Repatriate means “to restore or return to the country of origin.” That’s exactly what’s happening with the Aeropro EuroFox, an Eastern European-built light-sport aircraft (LSA) based on American design work. It’s coming to this country as a ready-to-fly LSA through importer Rollison Light Sport Aircraft (RLSA).
Just as a car made in Detroit may incorporate a considerable number of parts that were manufactured overseas, LSA can be a combination of United States- and foreign-built parts as well. That’s not unusual in the aviation world. Consider that a new Boeing airplane is likely to have many parts manufactured in other countries. When Boeing competes against Airbus, it may be important to give some work to a country that may buy billions of dollars of airliners. Therefore, even a Boeing aircraft is not 100 percent made in America.
In the LSA world, aircraft manufactured in foreign countries may be delivered to the United States without instruments or other accessory equipment, or that equipment may have been built in the United States and shipped overseas for installation in the aircraft.
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Aeropro EuroFox
His Rollison Light Sport Aircraft (RLSA) company has been building a fleet of aircraft for sale from European sources. Rollison has represented numerous brands over the years he’s been involved in light-sport aviation. First he represented American brands and later European. Recently he’s traveled to South America to see what’s available. Today, Rollison sells the Remos G-3 Mirage, the Ikarus-Comco C42, and the EuroFox. He’s associated with Allistair Wilson who is making his own Astra trikes. Of the fixed-wing models in RLSA’s hangar, the EuroFox is the most modestly priced with the C42 next highest and the G-3 as RLSA’s top-of-the-line model.
More Than Familiar?
Many Ultralight Flying! readers will say the EuroFox looks to be a copy of a Kitfox. In fact, says Rob Rollison, this simply isn’t true.
The EuroFox certainly shares heritage with the Kitfox but is actually a downstream development of the Avid Flyer. In the Slovak Republic, where the four founders of Aeropro live, plans were used to build an Avid.
Long-Wing Cross Country Cruiser & Soaring Machine
One actually got approved last year, I’m told, but a new 2008 model Urban Air Lambada UFM 13 more recently received its airworthiness as our newest, and 57th, Special Light-Sport Aircraft (SLSA). This is the second aircraft to use the ASTM standards for Glider (see 8/6/07 SPLOG) but is the first motorglider. TST-14 is more properly a “powered sailplane,” a rather fine but clear distinction. Imported by Bostik Industries LLC, Lambada is part airplane and part sailplane. It glides an impressive 26:1 or 30:1 from a 42.65- or 49-foot wing setup (both are standard; you exchange wing tips). Yet using the 80-hp Rotax 912 it will also cruise at better than 100 mph for 800 nautical miles on 26.4 gallons of fuel in two wing tanks. Lambada is a carbon and glass fiber shoulder-wing design available in taildragger or tricycle gear. It also comes standard with a Magnum Ballistic Parachute system, folding prop, stainless steel exhaust, and tinted canopy for $93,500.
Another Beauty from RANS; S-19 Debuted
Premise: In light sport aviation you never ignore RANS owner and designer Randy Schlitter. With his newly minted S-19, he’s again proven the rule. A flying prototype from the Kansas builder was beautifully finished…a RANS airshow tradition. Compared to the G-700S SPLOGged earlier, S-19 is 70 pounds lighter thanks to “great care in keeping things light,” said RANS (though it’s heavier than predicted due to more durable materials). *** S-19 will be sold intially as a kit with components including Rotax 912S priced at about $43,000. Build time is estimated at 700-1,000 hours. “We plan to offer a certified SLSA,” said Randy though he wouldn’t speculate on when. S-19 first flew June 28th and “production flight testing should be complete sometime in August” though the company is ready to ship tail kits. Reporters will have to wait to fly S-19 but based on flying nearly every other RANS model, I expect superb handling.
SLSA #55…the Polish G-700S from Gobosh
Whew! After ten days in the hot sun, I’m glad Oshkosh is over…but what an event for Light-Sport Aviation. The whole story includes a last few days of whirlwind development climaxing in many new introductions. Folks from Gobosh* brought the all-metal low wing G-700S, an Americanized revision of the AT-3 from Poland. Aero Ltd’s AT-3 was created by Tomasz Antoniewski and a team of engineers known for the Wilga among other designs; it earned JAR-VLA certification in Europe (1999). *** Tim Baldwin and Dave Graham, once associated with the Symphony, won SLSA airworthiness for the G-700S just days before AirVenture 2007 opened. Both men also have business backgrounds in other fields, experience allowing the new company to make an grand entry with a refined product. G-700S comes well equipped for $107,000 to $124,000 and includes a 2-year/400-hour warranty. Financing is available. * “Gobosh” is a acronym borrowed from the go-go technology industry meaning Go Big Or Stay Home.
LSA Registrations Pass the 1,000 Mark!
