AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2012 - 82

AERO
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Slovenian manufacturer, Pipistrel, grabbed a lot of the limelight at the April show with the rollout of its new Panthera, a four-seat, 202-knot, 1,000nm piston single powered by a Lycoming IO-390 engine. The sleek, all-composite design is set for certification in Europe and the United States in 2015. Made principally of carbon fiber, the Panthera comes with gull-wing doors and a ballistic parachute system. Computer-aided design (CAD) technology is one reason why the Panthera can squeeze 200 knots out of a 10-gph fuel burn, Pipistrel says. And while elegant looking, the airplane will be approved for landing on unimproved strips.
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Price is now $513,500, but Experimental versions will be available with factory buildassist for $435,500 (with a Skyview SV1000 panel) or $461,500 (with Garmin G500 avionics). Pipistrel, known for its eco-friendly design philosophy, has plans for future iterations of the Panthera, including a hybrid avgas/ electrically powered model. And an electrically powered Experimental variant, priced at $117,000, is anticipated in 2016. Diamond Aircraft is always big at AERO, and this year was no different. The company’s new DA52-VII was on display for the first time. This 197-knot, five- to seven-seat twin is powered by Austro Engines’ AE300 turbodiesels rated at 180 horsepower. The DA52 will come in both European and American versions—the U.S. version weighing in with an MGTOW of 4,750 pounds; the European

model will weigh less, so as to avoid airway user fees. The airplane is still in flight test, but when it’s up for sale should run approximately $901,000 to $1.02 million, depending on equipment. Diamond also introduced a new DA42 twin— the DA42-VI. It’s a sleeker version of the DA42 NG and can cruise as fast as 193 knots, Diamond says. Price: $732,600 to $850,000 at current exchange rates. Certification dates for both aircraft have yet to be announced. Diamond is working on a fly-by-wire system that will recognize pilot incapacitation and land an airplane automatically at the nearest suitable airport. A prototype is being tested using a DA42. Cirrus took center stage when it announced that its Vision SF50 single-engine jet program received a $200 million shot in the arm from its new

PIPISTREL’S Virus SW (top

left) was on hand at the show, showing off its new Rotax 912is fuel-injected engine. PC Aero’s Elektra One Solar (top right) made its debut, featuring wing-mounted solar cells that feed the ship’s lithium polymer batteries and electric motor. Diamond’s new twin, the five- to seven-seat DA52-VII (bottom left) took some time off from its flight test program to take a prominent position at Diamond’s large exhibit area. The DA52 will come in an American version and a lighter European model. The Flight Design CTLS, complete with its new Rotax 912is engine (bottom right), attracted many visitors. A cabin mock-up of the company’s four-seat C4 was also on display.

82 | AOPA PILOT July 2012

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - July 2012