US kitplane manufacturer Aerocomp plans to fly its single-turboprop, all-composite Comp Air 12 by mid-July and debut the eight- to 12-seater at the Oshkosh show at the end ofnext month.
The aircraft uses the wing, fuselage and empennage of the Comp Air Jet, flight testing of which is planned to be complete by Oshkosh, says Ron Lueck, co-owner of Merritt Island, Florida-based Aerocomp.
Whereas the Comp Air Jet is powered by a 3,400lb-thrust (15.1kN) Ivchenko AI-25 turbofan mounted in the tail, the Comp Air 12 has a 1,400shp (1,045kW) Honeywell T53 turboprop in the nose.
This has allowed Aerocomp to move the rear pressure bulkhead back to make room for a lavatory in the eight-seat layout, says Lueck.
Possibly the largest kitplanes available, both kits will cost $499,000 excluding avionics, but including a zero-time engine. Aerocomp is planning to buy 100 ex-military T53s, engines used in Bell AH-1 Cobras and Grumman OV-1 Mohawks, and set up its own refurbishment operation.
Lueck says Aerocomp decided to develop a turboprop version because it will be easier to fly and to insure than the jet. The Comp Air 12 has a cruise speed of 275kt (510km/h) and a range of 5,200km (2,800nm), compared with 320kt and 2,310km for the Comp Air Jet.
Kits will be completed by the owners at a builder-assistance centre being set up by Aerocomp, with the first customer-built Comp Air Jet expected to fly by year-end. Although they are kitplanes, and cannot be used for hire, the company is aiming the aircraft at corporate, as well as private, customers.
“About 78% of [Cessna] Citations and more than 60% of [Beech] King Airs are non-revenue aircraft,” Lueck says.
Source: Flight International
