The Apollo Fox is a Hungarian ultralight and light-sport aircraft produced by Apollo Ultralight Aircraft, of Eger. The aircraft is supplied complete ready-to-fly.

The Apollo Fox was derived from the Aeropro Eurofox, which itself was a metric adaptation of the Denney Kitfox. The Kitfox in turn is a derivative of the Avid Flyer. The Apollo Fox was adapted to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules and US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear or optionally conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft fuselage is made from welded steel tubing, while the wing is built with aluminum spars and ribs. The fuselage and flying surfaces are covered in doped aircraft fabric. Its 9.15 m (30.0 ft) span wing is supported by V-struts and jury struts and features Junkers-style ailerons. Standard engines available are the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke, the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL and the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant. The cabin width is 110 cm (43 in).

The aircraft's wings fold for storage or ground transportation and can be folded by one person in ten minutes.

In 2003 a 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS-equipped Fox was flown by Andor Kántás and Csongor Lathky from Sármellék, Hungary to Sydney, Australia, a distance of 25,000 km (15,534 mi).

The Aquila A 210 is a two-seat reinforced plastic light aircraft produced in Germany from 2002. It remains in production in 2022 as the updated A211.

The marketing name A 210 is usually used to refer to Aquila's light side by side two seat aircraft, though its official engineering and certification name is Aquila AT01. Design work started in 1997 and the first flight was made in March 2000.

The A 210 is entirely built from carbon and glass fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP and GFRP). CRFP is used for the more highly stressed members, spars, frames and stringers, GFRP for shells and control surfaces, the latter with GFRP/polyurethane sandwich construction. The low wing has straight tapered inboard sections with increasing sweep outboard and winglets at the tips on production examples. It has a laminar flow section and 4.5° of dihedral. The ailerons are balanced and the inboard single slotted Fowler flaps have two positions.

The A 210 is powered by a Rotax 912 flat four engine driving a two blade propeller. The cabin has uninterrupted transparencies fore and aft, with a slender fuselage behind. The canopy is forward hinged. The tailplane is set just above the fuselage and the fin is swept. A small ventral fin doubles as a tail bumper. The A 210 has a fixed tricycle undercarriage. Its mainwheels are fitted with hydraulic brakes and mounted on spring steel legs from the fuselage. The nosewheel has rubber suspension and is steerable; speed fairings are fitted on all wheels.

German certification was achieved in 2001 and deliveries began the following year. It gained US certification in 2003. Early sales were to clubs, mostly as training aircraft. Most have been sold in Europe and overall 120 have been built by late 2010. 110 appear as Aquila AT01 on the civil aircraft registrations of European countries excluding Russia in 2010.

After the acquisition of the company by a Turkish investor, one plane was gifted to Gendarmerie General Command.

Variants
Aquila A 210
Original model
Aquila A 211
Conventional instrument panel
Aquila A 211GX
Glass cockpit model

The Lightning was developed by designers Pete Krotje, Ben Krotje and Nick Otterback.

Originally designed as a high speed, low wing composite aircraft for the Jabiru series of engines, the LS-1 was redesigned to meet American light-sport requirements by extending the wings to lower the stall speed and using a fixed pitch propeller.

The aircraft is made from composites. In the homebuilt kit version its 30.5 ft (9.3 m) span wing has an area of 91 sq ft (8.5 m2) and mounts flaps. The aircraft's recommended engine power is 120 hp (89 kW) and the standard engine used is the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 four-stroke powerplant. Construction time from the supplied kit is 600 hours.[

Variants

Lightning EXP US Experimental amateur-built category aircraft

Arion Lightning XS Variant of Lightning EXP supporting up to 160 hp engines, including the Lycoming O-320 and ULPower 390iS.

Arion Lightning LS-1 Light-sport aircraft variant with a choice of engines: the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300, the 150 hp (112 kW) Lycoming O-320 or the 210 hp (157 kW) Lycoming IO-390.

