The AAC SeaStar is an amphibious biplane that was produced in kitplane form. The aircraft is built largely of composite materials and features wings that may be easily removed for transport, and a ballistic recovery system in the form of a parachute that can be deployed from the engine nacelle.

AAC also marketed a Super Pétrel model in 2011.

This aircraft should not be confused with another composite-built small flying boat with the same name, the SeaStar Aircraft SeaStar.

The AASI Jetcruzer was an American single turboprop light civil transport made by Advanced Aerodynamics and Structures Inc. The Jetcruzer had an unusual configuration, with a single turboprop engine driving a pusher propeller, a prominent canard, and fins mounted at the ends of its swept wings. The plane has seating for up to six people including the pilot. The Jetcruzer is noteworthy for being the first aircraft to have achieved a spin resistance certification from the United States FAA.

Jetcruzer 450 (Specifications below)
Design work on the Jetcruzer commenced in March 1983, with prototype construction starting in 1988. The aerodynamic design was undertaken in the UK by Sandy Burns from 1984-1985, layout prepared by Ladislao Pazmany, structural design undertaken by David Kent of Light Transport Design in the UK, and the wind tunnel test done by University of San Diego. Prototype construction started in June 1988 and was first exhibited at the NBAA show in October 1988 with a 420 horsepower Rolls-Royce 250-C20S engine. The Allison 250-C20S prototype first flew on January 11, 1989. This initial version, designated the Jetcruzer 450 seated six people (including the pilot). The first flight of the Jetcruzer 450 forerunner was 11 January 1989 (N5369M). Preproduction prototype (N102JC) made its first flight in April 1991 while the first flight on production form (N450JC) was done on September 13 1992.

It received its Federal Aviation Regulations Part 23 certification on 14 June, 1994, and was intending on receiving a single-engine FAA Part 135 public transport IFR certification Three prototypes were built, but AASI chose not to market this aircraft, in order to focus on more advanced versions. A spin recovery system for use in the flight test program was designed for the aircraft by Butler Parachute Systems which also worked on one for the Sino Swearingen SJ-30.

Jetcruzer 500
The first version developed from the 450 was the Jetcruzer 500, a slightly stretched version powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66A featuring cabin pressurization. Two of the model 450 prototypes were converted to this configuration. The prototype Jetcruzer 500 (N102JC) made its first flight on August 22, 1997 with the second prototype (N200JC) making its first flight on 7 November 1997. The first public appearance was at NBAA Las Vegas October 1998. The third prototype (N136JC) of the new build was scheduled to be flown in early 2000. This was the version selected for production, and at one point, AASI had orders for some 200 aircraft at $US 1.6 million each. A military version, the ML-2 had also been offered, as well as a UAV, the ML-1.

None of these orders would be filled, however, as the Jetcruzer 500 remained uncertified and its development slowly stagnated. Specific problems with the aircraft's noise, high stall speed, and center of gravity were not overcome before all work on it was suspended in 2002. Nearly 20 years of work had still not resulted in a marketable aircraft.

Jetcruzer 650
In December 1992, construction work began on the prototype of an even larger variant, the Jetcruzer 650, which was to seat up to thirteen. This was quickly abandoned as the company's financial problems required resources to be focused on the 500. A military version would have been the ML-4.

Stratocruzer 1250
Similarly, a turbofan-powered version was planned as the Stratocruzer 1250, but never left the drawing board. Design work had started in September 1991 to provide a business jet with intercontinental range. A military version, the ML-5 intended for surveillance duties, was also planned. Work was abandoned after AASI failed to attract financial backers for the project in 1995.

Post AASI Era

In November 2003, AASI (by now, MASG) offered the entire Jetcruzer project for auction, and sold it to Innova Aircraft in February 2004. Shortly after the purchase, Innova announced its intentions of offering a new version of the aircraft in kit form, marketed by a new subsidiary, Jetcruzer LLC. This will feature a modified wing to overcome the problems faced by the Jetcruzer 500, and will be powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D turbofans. It was expected to fly by late 2004 or early 2005, but development ceased before the flight can happen. 

In 2017, all the aircraft and intellectual properties were acquired by Jetcruzer International, LLC., based in Ontario, California, and production resumed. All Jetcruzer components and subassemblies including wings, landing gear, fins, control surfaces and fittings are manufactured in the company's Ontario facility. The composite fuselage is subcontracted to a composite manufacturing company currently producing advanced composite parts for the transport aerospace industry. A Jetcruzer 500E was restored with new avionics, electrical wirings and a new engine. The first flight of this aircraft is planned in September 2022.

