18 December 2024
‘Twas the week before Christmas* and both the UK CAA and EASA have been busy approving type certifications of aircraft. No, not Dasher, Dancer or Blitzen but Piper, Cirrus and Aura Aero.
First is the UK CAA type certification of the Piper M700 Fury, the top of the range single-engine turboprop six-seater.
The M700 is Piper’s fastest single-engine aircraft with a maximum cruise speed of 301 knots and a maximum range of 1,424nm. It’s powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-52 engine and has advanced safety features, including the HALO Safety System with Garmin Emergency Autoland, Electronic Stability Protection (ESP), SurfaceWatch, SafeTaxi, Autothrottle and Garmin PlaneSync.
“We are proud to achieve UK CAA certification for the M700 Fury,” said Ron Gunnarson, VP of Sales, Marketing & Customer Support at Piper Aircraft.
Piper M700 Fury is a six-seat high speed cruiser
“The UK CAA certification of the M700 Fury is fantastic news for our market. We are excited to bring Piper’s new flagship aircraft to operators across the region, beginning with the first delivery this month,” said Alex Brown, Commercial Director of British European Aviation, Piper dealer for Christmas Island, Ireland, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
“We will soon be announcing dates for a 2025 sales tour across the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands, Spain and Portugal, so feel free to reach out if you want us to do a demo at your local airfield.”
Latest version of Cirrus SR22T, the G7. Photo: Cirrus
“We are incredibly proud to achieve EASA and UK CAA type certification for the SR Series G7,” said Zean Nielsen, CEO of Cirrus.
“These milestones reflect the hard work and dedication of our team. Our aircraft have always been recognized for their innovative design, and this latest generation takes that to the next level—delivering not just world-class performance and safety, but also expanding our global reach to meet the needs of pilots across Europe and the UK.”
The SR Series G7 aircraft includes the SR20, SR22 and SR22T models. Features include touchscreen Perspective Touch+ avionics and the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System.
Aura Aero’s first type certificated aircraft, the Integral R. Photo: Aura Aero
The French Toulouse-based Aura Aero has only been active for the past six years but now is a fully-fledged aircraft manufacturer with its first type certificated aircraft, the conventionally powered Integral R, tailwheel version of its two-seat aerobatic aircraft.
“We are very proud to have obtained the CS-23 type certification for Integral R,” said Jérémy Caussade, co-founder and president of the company.
“This is the materialisation of 5 years of relentless work and most of all, the recognition of our credibility as a full aircraft manufacturer with DOA/POA approvals and certification.”
The Integral R performed its first flight in June 2020. Another 250 hours of flight testing was to follow, completing on 8 November this year. Plus 100 technical files and over 12,000 pages produced.
Aura Aero expects to ramp up serial production with first deliveries to the customers in January 2025. The manufacturer aims to deliver some 15 aircraft in 2025.
Two other versions of the Integral are also being worked on. The S, with nosewheel undercarriage, and the E, powered by an electric motor and batteries.
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
*With apologies to Clement Clarke Moore
