TYPE: Two-seat lightplane.
PROGRAMME: Launched 1995; design, using CAD/CAM techniques, began 1997, assisted by Berlin Technical University; prototype (D-EQUI) displayed at Aero '99, Friedrichshafen, in April 1999; first flight 5 March 2000; initially flew without winglets; certification to JAR-VLA received September 2001; deliveries began July 2002 with first aircraft (D-ETHG) to Flugschule Hans Grade at Schönhagen. Certification in Australia, Scandinavia, Switzerland, UK and USA expected by end 2003.
CUSTOMERS: Total 31 firm orders by January 2003, including pilot trainers for Lufthansa, and club aircraft for DaimlerChrysler and airline Swiss. Production for 2004 set at 50 aircraft; nine delivered by April 2003.
COSTS: €119,500 excluding tax (2003).
DESIGN FEATURES: Design goals included crashworthy cabin structure, forgiving handling characteristics and low operating costs. Low wing with sharply tapered fuselage aft of cabin and sweptback fin; high aspect ratio wing with upturned tips.
Laminar flow wing section Horstmann/Quast HQ-42 modified. Dihedral 4° 30'.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Actuation via pushrods for elevators and ailerons; cables for rudder. Externally hinged, single-slotted Fowler flaps, deflections 15 and 35°.
STRUCTURE: Entirely CFRP/GFRP. Fuselage is a GFRP monocoque with CFRP stringers and GFRP/CFRP frames; wing shell structure and tail unit and control surfaces are GFRP/polyurethane foam sandwich with CFRP wingspar, load-bearing structures and local reinforcements.
LANDING GEAR: Non-retractable tricycle type; spring steel main legs; steerable nose leg with rubber-in-compression suspension; all wheels size 5.00-5; speed fairings on all wheels; hydraulic brakes; combined ventral fillet/tailskid.
POWER PLANT: One 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912S flat-four engine driving an MT-Propeller MTV-21-A/175-05 two-blade, variable-pitch (hydraulic) propeller. Fuel in two integral wing tanks, total capacity 120 litres (31.7 US gallons; 26.4 Imp gallons). Fuel filler in upper surface of each wing.
ACCOMMODATION: Two persons side by side under forward- and upward-opening windscreen/canopy; baggage door on port side of aft wing. Four-point safety harnesses for both occupants. Accommodation heated and ventilated. Choice of leather or cloth seating.
SYSTEMS: 14 V electrical system, including 40 Ah alternator and 12 V battery.
AVIONICS: Comms: Honeywell KX 125 com/nav; KT 76A transponder; encoding altimeter, PS Engineering PM 501 intercom, and ELT, all standard. Becker AR 4201 second com, Honeywell KT 76C digital transponder with encoder, Garmin KT 73 Mode S datalink, GTX 327 transponder, KMA 28 audio panel, GMA 340 audio panel, and 406 MHz ELT, all optional.
Flight: Honeywell KX 155 com/nav with GI 106A VOR/LOC/GS indicator and KMD 150 GPS with colour MFD, Garmin GNS 430 com/nav/GPS with GI 106A VOR/LOC/GS indicator, optional.
Instrumentation: Three-point altimeter, ASI, VSI, magnetic compass, artificial horizon, directional gyro, turn co-ordinator, CHT gauge, oil temperature/pressure gauges, fuel gauge, tachometer, manifold pressure gauge, OAT gauge, hour meter, Davtron M800 chronometer, all standard.
EQUIPMENT: Navigation and anti-collision lights and tiedown fittings, standard. Optional equipment includes auxiliary/external power receptacles, tinted canopy, fire extinguisher and aero-tow system.