Davis DA-2
# Davis DA-2

The Davis DA-2 is a light aircraft designed in the United States in the 1960s and was marketed for homebuilding. While it is a low-wing monoplane of largely conventional design with fixed tricycle undercarriage, the DA-2 is given a distinctive appearance by its slab-like fuselage construction and its V-tail. The pilot and a single passenger sit side-by-side. Construction of the aircraft is sheet aluminum throughout, with the sole compound curves formed a fiberglass cowling and fairings.

The prototype made its first flight on May 21, 1966, and was exhibited at that year's Experimental Aircraft Association annual fly-in, where it won awards for "most outstanding design" and "most popular aircraft".

A major design consideration was ease of assembly for a first time home aircraft builder. Examples of this include: few curved components, a V-tail is one less control surface to build, and each wing is made from two sheets of aluminum with no trimming involved.

The DA-3 was a single DA-2 enlarged to accommodate four people. Work proceeded through 1973-74, but the aircraft was never completed.

Plans have been intermittently available over the years. They are as of August 2019, available from D2 Aircraft.

## Operational history

Examples of the DA-2 have been completed in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and are currently (2015) actively flying in those countries.

## Variants

* 1979 Davis DA-2BDA-2 -- Continental A-65 powered
* DA-2A—Continental O-200A powered
* DA-2B—3 inch lower roof line
* DA-3
* DA-Bandit-Corvair powered

## Specifications (typical DA-2)

Data from Popular Mechanics August 1973

General characteristics

* Crew: One pilot
* Capacity: 1 passenger
* Length: 17 ft 10 in (5.44 m)
* Wingspan: 19 ft 3 in (5.86 m)
* Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
* Wing area: 83 sq ft (7.7 $m^2)$
* Empty weight: 610 lb (277 kg)
* Gross weight: 1,125 lb (510 kg)
* Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65 horizontally-opposed four-cylinder piston engine , 65 hp (49 kW)

Performance

* Maximum speed: 120 mph (193 km/h, 100 kn)
* Cruise speed: 110 mph (177 km/h, 96 kn)
* Range: 450 mi (725 km, 390 nmi)
