TYPE: Side-by-side lightplane/kitbuilt.
PROGRAMME: Four years in design; public debut (VH-BBR, then unflown) at Avalon Air Show, March 1995; first flight July 1995; some 120 hours of flight testing completed by November 1998; second aircraft (preproduction) displayed without markings at Aviex 2000 at Sydney/Bankstown and subsequently registered (VH-AYS) on 22 January 2001; had flown 30 hours by late 2001; certification to JAR VLA was expected in late 2001 but had slipped; will also be marketed as a kitbuilt.
CUSTOMERS: Five aircraft built or under construction by early 2003, of which two had flown.
COSTS: Estimated US$75,000 for certified aircraft (2003).
DESIGN FEATURES: Conventional low-wing, fixed landing gear monoplane; design goals strength, simplicity, low costs, docile stall characteristics and ease of maintenance. Production aircraft differs from prototype in having a forward-sliding canopy; cabin 7.6 cm (3 in) wider; larger ailerons and slotted flaps; and leaf spring main landing gear legs.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual; elevators and ailerons are pushrod operated, rudder is cable operated. Flaps range 0-40°.
STRUCTURE: All metal.
LANDING GEAR: Non-retractable tricycle type with spring steel main legs and rubber-in-compression nose leg. Wheel size (all) 5.00x5. Hydraulic toe brakes standard.
POWER PLANT: One 88 kW (118 hp) Textron Lycoming 0-235-C2A (in first prototype) or -CI (in preproduction aircraft) flat-four engine, driving a Sensenich two-blade metal propeller. Fuel contained in two integral tanks in leading-edges of wings, combined capacity 130 litres (34.3 US gallons; 28.6 Imp gallons).
ACCOMMODATION: Two persons, side by side under forwardsliding bubble canopy; dual controls (sticks) standard, control wheels optional; seats adjust fore and aft; fourpoint harnesses standard. Baggage compartment behind seats.
DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL : | |
Wing span | 8.76 m (28 ft 9 in) |
Wing chord at root | 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in) |
Wing aspect ratio: - prototype | 6.9 |
- production | 7.3 |
Length overall: - prototype | 6.25 m (20 ft 6 in) |
- production | 7.16 m (23 ft 6 in) |
Height overall: - prototype | 2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) |
- production | 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in) |
DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL : | |
Cabin max width | 1.14 m (3 ft 9 in) |
Baggage compartment volume | 0.17 m3 (6.0 cu ft) |
AREAS : | |
Wings, gross | 10.50 m2(113.0sq ft) |
WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS : | |
Weight empty | 470 kg (1,036 lb) |
Max T-O weight | 748 kg (1,650 lb) |
Max wing loading | 71.3 kg/m2 (14.60 lb/sq ft) |
Max power loading | 8.51 kg/kW (13.98 lb/hp) |
PERFORMANCE : | |
Max level speed | 115 kt (213 km/h; 132 mph) |
Cruising speed | 100 kt (185 km/h; 115 mph) |
Stalling speed: - flaps up | 50 kt (93 km/h; 58 mph) |
- flaps down | 42 kt (78 km/h; 49 mph) |
Max rate of climb at S/L | 229 m (750 ft)/min |
T-O run | 366 m (1,200 ft) |
Landing run | 198 m (650 ft) |
Endurance | 5h |