The ARV Super2 (Air Recreational Vehicle) is a British two-seat light aircraft with strut-braced shoulder wings and tricycle landing gear. Designed by Bruce Giddings, the Super2 was available either factory-built or as a kit. It was intended to be both a cost-effective trainer and an affordable aircraft for private owners. Later called the "Opus", it gained US FAA Light-Sport Aircraft approval in February 2008. While it looks almost identical to the Bolkow Junior and SAAB Safari, the dimensions, performance and powerplant are different. The SAAB's tailplane is also mounted higher on the fin.

About 35 aircraft were produced in the 1980s before the Isle of Wight-based company went into liquidation. Subsequently, there have been a number of attempts to restart production, all unsuccessful, of which the most recent was by Opus Aircraft. In November 2013, Opus Aircraft announced that its assets had been auctioned off successfully, adding: "We hope to see our plans continued and to see the all-aluminum plane flying by 2015." Since 2015, little has been heard of the ARV and no resumption of production has occurred.

Richard Noble, the world 1983 land speed record holder and UK entrepreneur, identified a gap in the market for a low-cost lightweight two-seat trainer, after expensive product-liability lawsuits in the USA had driven the major American general aviation manufacturers temporarily to abandon production of such aircraft. Noble established a factory at Sandown on the Isle of Wight to build the ARV Super2 aircraft, with the first prototype flying on 11 March 1985. The factory used some novel manufacturing techniques, including British ALCAN's "Supral" (a superplastic aluminium alloy), adhesives (to reduce the number of rivets and thereby save weight), and a bespoke new British engine, the Hewland AE75. These innovations gave the ARV an empty weight 40% lower than the Cessna 152, making the Super2 both cheaper to buy and to operate. The manufacturer claimed it could reduce pilot training costs by 25%.

The ARV Super2 is a side-by-side configuration two-seater with a shoulder wing for improved visibility. The wing is swept forward 5° to maintain correct centre of gravity balance. The wing area is a small 92 sq ft (8.5 m2), giving a wing loading of 11.9 lb/ft2 (58.1 kg/m2). The forward sweep may also promote a spanwise airflow inwards towards the root, thereby reducing the likelihood of a wingtip stall. The ARV's tapered fibreglass wingtips help to reduce drag from wingtip vortices.

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

The aircraft was supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft or as a kit for amateur construction.

The Zephyr was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear, a T-tail and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft's fuselage is made from composites with wooden bulkheads. The semi-tapered 9.6 m (31.5 ft) span wing is made from plywood with composite spars and leading edges and employs a UA-2 airfoil. The wing is covered with doped aircraft fabric. The standard engine factory-supplied was the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant

The Zephyr is noted for its low payload. With a useful load of 197.5 kg (435 lb) and full fuel of 43 kg (95 lb), this leaves only 154.3 kg (340 lb) for occupants and baggage. The Zephyr was later developed into the ATEC 321 Faeta.

The ATEC 321 Faeta is a Czech ultralight and light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by ATEC v.o.s. of Libice nad Cidlinou. It was developed from the earlier ATEC 122 Zephyr 2000. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The Faeta was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules and US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear, a T-tail and a single engine in tractor configuration. It is an approved SLSA in the USA.

The aircraft fuselage is made with a carbon fibre shell and composite sandwich bulkheads. The 9.6 m (31.5 ft) span wing is made from carbon fibre sandwiches built upon a laminated wooden spar. The wing varies from the Zephyr in that it has a different tapered planform and uses a new airfoil. The design attempts to provide a lower empty weight and stall speed than the 122 Zephyr. The standard engine available is the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant.

The Nordic Omsider amphibian prototype uses the wings and part of the tail from the Faeta.

The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The aircraft series feature a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made with a welded steel fuselage covered in a combination of fibreglass and doped aircraft fabric. Its 9.50 m (31.2 ft) span wing is made with an aluminum frame and partially covered in aluminum sheet and doped fabric. Standard engines available are the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke, the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL, the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant and automotive conversions. The cockpit width is 106 cm (42 in).

