Lesher Nomad and Teal

Back in the 1960s, professor of aerodynamics Ed Lesher designed two airplanes...the two-place Nomad (top), and the single-seat Teal (bottom).

Both utilized the 100hp Continental O-200 engine (as in a Cessna 150) and pusher propellers. 

The Nomad's wing was about half the size of a Cessna 150 wing. Accordingly, cruise and stall speeds were each about 20 knots higher than the Cessna.

After experimenting with the Nomad, Ed decided to create a single-seat version specifically to break records. He came up with the Teal, which had an even tinier wing at only 60 square feet.

The Teal broke many records, including setting a closed course speed of 181.55 mph and a separate distance record of 1,835 miles.

To break these records, Ed took weight savings to the extreme. The Teal's main landing gear retraction mechanism was one example: he simply reached over his shoulders, grabbed two rings, and pulled the main gear up into the retracted position via cables. He also worked out to lose weight of his own before setting the distance record.

Presently, the Nomad is on display at the University of Michigan, where Ed taught. And the Teal is on display at the EAA museum in Oshkosh, WI.      ⠀  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀  ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