Kate Sarsfield/LONDON
A new two-seat general aviation aircraft has been developed by German manufacturer OMF Aircraft. The piston single, high-wing OMF-160 "Symphony", based on the Arlington Aircraft Developments (ADD) designed GlaStar kitplane, is the first in a family of OMF light aircraft which will include an instrument flight rules model, a three- and four-seat variant and a diesel-powered machine.
Neubrandenburg-based OMF acquired the technology rights of the GlaStar utility kitplane from ADD in 1998, as well as a licensing agreement allowing OMF's sister company Aerokits to sell GlaStar kits in Europe.
The single-engine aircraft, which continues to be sold in the USA by Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft as a kit, formed theproof-of concept OMF-160. Tim Wright, OMF programme manager says: "The aircraft has been totally redesigned to meet European and US airworthiness requirements [JAR/FAR 23]. Flight testing is now complete and the aircraft is scheduled for parallel approval in the third quarter."
The OMF-160 is made from metal and glassfibre reinforced plastic. It has a 10.7m (35ft) folding metal wing, spanning 2.43m when retracted, a maximum gross weight of 890kg (1,962lb), 120kW (160hp) Textron Lycoming 0-320 D2A offering a cruise speed of 245km/h (131kt) and a maximum range of 967km (520nm).
The programme has been funded through a combination of public and private finance. Final investment costs are expected to total around $6 million.
"We have enough orders to begin production [in Neubrandenburg]. First deliveries will be made within six weeks of certification, initially to training schools. Deliveries to private customers will begin next year," Wright says.
Although the aircraft's price has not been determined, it is likely to be around $110,000. The company says it plans to build 40-50 units in the first 12 months, increasing to 300 aircraft annually within three years of certification.
Meanwhile, Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft is fighting to avoid bankruptcy because of a financial crisis brought on by falling sales of its Glasair high-performance kit-built aircraft.
The Arlington, Washington-based company has ceased operations and laid off its staff while it tries to reorganise. Several options are being pursued, including a possible buy-out of the assets by Glasair builder/owners.
Stoddard-Hamilton president Bob Gavinsky says the company is looking for investors to establish the Glasair and GlaStar product lines as separate businesses.
Gavinsky is looking for immediate investment to keep alive the company's research work under NASA's Advanced General Aviation Transportation Experiments programme, and development of the Aurora 6, a high-performance, six-place aircraft in the early stages of design.
Additional reporting by Graham Warwick, Washington DC.
Source: Flight International
