The Wing Derringer: A ‘Sports Car’ of the Aircraft World

In 1960, entrepreneur George Wing teamed up with John Thorpe to create a compact, two-place twin. After experimenting with various engines, the team ultimately certified and produced this aircraft, the Wing Derringer.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, August 02, 2022 at 06:49 AM ET

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The compact Wing Derringer resembles a sports car both in appearance and in performance. [Photo: Derringer Aircraft Company, LLC]

Key Takeaways:

The Wing Derringer was developed in 1960 as a unique, compact two-place twin-engine aircraft designed to offer multi-engine redundancy and safety without the typical size, complexity, and high operating costs of larger twins, appealing to solo or two-person travelers.
Despite its exceptionally small size (smaller wingspan than a Cessna 150), it featured a comfortable, roomy cabin and a large baggage compartment, powered by twin 160 hp engines for a cruising speed of 182 knots.
Only 12 Derringers were ever built due to business struggles, but the few remaining owners actively collaborate to maintain their rare aircraft by pooling resources to fabricate replacement parts, a process that may be eased by the FAA's intent to abandon the type certificate and make engineering data available.

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Multiengine piston aircraft generally share certain characteristics. Compared with their single-engine counterparts, they are heavier, more complex, and they demand significantly more maintenance. Fuel burn and oil consumption is, predictably, twice that of a comparable single.

They also tend to be larger aircraft. With the exception of a few light twins like the Piper Seminole and Beechcraft Duchess that are mostly utilized for multiengine training, the majority are equipped with six-cylinder engines and seat four to six people. Maximum takeoff weights range from around 4,000 pounds to over 5,000 pounds.