The Kolb Mark III is a family of American side-by-side two seater, high wing, strut-braced, pusher configuration, conventional landing gear-equipped ultralight aircraft that is produced in kit form by New Kolb Aircraft of London, Kentucky, and intended for amateur construction.Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 72. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 53. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-88. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 188. BAI Communications.
Design and development The Mark III's standard engine was originally the Rotax 582 engine, but the current engines offered are the Rotax 912UL or the Rotax 912ULS. In its home country the aircraft is normally licensed in the Experimental - amateur-built category.
The design features a forward fuselage of welded 4130 steel tubing, mated to an aluminum tailboom. The horizontal stabilizer, tail fin and wings are also constructed of riveted aluminum tubing with all flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric. The wings and horizontal tail are quick-folding for storage and ground transport. The original Mark III can be made ready to fly from trailering in eight minutes by one person without the use of tools, while the newer M3X variant is rated at 15 minutes to assemble for flight.
The landing gear is sprung tubing for the main gear, with a steerable sprung tailwheel and the cabin is in width.
Factory options include brakes, Ballistic Recovery Systems airframe parachute and powder coating of the steel parts. The manufacturer describes the aircraft as STOL, with a take-off run.
Operational history In reviewing the aircraft Andre Cliche said:
Variants Mark III Two seats in side-by-side configuration, high wing ultralight, powered by a Rotax 503, Rotax 582, Rotax 618 or Rotax 912UL engine. Variously marketed at different times as the Mark III, Twinstar and Mark III Classic. Mark III Xtra Two seats in side-by-side configuration, high wing ultralight, powered by an Rotax 912UL engine, the Rotax 912ULS or the Jabiru 2200. The Xtra underwent an aerodynamic cleanup by aerodynamicist Barnaby Wainfan and was introduced in 1999. Variously marketed as the Mark III Xtra and the M3X.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 124. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X
Specifications (Mark III)
See also
References
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