David Dean's John Dormer Special (1st of its kind):

David purchased the plans for the JD Special as a starting point. The aircraft will be constructed to fit the new LSA category in the US.

The construction process allows for a high degree of modification to suit requirements and as such requires an experienced builder to undertake such a project.

John Dormer lives close by to David, and together they have calculated that Rotec's R2800 will be suitable as far as weight and balance goes.

• 74" diameter prop
• One piece aluminum Grove gear that has been extended and widened six inches for prop clearance of 12"
• Extend the fuselage 2" in the cockpit area. Fuselage length remains the same as in the original design
• The fuselage was also built flat sided vice the trapezoidal design on the prototype making it easier to accommodate the Rotec and easier to build
• A six inch Raven locking tail wheel will extend the distances from the main gear wheels and the tail wheel by eight inches.
• Locate the battery behind the seat to achieve a slightly aft CG

• Addition of rear spar streamline struts, solid spruce spars versus built up spars, strengthened wing and strut attachments at the fuselage and stronger wing walks improve wing strength and safety.
• Fuselage has been constructed flat sided, to better accommodate the radial engine versus the trapezoidal design for the Continental engine used for the JD Specil.
• Bulkheads and stringers give a rounder and deeper appearance.
• A Grove spring aluminum gun-drilled gear using radius blocks at the attaching points gives increase strength and reduces weight. It is eight inches longer to provide clearance for the R2800 propeller and gives the aircraft a different stance.
• A Pitts like tubular steel seat structure was welded in to provide increased strength in the cockpit area and the cockpit length was extended rearward two inches, although the fuselage retains the same overall length.
• A rollover structure was added to the turtle-deck similar to a formula one racer. It serves as the shoulder harness attaching point and frames the small baggage compartment also.
• A seat pan is employed to facilitate the use of an emergency parachute instead of a fiberglass seat bolted to a cross member.
• The horizontal stabilizer is more elliptical and is attached to fuselage similar to the Pitts Special/Acro-Sport design to allow incidence adjustment, if needed, rather than being welded directly to the upper longerons as in the orginal plans.
• The horizontal stabilizers are the same area but attach five inches further aft at the leading edge, being more rounded than the triangular shaped ones on the JD Special.
• Steel straps, as utilized on the Pitts/Acro-Sport, attach the elevators and rudder instead of welded lugs and clevis pins for increased strength and gap reduction.
• The rudder area has been increased approximately 20% to allow for increased torque from the R2800.

• A welded in Raven four inch locking tail-wheel is employed instead of the Maule tail wheel, which eliminates the rudder attachment and streamlines the rear.
• Additional structural tubing in the rear of the fuselage was added for increased strength where the mods warranted.
• Instead of a fiberglass turtle-deck, plywood bulkheads and spruce stringers fabric covered form the turtle-deck, which is more rounded.
• Sheet aluminum access panels provide access to the tail area of the aircraft for inspection/maintenance.
• A lift off cowling and windscreen, similar to that employed for formula one racers, will better facilitate entry and emergency egress if needed.

It needs to be stressed once more:

• The original plans leave much detail to be filled in and required much research and consultation with other builders / EAA members.
• More detailed plans from similar aircraft, such as the Pitts Special/Acro-Sport provided the information for many changes and improvements to the original design The project is now similar to the original in the basic outline only.
• The brevity, safety issues and lack of detail in the JD Special Plans requires an experienced builder or, one that must be ready to seek the required filling in the details from other EAA members/experienced builders as well as the study of building techniques available in a variety of media, preferably both.
• The use of the Rotec Radial in addition to this means the finished project will likely resemble the JD Special in basic outline on