Equipment
| Airframe | Kevlar & Carbon fibre composite |
| Wings, horizontal stabiliser, control surfaces | Carbon fibre composite |
| Undercarriage | Carbon fibre composite main gear, differential hydraulic brakes, Parking brake |
| Powerplant & Accessories | 1 Rotax 914UL 115hp 4-Cylinder, 4-Stroke liquid/air cooled 1200cc engine with opposed cylinders & turbocharger, with automatic waste-gate control, dry sump forced lubrication with separate oil tank, Electronic dual ignition |
| Electrical System | 2 12v generators |
| Propeller | Electrically actuated variable pitch propeller NSI 140 Hub with 3 composite Warp Drive blades |
| Avionics | Bendix-King 76A Mode C transponder, Bendix-King KX125 Nav/Comm, Audio panel with voice activated intercom & noise cancelling Sennheiser headsets, Garmin GPS lll Pilot |
| Engine Instruments | Tachometer, Fuel Pressure, Manifold Pressure, Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature, Cylinder Head Temperature, Fuel Pressure, Fuel Quantity, Ammeter/Voltmeter |
| Flight Instruments | Magnetic compass, Rate of Climb indicator, Airspeed indicator, Altimeter, Attitude indicator, Directional Gyro, Turn and Bank indicator, Pitch Trim indicator |
Performance
| Maximum speed straight & level | 120kt |
| Cruise speed at 75% throttle | 108kt |
| Stall
speed (clean)
Stall speed (30° flap) |
46kt
40kt |
| Climb rate at MTOW | 1500ft/min |
| Minimum take-off distance (to clear 50ft obstacle, MTOW, ISA) | 304m
|
| Minimum landing distance | 205m |
| Service ceiling | >16,000ft |
| Endurance (75% power, no reserve) | 3.2hr |
| Maximum range (75% power, no reserve) | 360nm |
| Glide Ratio | 1:12 |
Frequently Asked Questions
| How much did it cost to buy? | £56,559.12 including everything - shipping, taxes, currency exchange etc. |
| How much does it cost to run? | We each pay £135 per month for fixed costs such as hangarage and insurance, and £20 for each hour we fly. |
| Is it a microlight? | No. |
| What are the two little fans in front of the engine for? | Engine cooling on the ground, as there is no prop wash due to the pusher configuration. |
| How long did it take to build? | Six months, with 3 of us working on it. |
| Is it difficult to build? | Not compared with many kit planes. All the parts are supplied down to the last washer. No special tools or skills are required other than basic mechanical understanding. |
| Does anyone check it after you have built it? | Yes. In the UK all kit aircraft come under the authority of the Popular Flying Association (PFA) and its inspectors are normally closely involved with the build, offering support and advice, as well as regularly inspecting the progress and conducting a thorough examination of the finished aircraft prior to the test flying programme. In addition the aircraft is inspected every year for the renewal of the 'Permit to Fly'. |
| What is it like to fly? | It is easy to fly and the side-stick control is very natural. It is biased more towards stability than ultimate maneuverability, but it is responsive and fun. The stall is benign with a gentle wing drop. The 914 engine provides plenty of power to get out of short strips, and when lightly loaded the climb rate is astonishing! Because of the turbocharger there is no carb heat, so there's one less thing to worry about. |
| Can it be flown from the back seat? | Yes, but not solo. There are full flight controls for the back seat. The seat is slightly higher than the front, so there is a good forward view. There are also controls for prop pitch, trim and brakes. In addition we have installed a remote ptt switch to allow the occupant of the rear seat to handle radio comms without having to touch the stick. |
| Who does the servicing? | We do - under the supervision of our PFA inspector. One of the main advantages of running an aircraft on a permit to fly is that owners are able to carry out their own maintenance, and having built it in the first place we are well equipped to maintain it. |
| Is there anything you don't like? | Any aircraft is a compromise, but we think the Sky Arrow comes closest to our ideal for the job we ask of it, i.e. VFR touring in UK and Europe, short-field ability and outstanding visibility. Ground handling can be tricky, steering is by differential braking, with the nose-wheel freely castoring. It only becomes a problem taxying in strong crosswinds or when the brakes lock on wet grass, but it's not difficult, just different. |
G-IOIA performance and characteristics placard