The Australian Lightwing SP-2000 Speed is an Australian light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by Australian Lightwing of Ballina, New South Wales. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction or as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The aircraft features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear or conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft fuselage is made from welded steel tubing covered in non-structural fibreglass. Its 8.7 m (28.5 ft) span wing is built from 6061-T6 aluminum covered in doped aircraft fabric and fibreglass. Standard engines available are the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS or the 120 hp (89 kW) Jabiru 3300 four-stroke powerplants. Cockpit access is via gull-winged doors on both sides. Wheel pants are usually fitted.

The SP-2000 has been accepted by the US Federal Aviation Administration as a light-sport aircraft as the Outback 2.

SP-2000 TD (Tail dragger variant)

The Aveko VL-3 Sprint also called the VL-3 Evolution is a Czech ultralight aircraft, designed and initially produced by Aveko of Brno. The design is now produced by JMB Aircraft of Choceň. The aircraft is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

The aircraft was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a cantilever low-wing a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed or retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from composites. Its 8.44 m (27.7 ft) span wing has a small wing area of 9.77 m2 (105.2 sq ft). The standard engine is the 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant.

A fixed gear version with a larger wing span and area as well as a higher gross weight was developed for the US light-sport aircraft category and was marketed from about 2009 to 2016 by Gobosh Aviation as the Gobosh 800XP. By 2016 the Gobosh Aviation company website had been taken down and the company had likely gone out of business.

A VL-3 set a world two-seat ultralight class record of 274.78 km/h (170.74 mph) in 2005.

Variants

VL-3 FG
Fixed landing gear model
VL-3 RG
Retractable landing gear model
VL-3C-1
Model with fixed landing gear and a slower wing and 600 kg (1,323 lb) take-off weight for the light-sport aircraft category.

It was designed in France in the late 1990s to be easily constructed by amateurs from kits and was offered with a choice of three engines and of tricycle or conventional undercarriages.

Roland Prevot started Aviakit to produce kits for home building of his two-seat, side-by-side configuration, ultralight design, originally named the Aviakit Hermès. It was intended as an ultralight that could be quite quickly (300 hours) assembled by inexperienced constructors. In September 2001 production rights were acquired by PJB Aerocomposite and the aircraft renamed the Aviakit Véga 2000 or Aerocomposite Véga 2000 but the arrangement ran into financial difficulties and in June 2004 Aviakit were reformed to produce what has since been known as the Aviakit Véga 3000.

The Hermès was built from a mixture of wood and composite material but the later Véga models are largely composite aircraft. The single spar, low wing is straight tapered, with 5° of dihedral and fitted with flaps. The fuselage is wide over the wing to accommodate the seating under a prominent, two piece canopy. One of three different four cylinder, horizontally opposed engines may be fitted: the 80 hp (60 kW) Jabiru 2200, the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL or the 99 hp (74 kW) Rotax 912ULS. The standard propeller is two-bladed, though there are alternatives. Behind the cabin the fuselage becomes slender. The Hermès had a strut braced cruciform tail and at least one Véga had a braced T-tail; later aircraft have a cantilever tailplane set low on the fuselage. Since 1998 the rudder has carried a trim tab. Beneath the tail there is a dorsal fin. The Véga has a fixed, cantilever undercarriage which may be of tricycle or conventional layout. The mainwheels have hydraulic brakes and may be enclosed within speed fairings.

Variants

Hèrmes

Véga 2000

Low mounted tailpane, shorter span wings and cut-away base of rudder.

Véga 3000 CXhp

C= Classique, conventional undercarriage, X= J (Jabiru) or R (Rotax), hp = engine hp.

Véga 3000 TXhp

T= tricycle undercarriage.

