6 July 2021
A top speed of almost 250 knots in a microlight? Yes, that’s the performance claim being made by Italian company Risen for its newest aircraft, the 915iS SuperVeloce.
Performance charts issued by the company show the SuperVeloce reaching 212kt max continuous horizontal speed at 9,000ft, rising to almost 250kt at 20,000ft.
As the name suggests, the two-seat 600kg microlight is powered by the latest 141hp Rotax 915iS which gives the low drag Risen astonishing performance.
But it wasn’t just a case of bolting in the more powerful fuel-injected turbocharged Rotax engine. The wings have been clipped from 9.0 metres (29.5ft) to 8.15m (26.9ft) and the vee-tail also shortened.
Shorter wing of the Risen 915iS SuperVeloce. Photos: Porto Aviation Group
“We don’t believe you can just install a 40% more powerful engine in the same airframe,” said Albert Porto, who company Porto Aviation Group, produces the Risen.
“Either your 100hp powered version is underpowered, or the 141hp 915iS will be overpowered. This is just physics. Let’s not forget, the needed additional hp needed is cubic vs drag.
“Risen has the lowest drag ratio in the industry, so adding 40% more power is a lot for the already fast aircraft,” continued Albert.
“Remember that the 115hp Risen 914T outperforms any of the other already flying low wing ULs [Ultralights] with the much stronger 915iS.”
Slim low drag profile of the Risen
Porto points out that the new LTF-UL2019 certification standard for 600kg microlights no longer limits the stall speed to 65km/h, but a significant higher +80km/h, which is what allowed him to make the changes to the airframe.
Although the aircraft was due to be revealed this month at the cancelled AERO Friedrichshafen event, the word has spread and Porto says the first 12 months’ production has already sold out.
The aircraft will make its public debut at an Italian event next weekend, the VFR & FUN at Pavullo on 9 to 11 July 2021.
7 comments
Impressive.
200 ktas would be great over a decent distance, but could be more of a hindrance than a help on a short hop!
Over distance, one might expect to carry a fair amount of luggage but the website presently is quiet on realistic luggage limits.
I hear people say that a lot. Remember that the plane flies between 43 and 242 MPH. That give you a lot of speed options for your particular flight. Nobody says you have to go wide open on a short hop. Just like you don’t have to go 90 MPH in your car to the corner store to pickup a pack of smokes. 🙂
No mention of the price. I hope it’s less than £2000 so I can afford one ?
The biggest handicap of all these (Microlight) planes is that no IFR flight is legally possible (I mean by IFR rules, not necessarily in IMC).
But fast and long distance flying makes sense only when under IFR where you don’t have to deal with airspace restrictions .
A bit of a sweeping statement, and completely untrue. There are lots of opportunities to fly fast (but less than 250Knots) for long distances and VFR.
Many of these aircraft can be purchase as a experimental project and be ifr fitted. Anyway you ned to be ifr skille and to that have a license that also let you fly an experimental. So anyway no barriers to fly ifr.
A few thoughts:
1) The weight limit is a negative factor when flying above FL180. You can use a light weight Inogen G2 oxygen concentrator for weight savings but adding built in oxygen with masks adds to the overall weight limit of 1320 lb limit. In my mind 18,000 feet could end up being the service ceiling.
2) The thin carbon fiber shell is very strong and works well with 1320 lbs but add more weight and the need for a thicker carbon fiber could become necessary. That adds weight and moves the plane out of the European Microlight division which I doubt Alberto wants to do.
3) I think baggage weight will remain at 55 lbs. There isn’t much space behind those microlight seats.
4) The Risen can easily be flown IFR as it has full IFR avionics. Alberto flew across the Atlantic with his plane, using a Rotax 912 ULS 100 hp engine and full 52 gallon long range tanks that are an option. I doubt the US restricts it.
5) The aerodynamics of the plane is so good that the plane glides pretty well through turbulence. It is the best I have seen. Keep in mind the Risen is one very small plane. So…fly safe.
6) With the negative euro to dollar exchange rate, my guess is the Risen SV is around $300,000 or a bit more. The Risen with the Rotax 912 or 914 engines are closer to $270,000 right now. Plus it takes twice as long to build the SV than the standard Risen.