The ACBA Midour, Midour 2 and Midour 3 are a series of glider tugs manufactured by the Aéro Club du Bas Armagnac in France, and named after the Midou River.

The Midour is a double-seat, low-wing monoplane of conventional configuration, fitted with a fixed, tricycle undercarriage. Developed in the workshop of the ACBA using the wings of a Robin DR400, the Midour first flew in 1993 and four additional examples to the original design have been built, along with two modified versions.

Although the Midour is sometimes equipped with only a single seat, a passenger can be carried behind the pilot, to assist in the release of gliders being towed.

Variants

ACBA-7 Midour
Original version with 180 horsepower (130 kW) Lycoming O-360 engine; five built.
ACBA-8 Midour 2
Improved version with entirely new wing design. One built.
ACBA Midour 3
Optimised, quieted version of Midour 2 with new fuselage and canopy, designed to be especially quiet due to noise pollution concerns. One built.

The ADI Stallion is a US civil utility aircraft that first flew in July 1994. It is marketed in kit form for homebuilding by Aircraft Designs Inc.

The Stallion is a single-engined high-winged monoplane, with wings based on those of the Lancair ES and a retractable tricycle landing gear from the Lancair IV. It has a steel-tube fuselage center section, with the remainder of the airframe of composite construction, and is designed to be powered by engines of 230–350 hp (172–261 kW). The recommended engine is the 300 hp (224 kW) Continental IO-550, but engines as powerful as the 750 hp (559 kW) Walter M601 have been used. It is available in two versions, the four seat ADI Stallion and the six-seat Super Stallion.

Specifications below are for the ADI Super Stallion – 350 hp engine.

The AEA Explorer (sometimes called the Explorer Explorer) is a large single-engine utility aircraft designed by Aero Engineers Australia in Perth.

The explorer is a single-engined strut-braced high-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear that retracts into under-fuselage sponsons. The unique aircraft "crosses its legs" as it retracts the gear, the port wheel retacting into the sponson on the starboard side of the aircraft, and vice versa. The prototype, designated Explorer 350R first flew in 1998 and was soon exhibited on promotional tours of Australia and the United States.

The Explorer is currently being offered in two versions – the turboprop-powered version, the 500T (which first flew in 2000), and a stretched version of the 500T, designated 750T.

Explorer Aircraft was established in Jasper, Texas to market the aircraft for the US market.

During the late 1950s the Lockheed Georgia Company, Marietta, Georgia made a rare venture into the general aviation market with a design for a four to six-seat light utility transport aircraft aimed specifically at South American operators. The one and only American-built prototype Lockheed AL.60 made its maiden flight on September 15, 1959. It was a boxy, robust, all-metal high-wing monoplane with a wide square cabin which could quickly be changed from passenger to all-cargo configuration, and tricycle landing gear which could be replaced with skis or floats for bush flying. The standard seating arrangement is for four to six passengers but these can be replaced by seats without backrests for use by parachutists. The ambulance version could carry two stretchers, one seated patient and one attendant.

It was never Lockheed's intention to manufacture the aircraft in the United States. Instead a subsidiary company - Lockheed/Azcarate SA -was established in Mexico. This plant produced only 18 LAS A 60s before all manufacturing and sales rights were sold to Aeronautica Macchi.

The first Italian-built LASA 60 was flown on April 19, 1961, and was subsequently developed and produced in several models which included the AL.60B1 with a 250hp Continental IO-470-R engine, the B2 variant with a 260hp supercharged Continental TSIO-470-B powerplant, and the C4 with a conventional tailwheel undercarriage replacing the standard tricycle landing gear. A 340hp Piaggio-built Lycoming-engined version known as the AL.60C was developed to meet an Italian army requirement for a liaison/utility transport. The final civil versions of the Aermacchi aircraft were the 400hp AL.60F5 Conestoga, and a tail-wheel version of the same aircraft for Canadian operators. Some 100 examples of all models were built in Italy before production terminated in 1972.

The basic AL.60C5 design, with a 340hp engine, has been produced by the Atlas Corporation in South Africa as the Atlas C4M Kudu which first flew in 1974 and serves with units of the South African air force. A three/four-seat forward air-control aircraft known as the Aermacchi AM-3C was also developed from the basic AL.60 airframe, though modified substantially, and is serving with the air forces of Rwanda and South Africa, under the name Kudu.

