TYPE: Side-by-side ultralight/kitbuilt.

PROGRAMME: Design started by Paul Kenneth in mid-1990s; made US debut at Sun 'n' Fun in 2001. Being sold as ready to fly aircraft in South Korea; main US marketing awaiting announcement of new FAA Sportplane Licence category in early 2003.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Comet 21: Baseline version, as described. Known as Comet SP in USA and features slight variations from Korean version.
Comet UL: Lighter empty weight version, powered by Rotax 582 engine.

CUSTOMERS: Total of 35 sold by early 2002 to customers in Canada, Italy, Japan and USA.

DESIGN FEATURES: Braced high-wing monoplane, similar in appearance to Cessna 152. Available ready to fly or in kit form; quoted build time 300 hours.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Frise ailerons; elevator electric trim. Fowler flaps.

STRUCTURE: Welded 4130 chromoly steel tube fuselage inside CFRP shell; pop-riveted, single-spar wing with drooped tips; all-CFRP tail unit. Single-strut bracing of wings and tailplane.

LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type; fixed. Rubber-sprung, steerable nosewheel; sprung steel main legs. Hydraulic brakes.

POWER PLANT: Comet 21/Comet SP: One 47.8 kW (64.1 hp) Rotax 582 UL or 59.6 kW (79.9 hp) Rotax 912 UL engine, driving two-blade propeller.
Comet UL: Rotax 582 UL only.
Suitable for other two- or four-stroke engines between 48.5 and 74.6 kW (65 and 100 hp) weighing no more than 79.5 kg (175 lb), including 59.7kW (80 hp) Jabiru 2200.
Standard usable fuel capacity (two tanks) 76 litres (20.0 US gallons; 16.7 Imp gallons).

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot and passenger. Forward-opening window/door each side; one-piece Plexiglas windscreen.

AVIONICS: VFR or IFR instrumentation to customer's choice.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

• Wing span: 8.69 m (28 ft 6 in)
• Length overall: 5.79 m (19 ft 0 in)
• Height overall: 2.44 m (8 ft 0 in)

DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:

• Cabin max width: 1.12 m (3 ft 8 in)

AREAS:

• Wings, gross: 10.59 m² (114.0 sq ft)

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS (A: Comet 21/SP, B: Comet UL):

• Weight empty: A: 218 kg (480 lb)
• B: 236 kg (520 lb)
• Max T-O weight: A, B: 558 kg (1,232 lb)
• Max wing loading: A, B: 52.8 kg/m² (10.81 lb/sq ft)
• Max power loading:
• A and B, Rotax 582: 11.70 kg/kW (19.22 lb/hp)
• A, Rotax 912: 9.38 kg/kW (15.42 lb/hp)

PERFORMANCE (at 499 kg; 1,100 lb AUW, A/Rotax 912 and B as above):

• Never-exceed speed (V_NE): A, B: 117 kt (217 km/h; 135 mph)
• Max cruising speed at 215 m (700 ft) at 75% power:
• A: 104 kt (193 km/h; 120 mph)
• B: 96 kt (177 km/h; 110 mph)
• Stalling speed:
• flaps up: A, B: 40 kt (73 km/h; 45 mph) CAS
• flaps down: A, B: 34 kt (63 km/h; 39 mph) CAS
• Max rate of climb at S/L: A: 366 m (1,200 ft)/min
• B: 283 m (930 ft)/min
• Service ceiling: A: 3,960 m (13,000 ft)
• T-O run: A: 76 m (250 ft)
• B: 92 m (300 ft)
• Landing run: A, B: 54 m (175 ft)

The article appears in the following publication:
Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Ltd. 2004. ISBN: 0-7106-2614-2