5 September 2016
Four new or revised Single-Seat Deregulated aircraft (SSDR) were shown at the LAA Rally over the weekend. They are:
The Sherwood Kub SSDR, now fitted with a 50hp Hirth engine that “transforms the performance”. Photo: Ed Hicks
This is the only one of the four aircraft that is available to order right now as a complete factory-built aircraft or as a kit. The Kub is based on the Escapade/Reality Kid which TLAC has bought the rights to and is constructed from a steel tube airframe covered in Oratex fabric. The high-wing design has a max take-off weight of 250kg with a 135kg payload, comfortably under the SSDR limit of 300kg.
The Kub has been available with a 30hp engine but the aircraft shown at the rally had a more powerful 50hp Hirth and has been flight-tested by TLAC’s chief pilot, James Milne.
James told FLYER, “The 50hp engine really transforms the performance of the aircraft. It leaps into the air with a climb rate of about 900 feet per minute, and a take-off distance of just 20-30 metres. Cruise is 60kt. We fitted bigger wheels and tyres to be able to use stubble fields and it can land almost anywhere.”
The Sherwood Kub is available ready-to-fly for £25,000 (+VAT) or from £9,000 for the airframe kit (engine, instruments, covering extra). g-tlac.com
The Griffin SSDR from A4 Aviation, soon to be available as a kit. Photo: Ed Hicks
The Griffin was shown part-assembled and is also a derivative of an earlier aircraft, in this case the B612 produced by Czech company Flying Machines. The B612 achieved an FAI recognised speed record of 120mph on a 40hp engine back in 2003.
Director of West Sussex-based A4 Aircraft, Paul Reilly, has bought the design rights, made some improvements including simplified landing gear, and plans to finish the first aircraft by the end of this year. He plans to offer an airframe kit next year and a build-assist programme. The powerplant is a 58hp Pegasus O-100 – yes, half of a Continental O-200.
Paul’s mantra is ‘low cost’ and he’s striving to make the Griffin with the lightest, least expensive materials. Hence the fuselage is steel tube covered with fabric, with some composite cowlings, and the wings are composites to achieve a laminar flow and low weight. His target? An airframe kit for £12,000. a4aviation.co.uk
The Stinger, from Sprite Aviation will be sold as a kit.
Graham Smith of Kent-based Sprite Aviation already markets the Czech Merlin SSDR in the UK (tested by FLYER earlier this year) so why develop another completely different aircraft? The Stinger is designed to “to extract every last crumb of performance from the new SSDR category” as a high-speed sports tourer whereas the Merlin is a short-field fun flying machine. Graham showed the Stinger prototype in an advanced stage of construction, almost complete. spriteaviation.co.uk
The incredible Archon SF1 all the way from Greece. Photo: Ed Hicks
No, the Archon SF1 did not fly all the way from Greece – now that would have been some journey – but it is soon to be available here through a new UK company set up to import the aircraft. As well as the SSDR SF1 at the show, G-Aerosports plans more powerful versions right up to a 115hp Rotax 912 two-seater in the future. Although the SF1 looks a big metal aircraft, it is actually incredibly light using an aluminium sheet skin. The show aircraft, flown to the UK by sponsor Aegean Airlines, was available for sale at a show price of 25,000 euro. aerosports.gr
