SATS & NCAM members continues to develop at
EAA’s AirVenture at
Industry, small airport developers & authorities as well as the aviation user community are taking the SATS vision forward, these developments are amply highlighted this year at AirVenture. Currently the most rapidly growing (by volume) product sectors of General Aviation are the Very Light Jets (VLJ), the new Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category and traveler and user services developments at small airports. The emerging VLJ and LSA sectors are enjoying rapid annual growth rates that exceed 25% with product entries by traditional as well as new aviation manufacturers. Industry and FAA projections state that over 10,000 VLJs can sell in the next decade serving both individual owners and the emerging air taxi operators markets. NCAM estimates are that the LSA market could pull in over 25,000 aircraft from a variety of manufacturers over the next decade. While the LSAs serve the recreational aviation users they are also a key element to slaking the pent up entry level demands of the general public’s under 30 strata for affordable entry level aviation. Some of these will graduate and permeate into the ranks of pilot candidates and traditional training aircraft after they gain aviation ambiance familiarity with LSA aircraft. The 3rd sector that is growing is the small airport users and travelers service providers. The 2006 – 2007 state and county funding allocations as well as business growth data indicate that the short to middle distance travel potential of small airports is spawning development of traveler services such as new terminal buildings, airport cafes, restaurants, ground transportation services and other creative services that plan to serve the emerging air taxi services.
AirVenture 2007 Personal Aviation Technology that continue the SATS Vision:
Monday July 22, 2007 Emerging
Airplane Technologies
The Eclipse ECJ Single Engine Jet
The ECJ was unveiled in style just as the AirVenture opened.
The single turbofan engine path has been taken by Eclipse to evaluate as their next potential product. Eclipse president, Vern Rabun, flew the 4 place jet in along with an Eclipse Test pilot. Some months ago Rabun had mused to Business 2.0 magazine that “the ideal airliner is a 2 place airplane”. It will be a 340 knot at 35,000 ft and capable of 41,000 ft max cruise altitude powered by a PW 615 engine with approximately 1200 lb SLS thrust, for pictures and more info see www.airventure.org/2007/3tue24/eclipse.html and go to http://www.eclipseconceptjet.com .
The Munro & MI SATS Lab NASA Personal Aircraft Propulsor Demonstrator
This is a prototype design that would power an affordable small personal airplane (PA) with the potential to cost $100,000, fly at 200 mph while delivering nearly 20 miles per gallon! Munro & Associates has been showing the AirVenture public this innovative propulsion system based on a highly affordable modern automotive engine. This design enables new style PAs, providing speed, efficiency, quiet, ease of use and comfort at a price affordable for Middle-Income Americans. The propulsor will be tested for thrust, noise and efficiency in the coming months.
Munro MISATS Propulsor Design The NASA PAV Design Concept
Munro’s propulsor consists of a V-8 aluminum block
unmodified auto engine, a carbon fiber drive shaft that is dynamically balanced
and is similar to those designed for NASCAR racers. This infusion of modern
automotive technology, according to Munro & MI SATS solves the difficulties
previous long shaft pusher configurations such as the Cirrus VK-30 and others
faced. This design was driven by noise considerations, hence the tail ducted
propeller, which by design should lower community and cabin noise. It drives a
7 bladed variable pitch propeller with sleek carbon fiber blades; it was
designed and fabricated by Advanced Composites Inc. in
The propulsor was developed and built by Munro & Assoc. and the MI SATS Lab. They won a NASA small business competitive award (STTR) because they proposed to innovatively transfer automotive technology into aviation to lower cost while greatly improving production quality and reliability. NASA Langley aim was to help boost its Personal Air Vehicle (PAV) design concept through such automotive technology infusion. NASA has been discussing the PAV concept and its value at several past Air Venture forums. Now the critical engine and propulsor design and manufacturing hurdles have been overcome through the NASA R&D awards, leveraged considerably by Munro & Assoc. own R&D expenditures. Munro’s vision is to create a 21st Century PA production enterprise. Munro’s PA – the Paradigm, is targeted at the volume intercity travel mid-distance demand. Such PAs can provide the nation’s outlying communities (not served by the airlines) direct point to point travel at 4 times highway speeds for immense gains in their personal and business lives.
The Munro and MI SATS automotive technology ducted fan engine is designed by adapting modern automotive manufacturing technology to permits volume production of such 4 seat affordable PAs. Munro’s revolutionary propulsor demonstrator is undergoing field tests offering the advantage of a quick start to prototype demonstration and then FAA certification. Munro’s experts have developed business plans for a PA factory, see www.leandesign.com/misats.html.
This PA product has a huge
The Cirrus Design Light Sport Aircraft:
Cirrus showed its concept LSA, called the SSA, and announced
that it will partner with the German Sport Aircraft that makes the Polaris
FK14, that conforms to European microlight standards and is currently built in
The Cessna Light Sport Aircraft:
Cessna announced that it would indeed produce the LSA concept they unveiled at AirVenture 2006. This LSA is powered by a Continental O-200, 100HP engine, provides a wide 2 seat cabin and is projected to see for less than $100,000.
For more formation go to www.airventure.org/2007/news/070710_cessna.html.
Stay tuned for our Oshkosh updates.