Photograph:
Kolb Twinstar II ZK-FVF (c/n 3000) at Masterton, NZ in March 2011 (NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
United States of America
Description:
Two-seat light sport aircraft
Power Plant:
One 48 kw (65 hp) Rotax 582 UL-2V two-cylinder two-stroke, liquid-cooled electronic dual ignition engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.14 m (30 ft)
- Length: 6.88 m (22 ft 6 in)
- Height: 2.07 m (6 ft 8 in)
- Max speed: 153 km/h (95 mph)
- Cruising speed: 121 km/h (75 mph)
- Stalling speed, with flaps: 74 km/h (46 mph)
- Endurance: 2.5 hours
- Loaded weight: 454 kg (1001 lb)
History:
For many years Holmer Kolb was involved in the design and construction of light aircraft of his own design and has been considered one of the founders of the ultralight movement in North America. One of his early successful aircraft was the Ultrastar, with between 400 and 500 kits delivered. Many of its problems were attended to in the Firestar, which was introduced in 1989. Eventually the TwinStar was introduced, being a two-place training aircraft with side-by-side seating, initially powered by a Rotax 503 engine but also able to be fitted with the Rotax 582. Examples are known to have been fitted with the 60 kw (80 hp) Rotax 912 unit.
A number of examples have been registered in this region. One aircraft, an M3X4-1, was first registered in New Zealand as ZK-ZJK (c/n 3X4-1-00092) but was later exported to Australia where on 11 February 2008 it became VH-ZJK and was based at Eden on the NSW south coast. Another, initially registered ZK-FVF (c/n MAANZ/437), later became ZJ-JML but crashed at Foxpine on 10 May 2003. A further example became ZK-FTN (c/n 3000). Another, described as a Mk III, became 19-7904 (c/n M3X 10-1-00100) on the RAA register in Australia.