Rollason Aircraft & Engines Ltd Sa.102.5 Cavalier

Single Piston

The Rollason SA.102.5 Cavalier is a British single-seat light aircraft developed in the 1960s as an improved version of the French Druine Turbulent ultralight. Built by Rollason Aircraft & Engines Ltd at Croydon Airport, the Cavalier featured a more powerful engine and refined structure compared to its French predecessor, transforming the minimalist Turbulent design into a slightly more capable sport aircraft. The type was produced in modest numbers during the 1960s and early 1970s, primarily for the UK and Commonwealth markets, and remains a rare sight in the general aviation fleet today. Powered by a single Continental or Rolls-Royce Continental four-cylinder piston engine producing around 90-100 horsepower, the Cavalier is a simple taildragger with fabric-covered wooden construction. Its performance envelope is typical of 1960s-era single-seat sport planes: a never-exceed speed of 140 knots, cruise around 95 knots, and stall speeds in the high 30s to low 40s depending on configuration. The aircraft's light weight and modest power loading make it economical to operate but limit its utility to fair-weather recreational flying. Most surviving examples are maintained by enthusiast owners in the UK and New Zealand, where the type retains a small but dedicated following among vintage aircraft collectors. SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators over routes, with the most frequently observed operator.