JUSTIN WASTNAGE / CRANFIELD
Spanish manufacturer responds to expected demand following Europe-wide rules on licences for private pilots
Vol Mediterrani has flown a prototype of a retractable gear version of its VM-1 Esqual kitplane. The Spanish manufacturer expects approval for the all-composite ultra-light from DGAC-E, the Spanish airworthiness body, by the first quarter of next year.
The VM-1TR was launched in response to customer demands for better performance and lower fuel consumption, says Vol Mediterrani managing director Francesc Velasco. Many recreational pilots are put off by the strict medical requirements of the European Joint Aviation Authorities private pilot's licence and are moving down to machines in the European very light aircraft category, he adds. These pilots want a faster, more sophisticated aircraft, Velasco says.
The current Esqual, fitted with a 60kW (80hp) Rotax 912 ULS, has a maximum speed of 140kt (260km/h), while initial tests on the retractable-gear version featuring a six-cylinder 75kW Jabiru 3300A engine have demonstrated speeds reaching 175kt. The improved airflow around the underside of the aircraft has also led to 25% better fuel efficiency, the company says.
The company has recently modified the all-composite aircraft, reducing wingspan from 9.2m (30.2ft) to 8.4m, to increase wing loading and provide greater stability, says Velasco. The original trailing edge high-lift devices have been replaced by two-position Fowler flaps.
The VM-1TR has a roll rate of 100°/s and will be submitted for certification as an aerobatic aircraft, he adds.
Vol Mediterrani has sold 52 Esquals, mainly in Spain and Portugal, of which 35 are flying. The aircraft, which made its UK debut at the Popular Flying Association rally at Cranfield late last month, is offered in €27,000 ($26,400) glassfibre or €35,000 carbonfibre variants. The aircraft can be bought pre-assembled for a 57% premium in some countries.
The company has recently appointed distributors for Australia, the Benelux countries, Germany and the UK, doubling its staff as it prepares to move next week into a new 2,200m2 (23,700ft2) facility outside Barcelona to meet European demand.
The production rate will rise from 45 to 120 a year in the new facility, according to operational director Marta Boronat Sáez.
Additional reporting by Geoffrey Jones
Source: Flight International