Specifications below are for (Véga 3000, Rotax 912 ULS and parachute)

Aviasud Engineering from Fréjus, France developed a 2-seat highwing ULM-aeroplane with push-propeller. Production of the AE-209 Albatros started in 1992, and the Albatros was available with the 2-stroke Rotax 582 or the 4-stroke Rotax 912 engine. The Albatros classique is equipped with a tail wheel; the Albatros tricycle is equipped with a nose wheel or tail wheel. The wings can be folded, which reduces the needed parking space in the hangar.

After Aviasud went bankrupt, Micronef ULM had the Albatros built under contract in Poland.

The lower wings are movable and are used as the roll control (wing leveler).

The aeroplane (along with the Sirocco) was taken over, and is still supported by, Aériane in 1989.

The prototype first flew in May 1985, and the aircraft entered production with AviaSud engineering in Fréjus, with the first production model having its maiden flight in February 1986. Aviasud has built more than 200 Mistrals, it has also been built by Ultraleger Industria Aeronáutica Ltda in Brasil.

The Mistral is a biplane of mixed wooden and composite construction, with forward swept wings, with the all-moving lower wings used as large ailerons, and a conventional, all-moving tailplane. It has a fixed tricycle landing gear and a nose-mounted Rotax piston engine. The Mistral has an enclosed cockpit with two side-by-side seats forward of the wings.

For details of the five variants, click here.

The Aviatika-MAI-890 is a pod-and-boom, pusher configuration biplane ultralight designed and built by the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) in Russia in the 1980s. As well as being a sport and training aircraft, significant numbers have been used for agricultural spraying. It remained in production in 2015.

The MAI-890 design originated and was developed by the Experimental Aircraft design section, known as OSKBES, of the School of Aeronautics at the MAI. From about 1990 the MAI design bureau became part of the Aviatika joint-stock company to facilitate aircraft production, so that for much of the 1990s the 890 was an Aviatika product. In 1998 MAI acquired the production rights from Aviatika and marketed it as the Aviatika-MAI-890. The starting point was the open cockpit, short span Junior which appeared in 1987 and developed into the full-span, enclosed seat prototype MAI-89 in 1989. The production prototype, designated MAI-890, followed the next year and production began in 1991. Since then two seat and agricultural versions have been produced.

The MAI-890 has a structure of mixed aluminium, titanium and steel alloys and is fabric covered. It is an unequal span biplane with a straight lower wing of constant chord and some dihedral, which carries full span ailerons. The upper wing has greater span, some sweep but no dihedral, with constant chord over much of its span but with taper on the outer panels. It is a single bay biplane with one, slender interplane strut on each side assisted by flying wires; at its centre, the upper wing is fixed to the underwing engine mounting. Enclosed single or side-by-side seating is positioned ahead of the lower wing leading edge. A slender boom from the bottom of the fuselage pod carries the empennage; all tail surfaces are straight edged and strongly tapered and have generous control areas, with ground-adjustable trim tabs on the elevators.

All current MAI-890 are powered by Rotax engines mounted in pusher configuration, the type depending on the aircraft variant and option. It has a short-legged, fixed tricycle undercarriage with cantilever main legs attached the boom behind the cabin.

More than 300 aircraft were reported sold by 2006, about 60 of them agricultural variants, about 30 exported to South Africa.[4] 26 MAI-89s and -890s appeared in the civil aircraft registers of European countries outside Russia in mid-2010.

Variants

Junior
Open cockpit single seater with short span (5.68 m; 18 ft 7.5 in); maximum take-off weight (MTOW) 282 kg (617 lb). First flew July 1987.
MAI-89
longer span (8.11 m; 26 ft 7.5 in); MTOW 340 kg (750 lb). Flown 1989.
MAI-890
Production version, flown 1990 and produced from 1991 with interruption in mid-1990s but with a 2002 statement that production continued. Single seater.
MAI-890U
Two side-by-side seats. First flown August 1991 with 48 kW (64 hp) Rotax 582 UL engine; standard engine, first flown 16 September 1992, is the Rotax 912 UL. MTOW 540 kg (1,190 lb). Floatplane version tested 2000.
Aviatika-MAI-890SKh Farmer
Single seat, MAI-890 based, Rotax 912 ULS or Rotax 582 powered crop-spraying version, with a spraybar aft of the lower wing s fed from a tank below the engine.[1]
Aviatika-MAI-890USKh  (Specifications below)
Two seat, MAI-890U based crop-spraying version.[1]
Aviatika-MAI-890S
South African designation of prototype converted to Rotax 912 ULS; in Russian terms a MAI-890.
980U Mai
South African name for MAI-890U.
980CSH Mai
South African name for agricultural version.

