Photograph:
Evektor Sportstar 24-4149 (c/n 20040305) at Watts Bridge, QLD (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Czech Republic
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.68 m (28 ft 5 in)
- Length: 5.98 m (19 ft 7½ in)
- Height: 2.48 m (8 ft 2 in)
- Wing area: 9.84 m² (105.9 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 270 km/h (168 mph)
- Max speed: 213 km/h (132 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 204 km/h (127 mph)
- Stalling speed flaps down: 74 km/h (46 mph)
- Max rate of climb at sea level: 311 m/min (1,020 ft/min)
- Service ceiling: 4,720 m (15,486 ft)
- Take-off run: 171 m (560 ft)
- Landing run: 165 m (540 ft)
- Range: 1,300 km (808 miles)
- G limits: +5.7/-2.25
- Empty weight: 308 kg (668 lb)
- Useful load: 292 kg (640 lb)
- Loaded weight: 600 kg (1,320 lb)
History:
Evektor-Aerotechnic AS of Kunovice in the Czech Republic was formed in 1991 and a lot of its work over the years has been involved in the production of parts for aircraft designed by Aero Vodochy, particularly parts for military trainers. In 1996 it acquired Aero Technik CA, and in later years produced kits of a number of aircraft, including the P220S Koala and the P220UL, which have been developed into the EV-97 EuroStar, and a very light aircraft (VLA) variant known as the Harmony, which first appeared in 2001.
Both the EuroStar and the Harmony used the same airframe but were built for basically different purposes. The EuroStar first flew in May 1997 and deliveries to customers began in October that year. The types were in production and examples have been registered in the United Kingdom and China. Variants included the EuroStar 2000, introduced in 1999 with the fuselage width increased by 4 cm (1½ in), modified wing tips, and increased wingspan, available in kit form.
The Team EuroStar 2001 was an improved version, introduced in 2001, mainly for the European market, with the Rotax 912UL engine of 60 kw (80 hp), or the 912ULS with 75 kw (100 hp), the name of this model later becoming the Sportstar when it was made available to other markets. More than 350 examples of the series have been delivered.
The type was a low-wing monoplane of all-metal construction with the wing-tips and mainwheel legs in glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP). Both models were two-seaters and had full dual controls. Undercarriage was fixed tricycle with hydraulic mainwheel disc brakes.
Late in 2003 two examples of the Sportstar arrived in Queensland for the Australian distributor SilverWings Aviation, being registered under Recreational Aviation Australia (RAA) Regulations, the first becoming 24-3978 (c/n 20030104), further examples becoming 24-4051 (c/n 20040203) and 24-4052 (c/n 20040204). In May 2006 an example was placed on the CASA register as VH-CDR (c/n 00060508), followed by VH-CZQ³ (c/n 20060701).
A number of variants have been produced, including the EPOS (Electric powered small aircraft). This was an electric variant which used the fuselage of the Model RTC, a training variant. It was first shown at Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany in 2013 fitted with a Rotex RE X907 engine which provided 50 kw (67 hp) but this was replaced by a Rotex RE BB 90.5 which produced 75 kw (100 hp) and was liquid-cooled. This model had a max speed of 259 km/h (161 mph) and has an endurance of one hour.