From A2 s.r.o., an almost unknown company from the Czech Republic, comes
the Ellipse Spirit. The two-place, side-by-side, low-wing aircraft has an unbelievable elliptical wing with predictions of exceptional performance numbers.
The airplane is powered by the UL Power 260iS engine with 107 hp. The wing is
a real eye-catcher with its rounded wingtips, slots built in the outer portion of
the wings, and air brakes like those found on most gliders. The maiden flight was
scheduled for mid-May, and this airplane is expected to reach a maximum speed
(in a European UL version) of 315 kmh and should cruise at 296 kmh. The manufacturer is planning to build a retractable-gear version, and in a year should
follow with LSA and experimental LSA models. The price is as exciting as the
lines of the aircraft—€ 75,000.
www. Ellipse-Spirit.com
The Aeropilot Legend 540 was designed to be similar
to a C-175. It is powered by a Rotax 912S engine and
has an all carbon-fiber airframe. The first flight of the
aircraft was also expected in mid-May. Also Czech-built by a factory with more than 20 years of aircraft
building experience, this airplane will cost € 63,000.
www.
Aeropilot.cz
c2p is a Slovenian product development company that
has produced this all-carbon two-plus-two seat aircraft, the ONE. The airplane was flown to AERO from
Slovenia to demonstrate the viability of the design. c2p
hopes to sell the project to investors. The aircraft is
powered by a Rotax 912S. It cruises at 256 kmh. Thanks
to good flap geometry stall speed is 65 kmh. The useful
load is 387 kg; empty weight is 357 kg.
www.C2P.aero
FLIGHTDESIGN C4
AERO&TECH NEXTH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARINO BORIC AND MARY JONES
German light aircraft manufacturer Flight Design unveiled a proof-of-concept version four-seat piston single, the C4. “We want to create the
optimal four-seat aircraft for our customers,” said Flight Design’s Chief
Technical Officer Oliver Reinhardt. “Engineers often put emphasis on
certain features on a new design, while a flight school or a private owner
might want something we did not consider, so we are putting our concept
of the C4 design out for the public to participate in the process.” The
company is planning to collect reactions from potential customers and its
worldwide dealer network and anticipates finalizing the design after EAA
AirVenture Oshkosh 2011. European approval is scheduled for late 2012,
with U.S. certification to follow soon after. The airplane will be powered by
an American (gas) or a German (diesel) engine. Several “green” solutions
will be available in the future, including hybrid propulsion technology.
www.FlightDesign.com
One of the more unique looking aircraft displayed was the two-place, all-metal low-wing called Nexth, produced by the Italian company Aero&Tech.
It’s powered by a Rotax 912S and is expected to fly as fast as 285 kmh. The
fuselage is a steel tube frame developed by a Formula One racing team and
is expected to handle loads of +9/- 4.5g. The structure is covered with
aluminum skin and the landing gear is retractable. A single fuel tank has a
capacity of 130 liters with a range of 1,700 km. Price is predicted to be about
€ 60,000. First flight is expected early this summer and an LSA version is
being considered.
www.Aeroand
Tech.com