The Avid Catalina is an American homebuilt amphibious aircraft that was designed and produced by Avid Aircraft of Caldwell, Idaho. It is a development of the Avid Amphibian.

When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit, for amateur construction.

The Catalina was introduced in September 1994. Avid Aircraft ceased operations in November 2003 and Catalina production ended.

The Catalina features a strut-braced high-wing, a three-seat enclosed cabin, retractable conventional landing gear, a boat hull and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from mixed construction, consisting of welded steel tubing, with its flying surfaces covered in doped aircraft fabric, plus fiberglass for the hull and other parts. Its 36.00 ft (11.0 m) span wing has a wing area of 150.00 sq ft (13.935 sq m) and folds for storage or ground transport, without disconnecting the controls. The wing is supported by "V" lift struts with jury struts. The Catalina wings had the option of mid-wing sponsons, or the original Amphibian droop wing tip sponsons for water operations.

The original engine used was the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 twin cylinder two stroke powerplant. Other known engines flown have included the Rotax 618, Rotax 912,[8] Hirth F30,[9] Hirth 2706 and Verner 133MK engines.

The Catalina has an empty weight of 600 lb (270 kg) and a gross weight of 1,200 lb (540 kg), giving a useful load of 600 lb (270 kg). With full fuel of 17.5 U.S. gallons (66 L; 14.6 imp gal) the payload is 495 lb (225 kg). While the 17.5 U.S. gallons (66 L; 14.6 imp gal) fuel tank is standard equipment, the factory also offered optional 31.5 U.S. gallons (119 L; 26.2 imp gal) and 45.5 U.S. gallons (172 L; 37.9 imp gal) tanks. The earlier Amphibian model offered only 17.5 U.S. gallons (66 L; 14.6 imp gal) standard fuel, with a total of 28 U.S. gallons (110 L; 23 imp gal) as two 14 U.S. gallons (53 L; 12 imp gal) tanks optional.

The Avid Amphibian and Catalina could also be built without water operations capability. This variation of the aircraft was dubbed the "Landphibian", and was lighter without the inboard and outboard sponsons. In 1992 the Amphibian kit cost US$16,695, while the land-only version kit was US$15,695.

The manufacturer estimated the construction time from the supplied kit as 700 hours.

By 2001 the company reported that 100 examples of the Amphibian/Catalina were flying.

Variants

Amphibian
Earlier version with turned down wingtips acting as tip floats
Catalina
Later version introduced in September 1994, with conventional wing-mounted floats.
Landphibian
Version with float gear removed.

Its several variants sold in large numbers. In 1987 a Flyer became the first ultralight to land at the North Pole.

The Avid Flyer is a conventional layout, single engine, side by side two seat light aircraft, with a strut-braced high wing configuration. Aluminum tubes serve as leading edge/main spar and rear spar, each wing being supported by a pair of tubular lift struts. Sawn plywood wing ribs are bonded to the aluminum tube spars using a filled epoxy compound. The Avid Flyer features Junkers style one-piece flaperons supported by three offset hinge arms. The Junkers design moves the control surfaces well underneath the wing, where they remain in undisturbed smooth airflow at low speed and/or higher climb angles.

The welded steel tube fuselage is flat sided, narrowing towards a braced cruciform tail group. The horizontal tailplane is carried on the fin just above the upper fuselage line. The aircraft's conventional rudder and elevator controls are cable operated.

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

Specifications below are for the Mk IV STOL variant.

