Smallest aircraft, monoplane

The smallest monoplane ever flown is the Baby Bird, designed and built by Donald R Stits (USA). It is 3.35 m (11 ft) long, with a wing span of 1.91 m (6.25 ft) and weighs 114.3 kg (252 lb) empty. It is powered by a 41.25 kW m (55 hp) two-cylinder Hirth engine, giving a top speed of 177 km/h (110 mph). It was first flown by Harold Nemer (USA) on 4 August 1984 at Camarillo, California, USA.

The aircraft was designed and build by the son of Ray Stits, who had designed and built the first notable holder of the record for the smallest aircraft – the Stits Sky Baby – in 1952. Don wanted to reclaim his father's record, which had been beaten by Ray's former business partner (and test pilot) Robert Starr in his own aircraft (Bumble Bee).