Variants

L-402
Lockheed prototypes and a few assembled by Kaizer
LASA-60
Mexican production model (44 built)
AL-60B-1 Santa Maria
Original Aermacchi-built version (4 built)
AL-60B-2 Santa Maria
Production Aermacchi version (81 built)
AL-60C-5 Conestoga
Aermacchi-built version for the Central African Republic
AL-60F-5 Trojan
Aermacchi-built version for Rhodesia (~10 units)
Atlas C4M Kudu
Atlas-built version for South Africa

Atlas C4M Kudu

The Aero Boero AB-180 is an Argentine civil utility aircraft, a substantially improved development of the AB-95. It featured a more powerful engine and incorporated the aerodynamic changes made on the AB-115 and improved on them. The first example flew in 1967 and was in production until 2000.

Variants

AB-180RV – long-range version
AB-180RVR – glider tug
AB-180 Condor – high-altitude version of 1971 with optional turbocharger (4 built)
AB-180Ag – agricultural aircraft with 270 L (66 US gal) belly tank for chemicals
AB-180SP – 180Ag with an additional set of short wings to make a sesquiplane. In this variant, the agricultural application liquid is carried within the short wings, rather than in a belly tank. The added wings allow a fully loaded stall speed of 56 km/hr (35 mph), compared to 89 km/hr (55 mph) in the AB-180Ag.
AB-180PSA – two-seat primary training aircraft.

various models were known as the Darter Commander and Lark Commander. 

The aircraft was originally designed by Volaircraft, first flying in 1960. The firm marketed the original three-seat version as the Volaire 1035 and a four-seat version with a more powerful engine as the Volaire 1050 before North American Rockwell purchased all rights to the design on July 12, 1965, for production by its Aero Commander division. Production of the Darter Commander version continued until 1969 and of the revised Lark Commander until 1971 (by which time, Rockwell had dropped the Aero Commander brand name).

A Volaire 1050 was exhibited at the 1966 Hanover Air Show and later sold to Finland. Other examples of the type were exported to Australia and Canada.

Finding the light aircraft market too competitive for its liking, Rockwell ceased production of the Lark Commander in 1971 and sold the rights to all versions of the aircraft to Phoenix Aircraft of Euclid, Ohio,[1] but this company never actually put it into production.

Variants
Volaircraft
     Model 10 – prototypes
     Volaire 1035 – three-seat production version powered by Lycoming O-290
     Volaire 1050 – four-seat production version powered by Lycoming O-320
Aero Commander/Rockwell

     Aero Commander 100 – alias Volaire 1050
          Aero Commander 100A – alias Volaire 1035
          Darter Commander – 100 with revised windows and other minor modifications
     Lark Commander 180 – revised aerodynamics, with swept fin and rudder and 180 hp (130 kW) Lycoming

          O-360-A2F engine. Production from 1968.

Specifications below are for the Darter Commander.

The Aero East Europe Sila (English: force, power or strength and also short for Serbian industry light aircraft) is a family of Serbian ultralight and light aircraft, designed and produced by Aero East Europe of Kraljevo and later of Jagodina, introduced at the AERO Friedrichshafen show in 2013. The design is supplied complete and ready-to-fly.

The Sila 450 C was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules, while the larger aircraft in the family fit into the EASA CS-VLA category. All feature a V-strut-braced high-wing, an enclosed cabin, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

Reviewer Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review as "very robust".

Variants
Sila 450 C
Two seat "Cruiser" model, with a semi-monocoque structure made from aluminium sheet and a maximum take-off weight of 450 kg (990 lb). Its 9.4 m (30.8 ft) span wing employs a NACA 5417 airfoil, has an area of 11.94 m2 (128.5 sq ft) and flaps. Standard engines available are the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL, 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS and the 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 four-stroke powerplants. German LTF-UL and Serbian ultralight certified.
Sila 750 C
Two seat "Cruiser" model, with a semi-monocoque structure made from aluminium sheet and a maximum take-off weight of 750 kg (1,650 lb). Its 9.47 m (31.1 ft) span wing employs a NACA 5417 airfoil, has an area of 11.94 m2 (128.5 sq ft) and flaps. Standard engines available are the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS, the 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 and the 160 hp (119 kW) Lycoming O-320 four-stroke powerplants. The aircraft is undergoing EASA CS-VLA and Serbian certification.
Sila 750 S
Two seat STOL model with full-span Junkers flaperons and a maximum take-off weight of 750 kg (1,650 lb).
Sila 750 MT
Three seat Medical Transport model, with a semi-monocoque structure made from aluminium sheet and steel tubing and a maximum take-off weight of 750 kg (1,650 lb). Its 10 m (32.8 ft) span wing employs a NACA 65-018 airfoil, full-span Junkers flaperons, has an area of 14.30 m2 (153.9 sq ft). Standard engines available are the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS, the 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 and the 160 hp (119 kW) Lycoming O-320 four-stroke powerplants. The aircraft is undergoing EASA VLA and Serbian certification.
Sila 950
Four seat model, with a maximum take-off weight of 950 kg (2,090 lb). Standard engines available are the 115 hp (86 kW) Rotax 914 and the 160 hp (119 kW) Lycoming O-320 four-stroke powerplants. The aircraft is no longer advertised on the company website.

