TYPE: Two-seat amphibian ultralight/kitbuilt.

PROGRAMME: First flight (OK-JUR 99) 11 March 2004; initially known as CZAW Lake Sport Mermaid. Following preliminary testing, shipped to Lakeland, Florida, for public debut at Sun 'n' Fun, 13-19 April 2004. Flight testing (reregistered N599MM) was due for completion by end of 2004 and revealed need for several modifications, some of which applied to prototype, including cruciform empennage.
These embodied in first production aircraft, flown at Borsice on 3 May 2005 and transferred to US for exhibition at AirVenture, Oshkosh, July 2005. Changes included new wing aerofoil section; increased wing span, with upturned tips; wing incidence increased from 1 to 3°; 40 per cent larger ailerons; 5 cm (2 in) deeper hull; step moved 20 cm (8 in) to rear; rear fuselage angle raised 3°; vortex generators around rear of canopy; fin extension above tailplane; and four- (replacing three-) blade propeller.
LSA approval received February 2006; LSA exemption for retractable landing gear granted 4 April 2006.

CUSTOMERS: More than 30 sold by April 2004 and over 100 by late 2005. Deliveries were scheduled to begin in first quarter of 2005, but were delayed by need for extensive modifications to design.

COSTS: USD85,000 E-LSA or USD87,500 S-LSA Rotax engine; USD88,500 E-LSA or USD91,000 S-LSA Jabiru engine; all flyaway. Kit minus engine USD45,500 (Experimental). (All 2006.)

DESIGN FEATURES: Intended as roomy, low-cost amphibian designed specifically to meet US LSA criteria and with useful range and dual controls.
Mid-wing configuration; constant-chord wings with stabilising floats at half span; cruciform empennage. Wings removable to reduce width of airframe for storage or transport; folding wing option to be added. Pusher propeller above and behind cockpit; retractable water rudder at rear of single-step hull. Five hull compartments, each watertight and with bilge pump socket in port wing, adjacent to cockpit. Quoted build time 400 hours
Dihedral 5° (except centre-section); incidence 3°.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Flight-adjustable trim tabs in elevator and starboard aileron. Fowler flaps; deflections 20 and 40°. Aileron trim optional. Control surface deflections: ailerons +28/-18°; elevator ±25°; rudder ±30°.

STRUCTURE: Aluminium alloy throughout, except for rubber nosecone. Full zinc chromate coating.

LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type; retractable. Mainwheels retract hydraulically (manual; electro-hydraulic option) rearward into wing, tread protruding through port in upper wing surface and visible from cockpit rear quarterlights. Nosewheel retracts forward and is steerable. Mainwheels size 14x4 with hydraulic brakes; nosewheel 4.00x4. Rubber-in-compression shock-absorbers throughout, with twin units on each mainwheel leg. Tail bumper. Retractable water rudder.

POWER PLANT: One 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS flat-four driving a Warp Drive three-blade, ground-adjustable pitch, carbon fibre propeller. Optionally, one 84.5 kW (113.3 hp) Rotax 914. Trial 89 kW (120 hp) Jabiru 3300 installation completed for trials in early 2006.
Fuel tanks in wing leading-edge, total capacity 100 litres (26.4 US gallons; 22.0 Imp gallons).

ACCOMMODATION: Two persons, side by side, beneath forward-hinged, single-piece canopy; dual controls. Baggage space to rear, above and below main spar.

AVIONICS: VFR instrumentation standard.

EQUIPMENT: Portable, hand-operated bilge pump. Optional BRS ballistic recovery parachute and landing light in starboard wing leading-edge.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

  • Wing span: 10.16 m (33 ft 4 in)
  • Wing aspect ratio: 7.8
  • Length overall: 7.635 m (25 ft 0½ in)
  • Height overall: 2.61 m (8 ft 6¾ in)
  • Tailplane span: 3.02 m (9 ft 11 in)
  • Wheel track: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
  • Propeller diameter: 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)

DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:

  • Cabin max width: 1.17 m (3 ft 10 in)
  • Baggage volume: 0.23 m³ (8.1 cu ft)

AREAS:

  • Wings, gross: 12.50 m² (134.5 sq ft)

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:

  • Weight empty: 377 kg (832 lb)
  • Max T-O weight: 639 kg (1,410 lb)
  • Max wing loading: 51.1 kg/m² (10.47 lb/sq ft)
  • Max power loading: 8.70 kg/kW (14.30 lb/hp)

PERFORMANCE:

  • Never-exceed speed (VNE): 135 kt (250 km/h; 155 mph)
  • Cruising speed (design): 107 kt (198 km/h; 123 mph)
  • Stalling speed: flaps up: 44 kt (80 km/h; 50 mph)
    • flaps down: 38 kt (71 km/h; 44 mph)
  • Max rate of climb at S/L: 300 m (984 ft)/min
  • T-O run: on land: 137 m (450 ft)
    • on water: 229 m (755 ft)
  • Landing run: on land, water: 152 m (500 ft)
  • Range: 432 n miles (800 km; 497 miles)
  • Endurance: 4 h 30 min
  • g limits: +4/-2