The Avocet AV24 is the first aircraft in Avocet's clean-sheet design program created for better dynamic stability, increased control, and lower drag. Design iterations were coordinated with engineers from aerospace industry leaders, including NASA, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and McDonnell Douglas Boeing.

The Azalea Saberwing, named for the species of hummingbird, is an American amateur-built aircraft, designed and produced by Azalea Aviation of Adel, Georgia, introduced at Sun 'n Fun in 2015. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Saberwing features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed conventional landing gear or optionally tricycle landing gear, with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from a composite-foam sandwich with the wing spars and wing ribs made from a wood-composite sandwich. The design has been optimized for a low parts-count to simplify construction. Its 26 ft (7.9 m) span wing, has an area of 92 sq ft (8.5 m2) and mounts flaps. The cabin is 43 in (109 cm) in width. The standard engine used is the in-house developed 100 hp (75 kW) Spyder Corvair automotive conversion four-stroke powerplant.

The manufacturer estimates that building the aircraft from the supplied kit requires 500-1,000 hours of labor at a total completion cost of US$40,000-50,000.

Reviewers Roy Beisswenger and Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review as "sleek" and "elegant".

By September 2020, four examples had been registered in the United States with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The B&F Fk12 Comet, also called the FK-Lightplanes FK12 Comet, is a single-engine, two-seat sports biplane designed in Germany. First flown in 1999, it was available as a kit or complete and ready-to-fly.

Design work on the B&F Fk12 Comet, often called the Funk Fk12 Comet though not by its makers, began in 1994. It is a single-engine biplane with single bay wings of equal span, significant stagger and swept at about 14°, seating two in tandem.

The wing main spar and leading edge are constructed of carbon fibre; there is an aluminium second spar and fabric covered rear section. Streamlined I-shaped interplane struts, one on each side, form the bays, each of which is braced by a pair of lift and drag wires. A pair of inverted V-cabane struts plus secondary strut support the upper wing centre section, with the lower wing attached to the lower fuselage longerons. The trailing edges of both upper and lower wings carry full-span flaperons, connected by external vertical rods. Since 2009, Comets have had a chord extension of 40 mm (1.6 in) and flaperons mounted on external U-shaped hinges to improve roll rate and control. The wings fold for compact hangarage. Vertical and horizontal tail surfaces are trapezoidal, with a swept fin. The rudder is deep and tabbed, moving in a cutout between the elevators. The tailplane, mounted on the upper fuselage longerons, is braced with struts from below, aided by wires both above and below.

The Comet has a metal tube fuselage structure, using steel at the front and aluminium further aft. It is covered with a mixture of composites and glass-fibre laminates. There are two seats in tandem, the forward one under the wings and the rear seat well behind the trailing edge. Both cockpits may be open; the front one enclosed; or both enclosed by a single, side-hinged canopy. Conversion from one configuration to another takes a few minutes The Comet has a conventional undercarriage, with spring cantilever legs mounted on the lower fuselage longerons carrying mainwheels which may be faired. A ballistic parachute (BRS 5) is an option.

The Comet is powered by one of several Rotax horizontally-opposed four cylinder engines: the 60 kW (80 hp) 912 UL, the 74 kW (99 hp) 912 ULS or the turbocharged, 87 kW (113 hp) 914, all driving two-blade propellers. A Lycoming AEIO-233 engine is being tested as an optional engine.

The Fk12 Comet first flew in March 1997, production beginning in May. Certification was gained in 1999. It has been marketed in three forms: complete flyaway aircraft, kit, and fast-build kit. Kit production was interrupted between 2007 and 2009; complete aircraft production was restarted in 2010. By 2017 it was no longer advertised for sale.

Variants
In 2011 B&F marketed an improved "Special Limited Edition" of the Comet with modified wings, tail surfaces, undercarriage and other features.

The design is an accepted Federal Aviation Administration special light-sport aircraft.

