TYPE: Two-seat lightplane; side-by-side ultralight.

PROGRAMME: Designed and built in Canada as private project by Dr David Marsden, professor emeritus of Alberta University, whose previous aircraft have included Bushmaster, ARV Griffin, Westwind (ultralight), Gold Finch, and Gemini and Sigma sailplanes. Design began January 1999; prototype Skylark CL3 (C-GFMZ) first flew 10 March 2000; shortly after, tested with single, then double winglets on each tip; exhibited at AirVenture, Oshkosh, July 2001; reverted to single winglet, as shown one year later.
Dova obtained production rights in 2002. Czech ultralight type certificate awarded 19 October 2005. North American marketing by Sportsplanes of Draper, Utah, began at Sun 'n' Fun, Lakeland, Florida, April 2006.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Ultralight: Available to various nationalities' ultralight max T-O weights.
LSA: Light Sport Aircraft to US specification and weight.

CUSTOMERS: Several produced in Czech Republic prior to North American launch.

DESIGN FEATURES: Low, tapered wing with winglets; sweptback fin and T tail. Prototype had Frise flaperons deflecting 20° for landing and up 10° for cruising.
Laminar flow wing of IARV 419 section designed by Dr Marsden for docile stall characteristics and continued good performance despite insect or rain contamination; dihedral 5°.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Balanced control surfaces; trim tab in starboard side of elevator. Actuation by cables (rudder) and pushrods; electric trim tab. Plain flaps deflect 0, 10 and 40°.

STRUCTURE: Generally 6061-T6 aluminium structure with 2024-T3 control surfaces, plus composites winglets, engine cowling and mainwheel legs. Wing has channel-type spar at 38 per cent chord and six stamped ribs; bolted to fuselage carry-through spar. Fuselage of semi-monocoque, with three formers aft of cockpit.

LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type; fixed. Hydraulic mainwheel brakes. Wheel fairings.

POWER PLANT: Typically one 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912S liquid-cooled flat-four driving a Kaspar, three-blade, ground-adjustable pitch propeller. Alternatively, 59.6 kW (79.9 hp) Rotax 912, 84.5 kW (113.3 hp) Rotax 914, or 72.3 kW (96.6 hp) BMW R1100. Fuel in two wing tanks, combined capacity 90 litres (23.8 US gallons; 19.8 Imp gallons).

ACCOMMODATION: Two persons, side by side, beneath single-piece, forward-hinged canopy/windscreen; rear window each side. Sliding canopy for LSA version.

EQUIPMENT: Galaxy GRS 450 B-2 ballistic recovery parachute.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

  • Wing span over winglets: 8.165 m (26 ft 9½ in)
  • Wing chord: at root: 1.485 m (4 ft 10½ in)
    • at tip: 0.775 m (2 ft 6½ in)
  • Wing aspect ratio: 7.1
  • Length overall: 6.625 m (21 ft 8¾ in)
  • Height overall: 2.29 m (7 ft 6¼ in)
  • Tailplane span: 2.865 m (9 ft 4¾ in)
  • Wheel track: 1.755 m (5 ft 9 in)
  • Wheelbase: 1.365 m (4 ft 5¾ in)
  • Propeller diameter: 1.62 m (5 ft 3¾ in)
  • Propeller ground clearance: 0.28 m (11 in)

DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:

  • Cabin max width: 1.09 m (3 ft 7 in)

AREAS:

  • Wings, gross: 9.44 m² (101.6 sq ft)
  • Vertical tail surface: 1.47 m² (15.82 sq ft)
  • Horizontal tail surface: 1.02 m² (10.98 sq ft)

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:

  • Weight empty: 280 kg (617 lb)
  • Max baggage weight: 25 kg (55 lb)
  • Max T-O weight: UL: 450 kg (992 lb)
    • UL with parachute: 472.5 kg (1,041 lb)
    • AULA: 550 kg (1,212 lb)
    • LSA: 598 kg (1,320 lb)
  • Max wing loading, LSA: 63.3 kg/m² (12.99 lb/sq ft)
  • Max power loading, LSA, Rotax 912S: 8.15 kg/kW (13.39 lb/hp)

PERFORMANCE (Rotax 912S engine):

  • Never-exceed speed (VNE): 151 kt (280 km/h; 174 mph)
  • Max level speed: 130 kt (240 km/h; 149 mph)
  • Cruising speed at 75% power: 113 kt (210 km/h; 130 mph)
  • Stalling speed: flaps up: 43 kt (79 km/h; 50 mph)
    • flaps down: 35 kt (64 km/h; 40 mph)
  • Max rate of climb at S/L: 480 m (1,574 ft)/min
  • Service ceiling: 3,650 m (11,980 ft)
  • T-O run: 152 m (500 ft)
  • Landing run: 162 m (530 ft)
  • Range at 60% power, with 45 min reserves: 540 n miles (1,000 km; 621 miles)
  • g limits: UL: +4/-2
    • LSA: +6/-3