Photograph:
Sova Sabre 24-3811 (c/n 76881) at Narromine, NSW in October 2012 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Slovenia
Description:
Two-seat light sport cabin monoplane
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS four-cylinder, four-stroke, horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.9 m (32 ft 6 in)
- Length: 7.2 m (23 ft 7 in)
- Height: 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in)
- Wing area: 11.9 m² (128.09 sq ft)
- Max speed: 265 km/h (165 mph)
- Economical cruising speed:-204 km/h 127 mph)
- Stalling speed: 52 km/h (32 mph)
- Max rate of climb: 427 m/min (1,400 ft/min)
- Take-off distance: 90 m (295 ft)
- Landing distance: 140 m (459 ft)
- Range: 764 km (475 miles)
- Empty weight: 285 kg (628 lb)
- Loaded weight: 544 kg (1,199 lb)
History:
The Sabre was designed and built in Slovenia by SOVA and was available as a factory built machine, which could be registered under ultralight rules or in the general aviation category. A high-performance aircraft on the power available (75 kw / 100 hp), it had an electrically retractable undercarriage, variable pitch propeller, electric trim, and retractable Fowler flaps on the outer wings as standard. Construction was all alloy.
A number of models were available, with fixed or retractable tricycle undercarriages. Fuel was carried in two tanks, each containing 32 litres (7 Imp gals), and long-range tanks are optional. A number of engines could be fitted but usually units from the Rotax range, including the 86 kw (115 hp) four-cylinder 912S series with a turbocharger with automatic waste-gate control, 912ULS, or the 75 kw (100 hp) normally-aspirated variant of the 912, or the 914 turbo unit, the larger engines being available with two or three-blade propellers, the latter being in-flight variable pitch. It was also available with the 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912UL engine.
The first of the type seen in this region was imported in 2003 by the Australian distributor, Aircraft Imports of Australia of Springwood, QLD and demonstrated at the ultralight National Fly-in at Narromine at Easter that year, this aircraft becoming 24-3811 (c/n 76881) when registered to the importers, Boss Products Pty Ltd. Further examples were later imported, including 24-4037 (c/n 509-21101), 24-4038 (c/n 509-11091), 24-4039 (c/n 509-3111L), 24-4040 (c/n 509-01071), 24-4311 (c/n 510-04126K) and 24-4314 (c/n 510-512K).