First some background info.
I have been flying turbine jets for 15 years. After starting with a Kangaroo and moving to a Eurosport I wanted something different. Living in the Denver, CO area at the time I wanted something that would take off, land, and stop on a short runway when the density altitude was 8-9000’ in the summer. Most of the available sport jets and nearly all scale jets at the time could not do this.
I was initially inspired by the first Boomerang at Florida Jets in 2002.
Boomerang Florida Jets 2002
After seeing the Boomerang fly smooth and graceful aerobatics and land so slowly, I decided to design my own sport jet with a high aspect wing. I wanted it to be aerobatic, able to fly slow and land slow. In addition I did not want to pay $4k for a composite airframe. The result was the AcroJet.
AcroJet, Denver, CO 2003
The AcroJet was built around a 40% Aeroworks Giles-202 IMAC wing and tail. Construction methods were conventional IMAC style balsa, foam, and lite ply. It used a fixed gear and an external engine mounting (Kangaroo style) for reliability and low cost (no pipe). Since I knew little about aerodynamics and aircraft design I just copied what other airplanes did and used the time tested TLAR (That Looks About Right) method. The design turned out well after some adjustments. After 13 years, I still fly the AcroJet although with a bigger engine and thrust vectoring nozzle. It is my “go to jet” when everything else needs work.
For the last several years I daydreamed about building another scratch built sport jet. I like the way some of the new aerobatic sport jets fly, and land so slow, but I still do not want to pay $7K for an airframe and gear. Also most sport jet ARFs look like they came from the same cookie cutter. I still wanted something different and unique.