you'll see it
About 1,700 had been built by 2000, and it was widely copied by other makers. It remains in production as the Phantom Classic.
Related aircraft
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