Sawyer Skyjacker II
The Sawyer Skyjacker II is a unique American homebuilt aircraft designed and constructed by Ralph V. "Buzz" Sawyer of Lancaster, California, in 1974 as an experimental research vehicle to explore ultra-low aspect ratio wing configurations and lifting-body principles. It first flew on 3 July 1975 at Mojave Air and Space Port and was featured on the cover of the April 1978 issue of Popular Science magazine. Only one example was built. Following Sawyer's death, the aircraft was donated in late 2024 to Mojave Air and Space Port, where it is now preserved on static display.
Sawyer, a technician at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, drew inspiration from lifting-body research that contributed to Space Shuttle development. The design aimed to demonstrate inherent stability, controllability, stall/spin resistance, and scalability of ultra-low aspect ratio configurations, potentially allowing greater payload capacity for a given span.
Design and development
Origins and research goals
Ralph V. Sawyer initiated the Skyjacker II as a personal research project to investigate ultra-low aspect ratio wings for superior low-speed stability, short takeoff and landing performance, and inherent safety without traditional tails or rudders. Influenced by 1970s experimental aviation trends and his NASA lifting-body experience, Sawyer hypothesized that such wings could generate vortex lift for benign stall behavior and eliminate spin risks. The design emphasized simplicity—no compound curves, highly stressed components, or complex controls—to enable easy, low-cost construction and scalability to larger aircraft.Development began with subscale models: a 12-inch cardboard glider and a six-foot radio-controlled twin-engine version that flew "extremely fast and well." A proposed larger variant was started but abandoned.
Construction and initial testing
Built at Mojave Airport by Sawyer and business partner Mike Carmack, the all-metal prototype featured straightforward sheet aluminum fabrication. It used a Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D pusher engine, initially with a two-blade propeller later upgraded to a three-blade constant-speed unit for slight thrust improvement.Ground tests confirmed structural integrity before the maiden flight on 3 July 1975. Limited flights validated low-speed handling but showed marginal climb. The aircraft flew at high angles of attack, appearing "on the ragged edge of a stall" but remaining stall- and spin-proof, mushing downward controllably. Funding constraints limited further testing.
Design features
Airframe configuration
The Skyjacker II employs a blended lifting-body/flying-wing layout with ultra-low aspect ratio wings integrated into a broad fuselage for distributed lift. It is tailless, relying on 14-foot wingtip end plates with yaw control surfaces for directional stability and to trap airflow, enhancing lift. Control comes from trailing-edge ailerons for roll and end-plate rudders for yaw; no conventional empennage is needed.The two-seat cockpit is fully enclosed under a large Plexiglas canopy for visibility. Fixed tricycle landing gear with wheel pants supports STOL operations. The pusher propeller improves low-speed lift via accelerated airflow.
Aerodynamic innovations
The near-rectangular planform reduces gust sensitivity and provides forgiving low-speed behavior via vortex lift, contrasting high-aspect-ratio designs. This yields inherent stall/spin resistance and high-angle-of-attack capability, though at the cost of higher cruise drag. Sawyer claimed it as the only "true lifting body" homebuilt of its era, with potential for 4.5× payload vs. conventional aircraft of equal span.Operational history
Flight testing in the mid-1970s was brief due to limited resources. The aircraft accumulated low hours before storage. Registration N7317 was cancelled in August 2013.In December 2024, owner Kay Carmack donated it "free and clear" to Mojave Air and Space Port. It now sits in the General Aviation area, with plans for historic display. Observers like Cathy Hansen recalled its "terrifying" appearance in flight but recognized its historical value.