The Doodle Bug.Conceived in January 1999, the
Doodle Bug was designed to meet a market opening for a compact supine
powered harness that requires no major modifications to an existing hang
glider wing. We recommend the Target. The Doodle Bug has become Britain's best selling powered
harness proving its benefits over its rivals. Controls are typical to the wing that the Bug is attached to with no adverse affects to the flying controls. The side cords of the unit stop any unwanted lateral movement of the engine which inhibits powered spiral instability (tightening into turns). Landing the Doodle Bug is probably one of the easiest things about the unit. The pilot releases the foot stirrup which allows the legs to swing back ready for landing. After bringing their feet back behind the control bar they then rotate out of the seat and adopt the upright position commonly known as the "Gorilla Position".
The landing approach is made similar to a normal hang glider, with a little additional speed to allow for the extra weight of the unit. After rotation the unit's legs start to drag on the ground and the pilot gently flares the wing to produce a perfect 2 to 3 step landing. The drag from the legs eliminates the need for an aggressive flare. Because of the Bugs light
construction, 21 kilos, the additional weight compared to a normal harness
is minimal (approximately 14 kilos). This means that the sink rate of the
wing remains little affected, allowing for engine off soaring. The kick
start makes air restarting easy and practical, instilling confidence in
the system. The Radne Raket (Raket is
Swedish for Rocket) 120cc two stroke engine produces 14 HP @ 9000 rpm. Its
fuel consumption at full power is 3.5 litres / hour and when throttled
back to cruise sips fuel at 2 litres / hour. Thanks to its low weight
(6.5 kilos), its exceptional reliability and economy the Raket is the
obvious choice. Doodle Bug. The ultimate minimum flying machine. |