PROGRAMME: Design started November 1992; fuselage mockup completed July 1993; construction of proof-of-concept prototype began at Geluveld, Belgium, January 1996; structural test programme completed 23 December 1998; prototype, M212-100 registered G-XFLY in February 2000, was structurally complete by March 2001; all composites work and landing gear completed November 2001; power plant and fuel system work began March 2002 in UK. Public debut in UK at PFA Rally, Cranfield, 21-23 June 2002. First flight planned for December 2002, but not achieved until 13 July 2004 at Cranfield. Popular Flying Association approval achieved 13 April 2005. Kit production delayed by priority given to M106, but eventually launched in late 2006.
CURRENT VERSIONS: Family of aircraft planned around core four-seat version.
M212-100: Prototype. One only.
M212-200: Basic four-seat version; will be available factory-build or as kit; certification to JAR/FAR Pt 23 planned.
M212-300: Proposed two-seat aerobatic trainer; since discontinued.
M212-400: Four-seat tourer with increased fuel and baggage capacity, optional retractable landing gear, maximum take-off weight 1,100 kg (2,425 lb) and range of over 1,000 n miles (1,852 km; 1,151 miles).
M216: Proposed retractable landing gear version.
CUSTOMERS: Six orders for M212-200 and options on 20 M212-200 and -400 kits held in September 2003; customers in the Benelux countries, France and, mostly, the UK. By mid-2005, first batch of five aircraft under construction.
COSTS: Kit, excluding engine, propeller and VFR avionics, EUR59,900 (2006).
DESIGN FEATURES: Designed using CAD and wind tunnel research facilities; will meet FAR Pt 23 and JAR 23 certification criteria. Low-wing monoplane; wings, which have laminar flow, moderate taper and upturned tips. Wing dihedral 5°; incidence at root 2°; twist 2°. Quoted kit build time 800 hours.
FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Cable and pushrod actuation. Electrically actuated single-slotted flaps.
STRUCTURE: All-composites, with extensive (95 per cent by weight) use of prepregs; glass and carbon in epoxy resin used for spars and longerons. Fuselage of monocoque construction; wing has dual main spars plus auxiliary spar for further strengthening.
LANDING GEAR: Fixed tricycle type. Mainwheels size 6.00-6, nosewheel 5.00-5 or 6.00-6; Cleveland brakes. Steerable nosewheel, maximum steering angle ±50°. Potential for development of retractable version (tailwheel option withdrawn).
POWER PLANT: Prototype fitted with second-hand 112 kW (150 hp) Textron Lycoming O-320-E2D flat-four; MT-Propeller MTV-18-C/175-17d three-blade, constant-speed (electric) propeller; and Gomolzig twin-muffler exhaust; other options include the 134 kW (180 hp) Superior XP-360 and DeltaHawk DH180A4 134kW (180 hp) or DH200A4 149 kW (200 hp) liquid-cooled four-cylinder two-stroke Diesel engine, driving either fixed-pitch or constant-speed propeller. Fuel capacity 120 litres (31.7 US gallons; 26.4 Imp gallons) in single fuselage tank in M212-100 prototype; production examples will have two wing tanks and total capacity of 160 litres (42.3 US gallons; 35.2 Imp gallons), can be increased to 280 litres (74.0 US gallons; 61.6 Imp gallons). In developed form as four-seat tourer, suitable for engines in 172 to 194 kW (230 to 260 hp) power range.
ACCOMMODATION: Four persons in 2+2 configuration, under one-piece, forward-hinged canopy. Seats and rudder pedals adjustable; dual controls standard.
All data are provisional.
DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:
- Wing span: 9.80 m (32 ft 1¾ in)
- Wing aspect ratio: 8.0
- Length overall: 7.40 m (24 ft 3½ in)
- Height overall: 2.90 m (9 ft 6 in)
- Tailplane span: 3.20 m (10 ft 6 in)
- Wheel track: 2.80 m (9 ft 2¼ in)
DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:
- Cabin: Length: 2.50 m (8 ft 2½ in)
- Max width: 1.12 m (3 ft 8 in)
- Max height: 1.25 m (4 ft 1¼ in)
- Baggage compartment volume:
- M212-100: 0.50 m³ (17.7 cu ft)
AREAS:
- Wings, gross: 12.00 m² (129.2 sq ft)
- Ailerons (total): 0.60 m² (6.46 sq ft)
- Flaps: 1.08 m² (11.62 sq ft)
- Elevators (total): 2.65 m² (28.52 sq ft)
WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS (Superior XP-360):
- Weight empty: 722 kg (1,592 lb)
- Max T-O weight: 1,150 kg (2,535 lb)
- Max wing loading: 95.8 kg/m² (19.63 lb/sq ft)
- Max power loading: 6.39 kg/kW (10.50 lb/hp)
PERFORMANCE (Superior XP-360):
- Never-exceed speed (VNE): 183 kt (338 km/h; 210 mph)
- Max level speed at S/L: 140 kt (259 km/h; 161 mph)
- Max cruising speed at FL80:
- at 75% power: 137 kt (254 km/h; 158 mph)
- at 60% power: 126 kt (233 km/h; 145 mph)
- Stalling speed, flaps down: 53 kt (99 km/h; 61 mph)
- Max rate of climb at S/L: 274 m (900 ft)/min
- T-O run: 280 m (920 ft)
- Range with max fuel
- at 75% power: 480 n miles (889 km; 552 miles)
- at 60% power: 550 n miles (1,018 km; 633 miles)