03/31/2024. Remarks by
Johan Visschedijk: "The White Lightning is a four-seat all-composites homebuilt aircraft, that was available for amateur construction in kit form. It was designed by former Formula I racing pilot Howell 'Nick' C. Jones of Beaufort, South Carolina, beginning in June 1984. Construction of the prototype started in the summer of 1985 and was mostly the responsibility of his partner, Ray Ward, who took only 600 working hours because of previous Glasair building experience. To keep the center of gravity in about the same position, regardless of the passenger load, the aircraft has an unusual seating arrangement with the two rear passengers facing aft. The White Lightning is aerobatic with two persons on board.
(N100WL, N101WL) (
Johan Visschedijk Collection
Registered N100WL on January 28, 1986, the first flight was achieved on March 8, 1986, and the prototype, fitted with a 210 hp Continental IO-360 engine, was exhibited at that year's Sun 'n Fun meeting. Kits were marketed via White Lightning Aircraft Corporation (WLAC) of Walterboro, South Carolina, for first time builders construction from a kit would take about 1,000 hours. The prototype differed from the production kit version in having shorter ailerons and a welded steel tube landing gear.
Within a year after the first flight, Nick Jones set two world records in the C-1b Class: powered aircraft with take off weight of 1,102 to 2,204 lb (500 to 1,000 kg). First one was over a straight course of 9.32 to 15.53 mls (15 to 25 km) between the airports of Allendale and Hampton (ca. 14 mls, 22.5 km), South Carolina, at 267.16 mph (429.95 kmh) on December 19, 1986. The second record was established over an 1.86 mls (3 km) course at Lakeland, Florida, at 282.21 mph (454.17 kmh) on March 16, 1987. The prototype was later lost in a forced landing.
In early 1996 the production of kits was taken over by the Reflex Fiberglass Works, Inc., also in Walterboro. It is difficult to trace how many kits were sold and how many were completed. Most were registered as White Lightning, however, one built by Dennis B. Dierenfield was registered as Dierenfield Special. At least nineteen aircraft have flown, of which eleven are still registered. The asterisk in the listing below indicates deregistered aircraft.
(N26PH) (
Henk Wadman Collection)
Type: Four-seat homebuilt aircraft.
Airframe: Cantilever low-wing monoplane of composites construction. Wing section NACA 602215. Wings have graphite tubular 'wet' main spar, and glassfiber front and rear spars and ribs, all pre-cast in the lower glassfiber skin. Wings were delivered with the glassfiber upper skin in place, leaving the factory molded glassfiber leading edge to be attached. Fowler flaps and ailerons. Composites fuselage molded in upper and lower halves, with cast-in bulkheads and main landing gear support boxes. Conventional cantilever tail unit, with spars and ribs of fin and tailplane pre-cast into one skin of each.
Landing gear: Retractable tricycle type, with electrohydraulic actuation. Aluminum alloy legs delivered completely assembled. Steerable nosewheel. Mainwheels retract rearward into lower fuselage sides; nosewheel also retracts rearward into pre-assembled wheel well.
Power plant: Prototype had a 210 hp Continental IO-360 engine, driving a three-blade composite constant-speed propeller with spinner. Standard fuel capacity 60 gal (227 l), of which 28 gal (106 l) are carried in 'wet' wing main spar and remainder in 'wet' wing area behind front spar.
Accomodation: Four persons in pairs in enclosed cabin with semi-reclining seats, each with individual upward hinging and glazed glassfiber canopy door.
