Photograph:
An early production Aeromarine Merlin PSA OK-TUR 17 in the Czech Republic (Aeromarine LSA)
Country of origin:
Czech Republic
Description:
Single-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 48 kw (64 hp) Rotax 582 two-cylinder, two-stroke, air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)
- Length: 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)
- Height: 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in)
- Never exceed speed: 240 km/h (150 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 193 km/h (120 mph)
- Economical cruising speed: 145 km/h (90 mph)
- Stalling speed: 75 km/h (47 mph)
- Rate of climb: 427 m/min (1,400 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity: 49 litres (13 Imp gals)
- Empty weight: 189 kg (415 lb)
- Payload: 136 kg (300 lb)
- Loaded weight: 325 kg (715 lb)
History:
The Merlin series of light aircraft was designed in the Czech Republic and was produced by Aeromarine LSA at South Lakeland Airport in Florida, USA. It was introduced to the aviation fraternity at the Sport Aviation Expo in Florida in early 2016. It was an ultralight aircraft with a cantilever high-wing with a single-seat, had an enclosed cabin and was fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage. The engine was the Rotax 582 unit driving a three-blade ground adjustable propeller.
At least two variants were to be available, the PSA being the “personal sport aircraft” for the market which met “Experimental Amateur-built Category” regulations in the United States. It was available to amateur constructors in kit form and it was said the construction time to build a kit at the Factory Completion Centre in the United States was two weeks. A proposed electric-powered variant was expected to be available late in 2016. First example for the Australian distributor arrived in mid-2016.