| Volume 3 Issue 2 | ONLINE EDITION | Summer 1999 |
Merritt Island, Florida - June 22, 1999
| Cruising comfortably at
speeds of up to 250 mph (TAS @ 21,000 ft), with a useful load of 2000 to 2500 lbs.,
Aerocomp Inc.'s new kit-built Comp Air 8 can carry 6 adults, plus a couple children, in
comfort and style. The new airplane is 2 feet longer than the popular Comp Air 7 which
Aerocomp introduced last year, and is designed to take full advantage of the 660 hp
Czech-built Walter turboprop's outstanding load-carrying capability. The Comp Air 8, which
boasts 237 square feet of wing area, is ideally suited for the Walter 601D powerplant. It
can easily carry a standard 4800 lb. gross weight - and for real heavy haulers optional
5200 lb. gross weight reinforcements are available. Although the Comp Air 8 is designed to cruise at 200 to 250 mph TAS, it is also capable of slowing down to fly alongside Champs, Cessna 150's, etc. in the traffic pattern. The low stall speed of 45 mph IAS results in an airplane with outstanding short and rough field capability that is able to carry large loads at respectable cruise speeds. |
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Because the Comp Air 8 is intended as a high performance, fast-flying load-carrying airplane, specially reinforced (carbon) fuselage and tail group members are included as standard features on the Comp Air 8.
The Comp Air 8 boasts a 461/2" wide cabin, sports 100% mass balanced controls for high cruise speeds, has specially reinforced oversize tail surfaces for stability and control, includes an aerodynamically efficient "raked" windshield, and has flush-mounted landing gear and flush-fit thermopane doors.
As with all Aerocomp kit-built airplanes, total fuel capacity is determined by the builder, who has the option of installing fuel tanks capable of carrying as much as 150 gallons.
Ron Lueck, co-owner of Aerocomp, Inc. conducted the first flight of the new airplane on June 17, 1999 at the company's home airport in Merritt Island, FL. The first flight was uneventful, with Lueck reporting that the airplane was stable and easy to fly. The airplane cruises easily at indicated speeds of 170 mph to 180 mph, which, at low altitude, requires only 60 lbs. torque (roughly 60% power) to achieve. Lueck was able to enjoy "hands-off" stability right from the first flight, and reports that he is easily able to climb at 2000 to 3000 fpm. Since that first flight, the airplane continues to fly daily, as Lueck and other company pilots put the airplane through a comprehensive flight test evaluation.
August 99 UPDATE:
-- NEW "Float Flying in the Amazing Comp Air Eight Turboprop
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For more information, contact:
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