Aceair has launched its Aeriks 200 high-speed push piston kitplane and expects to gain airworthiness approval by the end of next month. Chairman Ugo Wyes says the USA is the key sales focus and the Swiss design team hopes to take the first prototype to the US Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh 2003 air show in July.
The aircraft had its first flight last May and the first kit is set to be delivered next month, says general manager Antonio Latella. The company has customers in France, Germany and Italy in addition to Switzerland and wants to sell around 250 of the SFr94,500 ($69,500) aircraft over the next five years. Production of the first kit began in October at Aceair's facility at Guibiasco, outside Lugano, and is set to be approved by Experimental Aviation of Switzerland by the end of May. Approval by experimental aircraft bodies in France, Germany and the UK are the next priority, says Latella.
The 78kW (105hp) Diamond GIAE 110R-powered aircraft has a cruising speed of 140kt (260km/h) and can take off from 520m (1,700ft) runways. The first prototype of the canard configuration aircraft has flown 29h and has made several 6.65° steep approaches to Lugano airport.
Aceair is considering supplying a longer-range variant of the aircraft in the USA, which has removable wings for trailer transportation. "When we started the project we saw hangarage cost as a factor for European customers and wanted to produce a removable wing version, but making a wet-wing version could also be possible," says Igor Medici, Aceair chief engineer.
The wing is connected to the fuselage with two carbonfibre C-spars supported on four pins, with the flap and aileron controls automatically disconnecting once the major sheer pins are removed. "The aircraft has around 5h endurance, but some customers have requested additional fuel tanks in the wings to increase this," he adds. The design team would look at fitting fast-connect fuel lines if there was sufficient demand, says Medici.
Source: Flight International
