"Fun! That’s what it’s all about," says Darryl Murphy of Murphy Aircraft, Inc. "We used to have the most fun here in the ultralight area of Sun-N-Fun. But as the planes got larger, somehow we seemed to have less fun. For the last few years we haven’t had any ultralights displayed at all. That has changed now with the introduction of the JDM8."

At a time when many other manufacturers have been getting ready for the FAA to announce the long-anticipated Sport Plane Category, the Murphy team has been moving in the opposite direction. Their goal has been to produce a durable metal aircraft that meets the FAR 103 rules for ultralights. The result is a low-wing, single seat aluminum plane, unique in its own right though based on a combination of other time-proven Murphy designs.

Curiously, although Murphy Aircraft is one of the oldest and most respected kit-plane producers in North America with roots in ultralight-style tube and fabric designs, only recently have they decided to offer a new ultralight version. Demand for the other excellent Murphy kit-planes has understandably kept the production team busy through the years. Finally, Darryl has turned his expertise back to his first love and built a delightfully-simple ultralight meant just for the fun of flying.

Actually, there are two versions of the JDM8. The Canadian Advanced Ultralight/European Microlight version is heavier, faster, carries up to 20 gallons of fuel, and has a wingspan of 20 feet. A US true-ultralight version can be built with the same airframe but with a 24 foot wingspan, five gallon fuel tank, and a lighter engine. Both have the look and in-flight feel of the other much larger Murphy airplanes.

Above: A close-up view of the JDM8 folding wing. Below: The sleek lines are evident in this view.

So what does the JDM8 name stand for? The letters happen to be Darryl Murphy’s initials and the "8" represents the eighth model marketed by Murphy Aircraft. Darryl’s original open-cockpit biplane, the JDM2, became the prototype for the classic Renegade and Renegade Spirit, of which over 700 have been built. These have been very popular in other parts of the world, especially Europe and Japan.

Better known in North America are the Maverick, Elite and the famous all-metal Rebel bushplane. Altogether, the various Murphy types range from aircraft of 360 HP to the new 27 HP ultralight.

Planning for the JDM8 began about three years ago, but the first one was built earlier this year. The prototype was displayed at the Northwest EAA Fly-In at Arlington, Washington in June. Kits became available in August during EAA’s AirVenture 2001 at Oshkosh.

One reason for the relatively quick production is Murphy’s existing factory and ready parts. For example, the high-lift airfoil and wing ribs are the same as on all other Murphy aircraft. Fabric-covered ailerons, controls, hinges, and wingtips, etc. match those used on the popular Maverick. The tail section is characteristic of both the Renegade and Maverick, except scaled down slightly for the ultralight.

Only the fuselage is different with its simple one-piece sheet-metal bulkheads and unique shape. Otherwise, the JDM8 is typical of Murphy’s other well-tested designs.

Regarding design, a low wing for the ultralight was chosen because of the lighter weight of the simpler structure and also due to the popularity of similar aircraft such as the old Minimax.

As for the use of metal, rather than wood or composites, Darryl explains it simply, "Because we’re a metal shop."

Actually, he’s found there is little difference in weight and strength comparisons of most ultralights as long as the airframes are engineered for the specific types of materials used. In this case, the main advantage of metal is that it is quicker to mass-produce parts and easier for builders to assemble and maintain.

Above: The JDM8 completed and ready-to-fly. Right: A view of the JDM8 cockpit area.

For the home-builder, one major advantage of building with metal is that temperature is not critical such as would be the case for mixing wood glues or fiberglass resins. This saves having to maintain heat in a garage or hangar during construction. Also, the solid, factory-stamped, one-piece bulkheads and other parts provide a huge savings in time and effort.

Build time for the JDM8 is estimated to be well under 500 hours. Tools needed for the metal are a hand-press rivet gun, tin snips, a drill and a bunch of clecoes (spring-loaded fasteners to hold parts together temporarily). The fabric-covered control surfaces require a pair of scissors, electric iron and paint brushes — unless you choose to cover these with sheet metal also.

The kit includes everything needed to build the JDM8 "from the firewall back." The builder decides which engine, engine mount, instruments and cowling to use. Murphy’s prototype has been flying with a 20 HP Rotax 277, but will perform well with a 503, 582 or better yet the HKS 65 HP engine. The manual, photos and advice from the Murphy team and other builders will help in choosing modifications and options.

The Canadian ultralight/European microlight version of the JDM8 has spring-steel in place of the rigid US ultralight landing gear. Shorter wings, more powerful engines and up to seventy-five pounds more airframe weight give the microlights higher wing loading, faster cruise speeds, higher stall speed (30 MPH) and more stable performance in turbulence.

On the other hand, lighter weight combined with the larger high-lift airfoils of the US ultralight version make these capable of flying out of more fields. Coupled with folding wings on all JDM8’s, this may mean being able to keep your plane at or near home. It also means that you can trailer the durable little metal plane across the country, while searching for beautiful places to fly.

Cost of the JDM8 is $6995 for the first 30 kits. Total cost depends on builders’ choices, such as type of engine and finishing (paint/polish, interior trim, instruments, etc). Considering the price of other new kitplanes on the market, including powered parachutes and trikes, the JDM8 is a bargain!