The Aerocomp VM-1 Esqual is a Swedish ultralight aircraft, produced by Arsi AB (formerly Aerocomp AB) of Alingsås. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The aircraft was originally designed in Spain by Vol Mediterrani to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules and production was later moved to Sweden. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. Early versions used conventional landing gear but the current manufacturer is producing the nosewheel version. A retractable gear version is under development.

The aircraft is made from high density PVC foam and epoxy resin composites. Standard engines available are the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912S, 85 hp (63 kW) Jabiru 2200, 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 and the 95 hp (71 kW) ULPower UL260i four-stroke powerplants. The landing gear is made from 7175-T6 aluminum alloy and employs a freely-castering nosewheel and main wheels brakes for steering. The wing features electrically actuated flaps. Manual trim is standard with electric trim optional.

Designed for personal use, the Sedan also found applications in utility roles including bush flying. The Sedan was the last design that Aeronca put into production and was the largest aircraft produced by the company.

Like those of other Aeronca designs, the Sedan's fuselage and tail surfaces are constructed of welded metal tubing. The outer shape of the fuselage is created by a combination of wooden formers and longerons, covered with fabric. The cross-section of the metal fuselage truss is triangular, a design feature which can be traced back to the earliest Aeronca C-2 design of the late 1920s.

In a significant design departure from previous Aeronca aircraft, the strut-braced wings of the Sedan are all-metal assemblies. Such combinations of construction types were not common. While the Sedan mated a fabric-covered fuselage to all-metal wings, the contemporary Cessna 170 mated an all-metal fuselage to fabric-covered wings. Also unique to the Sedan, among Aeronca designs, are the single-piece wing struts.

Significant more information on the Sedan can be found here.

The Aeronca L is a 1930s American cabin monoplane designed and built, in small numbers, by Aeronca Aircraft. It differed significantly from other Aeronca planes by the use of radial engines, streamlining, and a cantilever low wing.

Quite unlike other Aeronca designs, the Model L was a "cantilever" (no external struts for bracing) low-wing monoplane, that featured side-by-side seating in a completely enclosed cabin. The design reflected the greater attention being paid to aerodynamics in the period, including large wheel spats for the fixed undercarriage and a Townend ring for the engine. The aircraft was of mixed-construction with a welded steel fuselage and wings with spruce spars and ribs, all covered with fabric.

Initial attempts to use Aeronca's own engines proved inadequate, and the company turned to small radial engines from other suppliers, particularly neighboring Cincinnati engine manufacturer LeBlond.

The Model L was mainly flown by private pilot owners. The plane was not a big seller. Difficulty with engine sources, and a destructive flood, in 1937, at Aeronca's factory at Cincinnati's Lunken Airport, took the energy out of the program, and Aeronca went back to high-wing light aircraft.

With the end of sales to Aeronca, LeBlond sold their engine-manufacturing operation to an Aeronca-rival planemaker, Kansas City-based Rearwin Aircraft, who resumed production of the engines under the brand name "Ken-Royce," largely for use in Rearwin planes.

Variants

LA
Fitted with a 70 hp (52 kW) LeBlond 5DE engine, 9 built
LB    (Images this page)
Fitted with an 85 hp (63 kW) LeBlond 5DF engine, 29 built
LC      (Specificatiions below)
Fitted with a 90 hp (67 kW) Warner Scarab Jr engine, 15 built
LCS
A single LC, [NC16289], was fitted with floats to become the LCS, carrying a load of 659 lb (299 kg) for 450 mi (391 nmi; 724 km) at 100 mph (87 kn; 161 km/h).
LD
Fitted with a 90 hp (67 kW) Lambert R-266 5-cyl. radial engine

The Aerotec A-122 Uirapuru was a Brazilian military trainer aircraft. It was a low-wing monoplane with tricycle undercarriage that accommodated the pilot and instructor side-by-side. It first flew on 2 June 1965.