The B&F Fk14 Polaris, also called the FK-Lightplanes FK14, is a single-engine, low-wing ultralight aircraft that seats two side by side. Designed in Germany in the late 1990s, it remains in production as of 2011.

The Cirrus SR Sport, simply called the Cirrus SRS, was a version of the B&F Fk14 Polaris that was intended to be marketed as a light-sport aircraft by U.S.-based aircraft manufacturer Cirrus Design (now called Cirrus Aircraft), and was promoted from 2007 until its suspension in 2009 during the economic crisis.

Design of the B&F Fk14 Polaris, sometimes known as the Funk Fk 14 Polaris but not by its makers, began in 1998. It first flew in May 1999 and started in production the next year. It is a low-wing, single-engine ultralight, with enclosed accommodation for two seated side by side. Its largely glass fibre (carbon on the Fk14B variant) wing is mostly of parallel chord but toward the tips, where short span aluminium ailerons occupy the trailing edges, the leading edge is swept. Electrically operated Fowler flaps are fitted. Four flap settings are available: +0°, +10°, +20° and +32°. The wingtips incorporate short winglets. The fin and rudder are gently swept; the rudder is deep, reaching the lower fuselage line and moving in a cutout between the elevators. These rear flying surfaces are mass-balanced. The Polaris also has spring-trimmed controls.

Until 2007 B&F offered a choice of steel framed or monocoque fuselage structures, but since then have produced only the latter. The occupants sit side by side under a single piece, forward-hinged canopy. The standard undercarriage is of tricycle configuration, though a conventional undercarriage is an option. The main legs are fuselage mounted spring cantilevers and the nosewheel is steerable. All wheels are spatted. The Polaris may be fitted with a ballistic parachute (BRS 5) as an option.

There is a choice between two of the Rotax 912 series flat four-cylinder engines: either the 60 kW (80 hp) 912 UL or the 74 kW (99 hp) 912 ULS may be fitted. These engines drive three-blade, ground adjustable pitch propellers.

Variants

Fk14
Standard version.
Fk14B
Introduced circa 2003, with new carbon fibre wing, greater range, improved access with greater canopy opening angle; baggage space behind seats; altered engine cowling.
Fk14B2 Polaris
Model with redesigned wing with slotted flaps to improve short-field performance. Small spoilers are fitted to the ailerons to reduce adverse yaw.
FK14 B2 LeMans
Version with the bubble canopy replaced by two separate "roadster-style" windshields mounted in a single frame.
Cirrus SRS
Currently suspended. First under development by Cirrus Design Co. in the United States from 2007–2009, this met local LSA rules: test bed had flown.

FK14B2  le Mans

It has been developed from a mixed structure, fabric covered aircraft to a wholly composite machine. It remains in production at factories in Germany and Poland and has sold in large numbers, flying in four continents.

The Fk9 is a conventionally laid out high wing, single-engine ultralight, with side-by-side seating and a fixed undercarriage. The wings have parallel chord and are fitted with ailerons and three-position flaps. They are braced with a single faired strut to the lower fuselage on each side. In the Mark 1 and 2 models, the wings were composite structures with fabric covering; later models have had all-carbon composite wings apart from aluminium control surfaces. There is now the option of an all-carbon fibre wing.

The early Fk9 marks also had a steel tube, fabric covered fuselage, but this has been replaced with an all-glass fibre structure, apart from a steel cabin frame. Access to the dual control cabin, which has overhead transparencies,[5] is via top-hinged doors on each side. The fin and rudder are swept, mostly on the leading edge; the elevators are horn balanced. A tricycle undercarriage is standard, with (usually) spatted mainwheels on spring cantilever legs mounted on the fuselage at the base of the wing struts plus a spatted, steerable nosewheel. The mainwheels have brakes operated by a central hand control.[5] A conventional undercarriage is an option, with the mainwheel legs fuselage-mounted further forward, below the cabin doors, plus a carbon-and-steel tailwheel.

