Photograph:
Colyaer Freedom VH-LUF (c/n 130-001-040) at Temora, NSW (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Spain
Description:
(Gannet) light sport flying boat
(Freedom) light sport amphibian
Power Plant:
(Gannet)
One 74 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-and-liquid-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 12.4 m (40 ft 8 in)
- Length: 5.85 m (19 ft 2 in)
- Height: 1.92 m (6 ft 3 in)
- Wing area: 11.98 m² (129 sq ft)
- Cruising speed at 85% power: 201 km/h (125 mph)
- Cruising speed at 65 % power: 190 km/h (118 mph)
- Stalling speed: 70 km/h (44 mph)
- Rate of climb: 300 m/min (984 ft/min)
- Take-off run: 150 m (492 ft)
- Range: 1,500 km (932 miles)
- Fuel capacity [standard]: 79 litres (17.5 Imp gals)
- Fuel capacity [optional]: 129 litres (28 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 386 kg (850 lb)
- Useful load: 318 kg (700 lb)
- Loaded weight: 650 kg (1,432 lb)
- Baggage capacity: 0.169 m³ / 6 cub ft; 110 kg (242 lb)
History:
Colyaer SL has been building light sport aircraft for some years, the first aircraft produced being the Martin, which was fully certified. It was a two-seater with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, this model becoming available in 1999 and in its later form being known as the Martin 3. The design was redefined in 2004 to become the Gannet seaplane. This aircraft became available that year. Further development led to the Freedom, a fully amphibious model which had a fully enclosed retractable undercarriage. The aircraft met US Light Sport Aircraft Regulations and all three models had similar specifications and performance despite the fact that two of them were seaplanes. The Rotax 912ULS engine drove a three-blade carbon-fibre propeller 1.6 m (63 in) in diameter.
They were of full composite construction based on carbon-fibre techniques, using carbon, fibreglass, Kevlar and nomes and had stainless steel fittings and fastenings. The Gannet had a 20:1 glide ratio and had a constant-speed reversing and feathering propeller as an option. Production of all three models has continued, with kits being supplied around the world.
The first example of the type in this region arrived early in 2008 for the distributor, Silent Wings Aviation Pty Ltd, being registered as a Colyaer Martin 3 LSA as 24-5472. Others have included Freedom S100 24-5400 (c/n 130-001-036) which crashed at Lake Macquarie, NSW; S100 VH-IBY² (c/n 130-002-040) registered on 9 November 2009, being changed to VH-LUF on 23 March 2010, and on 4 February 2011 being transferred to the Recreation Aviation Australia Register (RAA) Register as 24-7761; and S100 VH-LDH³ (c/n 130-002-047) in December 2012 registered to its owner on Lord Howe Island, this aircraft being removed from the register in March 2018 when it was transferred to the RAA Register.