The story
Great Lakes Aircraft of Cleveland flew its first Sport Trainer prototype in March 1929. Early tests showed it was tail heavy and slow to recover from a flat spin, so after the first four were built the upper wing was swept back. Its parent company also owned American Cirrus, so every original left the factory with a Cirrus inline engine; many owners later swapped in Warner or Jacobs radials. About 262 were built before the Depression closed the company, and the design stayed so popular that a revived Great Lakes company put it back into production in 1973 with Lycoming engines, building 137 more.
WACO Aircraft revived it again in 2011 and says it still builds it under the original 1929 type certificate. A Great Lakes also once held the world record for consecutive outside loops: 131 in a row.
Quick answers
How do you identify a Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer?
A small two-seat aerobatic biplane with its upper wing swept back. Look for outrigger main gear with vertical oleo struts, a wide bathtub fuselage and a big round tail. Many originals were re-engined with stubby radials; 1970s and newer ones have a flat Lycoming in a boxy cowl.
What does a Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer sound like?
A crisp, busy buzz from a modern Lycoming, or the pug-nosed snarl of a Warner radial on a restored original.
How fast is the Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer?
Top speed is 115 kts (132 mph, 2T-1A-2).
How many passengers does the Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer carry?
Up to 1. A typical layout is Two seats in tandem open cockpits.
How far can the Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer fly?
Range is about 260 nmi (2T-1A-2).
How big is the Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer?
It is 20 ft 4 in (2T-1A-2) long and 26 ft 8 in (2T-1A-2) across the wings.
When did the Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer first fly?
Its first flight was in 1929.
How many Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainers have been built?
About 262 originals (1929 to 1933), 137 in the 1970s revival, 20 by WACO by 2022 built.
How rare is a Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer in Bogey?
COMMON. Everyday traffic. You will catch plenty of these, and every first catch still counts. Your first Great Lakes 2T-1A Sport Trainer catch is worth 25 points.
