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Affordable and Capable: Merlin Lite
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Affordable Sportster Single Seater Aircraft Coming to USA

By Mike Friend || 4 Comments (Edit)

Here's another quick update from new friend, Mike Friend, who is covering Aero along with Roy Beisswenger. I so appreciate these two gentlemen assisting with this wonderful show that I'm having to miss. Fortunately, we are furiously making new videos at Sun 'n Fun and I am gathering more story material for this website. —DJ Chip Erwin is at it again! Unlike Dan Johnson, Chip Erwin decided to skip Sun 'n Fun and come to Aero 2017.  Aeromarine is going to introduce a fun new retro Sportster for the price of a ground-bound Harley Davidson.

Sportster takes the foreground while Merlin can be seen behind. Both are single seaters for an affordable price.

Crowds have been flocking around the charming little single seater powered by the Czech Verner Scarlett 5 cylinder motor of 80 horsepower.  With an open canopy and an empty weight of 440 pounds or 200 kilograms, Sportster should prove to be a real retro rocket ride. Chip is thinking he will be able to offer the airplane next year for $35,000 including a two week builder assist program at his Florida base. Basically this is his PSA Merlin with a low wing. The structure is simple and robust. It appears perfect for those sunny flying days in Florida as you see it in the photo. A sliding canopy will be available for colder climes. Forecast: fun flying ahead!

Here’s another quick update from new friend, Mike Friend, who is covering Aero along with Roy Beisswenger. I so appreciate these two gentlemen assisting with this wonderful show that I’m having to miss. Fortunately, we are furiously making new videos at Sun ‘n Fun and I am gathering more story material for this website. —DJ Chip Erwin is at it again! Unlike Dan Johnson, Chip Erwin decided to skip Sun ‘n Fun and come to Aero 2017.  Aeromarine is going to introduce a fun new retro Sportster for the price of a ground-bound Harley Davidson. Crowds have been flocking around the charming little single seater powered by the Czech Verner Scarlett 5 cylinder motor of 80 horsepower.  With an open canopy and an empty weight of 440 pounds or 200 kilograms, Sportster should prove to be a real retro rocket ride. Chip is thinking he will be able to offer the airplane next year for $35,000 including a two week builder assist program at his Florida base.

Electric Aerobatic Aircraft. Really? At Aero 2017…Yes!

By Mike Friend || Leave a Comment (Edit)

The grand show called Aero in Friedrichshafen, Germany (that I'm not at… darn!) is happening at the same time as Sun 'n Fun. Fortunately I have some reporters who offered to help and one of them is Mike Friend. Thanks to Mike, I can offer a report on an electric aircraft, at which the German show always does magnificently. His article follows. —DJ

The electric Twister aerobatic aircraft is seen at Aero thanks to reporter Mike Friend.

The future looks electric. What if your love in aviation is aerobatic flying? That game is about to change. Hangar 55, a new Swiss company, has introduced an electric version of the delightful Silence Twister with financial support from the Hamilton watch company. Equipped with a prototype Siemens electric motor of around 90 horsepower, and with Kokam battery cells from Korea, the airplane delivers 20 minutes of smooth — and quiet — aerobatics. Pilot Nicolas Ivanov reports that after flying this airplane, everything else seems old fashioned. Battery power seems ideal for applications where endurance is not required, at least until the next generation of batteries becomes available. Hangar 55 has a goal to use the electric Twister this year in the Red Bull Air Race as an exhibition. They speculate that this may be a prelude to an all-electric junior class with all pilots using identical Twisters. The gasoline powered Twister has a proven track record in Europe with Pete Wells and his Twister Duo display team. The electric version seems poised to usher in a new era of ecologically friendly air show displays. Thanks, Mike. You just never know what you'll see at Aero and I'm so pleased to have extra reporting while I rush around Sun 'n Fun gathering all manner of stories here.
electric powered aerobatic Twister aircraft

The grand show called Aero in Friedrichshafen, Germany (that I’m not at… darn!) is happening at the same time as Sun ‘n Fun. Fortunately I have some reporters who offered to help and one of them is Mike Friend. Thanks to Mike, I can offer a report on an electric aircraft, at which the German show always does magnificently. His article follows. —DJ The future looks electric. What if your love in aviation is aerobatic flying? That game is about to change. Hangar 55, a new Swiss company, has introduced an electric version of the delightful Silence Twister with financial support from the Hamilton watch company. Equipped with a prototype Siemens electric motor of around 90 horsepower, and with Kokam battery cells from Korea, the airplane delivers 20 minutes of smooth — and quiet — aerobatics. Pilot Nicolas Ivanov reports that after flying this airplane, everything else seems old fashioned. Battery power seems ideal for applications where endurance is not required, at least until the next generation of batteries becomes available.

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