In October 1967, the Brazilian Air Force ordered 30 aircraft to replace the obsolete Fokker S.11s and S.12s (T-21s and T-22s) that were operating in the Air Force Academy.[2] Later, they ordered another 40, and then 30 more. These were designated T-23.

The Bolivian Air Force ordered 36 examples in 1974, which flew until 1997, and in 1975 the Paraguayan Air Force bought eight aircraft to replace the Fokker T-21 (S.11). In 1986, six more were donated by the FAB. Most of them were withdrawn from service in 1992, replaced by the Enaer T-35 Pillán. As of 2009, only one T-23 is in flying conditions. Thirty others were sold in the civilian market.

A total of 155 were built including prototypes by the time production finished in 1977.

The T-23 suffered fatal accidents during spin training. The problem was solved after a crash in which an instructor described his stricken aircraft's responses to his control inputs all the way to the end. Uirapurus then received a ventral fin under the rear fuselage to correct the issue.

In 1980 interest by the airforce in an improved version led to the development of the Uirapuru II, later known as the A-132 Tangará.

Variants

A-122A Uirapuru – T-23 – Military trainer

A-122B Uirapuru – Civil version[4]

A-122C Uirapuru – T-23C

A-132 Uirapuru II – enlarged version with improved canopy and larger vertical tail surfaces.

The Airtourer design is of cantilever low-wing monoplane configuration, with a fixed tricycle landing gear. It has interconnected ailerons and flaps, with both systems functioning as both ailerons and as flaps when operated. The nosewheel was steerable. Space was available for luggage (45 kg weight limit).

The prototype was demonstrated to aero clubs and flying schools as a possible replacement for existing training aircraft, mostly Tiger Moths and Chipmunks. After trial flights over Melbourne and then to the Latrobe Valley Airport development continued to the all-metal version. The all-metal prototype to production standard (VH-MVA) followed on 12 December 1961.

During the period 1961 to 1966, Victa Ltd. undertook production of the all-metal Airtourer, building both 100 hp and 115 hp models. Victa production continued until 1966.

As the Australian Government had rejected Victa's appeals for tariff protection assistance, or for direct subsidies to keep the production lines open, the company chose to suspend production of the Airtourer in February 1966, by which time it had built 172 Airtourers. While the Aviation division initially remained open to spares support for existing aircraft and to continue development of the four-seat Aircruiser, the division was completely shut down on 20 January 1967.

The manufacturing rights to the Airtourer were purchased the following year by the maintenance firm Aero Engine Services Ltd (AESL) in New Zealand where further production of 115 hp and 150 hp models took place until 1973.

Henry Millicer had designed the Victa Aircruiser, a four-seater derivative design, powered by a 210 hp Continental O-360 engine, which was certificated in 1967. AESL acquired the rights to the design in 1970 and it was used to form the basis of the CT/4 Airtrainer.

A total of 168 were completed or significantly completed by Victa in Sydney and a further 80 built by AESL in Hamilton NZ. Actually it would be correct to say that 170 serial numbers were issued by Victa and 80 by AESL.

AESL delivery pilot Cliff Tait used an Airtourer, ZK-CXU Miss Jacy, for a record breaking flight, circumnavigating the globe between May and August 1969 and covering 53,097 km in 288 flying hours. Miss Jacy is now on display at the MOTAT museum in Auckland.

Victa Airtourer

AESL Airtourer

AESL CT4 Trainer

Victa Aircruiser

 It first flew in the United States in October 1990 and is manufactured by Air Tractor Inc. The AT-802 carries a chemical hopper between the engine firewall and the cockpit. In the U.S., it is considered a Type III SEAT, or Single Engine Air Tanker.

In its standard configuration, the aircraft utilizes conventional landing gear (two main wheels and a tail wheel). However, a number of aircraft have been converted to the Fire Boss aerial firefighting configuration, which utilizes Wipaire 10000 amphibious floats, so that it can land on a traditional runway or on water. The Fire Boss can scoop water from a lake or river for use on a fire. In addition to the 820 US gallons (3,100 L) standard fuselage-mounted retardant tank, the Fire Boss can have optional 35 US gallons (130 L) foam tanks in the floats. Operations with floats installed have been shown to produce a shorter and narrower retardant drop pattern than wheeled AT-802s.

