1972
Rose-Rhinehart Parrakeet 4A-C

The Rose Parrakeet 4A-C: A Compact Marvel of Aviation Ingenuity

The Rose Parrakeet is the brainchild of Jack Rose, the man who is reputed to have spent the last several years of the 1920’s designing it before building a prototype and seeing it certified in the early 1930’s.  Originally powered with a Heath Henderson engine and then a Continental A-40 of 40 horsepower other, more powerful, engines were later fitted.  Rose built just a few of these before the war and then after the war contracted with a fellow named Foster Hannaford to build certified versions under license. 

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The deal with Hannaford didn’t work out well and Rose sued him.  That didn’t stop Hannaford from building a few airplanes and later selling plans to homebuilders who have built experimental versions of the plane ever since. 

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In 1965 Doug Rhinehart, a devoted Parrakeet aficionado, acquired the rights from Rose to build up to 5 certified airplanes per year.  Unfortunately, he perished in a plane accident in 1978, having built 5 airframes.  Three of those five made it all the way to flying status, including serial number 506, NC 14882, which has been acquired by the Collection.  The remaining two airframes were later completed by homebuilders.

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NC 14882 was certified in 1972.  Unusually, for the FAA, they had a practice in those days of certifying every airframe separately under its own Type Certificate and required all of testing typically done for a type on each airframe.  So, NC 14882 is one of the most rigorously tested airplanes flying today and the documentation is voluminous. 

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Founder Tony Caldwell has been looking for a Parrakeet for a number of years because this tiny airplane, with a wingspan of only 20 feet and room for just the pilot, helps tell the story of entrepreneurs and homebuilders who were looking for an inexpensive way to get into the air in the 1930s during the Great Depression.  Along the way, Jack Rose designed a terrifically fun little airplane to fly, ensuring not only its survival, but its continued popularity for nearly 100 years.  In searching for a pristine example Tony looked at both certified and experimental versions but ultimately decided a certified plane would be a safer option and the cockpit is slightly larger which helps today’s pilots fit in what is a very confined space. 

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Our Parrakeet, which features the Continental 0-200 engine of 100 horsepower with Excello fuel injection, was originally covered in Irish Linen in 1972 and remains so today.  That will require a recovering of the airplane in the future in order to make it airworthy.  In the meantime, visitors can admire its pretty lines and look at how fabric airplanes were once covered.  Then, they will be able to observe in the shop the recovering process. 

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Another unique feature of this particular airplane is the fuel injection system of its engine.  The Excello system works just like the fuel injection system on a modern diesel engine.  The advantage for the pilot is no leaning is required and when the system is properly set up the engine can run at maximum efficiency in a range of altitudes to about 8,000 feet without adjustment. 

If you’d like to learn more about the Rose Parrakeet, its designer Jack Rose or the type’s history and performance please visit an excellent website at www.roseparrakeet.com