The Stits-Besler Executive is a three place homebuilt aircraft designed by Ray Stits, as the Stits SA-4A Executive.^[1]

The project was initiated when William Besler of Besler Corp. contracted Ray Stits to design a three-place homebuilt aircraft with folding wings.^[2] Besler was an early aviation experimenter, who had mounted a steam engine of his own design on a Travel Air 2000 in 1933.

The wings on the Executive fold aft and upward. Fuel tanks are embedded in the non-folding wing roots. The fuselage is welded steel tube with fabric covering. The ailerons are mounted in the center of the wing rather than the tips.

The sole Executive, (registration no. N36K), has been used as a test bed for Besler-designed engines; a 150 hp (112 kW) steam engine and a two cycle, four cylinder Vee rated at 100 hp (75 kW).^[3]

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1955–56^[4]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 pilot
• Capacity: 2 passengers
• Length: 18 ft 6 in (5.64 m)
• Wingspan: 25 ft 6 in (7.77 m)
• Width: 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) (with wings folded)
• Height: 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) (wings folded)
• Wing area: 120 sq ft (11 m²)
• Empty weight: 800 lb (363 kg)
• Gross weight: 1,450 lb (658 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 24 US gal (20 imp gal; 91 L)
• Powerplant: 1 × Lycoming O-320 air-cooled flat-four, 150 hp (110 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 143 kn (165 mph, 266 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 130 kn (150 mph, 240 km/h)
• Stall speed: 43 kn (50 mph, 80 km/h)
• Rate of climb: 2,500 ft/min (13 m/s)

Related development

• Stits SA-1A Junior
• Stits SA-2A Sky Baby
• Stits SA-3 Playboy
• Stits SA-4A Executive
• Stits SA-5 Flut-R-Bug
• Stits SA-7 Sky-Coupe
• Stits SA-8A Skeeto
• Stits SA-9A Sky-Coupe
• Stits SA-11A Playmate