What an amazing day! I heard of — count 'em — no less than three first flights. I don't ever recall getting that kind of news in such a batch, but hooray! More airplanes to report on and more for customers to consider for their flying enjoyment. First up is the Glasair Merlin. I looked at the mockup of this new design at AirVenture 2014 (see video) and now she's flying. Glasair Aviation announced that their new Light-Sport Aircraft entry named Merlin "took its first flight through the skies above Arlington Municipal Airport Tuesday, April 7, 2015." After many months of development work, the company put the new two seater through a regimen of preflight validation testing that included engine run-up, high-speed taxi, and ground roll lift off. Having completed this important set of tasks the team at Glasair watched as Merlin departed the surface with test pilot Grant Smith at the controls. Merlin's first flight lasted 57 minutes. Grant put the plane through a full test flight profile covering engine reliability, flight control characteristic exploration and conducting standard flight maneuvers. "While nothing can replace the sheer wonder of witnessing the birth of a child, the introduction and maiden flight of a new airplane design is a close second," said Glasair Development Manager Ted Setzer. Also observing Merlin's first flight was Glasair Aviation engineer, Chuck Hautamaki, and the Glasair Aviation team (photo). "Flight testing will continue throughout the coming weeks," the company said. Merlin is a composite high-wing, tricycle gear aircraft designed to gain FAA acceptance based upon ASTM standards. Using a Rotax 912iS engine with Dynon's Skyview glass-panel avionics, Glasair designed Merlin to adapt an optional BRS parachute system. The SLSA will also be the company's first FAA-approved aircraft; it does not require kit assembly as do all other Glasair designs. "Our goal was to design an LSA with exceptional flying characteristics, performance, great visibility, aesthetically pleasing lines with easy access," said Chuck Hautamaki. Merlin's cockpit is a 45 inches wide with side-by-side seating. As I saw in the mockup visibility forward and to the side is very good. "Merlin has one of the largest windshields in the entire LSA fleet," said Glasair. "Merlin LSA fits perfectly into our product line, rounding out a rich history of successful product launches that started in 1980 with the revolutionary Glasair," said Ted Setzer. More recently, Glasair has brought Sportsman and Sportsman Diesel to join the original Glasair speedster. The company was founded in 1979 as Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft and has been a world leader in kit-plane manufacturing for 35 years. The company was acquired in 2012 by Hanxing Group based in Jilin City, Jilin Province, China. Congratulations to Glasair's whole team for getting Merlin airborne in a few months of work since we saw her first debuted as a mockup at Oshkosh last year. Readers will want to return soon as I report two more important first flights. I bet you can't guess what they are but you will know very soon.

Although not previously known for any involvement in the Light-Sport space, longtime kit aircraft producer Glasair Aviation is jumping in assertively for 2014. At Sun 'n Fun, the Arlington, Washington company debuted their Merlin and to AirVenture 2014 they brought a full-size mockup. They also participated in the standing-room-only press briefing for the new MVP.aero seaplane. Why? Because Glasair will be one of two initial build locations, handling the Western states while Port Orange, Florida-based Fibercraft will produce for Eastern states. I'll offer more on the MVP arrangements in another report on that header-turner design unveiled at AirVenture. Yet this association means Glasair will go from no presence in LSA to taking a significant position in short order. MVP production won't start for more than a year, but Glasair's Merlin project is ambitiously aiming to hit the market in 2014, according president Nigel Moll. Glasair is famous for the their flagship Glasair II and III, speedsters of the sky in the Experimental Amateur Built category and for their well regarded Sportsmen two seater. Besides the Merlin, Glasair has other new projects such as offering the Centurion diesel engine in their Sportsman and all this flurry of activity is a benefit of their new Chinese owners, Jilin Hanxing Group. The mockup at AirVenture 2014 didn't have any installed but Glasair is planning upward swinging gull-wing doors. It already sports a control stick that significantly resembles a similar system employed in Cessna's now retired SkyCatcher. This design choice keeps a stick from arising out of the floor, which makes entry easier for occupants and a 46.5-inch cabin nearly matches the widest cockpits among LSA. Merlin's panel setup was beautifully done as were its seats and general interior finish. The panel can hold dual Dynon 10-inch SKyView Touch screens (a single screen is standard) and is angled inward on facets on each side to make switches or instruments more accessible and readable to the pilot or passenger. Glasair will install the new Rotax 912 iS, said Moll. He stated that Merlin will sell for around $150,000 to include many items that are optional on many LSA. Indeed, Nigel said that the only options are a second SkyView Touch screen with an autopilot for an additional $10,000 and a parachute, which would also add approximately $10,000 to the purchase price. While other LSA are similarly equipped for about the same price, Glasair can benefit from its established position in the homebuilt community where it is well known. Merlin will be offered ready-to-fly, for the first time in its history broadening the company's product line beyond kit aircraft. Leading specifications promoted by Glasair for the Merlin include stall speed 39 knots, cruise speed 105 knots, and useful load 530 pounds. The company forecasts a top speed of 120 knots, maximum takeoff weight of 1320 pounds, empty weight of 790 pounds, wing span of 31 feet 9 inches, wing area of 132 square feet, length 21 feet 8 inches, height 8 feet 8 inches, baggage capacity of 50 pounds, and fuel on board of 24 gallons. With the Rotax 912 iS, that much fuel could give endurance of six hours with no reserve or a range of close to 650 nautical miles. I think it may be somewhat challenging to get to market in 2014 since the model has not flown yet and still needs to go through the ASTM standards plus successfully complete an FAA audit likely required as Merlin is a new model yet Glasair has a lot of experience to bring to bear and has adequate funding thanks to its Chinese ownership. While it shares a familiar name, Glasair's Merlin does not resemble an earlier Merlin offered out of Canada. Nigel confirmed this Merlin has nothing to do with the long gone entry from our neighbors to the north. As Glasair continues their entry to the LSA space with Merlin first and MVP later, I'll keep a close eye on this western company. We shot a video with Nigel at AirVenture; watch for it in the next couple months as our video partner is able to complete the editing for this and dozens of new videos we are capturing at AirVenture 2014.