Private Pilot

Private Pilot, June 2002

Our Advitorial in the June 2002 issue

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The capabilities of to day's homebuilt aircraft would have been unfathomable even just a few years ago. The broad spectrum of experimental aircraft currently available enables builders and pilots to fly higher and faster while carrying more passengers than ever before. This Darwinian ascendancy is typified no better anywhere else than in the company of Aerocomp Inc. The latest offering from Aerocomp is the ultimate in experimental aircraft. With eight seats and cruise speeds topping 400 mph, the Comp Air Jet will afford its pilot the opportunity to take sport aviation to the next level at a fraction of the cost of similar aircraft. Constructed of space-age composites, the Comp Air Jet can fly its passengers in pressurized comfort, distances of up to 1000 miles, and at altitudes up to 29,900 feet. The CA-J is the pinnacle of the current wide variety of experimental aircraft.

The evolution of the CA-J began in 1993, when Aerocomp Inc., introduced a line of floats for experimental aircraft. With an expanding line of floats, the company saw a need for a rugged, four-place kit. The kit had to be easy to build, easier to fly, and inexpensive to purchase. The plane also needed to be built utilizing composite materials for the obvious marriage with Aerocomp's still-expanding line of floats. Thus the Comp Air 4 was born.

Not content with the status quo, Aerocomp sought further versatility with a- second aircraft. Built for the pilot who wanted the ability to carry six people in comfort, the Comp Air 6 was conceived. With powerplants ranging from 220 hp to - 300 hp, and cruise speeds up to 200 mph, the CA-6 delivered additional payload and speed while still keeping the easy-to-build, inexpensive design philosophies of the original CA-4.

Wanting an even bigger airplane, the company developed the Comp Air 10 and CA 10XL. This aircraft can seat eight adults comfortably, with room left over for baggage or a couple of children. The CA-1O can carry up to 3000 pounds useful load at cruise speeds up to 200 mph and still get in and out of short, unimproved strips. The aircraft is ideally suited for ranchers, outfitters, fish camp operators, or anyone who needs to carry a big load.

The evolution of the product line continued further with the inception of the Comp Air 7. Combining elements of the previous Aerocomp aircraft, the company created a true "pilot's airplane." The CA- 7 blended raw performance with rugged utility, enabling its pilot to both play hard, and take the wife and kids on a pleasant cross-country flight. The 657-shp turboprop, also used on the CA-1O, yields climb rates in excess of 4000 {pm, useful loads from 1670 to 2050 pounds and cruise speeds of 250 to 275 mph, depending on options.

The company filled another niche with the Comp Air 8. Its size and performance numbers are nestled right in between that of its siblings. Faster than the CA-1O and larger then the CA-7, the Comp Air 8 blended the ideas of performance and versatility further. The CA-8 can cruise comfortably at 225 mph, carry up to 2500 pounds of useful load and seat up to eight people.

Having taken the original Comp Air design in as many directions as possible, offering an aircraft for nearly every need, the company felt it was time for a totally new aircraft to be designed. The Comp Air Jet is the first of a new design type for the company but a logical next step in the evolution of a company that continues to service more and more customers with an ever-expanding product line.

Built with Pride in the USA. God Bless America.