New Zealand manufacturer Vickers Aircraft announced this week that they would develop a new four-seat single to fit the new FAR Part 22 (MOSAIC) rules.
Branded the Fast4, the new design is expected to carry four adults and full fuel, and have a maximum range of 1300 nm and a speed of 235 KTAS.
The aircraft will be introduced to the US market via Vickers Aircraft USA, where the MOSAIC LSA rules are more advanced than Australia or New Zealand.
"Fast4 has been on our drawing board for some time,” said CEO Paul Vickers. “We have monitored what pilots are asking for: performance, useful load, range, safety in an aircraft that is affordable to own. Now we are bringing those ideas together in one exciting new aircraft.”
Vickers Aircraft says the Fast4 will be made of advanced carbon fibre and composite material designed to reduce build time and production costs, which it believes will make the aircraft more economic and efficient for owners.
Although very few details on the design have been released, the company has said it is targeting the following performance and capability levels:
- cruise speed 235 KTAS
- 1300 nautical miles of range
- 690 kg of useful load
- 386 litre fuel capacity
- Folding wings, designed to reduce required hangar space by 50%
- IFR
- BRS parachute system
Vickers Aircraft says the Fast4 will have parts in common with the Wave amphibian, which has been under development at the Hamilton plant for 16 years.
"Through its co-engineering philosophy, Vickers plans for the Fast4 and Wave to share selected components and systems," the company says. "This approach is intended to reduce development costs and support an efficient build programme while drawing on the company’s existing manufacturing facility and experienced design and development team."
Vickers Aircraft sees FAR Part 22 as an opportunity to shape the next generation of GA aircraft, with a drastic reduction in the development costs and time associated with bringing a new aircraft to market.
“With the Wave in its certification phase, we can begin to focus resources on this exciting new aircraft,” said Paul Vickers. “Our ambition is to create a safe, fast and capable aircraft that gives pilots more freedom and makes ownership more affordable.”
- Steve Hitchen