Welcome to the newest Special Light-Sport Aircraft …except that it isn’t so new(1). Indeed, we’ve seen the Ekolot Elf for a few years in this country. Here’s what I wrote on its introduction in 2017.
Photo taken by Michael Stalker • Owned and flown by Peter Griffiths
I was immediately drawn to Elf for two reason: One, I love soaring flight, which represents one of the most enjoyable challenges I’ve found in flying. “Hooking” a thermal and riding it thousands of feet upwards with the engine off or idling is not only magical; it’s also a good skill development exercise. Two, Elf was initially promoted as a Part 103, which I believe is aviation’s most charming — and certainly least-regulated — segment. Low prices, no pilot license required, no N-numbers, no medical of any kind …well, no wonder Part 103 aircraft are selling so well the last few years.
In Germany they have the “120-Kilogram Class,” meaning airplanes that weight no more than 264 pounds (very similar to the U.S. Part 103 at 254 pounds). A leanly-built Elf can qualify for 120-Class, but configured the way many Americans will want it, it does not quite meet Part 103, so importer Krzysztof “Kris” Siuba of Ekolot America worked with the Poland producer to earn Special LSA approval for this shapely single seater.
Long-Winged KR-010 Elf
A brief glance at Elf tells you it does not look like most American Part 103 aircraft, which are commonly tube-and-rag-type configurations thought necessary to stay within the tight weight constraints of Part 103. Yet in Poland, like many European countries, sailplane building is a substantial industry so skilled engineers and technicians are plentiful to create and build with composites.
This long, slender, cantilevered wings draws me in like a bees to honey. If it does the same for you, this is one sleek choice. Surprisingly, it won’t cost an arm and leg. In fact, the kit KR-010 is base priced at $39,000 plus a shipping fee(2). Elf is quite complete for this price tag but you can bid it up into the $40,000s by adding an airframe parachute and com radio.
As Kris describes the single seater: “KR-01A Elf is a full composite single seat SLSA that operates like a motorglider. It uses Parabeam® vinyl-ester resins composite material resulting in an amazing empty weight of 264 pounds, to qualify for the German 120-KG Class.”
“Elf was designed by Jerzy Krawcyk of Ekolot by utilizing the early work of Slovenian-American Alex Strojnikun,” explained Kris. “Elf features removable cantilever wings, cockpit under bubble canopy with tricycle fixed landing gear. The power-plant is a two-stroke engine with aft-folding composite propeller blades and can be equipped with ballistic parachute.”
The producer of Elf and the also-very-handsome Topaz plus another model named Junior comes from PPHU Ekolot, a Polish manufacturer based in the city of Krosno. Formed in 1995 by director Henryk Slowik, a successful Polish business man, the chief designer is Jerzy Krawczyk, an aeronautical engineer who graduated from Warsaw Polytechnics – Aircraft Design and has 35 years of experience in designing aircraft.
Headquartered in DeKalb, Illinois, Kris operates NIU Group doing business as Ekolot America,
the distributor and importer for Ekolot.
Tech Specs for KR-010 Elf:
Wing Span — 35.2 feet- Wing Area — 113 square feet
- Length — 17.9 feet
- Height — 6.8 feet
- Empty Weight (no parachute) — 264 pounds
- Gross Weight — 551 pounds
- Cruise Speed — 69 knots (79 mph) (3)
- Never-Exceed Speed — 80 knots (92 mph)
- Stall Speed — 29.7 knots (34 mph) (3)
- Climb Rate — approximately 750 feet per minute
- Takeoff Roll — 330 feet
- Landing Roll — 165 feet
- Powerplant — Polini Thor 200 HF (High Flow) producing 30 horsepower at 8,100 rpm
- Fuel Capacity — approximately 7 gallons
- Fuel Burn Rate — 1.05 gallons per hour
Wing Span — 35.2 feetEnjoy this short video showing Elf as Kris first introduced it at Sebring 2017.
Note (1) — Elf won FAA acceptance as a Special LSA and is listed on the agency’s website as well as our SLSA List.
Note (2) — Elf is available in two wingspans. The “Self-launching motorglider” has 35 foot span. The “Airplane” version has 30.8 feet of span and is $4,000 less expensive.
Note (3) — While this figure is slightly high for a U.S. Part 103, it might be changed via prop selection. Likewise stall is slightly high but Elf is available as a Special LSA.
In the USA if you register the KR-010 Elf as a glider, then you can fly with a Private Pilot “Glider” license. Much less restrictive than a Sport Pilot license. You can even get it if you medical has been denied. It also requires less hours of training so is also less expensive.
Hi all:
I’m currently flying a Elf since 1,5 years.
