The US Federal Aviation Administration has awarded Luscombe Aircraft an airworthiness certificate for its Spartan 185 preproduction model 11E. The ticket falls short of full approval, however, and is "for sales and marketing purposes", says Luscombe.
The Oklahoma-based company is still targeting April 1999 as the earliest date for full type certification, with initial deliveries of the four-seater starting soon after.
Luscombe says that the aircraft received "great interest" during a recent flying visit to the US National Business Aviation Association meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, and to the US Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association convention in Palm Springs, California. During the 3,000km (1,630nm) round trip, the average fuel consumption rate was 35litres/h (9.2USgal/h) at an average cruise speed of 112kt (207km/h).
The aircraft will sell for $162,500 equipped for instrument flight rules, and at about $140,000 for a visual flight rules version.
Source: Flight International
