Meet Aero Designs Mini-IMP
The Mini-IMP puts its single occupant ahead of a pusher propeller and an inverted V-tail. The designer’s cockpit description places the pilot in a reclining seat under a canopy, with mechanical rods carrying the control inputs to a mixer and cables continuing aft. Its unusual outline comes from packaging the pilot, engine and tail around a compact single-seat aircraft.
The tail surfaces combine rudder and elevator functions. Pitch trim changes the tail’s incidence rather than moving an elevator trim tab. The wing-camber adjustment also participates in the design’s trim arrangement.
History & design
Molt Taylor simplifies the IMP
During the energy crisis of the mid-1970s, Molt Taylor pursued a small homebuilt that emphasised efficient cruise and simpler construction. The Mini-IMP scaled down his earlier 2+2-seat IMP, whose complexity and cost had proved difficult for an average builder. The result was a single-seat design intended to accept a range of engines.
The Mini-IMP company later continued plans and builder support. Its background explains the aircraft's unusual mix of a small cockpit, tail-mounted propeller and retractable landing gear: efficiency and buildability shaped the arrangement.
Mini-IMP Aircraft Company · Mini-IMP Aircraft Company ↗Systems & details
A tail that changes incidence
The designer describes a manually adjustable inverted V-tail. Changing its incidence changes the aerodynamic pitching balance, while the mixer lets the same pair of tail surfaces answer pitch and yaw commands. The accompanying wing-camber adjustment belongs to this coordinated arrangement. This is mechanical control and aerodynamic trim.
The prototype’s retractable gear
The designer’s original gear mechanism uses mechanical retraction, with powered alternatives described for other builds.
A1R’s Mini-IMP
A1R describes its rendition with a Lycoming O-235 pusher engine and retractable tricycle landing gear.
An inverted V-tail beside the pusher propeller
The company describes the inverted V-tail as serving both aerodynamic and structural aims. It also leaves room for the tail-mounted propeller and the clearance needed as the aircraft rotates. The designer attributes favourable yaw-roll coupling to this arrangement; that is an attributed design explanation rather than a force measurement.
Mini-IMP Aircraft Company · Mini-IMP — Tail ↗In your simulator
No released simulator product is listed for this aircraft in the developers reviewed. Announced products are excluded.
Manuals & resources
Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Aircraft background
Mini-IMP — Canopy and CockpitMini-IMP Aircraft Company · Aircraft identity, history and configuration. A1R Design BureauA1R Design Bureau · A1R Mini-IMP product description. Mini-IMP — TailMini-IMP Aircraft Company · Designer’s tail description. Mini-IMP — Landing GearMini-IMP Aircraft Company · Designer prototype and optional builder arrangements.Aircraft documentation
Mini-IMP Aircraft CompanyMini-IMP Aircraft Company · Mini-IMP Aircraft Company account of Molt Taylor's design development.Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261011-v3 · 2 profile choices
A1R Design Bureau Mini-IMP
A1R Design Bureau · Free and Pro · Revision 2 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020
The Mini-IMP puts its single occupant ahead of a pusher propeller and an inverted V-tail.
Aero Designs Mini-IMP
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024 · X-Plane 12
The Mini-IMP puts its single occupant ahead of a pusher propeller and an inverted V-tail.
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