I confirm the good cruising speed for this machine being 90 km/h.
The glide ratio is 20 and you climb in the thermals like an “old” k6.
Mine is equipped with a Thor 200. A lot of people had issues with this engine (holed pistons) but I didn’t.
An EGT sensor is absolutely mandatory.
[Uses] 2,5 liter/hour.
See my youtube channel with some tests.
Dear Pol, In response to your recent post and mine of 30th January 2021, Polini have since radically revised the air-ducting of the Thor Evo 200 motor fitted to the Elf. The new version is called a Thor 200HF (or Super Thorix by Fresh Breeze, Germany) and is black instead of gold. After deciding an electric system was prohibitively expensive, I fitted my Elf with the Thor 200HF. The running temperatures, CHT and EGT, are vastly improved with little danger of overheating. I use 98 octane fuel with 5% ethanol and a 2.5% synthetic oil mix. As the original Walbro carburettor was prone to hesitation, I replaced it with a Bing 84 and ran a choke cable to the cockpit to enable cold starting, especially if the engine is switched off in the air. Fresh Breeze supplied my Thor 200HF with a Mikuni carburettor.
AJ asked about trailer availability. Ekolot only produced a prototype, not a production model, meaning you’ll have to construct your own. I had a box trailer made locally (Scotland) using a second-hand caravan chassis and running gear, which doubles as a mobile hangar.
I can supply photos of the trailer and new engine on request.
Hello Peter. Yes please could you share the trailer and engine pics? Thank you very much.
This will meet max 180 kilogram Ultra Light Aircraft (Japanese Standard). Any info on trailer availability? If one person can attach and detach main wings, how long will it take to attach wings, etc. Ultralights are allowed to fly only within 9 kilometer radius in Japan. A San Francisco Bay tour will cost less than $10 worth of gasoline in this motor glider. I wonder if transponder / ADS-B can be installed or not). The regulation here has not changed to accommodate LSA here so SLSA are considered as Experimental here so 9-kilometer radius rule applies. Happy Flying!
Dear AJ, I’ve only recently seen Dan Johnson’s article on the KR 010 Elf and your post. I’ve been flying the clipped wing version (which features in the heading photo) since 2015. You ask about trailers. I had a roomy box trailer professionally built using a caravan chassis. Please contact me if you’d like photos and details. Rigging (wings and tailplane) takes takes two people about 25 minutes. The fastenings are standard glider three-point: one nut and bolt and two tapered locators. Access is by removing panels. One person could rig with trestles, but would need to be careful not to stress the wing root boxes. Some of the above figures need revised. The fuel capacity is 4.5 US gallons and the burn about 1 per hour. The cruise range is 55 to 75 mph. The Elf isn’t a high speed machine. Mine floats around happily at 80 kph or 50 mph. There is no trim, but the elevator is easily ground adjustable for more penetration. There’s a YouTube video of me taken by Michael Stalker in 2016 titled Ekolot Elf flying over Scotland – and plenty of photos in you’re interested. Kind regards, Peter Griffiths
Thank you for your comment. Saw your YouTube video. 1 Gallon per hour is amazing. I wonder if motor glider version has a good glider ratio. At Takikawa Glider Club in Hokkaido, aero tow is about $45 for first 2500 feet, two seat glider rental is about $50 per hour (with or without instructor). Ecology Elf might be good one to fly in the morning when up drafts are not available for soaring. Please check out my YouTube video of San Francisco Bay Tour. helipilot777
Kris is a great rep for Ekolot. I was able to purchase experimental parts to design the first electric hybrid amphibious motor glider. We will be able to fly with a new onboard electric generating system for cross country flights. The first experimental will be a single place followed by a 2-place. This would be impossible by using batteries alone. Our goal is to fly 600 to 700 ground miles out and back without refueling while burning 1.2 gal per hour with reserve.
Vorrei sapere che prezzo €uro
Hi Sebastiano: Please contact the company in Europe for pricing. *** Si prega di contattare l’azienda in Europa per i prezzi.
Cool new SLSA!
Just a few errors in this article though.
1. At one point it refers to the Elf as a “shapely two seater”.
2. It mentions the Elf having a “4-cycle” engine. It’s a 2-cycle, no?
3. It refers to the Polini 200 as producing 39hp. I think it’s 29hp, no? BTW, since they’ve gone the SLSA route, they might as well move up to the Thor 250ds at 36.5hp. That would add 20% more power for very little increase in weight or fuel burn.
Hi Steve: Good catches, all. Thanks for the close read. Each has since been corrected. Some of this happened in translation, I suspect, from European (Poland and Italy for the engine) figures. I also agree that the larger Polini seems worthy.