Sonaca - a new European light aircraft company is born

A new light aircraft company is about to take off in Europe: Sonaca Aircraft. The company is part of the Sonaca Group, well known in the aerospace industry for engineering services and structures, with its base in Gosselies, Belgium.

Sonaca Aircraft is a joint venture, 65% owned by Sonaca Group and 35% by The Airplane Factory, the South African company responsible for the Sling two and four seat kitplanes.

The Sonaca 200 being developed in Belgium for the European pilot training market. It’s based on the Sling 2 kitplane but will be certified as a factory-built aircraft.

The first aircraft will be the Sonaca 200, which will be a factory-built version of the two-seat Sling 2. It is going through European (EASA) certification at the moment with a maximum takeoff weight of 750kg, and is aimed primarily at the pilot training market. First deliveries are planned for 2017.

Sonaca has reviewed the internal structures of the Sling 2 which is classed as a light sport aircraft (LSA) with a max weight of 600kg, to make it suitable for the 750kg CS-VLA category. The extra weight will be useful to flight training organisations.

The Sonaca 200 will be assembled in Belgium by Sonaca Aircraft, with a four-seat version already under consideration. It will have its world debut at the AERO Friedrichshafen later this month.

Cockpit of the Sonaca 200. No word yet of the final instrument spec.

Dedicated to traning and leisure

Pierre Van Wetter, Marketing & Sales Director of Sonaca Aircraft, said, “We chose to meet key players from all over Europe (flight schools, aero clubs and private pilots) to help us define the specifications. This is when the idea of designing a single-engine two-seater aircraft dedicated to training and leisure was hatched. Our objective was clearly to develop the most appropriate machine to meet the market expectations.”

A demonstration aircraft is currently being tested in Belgium and neighbouring countries. “The first feedback from users is excellent,” said Van Wetter. “We are identifying the last modifications to be made. These are mostly structural and aim at improving the reliabilty, the robustness and maintenance cost.”

The Sonaca 200 will be EASA certified for a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 750kg and cruise speed of 115 knots. Sonaca Aircraft is also applying for EASA Design Organisation Authority (DOA) and Production Organisation Authority (POA).

“The production site will be certified according to European norms, ” said Van Wetter. “We will be allowed, to a certain extent, to modify the aircraft without introducing new certification requests; which will enable us to limit costs, to be autonomous and reactive.”

Technical support and after-sales service will use Sonaca Group’s existing network.

“As a subsidiary of the Sonaca group  – direct supplier of Airbus, Dassault, Embraer and Bombardier  – Sonaca Aircraft offers a technical support of international class to its aircraft, including delivery of replacement parts and repair solutions within 48 hours in order to minimise aircraft grounding,” said Yves Delatte, CEO of Sonaca Aircraft.

Sonaca 200 is based on the Sling 2 and externally identical.

Sonaca 200 spec
Price 175,000 euro
Engine 115hp Rotax 914F
Seats 2
Wingspan 9,15m
Length 7m
Empty weight 430kg
Max take-off weight 750kg
Fuel capacity 140 litres
Max cruise speed 115 knots
Climb rate 750 feet per minute
Fuel burn 18 litres/hr

Sonaca Aircraft
The Airplane Factory