Armed version

In response to the United States Air Force's LAAR program and the growing requirement for light counter-insurgency aircraft, Air Tractor developed an armed model, the AT-802U, in 2008, with engine and cockpit armor, a bulletproof windscreen, self-sealing fuel tanks, and structural reinforcements for the carriage of 9,000 pounds (4,100 kg) of payload. A reinforced wing spar was certified for 12,000 hours of flight time, and the AT-802U was displayed in 2009 at the Paris Air Show.

The AT-802 has also been used in counter-drug operations in the USSOUTHCOM AOR by the U.S. Department of State as a delivery vehicle for herbicides and defoliants over narcotics production facilities.

Variants                       

AT-802

      - two seat (tandem) cockpit
AT-802A

      - single-seat cockpit

AT-802U

     - two seat (tandem) armored military version, modified with sensors and reinforced for weapons carriage
AT-802F or AT-802AF

     - An aerial firefighting model 802 equipped with the Air Tractor Computerized Firegate[18] designed/developed/serviced

        by Trotter Controls Inc.

        -  Fire Boss - AT-802F

     - equipped with Wipaire amphibious floats for operations from land or water
AT-802L Longsword

     - An ISR and light-attack aircraft based on AT-802U, which developed by L3 Platform Integration collaboration with Air Tractor.L3              rebranded it as OA-8 Longsword for Asia-Pacific region.

Specifications below are for the AT-802 model.

The Aircraft Technologies Atlantis is an American aerobatic homebuilt aircraft, built by Aircraft Technologies of Lilburn, Georgia. The aircraft is supplied as a kit or in the form of plans for amateur construction.

The Atlantis is a two-seat side-by side low wing aircraft with conventional landing gear. The fuselage is constructed of welded steel tubing.] Fuel tanks are located in the wings, with a central header tank. The aircraft uses two control sticks for each pilot and a pull-up flap handle between the seats. The seats recline to a 35 degree angle.

In November 2014 three examples were registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Airspeed AS.5 Courier was a British six-seat single-engined light aircraft that was designed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Airspeed Limited at Portsmouth. It has the distinction of being the first British aircraft fitted with a retractable undercarriage to go into quantity production.

Initial development work on the Courier started in 1931, being envisioned as an advanced aircraft intended primarily for private owner-pilots. Its ambitious design, including its unorthodox undercarriage, attracted the attention of the British aviation pioneer, Sir Alan Cobham, who saw it as a suitable aircraft for demonstrating his airborne refuelling techniques for long distances flights. Following the order's confirmation in August 1932, a single prototype was constructed, performing its maiden flight on 10 April 1933.

The Courier quickly proved itself to be a sound design as well as capable of laudable performance, encouraging Airspeed to commence quantity production months later. The Courier was primarily purchased by civilian customers, being used as an early airliner, racing aircraft and flying testbed. It was also used as a communications aircraft by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Only a single aircraft flew briefly in the postwar era.

The Airspeed Courier was a wooden low-wing cantilever cabin monoplane, incorporating numerous advanced features for the era. One such novelty was its use of a retractable undercarriage; this was a patented innovation internally developed by Airspeed, to which the company would subsequently earn revenue from when it was adopted upon other aircraft such as the Airspeed Oxford. It was estimated that the additional weight of the mechanism for retracting and deploying the undercarriage amounted to 30lb, while an increase in cruising speed of 20 MPH was achieved via reduced drag. Actuation was performed by the pilot via a hand-driven hydraulic pump. According to Taylor, the undercarriage generated considerable attention amongst the aviation press early on. A  total of 16 Couriers was built.

For further details of the development, design, operation and variants, click here.

The I-11 was a two-seat civil utility aircraft manufactured in Spain in the 1950s. Originally designed by the Spanish aircraft company Iberavia, its first (of two) prototype flew on 16 July 1951. It was a low-wing monoplane of conventional configuration with fixed, tricycle undercarriage and a large, bubble canopy over the two side-by-side seats. Flight characteristics were found to be pleasing, but before plans could be made for mass production, Iberavia was acquired by AISA.

The new management decided to continue with development, but made a few changes to the design, reducing the size of the canopy, and replacing the undercarriage with a taildragger arrangement. This configuration entered production in 1952 with an order from the Director General for Civil Aviation for 70 aircraft for use in Spain's aeroclubs. The Spanish Air Force then ordered 125 for use in training and liaison roles.

The Air Force then requested 200 aircraft built with the seats in tandem, which were designated I-115 by the manufacturers powered by a 112 kW (150 hp) ENMA Tigre inverted air-cooled engine.

Variants

I-11
2 prototypes by Iberavia, tricycle undercarriage
I-11B
Production examples by AISA
AISA I-115
Tandem-seat version.

