Sky Arrow

[skyking13]

List Members,
I'm looking for comments from other list members with experience
with the Italian 2 seater called an Air Arrow...I had the opportunity
to fly one this morning and it was just a wonderful flying aircraft.
Although it has similar lines as a Titan the aircraft is half again
bigger than the titan with a max gross weight of about 1430 lbs. It
was powered by a Rotax 912 of 80hp and indicated 80-85 knots on a
warm morning at about 2000 ft msl turning 5200 rpm. I'm a 6'2" guy
of 230 lbs and I had plenty of leg room..shoulder room, head room,
and butt room too!!! Very nicely contoured leather upolstered seats
and just excellent fit and finish on his carbon fiber aircraft. The
company pilot says that when the new NPRM on sport aircraft is
clearer they will be producing an aircraft that will fit the
requirments of the reg.

As a pilot with 20+ years of experence but no hope of reobtaining
my medical this seems like a good challanger to the titan and
thundergull's. Although the sport legal edition of this aircraft will
be in the range of $60,000 (twice what a Titan would be with gold
faucets attached) the excellent workmanship and surpurb ergonomics of
the aircraft will make it competitive for the value received.
Please note that I have no interest in the companies and own
neither a Titan or any other sport type aircraft.
I look forward to readers comments on this aircraft. I do however
believe that the experience of building most of a Titan type aircraft
is not a strike against the design...the familarity that is gained
during the building process goes a long way to understanding your
aircraft.
Best Regard,
Captain Bob

[jrc712]

Well, Captain Bob - It appears to be a nice looking aircraft and from
what you say it flies pretty good, however my 2-cents worth would
really center on what do you actually want/plan to do with the
aircraft and how does that compare to what you would do with the
Thundergull or Titan? I don't see that much of an advantage in
performance (some gives and some takes), so it would more likely be a
more personal and comfort approach and choice I would think.

Both the Thundergull and the Titan can get into and out of small
spaces and fields (I have been in and out of a 500' strip with my
Gull 2000 and have flown cross-country in it - from Cal to Fla),
although I can probably also say that the Gull can get into and out
of smaller spaces than the Titan. The cruise, depending on what
engine you use can be anywhere from 80 - 120+, and the cost is about
1/3 to 1/2 the price of what you have quoted. I'm a big boy (width
wise, although you do have a bit of a height advantage on me - I'm
5'9") - I found the Titan and the Thundergull J models a bit tight
and little more awkward to get into and out of, but have found the
Gull 2000 (single seat version) easy to get into and has plenty of
room (the Odyssey afforded comfortable room as a two seater as well.
Neither would probably compare to the Air-Arrow though. The Air
Arrow would probably be a better cross-country plane if going long
distance and needed a lot more baggage room, but not sure it would be
worth the extra dollars (from where I sit). I would think if you are
going to that extreme, you could get a used regular GA plane for
about the same or a little less (i.e. C-172 or C-182)

It does look like a nice aircraft though and I am speaking on
speculation since I have not flown one and have only looked at the
propaganda.

Jim C
(Gull-2K driver)