The LSA Movement Survives... and So Do A Number Of Manufacturers
During the 2009 Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, FL, one had a huge assortment of aircraft to pursue... and some pretty fine choices in the fixed wing market, in particular. One of the most notable of these is the Evektor SportStar series, which has been a part of the LSA scene, even before it was officially defined and was one of the first to seek and finish the ASTM compliance program to bring it in line with the industry-authored standards. .
ALL metal, the Evektor SportStar SL sports a MONSTROUS bubble canopy that offers a view of the proceedings that can only be equaled by opening that sucker and taking a dive over the side. Rotax powered, the two seat, side-by-sider, nonetheless boasts a cabin width of 46.5" and plenty of leg, shoulder and hip room. Obviously, they've taken a good look at their average customer and decided to avoid the sadistically small cabins that much of the LSA movement is penalized with.
The company makes specific note about the manner in which the surprisingly sleek airframe is constructed... with lines so smooth, you'd sweat it was composite... until you see the rivets. The company boasts that the SportStar 'has an advanced highly durable all metal anodized and corrosion-proofed aluminum airframe which delivers significantly more durability and longer service life than most of the airplanes in the category. It´s the only S-LSA aircraft that has riveted as well as bonded construction for better fatigue characteristics and long service life. This build provides better crash characteristics, elimination of dangerous unzipping in accidents and also smoother and quieter flight because drumming and flexing are absent. All heads of pop rivets are filled with mastic for high longevity of riveted joints and clean and smooth aircraft surface."
The SportStar SL features a cruise speed of 110 knots, a dirty stall speed of only 40 knots, and a rate of climb of 1020 fpm. The service ceiling is 15,500 ft and runway requirements are 620 ft for takeoff and 590 ft for landing. The max range is 700 NM.
Aero-TV Gets A Read On The Evektor SportStar SL Light Sport Aircraft
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