It continues the successful French Apex Aircraft's Robin R2000 series acquired upon Apex's purchase of the Avions Robin company.

In 2004 Alpha Aviation of New Zealand bought engineering jigs and equipment and worldwide production rights[4] to both the Robin HR200 and Robin R2000 series. Alpha Aviation has recommenced production of the Robin R2120 as the Alpha 2000 120T and of the Robin R2160 as the Alpha 2000 160A and 160Ai. Apex continues to market the aircraft in Europe.

Production of the New Zealand development began in 2006 against orders for nine aircraft and eighteen options (including orders from the UK, South Africa and Australia), with capacity to build four aircraft a month. An Alpha 160A, ZK-FXY, was first off the production line, being test flown on 12 April 2006. It was subsequently used as a company demonstrator. It made its first public appearance at the 2006 Warbirds over Wanaka airshow. In January 2008 production was halted due to the liquidation of Alpha Aviation by parent company Inventis.Alpha Aviation Holdings Limited in New Zealand continues to hold the type certificate. The STC for spare parts supply was re-acquired by CEAPR in France in 2017.

Variants

Robin/Apex

R 2100A

Powered by 81 kW (108 hp) Lycoming O-235 engine.[5] 34 built[6]

R 2112 Alpha

Replacement for R 2100 with 83.5 kW (112 hp) Lycoming O-235 engine.[6]

R 2160 Alpha Sport

119 kW (160 hp) Lycoming O-320 engine.[6] Originally named Acrobin.[5] R 2160 D: technically identical version with slightly reduced max. allowed RPM to meet German noise limitations.[citation needed]

Alpha Aviation

As of 2006 three variants are offered. The approximate horsepower of each is indicated by the type number.

Alpha 120T

the smallest and cheapest, envisaged as a trainer.

Alpha 160A

a more powerful fully aerobatic trainer.

Alpha 160Ai

a fuel injected engine and equipped for cross country touring as well as aerobatics.

Specifications below are for the R2160 Alpha Sport model.

The Alvarez Polliwagen is a 1970s homebuilt aircraft. The aircraft has a combination of many high performance features not typically found in a Volkswagen air-cooled engine-powered homebuilt.

The Polliwagen is a low wing, side-by-side configuration, T tailed, retractable tricycle landing gear equipped aircraft with tip tanks. The aircraft was developed and tested with a one quarter scale radio controlled model. Ailerons and flaps are full span. The fuselage is built from composites with foam cores. The aircraft's engine is configured with a turbocharger and constant speed propeller. Entrance is through a swing up canopy.

The Ambrosini Rondone is an Italian-designed two/three-seat light touring monoplane of the early 1950s.

The Rondone was designed to meet the needs of Italian private pilots and aero clubs for a more modern touring aircraft. Stelio Frati prepared the basic design for the prototype two-seat F.4 Rondone I which was built by CVV in 1951. This was followed by nine production examples produced by SAI Ambrosini in collaboration with Aeronautica Lombardi.

The three-seat F.7 Rondone II first flew on 10 February 1954 and the prototype and nine production examples were built for Ambrosini by Legnami Pasotti.

The Rondone is of conventional wooden construction with a plywood-covered one-piece single spar wing and a monocoque fuselage. The tricycle undercarriage is retractable. Two-position flaps and dual controls are fitted. The Rondone II has an extended cabin with additional rear side windows.

The Rondone was initially mainly sold to individuals and clubs in Italy, but examples later served in France and Germany. Several were still operational in 2009, including the German aircraft.

Variants

F.4 Rondone I prototype
Two-seater with a 65 hp (48 kW) Walter Mikron III. 1 built.
F.4 Rondone I production aircraft
Two-seater with an 85 hp (63 kW) Continental C-85 or 90 hp (67 kW) Continental C-90. 10 built.
F.7 Rondone II
Three-seater with a 90 hp (67 kW) Continental C90 or 135 hp (101 kW) Lycoming O-290-D2 engine. 10 built from new plus one converted from a F.4. Some were later fitted with a 100 hp (75 kW) Continental O-200 engine.

Rondone I

Rondone II

The AMD Alarus CH2000 is a two-seat, fixed tricycle gear general aviation airplane, used primarily for flight training, that was designed by Chris Heintz. It is manufactured by Aircraft Manufacturing and Design Co. in Eastman, Georgia. It is a low-wing aircraft, with one door located above each wing, respectively. It can be considered a competitor to similar aircraft used for flight training, such as the Diamond DA20.

