Country of origin:

Australia

Description:

Two-seat light training and sport hig-wing monoplane

Power Plant:

One 80 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912 four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

In 2009 Brumby Aircraft of Cowra, NSW announced it was to build and market a high-wing model of its successful Brumby low-wing monoplane, the latter becoming known as the Model 600 and the new model becoming known initially as the Brumby High Wing 610 LSA, the partially completed prototype being shown to the aviation fraternity at Temora, NSW at Easter 2010.

The aircraft was completed by early 2011 and was undergoing testing when shown at Easter 2011 at Temora, having flown for the first time in March 2011. It was found to be a delight to fly with a comfortable cruising speed of 110 knots (204 km/h / 127 mph) and with a climb rate of 305 m/min (1,000 ft/min). The aircraft had a spacious cabin which was 18 cm (7 in) wider than a Cessna 172. After testing it received some modifications, receiving new swept back vertical tail surfaces.

The Model 610 entered production following certification in 2011 and was produced using the same production techniques as the low-wing Brumby and GA aircraft. Initially two engines were offered, the 80 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912 and the new Lycoming O-233 LSA four-cylinder unit. This latter unit was an FAA certified unit that was offered as standard equipment, this engine providing a time between overhaul (TBO) of 2,400 hours, but after further testing the option of this engine was withdrawn following operational issues which could not be corrected. In mid 2020 Brumby Aircraft released a nw model known as the 610 Outback fitted with Alaskan bush tyres.

In 2014 the Company signed an agreement with China’s Aviation Industry Corporation to set up a joint venture to sell 280 aircraft to China, and a further 80 aircraft to Australia and New Zealand, whilst at the same time establishing a flight training facility for international pilots in Cowra, NSW. It was stated at the time the Cowra facility would continue research and development for the former Victa Aircruiser in Australia and that the Company was expecting to increase its staff at Cowra and double the size of the Cowra complex.

By late 2018 the first Chinese-built aircraft were being imported to the Company’s facility at Cowra, the airframe being completed and painted there, and then placed on the market, the first aircraft built in China and completed in Australia being 23-9164 shown to the aviation fraternity at an event at Cessnock, NSW in September 2018.

Chinese certification of the Model 610 was expected in the first quarter of 2020.  By Christmas 2019 twelve had been built in China, the aircraft being shipped to the Brumby facility at Cowra for final assembly, painting and installation of instrumentation, engine and interior. It has been announced full production was underway in early 2020 and up to 230 aircraft would be manufacturered each year.

In late 2020 Brumby Aircraft announced it was entering the STOL market with a new variant of the high-wing Model 610, known as the Model 620 Outback. The new model has a larger fuselage and wing, a 134 kw (180 hp)  Titan engine or a 104 kw (140 hp) Totax 915 engine. With Tundra tyres it will be registered in the Experimental Category. It can be obtained in tailwheel or tricycle configuration. The prototype with a 119 kw (160 hp) Lycoming engine has been built at the Company’s facility at Cowra, NSW.