Terry Hardeman/KUALA LUMPUR
SME AVIATION, the Malaysian manufacturer of the MD3 single-engined two-seat trainer, plans to launch fully aerobatic and four-seat versions of the Swiss-designed (by Max Datwyler) aircraft.
Powered by a 120kW (160hp) Lycoming 0-320-D2A piston engine, the aircraft is already aerobatic and stressed to +6/-3G, but is not capable of sustained inverted flight.
Tony Tay, a director of parent company SME Technologies, says that there are plans to install a more powerful fuel-injected engine and redesigned fuel system to make the aircraft fully aerobatic.
Although the Swiss-built version has already received European Joint Aviation Rules and US Federal Aviation Administration Part 33 certification, the aircraft, known locally as the Tiga, will be Malaysia's first indigenous production certification and has caused the Kuala Lumpur authorities to hastily revise outdated procedures inherited from the UK.
Provisional certification, however, has been granted by the Malaysian Directorate of Civil Aviation and production is under way for the 60 aircraft ordered to date by the Royal Malaysian Air Force and Curug, an Indonesian-based company.
The Tiga will be the first Asian-built aircraft to be registered under the JAA/FAA joint-certification process.
One Tiga, built by SME personnel in Switzerland, is already on the US register and, with the US civil market in mind, design evaluation has started on a four-seat version in co-operation with Tallahassee, Florida-based Aero Associates. Tay says, however: "Realistically, I don't see it getting off the ground for three years at least."
SME proposes assembling and distributing the Tiga in North America with Aero Associates. The aircraft will be exhibited at the Oskosh show in July.
Source: Flight International