The Alarus features Garmin avionics and a 46-inch-wide (1,200 mm) cabin.

As of 2011 the aircraft is no longer in production by AMD, although Zenair provides parts support.

The Alarus was offered in two variants: the AMD Alarus CH2000 general aviation aircraft and the SAMA CH2000 Military Tactical Surveillance Aircraft (MTSA).

SAMA CH2000

The SAMA CH2000 is a military surveillance variant of the Alarus. It is equipped with forward looking infrared – a multi sensor imager offering high performance, precision and high level imaging.

The aircraft is also equipped with state-of-the-art communications systems for secure air-to-air and air-to-ground communications and is equipped for day and night missions. The aircraft is manufactured in Amman, Jordan and Baghdad, Iraq.

The first SAMA CH2000s were delivered to the 70th Squadron of the Iraqi Air Force, based in Basrah on 29 October 2004. The Iraqi Air Force acquired between 8 and 16 aircraft at a cost of USD$5.8M with deliveries completed by the end of March 2005.

Zenair CH 640

The four seat kit aircraft derivative of the Alarus is the Zenair CH 640.

They are capable of sustaining aerobatic stresses between +6g and −5g. The Decathlon entered production in the United States in 1970 as a more powerful and stronger complement to the American Champion Citabria line of aircraft.

The Decathlon was designed by the Champion Aircraft Corporation, and is a derivative of the 7-series Citabrias. While the Citabria designs remain successful, and the introduction of the 7KCAB variant of the Citabria had added limited inverted flight capability, the Citabrias are not capable of "outside" maneuvers, those requiring significant negative-g loads. Pilots wanted an aircraft capable of more maneuvers, and Champion introduced the 8KCAB Decathlon in response to this demand.

The Decathlon traces its lineage back to the Aeronca Champ, by way of the Citabria. Like the Citabria, the Decathlon features tandem seating and center-stick controls. The fuselage and tail surfaces are constructed of welded metal tubing. The outer shape of the fuselage is created by a combination of wooden formers and longerons, covered with fabric. The cross-section of the metal fuselage truss is triangular, a design feature which can be traced back to the earliest Aeronca C-2 design of the late 1920s.

The strut-braced wings of the Decathlon are, like the fuselage and tail surfaces, fabric covered, using aluminum ribs. The wings of Champion and Bellanca Decathlons were built with wooden spars. American Champion has been using aluminum spars in the aircraft it has produced and has made the aluminum-spar wings available for retrofit installation on older aircraft. Compared to the Citabria's wingspan of 33.5 feet (10.2 m), the Decathlon's wingspan is shorter, at 32 feet (9.8 m). One of the major developments of the 8KCAB Decathlon over the 7KCAB Citabria is the Decathlon's wing, which employs a semi-symmetrical airfoil, as opposed to the Citabria's flat-bottomed airfoil. This change gives the Decathlon better inverted flight and negative-g maneuver capabilities.

For more details of the development, design, operational history and variants, click here.

Specifications below are for the 8KCAB Super Decathlon.

The Anderson Greenwood AND-51-A (AG-14) is a two-seat utility aircraft developed in the United States shortly after World War II. It is an all-metal, shoulder-wing monoplane of pod-and-boom configuration, equipped with a pusher propeller, side-by-side seating and fixed tricycle undercarriage.

Anderson Greenwood's sole aircraft design was actually a collaborative effort of three engineers: Ben Anderson, Marvin Greenwood & Lomis Slaughter Jr. The name of the last member of the design team was not included in the product name as it was thought it would not boost sales.

The prototype first flew in October 1947, but plans to mass-produce the aircraft were interrupted by the Korean War. Eventually, only five more examples were built before Anderson Greenwood abandoned the project in favor of producing aircraft components for other manufacturers. There are still 3 active aircraft on the American register.

The aircraft's design placed the wing behind the cabin and allowed easy entry via automobile-like doors on each side of the cabin. The propeller is well protected and provides safety on the ground in comparison to tractor configuration aircraft. The airfoil employed is a NACA 4418 giving high lift and a stable stall characteristics. The flaps are two-position and mechanically operated by a flap handle on the cabin floor between the seats. The engine starter is foot-actuated and the nose-wheel steering is connected to the control wheel.

A unique feature of the aircraft is that the rudder is only on the left fin. The photo below shows the right fin as a fixed unit.

The aircraft was certified on 20 September 1950 in the normal category. The certification includes a prohibition on aerobatics and spins. One reviewer termed it as “positively spin resistant.”