British Light Aircraft Company (BLAC) is relaunching production of the Sprint aerobatic trainer and has renamed the all metal, side-by-side aircraft the Redwing.
BLAC sister company Air Lease International is launch customer for the aircraft with an order for 10. First delivery is scheduled for the third quarter of next year.
The Textron Lycoming AEIO-320-powered Redwing will incorporate a range of airframe and systems upgrades, says BLAC and will be manufactured in Romania possibly by Aerostar or Craiova Aerospace.
BLAC parent company Aviation Group International acquired the type certificate and design rights in 1997 for the Sprint, along with the Optica surveillance aircraft, from its former owner Swedish overhaul and maintenance company FLS Aerospace.
The aircraft is an updated development of the Trago-Mills SAH-1 aircraft line which was originally certificated in the 1990s but did not enter full scale production.
“It was designed from the outset as an aerobatic primary trainer with an emphasis on perfecting piloting skills through its outstanding handling and performance characteristics,” says BLAC.
The Redwing will be targeted at training organisations and private owners and will also be available in kit form for home completion using sub-assemblies off the production line.
BLAC is planning to offer a bio-ethanol-fuelled version of the Redwing within three years. “This would be supported by a complete bio-fuels infrastructure service for operators. The use of renewable bio-ethanol fuel will offer reduced operating costs, improved performance and environmentally acceptable carbon-neutral emissions,” says the company.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
