AEROSTAR FESTIVAL

TYPE: Side-by-side ultralight; two-seat lightplane.

PROGRAMME: Illustrated (as project) in 1999 company brochure, but no details then given. Made debut (as Aerostar 01) at Paris Air Show, June 2001, following first flight (YR-6138) on 31 May. Certification programme flown between 5 November 2001 and 9 February 2002, resulting in award of domestic certificate April 2002. Aircraft named Festival later that year. Improved design (see Design Features below) introduced 2003, first example (YR-6107) making maiden flight in September: also now certified by Romanian Airclub. Aircraft certified 12 July 2004 as Advaneed Ultralight in Canada and (with designation R40S) as Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) on 14 September 2005 in US.

CUSTOMERS: Initial orders received at time of debut (four for Romanian Airclub); planned eventual worldwide sales and output of 40 to 50 per year. First two production aircraft registered in USA (N1062N and N1062M) in July 2001; further four to US by early 2006, at least four flying with private customers in Romania in addition to prototypes.

COSTS: USD55.000 as LSA in US; USD40.000 as advanced ultralight in Canada; USD45.000 in Australia (all 2004).

DESIGN FEATURES: Designed to Canadian standard DS1014IE: derivative of ULBI Wild Thing, originally utilising wings, nose, rear fuselage and tail unit from that aircraft. Principal differences are enlarged cabin, nosewheel landing gear, and relocation of wing in low-mounted position, without strut bracing, but still foldable alongside fuselage for transportation and storage. Horizontal tail also foldable. Subsequently improved with much-revised cockpit layout, upward-opening single-piece canopy and optional three-blade propeller.
Wing aerofoil section NACA 4415.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Flaps and Frise-type ailerons pushrod-actuated, elevators and horn-balanced rudder by cables; mechanically or electrically actuated elevator trim tab. Flap settings 0, 15 and 30°. Dual controls standard.

STRUCTURE: Aluminium alloy (6061), except for fabric-covered (aluminium in US) flaps and ailerons. Three-spar wings. Flush-riveted wing skins from YR 5050 (first flight October 2005).

LANDING GEAR: Tricycle type, fixed. Fuselage-mounted spring cantilever mainwheel legs. Matco hydraulic disc brakes and 5.00-5 tyres; steerable, trailing-link nosewheel with 5.00-5 tyre and rubber shock absorption.

POWER PLANT: One 59.6 KW (79.9 hp Rotax 912 UL engine standard, driving a three-blade adjustable-pitch wooden propeller. Options include 59.7 KW (80 hp) Jabiru 2200 or 73.5 KW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912 ULS with two- or three-blade, ground-adjustable pitch propeller. Rotax 912 S or ULS and three-blade propeller in LSA version. Fuel tank capacity (two wing tanks) 80 litres (21.1 US gallons; 17.6 Imp gallons). Oil capacity 2.5 litres (0.7 US gallon; 0.55 Imp gation).

ACCOMMODATION: One-piece upward-opening canopy. Baggage compartment aft of seats.

AVIONICS: Basic VFR instrumentation (ASI, altimeter, variometer, turn-and-slip indicator and compass) standard; Bendix/King KY 92 radio optional.

DIMENSIONS, EXTERNAL:

  • Wing span: 9.17 m (30 ft 1 in)
  • Wing mean aerodynamic chord: 1.525 m (5 ft 0 in)
  • Length overall: standard: 6.74 m (22 ft 1¼ in)
    • LSA: 6.46 m (21 ft 2¼ in)
  • Height overall: stindard: 2.47 m (8 ft 1¼ in)
    • LSA: 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in)
  • Propeller diameter: standard: 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in)
    • LSA: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)

DIMENSIONS, INTERNAL:

  • Cockpit max width: 1.07 m (3 ft 6 in)

AREAS:

  • Wings, gross: 13.97 m² (150.4 sq ft)

WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS (A: Jabiru 2200/Rotax 912 UL, B: Rotax 912 ULS, C: LSA)

  • Weight empty: A: 351 kg (774 lb)
    • B: 354 kg (780 lb)
    • C: 400 kg (882 lb)
  • Max T-O weight: A, B: 535 kg (1,179 lb)
    • C: 598 kg (1,320 lb)
  • Max wing loading: A, B: 38.30 kg/m² (7.84 lb/sq ft)
    • C: 42.85 kg/m² (8.78 lb/sq ft)
  • Max power loading: A: 8.96 kg/kW (14.72 lb/hp)
    • B: 7.28 kg/kW (11.96 lb/hp)
    • C: 8.15 kg/kW (13.39 lb/hp)

PERFORMANCE (A, B and C as ahove):

  • Never-exceed speed (VNE):
    • A, B, C: 116 kt (215 km/h; 133 mph)
  • Max level speed: A: 99 kt (185 km/h; 115 mph)
    • B: 105 kt (195 km/h; 121 mph)
    • C: 101 kt (187 km/h; 116 mph) IAS
  • Cruising speed: A: 92 kt (170 km/h; 106 mph)
    • B: 94 kt (175 km/h; 109 mph)
  • Stalling speed, flaps down: A: 36 kt (66 km/h; 41 mph)
    • B, C: 39 kt (71 km/h; 45 mph)
  • Max rate of climb at S/L: A: 240 m (787 ft)/min
    • B: 330 m (1,083 ft)/min
    • C: 229 m (750 ft)/min
  • Service ceiling: A, B: 4,000 m (13,120 ft)
    • C: 3.500 m (11,500 ft)
  • T-O run: A: 85 m (280 ft)
    • B: 80 m (265 ft)
    • C: 130 m (427 ft)
  • Landing run: A, B: 90 m (295 ft)
    • C: 160 m (525 ft)
  • Range with max fuel, 20 min reserves:
    • A, C: 432 n miles (800 km; 497 miles)
    • B: 405 n miles (750 km; 466 miles)
  • g limits: A, B: +4/-2 (max) and +6/-4 (ultimate)