1. A variety of engines have been fitted. Early models used a 26 kW (35 hp) Rotax 447 or Jabiru, or a (37 kW) 50 hp Rotax 503.[6] The Mark 3 had a 60 kW (80 hp) Rotax 912 UL and the Mark IV offers a choice between this engine, the uprated 73 kW (99 hp) Rotax 912 ULS or a 75 kW (100 hp) Ecofly M160, first used in production Fk9s in the Smart variant.

The design is an accepted Federal Aviation Administration special light-sport aircraft.

For operational history and details of the 8 variants, click here.

Specifications below are for the Mark IV variant.

The BAaer Gurí is an Argentine ultralight aircraft, designed and produced by BAaer (BA-Aeroplanos) of Buenos Aires. When it was available the aircraft was supplied as a kit for amateur construction.

The Gurí was designed as a simple, low cost aircraft to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a strut-braced high-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration semi-enclosed cockpit, fixed conventional landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from a mix of aluminum tubing and fiberglass, with its flying surfaces covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 10 m (32.8 ft) span wing employs V-struts and jury struts. Standard engines used are the 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503, the 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke engine, the 80 hp (60 kW) Rotax 912UL and the 60 hp (45 kW) HKS 700E four-stroke powerplant.

The aircraft has been in production since 1990 and was designed as a special-purpose tug for hang gliders and ultralight sailplanes. It is available as a complete aircraft or as a kit for amateur construction. The aircraft has been variously produced by Moyes Microlights, Bailey-Moyes Microlights and currently LiteFlite of Botany, New South Wales, all different iterations of the same company.

The Dragonfly was developed in the late 1980s specifically as a hang glider tug for use in flatland areas where hang glider flying, which usually relies on hill launches, was not possible. This role requires an aircraft that can climb quickly at low speed. The Dragonfly achieves this goal, with a power-off stall speed of 17 kn (31 km/h) by using a large area wing of 170 square feet (16 m2) in conjunction with Junkers-style flaperons. The takeoff distance required to clear a 49 ft (15 m) high obstacle is 492 ft (150 m) while flying solo and 984 ft (300 m) at maximum weight, on level short dry grass with no wind at 59 °F (15 °C). The aircraft has been successful as a hang glider tug and is also used for livestock mustering in its home country, as well as for recreational flying where STOL capabilities are required.

For more information, click here.

The Baker Supercat is a low-wing, strut-braced, open cockpit, conventional landing gear-equipped aircraft with all-wooden construction. The aircraft was originally designed to be an ultralight aircraft and the wings are removable. In 1994 Bowdler Aviation purchased the rights to the plans.

In 1994, an enclosed Supercat with a modified NACA 4415 airfoil and an inverted 50 hp (37 kW) Rotax 503 installation engine was awarded Grand Champion Light Plane at the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh airshow.

The Barber Snark is a two-seater kit-plane, designed and built in New Zealand by Bill Barber. Only some five aircraft have been built.

The Snark is a tricycle aircraft of composite construction. Its glider-like cockpit accommodates a pilot and passenger in tandem, the passenger sitting behind and higher than the pilot. The centrally mounted shoulder-wing lies behind the pilot, who has unrestricted visibility. The 80 hp (60 kW) Suzuki engine is sited behind the cockpit, driving a pusher propeller. Wing control surfaces on the third Snark were flaperons, while the fourth aircraft had conventional ailerons and flaps. Above the propeller, and aft of the cockpit is a slender boom to the empennage comprising a T-tail with a high-mounted tailplane.

The Snark's tandem layout, its small frontal area, and its low wetted area mean that the aircraft has excellent performance, being able to cruise at over 110 knots despite having an engine output of only 80 bhp.

The Snark received positive reviews in the UK and NZ press. Former RNZAF Squadron Leader and aviation journalist Tim Cripps wrote in Pilot magazine, "this is the most enjoyable of the many aircraft I have flown - and that includes the Hunter". Similarly, David Laing, a former WWII pilot who built the fourth Snark, declared it to be "one of the nicest planes I've ever flown".[