Swordfish Aviation Swordfish

Single Piston

The Swordfish is a British single-seat ultralight aircraft that emerged from the UK's homebuilt and microlight movement of the 1980s. Designed and produced by Swordfish Aviation, it represents the classic era of amateur-built aircraft when builders prioritized simplicity, low cost, and the pure joy of flight over speed or payload. With its high-wing configuration and conventional taildragger landing gear, the Swordfish embodies traditional light aircraft design principles scaled down to the ultralight category, staying well within the UK's 390 kg (860 lb) single-seat deregulated microlight limit of that period. The type found a modest following among British sport pilots who valued its straightforward construction and docile handling characteristics. Its operating envelope is typical of the ultralight class: a never-exceed speed around 100 knots, cruise in the mid-60s, and stall speeds in the mid-30s make it a fair-weather, low-and-slow flyer suited to local airfield circuits and short cross-country hops. The Swordfish never achieved large-scale production, remaining instead a niche design built by a handful of dedicated enthusiasts who appreciated its no-frills approach to recreational aviation. SkyMeter has tracked 1 flights across 1 airframes and 1 operators, with activity spanning routes.