Photograph:
Elmwood Aviation Christavia Mk IV ZK-PCJ (c/n 635) at Ashburton, NZ in February 2015 (K Morris – NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
Canada
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 48 kw (65 hp) Continental O-200 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.91 m (32 ft 6 in)
- Length: 6.4 m (21 ft)
- Height: 2.13 m (7 ft)
- Wing area: 13.58 m² (146.2 sq ft)
- Max speed: 217 km/h (135 mph)
- Cruising speed: 169 km/h (105 mph)
- Rate of climb: 274 m/min (900 ft/min)
- Range: 483 km (300 miles)
- Fuel capacity: 72 litres (16 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 340 kg (750 lb)
- Loaded weight: 680 kg (1,500 lb)
History:
Designed by Ronald Mason in Canada, the Elmwood Aviation Christavia was produced in a number of models as a homebuilt aircraft and plans were made available from the designer. Designed for work with missionaries in Africa, the name of the aircraft meant ‘Christ-in-Aviation’.
The Christavia was a single-engine, high-wing aircraft of 4130 steel tube construction fuselage with fabric covering, the wing being all wood with fabric covering also. It was of simple construction and the prototype first flew in 1983. Since then more than 400 examples have been completed around the world. Plans for homebuilders ahave been obtainable from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Company, as well as from the designer’s Company, Elmwood Aviation at Frankford in Ontario.
Most examples completed have been the lower powered Mk I but the Mk IV had a greater wingspan, a longer fuselage and seating for four. Standard engine used in the Mk IV was the 112 kw (150 hp) Lycoming O-320 engine and this model had a gross weight of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb).
First example of the type completed in this region was a Mk I which became ZK-PCJ (c/n 635) registered to its owner at Kaitangita, NZ on 28 March 2014. Construction of this aircraft commenced with Mr Russell Scott of Balaclutha and was completed by Craig Miller for Peter Johnson, the aircraft making its first flight at Taieri on 15 July 2014.