Although Cirrus Aircraft fielded a large display at EAA AirVenture last week in Oshkosh, Wis., notably missing from the Cirrus exhibit area and Cirrus’s press conference was cofounder and board chairman Alan Klapmeier. Now the Cirrus board of directors has decided not to renew Klapmeier’s contract and to seek a new chairman when his term expires at the end of this month.
Homebuilt aircraft
July 28, 2009 - 10:57am
Sonex Aircraft brought what might be the only new jet-powered aircraft to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis.–a research-and-development project intended to evaluate market reception for a small jet airplane kit.
February 23, 2009 - 3:40pm
RotorWay International, which aired plans on Sunday to build and certify a two-place turbine helicopter, on Monday announced the addition of an infrared enhanced-vision system (EVS) as a standard factory option for both RotorWay’s A600 Talon kit-built helicopter and the new unnamed Rolls-Royce 300-powered model.
October 27, 2008 - 9:13am
Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air last month announced that it received $150 million in funding from MercMed, a California-based investment company headed by former Mercury Air Group chairman Dr. Philip Fagan. CEO Ron Lueck said the company has started taking refundable $100,000 customer deposits on the $2.95 million, Honeywell TPE331-14GR-powered Comp Air 12 and has deposits in hand for about two dozen airplanes.
October 9, 2008 - 11:31am
Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air this week announced that it received $150 million in funding from MercMed, a California-based investment company headed by former Mercury Air Group chairman Dr. Philip J. Fagan. Comp Air believes this injection of funding is sufficient to develop, certify and start production of an all-composite, pressurized turboprop single called the Comp Air 12.
September 30, 2008 - 7:14am
Bend, Ore.-based Epic Aircraft continues to pursue certification of its $1.2 million single-engine, owner-built kitplane, the Epic LT, re-badged in certified form as the $1.95 million Dynasty.
September 23, 2008 - 10:42am
The CA-9 single-engine turboprop program is warming up, with a first flight accomplished in July and plans for FAA certification in 2013, although initial versions will be sold as kitbuilt experimental category aircraft. The high-wing fixed-gear CA-9 will seat six, offer a 250-knot cruise speed, fly up to 2,200 nm and be powered by a Honeywell TPE331-12.
August 5, 2008 - 11:36am
Merritt Island, Fla.-based Comp Air is moving ahead with plans to certify the Comp Air 12 and will not offer a kit version of the hefty turboprop single, according to a Comp Air spokesman. “We received word just the other day that we are going to get our funding for the CA-12 project,” he said.
August 5, 2008 - 8:37am
Dwarfed by other aircraft in the static display area, the LH-10 Ellipse is only 17 feet long and has a wingspan of just over 26 feet. But what it lacks in size it makes up for with performance. Powered by a single 100-hp Rotax 921 ULS, the Ellipse can cruise at 200 knots and cover France from coast to coast without refueling. It burns avgas 98 at the rate of 5.28 gph, which is a great deal less than a motor car.
July 31, 2008 - 11:36am
Yesterday afternoon, Cirrus test pilot Kent Vandergrift flew Cirrus Design’s prototype Vision SJ50 single-engine jet to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., concluding his flight with a high-speed pass and a landing on Runway 27. After the jet was towed to a stage in AeroShell Square, Cirrus founders Alan and Dale Klapmeier congratulated the Cirrus team members who helped make the jet possible.
