TYPE: Six-seat kitbuilt.

PROGRAMME: Design started 1969; prototype first flight (N14666) 1974; set five FAI international closed circuit speed records.

CURRENT VERSIONS: Skyrocket II: Original prototype. Currently used as flight test vehicle (re-registered N771AB).
Skyrocket III: Projected factory-manufactured version; available with or without pressurisation.
Description refers to Skyrocket III.

CUSTOMERS: By early 2000, one prototype was flying and 10 more were on order. Preproduction static test and flight test aircraft were under development.

DESIGN FEATURES: Designed for rapid, uncomplicated assembly. Intended to form the foundation for an entire family of aircraft from single-engined general aviation to twin-engined turboprop business aircraft. Aerodynamically clean, low-wing design with laminar flow wing section.

FLYING CONTROLS: Conventional and manual. Elevator with electric trim on entire stabiliser; actuation by cable and bellcrank; horn-balanced rudder and elevators; no trim tabs. Plain flaps.

STRUCTURE: All-composites. Skyrocket II wings comprise upper and lower covers and forward and rear spars; last-mentioned are spliced at centreline; all of sandwich construction, with glass fibre skins and aluminium honeycomb, plus glass fibre spar cap. Ailerons, flaps and empennage similar, including left and right fin cover shells. Fuselage in left and right halves, with flat sandwich bulkheads and floor. Skyrocket III will have graphite fibre sandwich face skins with Nomex core.

LANDING GEAR: Tricycle hydraulically retractable type; mainwheels retract inboard; nosewheel aft. Oleo-pneumatic shock-absorption; hydraulic brakes.

POWER PLANT: One 324 kW (435 hp) Teledyne Continental GTSIO-520F flat-six, driving a Hartzell three-blade constant-speed propeller. Later option of 261 kW (350 hp) Teledyne Continental TSIO-550-B flat-six, 280 kW (375 hp) Teledyne Continental GTSIO-520-L 336 kW (450 hp) Textron Lycoming TIO-720 flat-eight and 540 kW (724 shp) Walter M 601E turboprop. Fuel capacity 666 litres (176 US gallons; 147 Imp gallons) in two wing tanks, of which 644 litres (170 US gallons; 142 Imp gallons) are usable. Gravity-fed refuelling points in wingtips.

ACCOMMODATION: Pilot and five passengers in three rows of side-by-side seats; pilot's door starboard side, above wing and passenger door on port side aft of wing. Optional club seating.

SYSTEMS: Air conditioning and pressurisation available on production version and on de luxe kitbuilt examples.

AVIONICS: To customer's specification; optional advanced IFR fit.