Photograph:
JMB Aircraft VL-3 Evolution 24-1549 (c/n 275) displayed at AirVenture Cessnock, NSW in September 2018 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
Czech Republic
Description:
Two-seat light sport monoplane
Power Plant:
One 80 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912ULS four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 8.44 m (27 ft 7 m)
- Length: 6.24 m (20 ft 4 in)
- Height: 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 9.77 m² (105.15 sq ft)
- Never exceed speed: 305 km/h (190 mph)
- Max cruising speed: 270 km/h (168 mph)
- Stalling speed: 55 km/h (34 mph)
- Ceiling: 4,267 m (14,000 ft)
- Take-off roll: 150 m (492 ft)
- Landing roll: 150 m (492 ft)
- Rate of climb: 366 m/min (1,200 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity [standard]: 90 litres (20 Imp gals)
- Fuel capacity [optional]: 120 litres (26 Imp gals)
- Max range: 2,400 km (1,491 miles)
- G-limits: +15G/-6G
- Empty weight: 270 kg (590 lb)
- Loaded weight: 600 kg (1,323 lb)
History:
The JMB AaIRCRAFT VL-3 Evolution was marketed by Jean-Marie and Jean-Baptiste Guisset who operated a training organisation in Belgium, taking over the operation of an airfield in 1980. They entered the ultralight aircraft business in 1995 with Rans types. They eventually decided to take over the VL-3 and set up JMB Aircraft in the Czech Republic and in Belgium. JMB Aircraft marketed the VL-3 in France and Belgium from Amougies airfield. More than 200 examples have been delivered around the world.
The Evolution has been produced by Vanessa Air and for a period was produced by a company known as Aveko. In later years it has been produced by JMB, receiving certification in the Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium, France, Norway, Portugal, Poland, The Baltic States, South Africa, USA, Italy, Slovakia, Turkey, Hungary and Romania. More recently it has become available in Canada, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and Spain.
The aircraft was built of composite materials and could be broken down into parts for ease of transport, ie both halves of the wing, tail surfaces, stabilisers, etc, could be separate from the fuselage and loaded on to a trailer.
Power was provided by either the Rotax 912ULS or the turbocharged 914 unit, the latter providing an increase in cruise performance by 30 km/h (19 mph) at 2,743 m (9,000 ft), driving a Woodcomp propeller available in two or three-blade variants. Never exceed speed was 305 km/h (190 mph) and the Evolution was fitted with an Airframe Parachute for emergency descent. It was also fitted with a retractable tricycle undercarriage. Built at Chocen in the Czech Republic, the fuselage alone weighed 36 kg (79 lb), and production reached 45 aircraft a year in 2019. By that time the new Rotax 915TSi engine was available and this provided 105 kw (141 hp).
The type was imported and marketed in Australia by Global Aviation Products, the first example being imported in late 2018. Demand has necessitated the manufacturer increasing production capacity with a new 2,000 sq metre facility to build the type, and by mid 2018 two facilities of this size were involved in production of the aircraft.
First of the type in Australasia became 24-1549 (c/n 275) with Recrfeational Aviation Australia (RAA) and was fitted with the optional Rotax 914 turbocharged engine, having a retractable undercarriage which was electro-hydraulically operted. A training variant was available and this had a modified wing.