Spectrum Beaver RX550 - Ottawa, Ontario - Static Aircraft Displays on Waymarking.com

The following is from the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum's Website:

Highlights:

A Canadian two-seater, high-wing ultralight trainer designed and first produced by Spectrum Aircraft Inc.; put into service in 1983

Quickly became the most popular ultralight trainer in Canada

Spectrum Aircraft of Surrey, British Columbia is a leading maker of ultralights in North America

Over 2,000 RX550s were produced by Spectrum and other manufacturers over 20 years

Aircraft Sales and Parts of Vernon, B.C. redesigned the RX550 in 1995, producing it as a kit in the twenty-first century

Also marketed for agricultural spraying, cargo transport, air ambulance, police and military duty

First flight was in the mid 1980’s

Artifact no.:
1987.2091
Manufacturer:
Spectrum Aircraft Inc.
Manufacturer Location:
Canada
Manufacture Date:
1986
Registration no.:
C-IGOW
Acquisition Date:
1987

History:

The Spectrum Beaver is a Canadian ultralight which can be mounted on floats.

In 1986 the Museum example was flown from Halifax to Vancouver by a paraplegic pilot, Carl Hiebert, to promote support for paraplegics.

Current Location:

Reserve Hangar, Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Provenance:

Donation from Invacare Canada/Hovis Medical

This Beaver RX550 was manufactured by Spectrum Aircraft Inc. of Surrey, British Columbia, in 1986. In July and August of that year, paraplegic pilot Carl Hiebert flew the aircraft from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Vancouver, British Columbia, landing at Expo '86. Hiebert raised $100,000 for the Canadian Paraplegic Association through this journey, which was called "Gift of Wings". The following year, the Beaver was donated to the Museum by Invacare Canada Ltd./Hovis Medical Limited in 1987. It was shipped to the Museum by truck from Vancouver in September 1987.

Hiebert started his own flight school as the first Canadian paraplegic flying instructor.

Photos from Hiebert's historic flight can be found in his book Gift of Wings: An Aerial Celebration of Canada, published in 1995.

Technical Information:

Wing Span 11 m (36 ft)
Length 6.3 m (20 ft 8 in))
Height 2 m (6 ft 8 in)
Weight, Empty 155 kg (342 lb)
Weight, Gross 347 kg (764 lb)
Cruising Speed 84 km/h (52 mph)
Max Speed 113 km/h (70 mph)
Rate of Climb 191 m (625 ft) /min
Service Ceiling 3,962 m (13,000 ft)
Range Unknown
Power Plant one Bombardier Rotax 503, 48 hp, 2-cylinder 2-cycle engine
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Reference: (visit link)

Type of Aircraft: (make/model): Spectrum Beaver RX550 Tail Number: (S/N): C-IGOW Construction:: original aircraft Location (park, airport, museum, etc.): Canada Aviation and Space Museum - (Reserver Hangar) inside / outside: inside Other Information:: Canada Aviation and Space Museum - Ottawa, Ontario Opening hours Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fees Adult $15, Youth (3-17) $10 Senior (age 60+) / Student $13 - Free on Thursday from 4 to 5 PM An additional 5$ entrance fee to visit the hanger where this aircraft is located will need to be purchased before the visit takes place. You will be escorted by a tour guide. Tours of the hangar are scheduled for 11 AM and 1 PM. There is paid parking on site. Taking photographs is allowed. Access restrictions: You will be briefed by the tour guide at the commencement of your tour and he/she will explain the activities that you may have to restrain from within the hangar. There are barriers on the floor that serve to prevent visitors from approaching too close and touching the aircrafts.

Visit Instructions:
Photo of aircraft (required - will be interesting to see if the aircraft is ever repainted or progress if being restored)
Photo of serial number (required unless there is not one or it is a replica)
Photo(s) of any artwork on the aircraft (optional but interesting)

Tell why you are visiting this waymark along with any other interesting facts or personal experiences about the aircraft not already mentioned.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   04/22/2023 jiggs11 visited it