After 26 months and a few days, LSA now exceed 1,000 aircraft in the U.S. certified aircraft fleet. That sum represents an annual sales rate of nearly 500 aircraft per year. Since June 1st, another 49 fixed wing aircraft have been added, an annual rate of almost 600 aircraft. *** Of 1,030 registered as of July 1st, 81% or 833 are airplanes, 153 (15%) are weight shift control “trikes,” and 44 (4%) are powered parachutes. No gyros, gliders, or light-than-air have been certified or registered at this time. As always, be aware that FAA registrations may not precisely equal total customer deliveries. *** Our top three leaders — Flight Design, American Legend, and Evektor — held their positions. Tecnam again gained a notch, now occupying the #4 position. Jabiru USA and Remos also moved upward (at least in percentage) and Czech Aircraft Works elbowed into the Top Twelve.
Light-Sport FAA Registrations Continue to Rise
Based on FAA data* from early May, 92 new SLSA registrations brought total SLSA to 930 aircraft, up 11% in one month and up 46% since January 2007. *** For sellers in the market, it has become more crowded. Eighteen months ago the LSA community had certified 16 new models; now, we’re at 50. More choice is great for consumers but it’s challenging for sellers as many choices can slow the purchase decision and new players eat away at market leader shares. *** Despite that observation, the big sellers remain on top. Flight Design retains its leadership position, as does U.S. builder, American Legend (chart). Evektor (#3) and TL Ultralight (#4) held their positions while Tecnam and Fantasy Air moved up one. Some shuffling occurred below the Top Five with U.S. producers AMD and CubCrafters generating more registrations.
StingSport, a Carbon Fiber LSA
A fully loaded, top-of-the-range aircraft
Eastern European aircraft are expected to factor massively in the coming wave of light-sport aircraft (LSA) available to Americans. Several designs have already begun to attract interest as we get closer to approval of the ASTM International consensus standards that will govern the design, construction, and maintenance of these machines. One airplane that generated significant interest at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh for the last three years is the TL-2000 Sting.
Common to designs we’re seeing from Eastern Europe, the TL-2000 Sting from TL Ultralight in the Czech Republic is a sleek, composite aircraft with impressive performance and handling. The Sting series evolved from an earlier TL Ultralight design called the TL-96, and both aircraft cater to the European ultralight market, which has allowed the manufacture of LSA-category aircraft under European microlight regulations. Now, the TL-2000 and TL-96 are being reworked to meet LSA requirements. The planes have been renamed the StingSport and StarSport respectively to designate the aircraft that will be LSA-compliant.
Zlin Savage Cub
[UPDATED — May 2007: Savage Cub is now represented by Savage Aircraft Sales (www.savageaircraftsales.com) located at 6609 Northeim Road, Manitowoc WI 54220; or call (920)726-5260.]
Is the concept of a renewed Cub a phenomenon that developed with
the LSA rule? Actually, no. The Savage Cub has been in production since
1997. An Italian design team created the plane and first built the model
in Italy. In 1999 production was taken over by Zlin Aviation S.R.O. in
the Czech Republic, which has connections to Czech aviation pioneer,
Moravan Aeroplanes, maker of the Zlin all-metal GA aircraft.
[UPDATED — August 2007: Savage Aircraft Sales of Wisconsin took over from former distributor Bob West who used the name North American Sport Aviation. Savage Aircraft Sales is run by Julie & Keith Hartlaub.
Savage earned S-LSA certification just prior to
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005 and is the only one of the three new Cubs to use Rotax
powerplants, no surprise given the design’s origin in Europe where
Austrian-based Rotax dominates the light aircraft engine market.
Tecnam Sierra — The Italian Job
Before Cessna announced its
light-sport aircraft (LSA) prototype,
the Wichita, Kansas-based
aircraft manufacturer investigated the
airplanes produced by Costruzioni
Aeronautiche Tecnam, aka Tecnam.
Cessna’s interest was likely stimulated
by Tecnam’s 50-year history of
aircraft manufacturing. The company
traces its roots to 1950 and the P48B
Astore. You may also be familiar with
its twin-engine Partenavia series of
aircraft that emerged in the 1970s.
The Pascale brothers founded
Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam
just after World War II, but the company
was reorganized in 1986. Based
today in Casoria, Italy, Tecnam is a
large operation with 36,000 square
feet of facilities near the Naples Capodichino
airport.
A second facility is located
in Capua, where the final assembly
line is adjacent to
an airport where flight tests
are conducted. “Professor”
Luigi Pascale, the 82-yearold
patriarch of Tecnam,
remains the guiding light
of the company. He reportedly
still does all first flights of Tecnam
airplanes. The company’s design approach
is backed with the latest Catia
V5 software, wind tunnel tests, and
close associations with Italian aero
institutes and universities.
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