Description
The Hatz Bantam
is an evolution of the Hatz CB-1 Biplane designed by John Hatz in the late 1960s. It has been modified to use the Jabiru 3300 120 hp. engine. To balance the plane with the lighter 180 lb. engine, the CB-1 design was lightened and dubbed the “Bantam”. The empty weight of the Hatz Bantam has been reduced to approximately 780 lbs. Setting the gross weight at 1,320 lbs. gives the Bantam a useful load of 540 lbs and will qualify it to be a “Light Sport” aircraft.
Hatz Bantam Sport Aviation Article
Hatz Bantam Short Field Take Off
Hatz Bantam Short Field Landing
The Hatz Bantam is the lightest and simplest Hatz ever built.
The New Bantam will have all the advantages of the original Hatz. The main features include; shorter wings (less drag), lower ailerons only (simpler and less drag), all aluminum wing components, fuselage fuel tank (lighter, less drag, and lower CG), lighter and simpler landing gear with integrated machined axle and mounting system. And now to further simplify construction and reduce weight the upper wing can be built in one single piece. This simplifies the cabane attach fittings and eliminates the fairings between the sections. The fuselage fuel tank (similar to a J-3 Cub) is not just lighter…it can be fueled while standing on the ground. This means no fuel lines running down the cabane struts (less drag) and no possibility of fuel spilling into the cockpit from inadvertent over filling. The stability of the Bantam is enhanced by its lower CG and wing tip design (adds to the dihedral affect). As in the CB-1, the top wing needs no dihedral allowing for a single piece wing design.
Target weight of the New Bantam is 800 pounds empty. With the different engine options, we expect to meet this empty weight goal.
download sample plans Hatz Bantam
Flying the Hatz Bantam
By Bill Rusk
Mark Marino was kind enough to let me fly the Bantam this year. I must say I was very impressed. The aircraft flies like a Hatz which is to say very well indeed.
It has less adverse yaw than a CB-1, in fact, you can fly it feet on the floor. It took a while for me to quit skidding around turns as I was trying to add rudder where none was needed. I was concerned that the shorter fuselage was going to cause a loss of stability about the vertical axis and that it would exhibit Dutch roll tendencies and a general laziness in yaw. It is at least as stable as a CB-1 and better than most Classics that I have flown. The roll response was excellent even with ailerons on the lower wing only. The overall control harmony is just like a standard Hatz…excellent.
The Jabiru engine is quite strong and it has nearly the performance of the Warner Hatz. Ground manners are straight forward and on par with the standard that all planes are judged against, the venerable J-3 Cub. Even though it is shorter coupled than a Cub, it is a piece of cake to land with absolutely no bad manners. Cockpits are full size and well thought out.
In short, this is yet another great Hatz and it gives absolutely nothing away by its smaller stature. Light Sport or not, it would be a pleasure to own and fly.
Specifications Hatz Bantam
Length 19′-11″
Span 23′-6″
Wing Area 160 sq ft
Chord 50″ Clark Y
Empty Weight 780 lbs
Gross Weight 1320 lbs
Useful Load 540 lbs
Wing Loading 8.25 lbs/sq ft
Fuel Capacity Main 18 gallons
Engine Jabiru 120 hp 6 cyl
Take Off Roll Under 300 ft.
Rate of Climb 800-1000 fpm
depending on the prop
Cruise 105 – 110 mph
Vne 130 mph
Stall 39 mph
Dem. Crosswind 12 knots
Landing Roll 400 ft
Fuel Burn 6 gallons per hour
