Stewart Headwind
Stewart Aircraft Corporation · United States · first flew 1962 · light aircraft
The Stewart Headwind JD1HW1.7 and SAC-1VW is a single-seat high-wing homebuilt aircraft of tube-and-fabric construction.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Triangular-section welded steel tube fuselage covered in fabric |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-seat high-wing tube-and-fabric homebuilt
- Triangular-section welded steel tube fuselage covered in fabric
- Volkswagen automotive engine with a propeller speed reducing unit
A small single-seat high-wing aircraft with a fabric-covered triangular-section steel tube fuselage and a Volkswagen engine.
Specifications
- The Stewart Headwind has a length of 5.2 m (17 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.37 m (24 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 137 km/h (85 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The first Headwind was flown on 28 March 1962 and was one of the first aircraft to fly in the United States using a VW engine. The prototype flew with a Huggins VW conversion, and a patented propeller speed reducing unit kept engine rpm high and propeller rpm at its optimum. The design was inspired by the Demoiselle of Alberto Santos-Dumont.
Variants
A Volkswagen air-cooled engine was the only engine specified for this model, although many examples exist with alternative engine installations.
Where you'll see it
The Headwind was built by amateurs as a homebuilt, powered by a 65 hp Volkswagen conversion engine.
Related aircraft
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