Photograph:
Remos G-3 MirageG-3NZ ZK-PRH at Parakai in March 2000 (Keith Morris – NZCIVAIR)
Country of origin:
Germany
Description:
Two-seat light touring and training aircraft
Power Plant:
One 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912 ULS four-cylinder horizontally-opposed liquid-and-air-cooled engine
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 9.8 m (32 ft 1¾ in)
- Length: 6.47 m (21 ft 2¾ in)
- Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 12.04 m² (129.60 sq ft)
- Max speed: 220 km/h (137 mph)
- Cruising speed: 195 km/h (121 mph)
- Stalling speed: 63 km/h (39 mph)
- Rate of climb: 390 m/min (1,280 ft/min)
- Fuel capacity (standard): 57 litres (12.5 imp gals)
- Fuel Capacity[Optional]: 70 litres (14.4 imp gals)
- Service ceiling: 4,270 m (14,000 ft)
- Range: 1,000 km (621 miles)
- Baggage capacity: 30 kg (66 lb)
- Empty weight: 284 kg (626 lb)
- Useful load: 315 kg (695 lb)
- Loaded weight: 450 kg (992 lb)
History:
The Mirage is a small ultralight aircraft designed by Lorenz Kreitmeyer and developed by Remos Aircraft of Eschelbach, Germany, being a development of the Company’s Model G-2 Gemini. It is a two-seater with a fixed tricycle undercarriage, although a tail-wheel variant is available, and is of all-composite construction. It has a strut-braced high wing, the wing being able to be folded for storage or trailering. It is available in kit form, the kit being manufactured in Poland at the Remos plant at Bielsko-Biala.
The Company was formed in 1983. The prototype G-3 (D-MRAE) was exhibited at the Friedrichshafen Aero Show in 1997, making its first flight on 20 September that year. It won the first prize in the 1998 Geneva two-seat ultralight championship and entered production in April 1999. The Mirage S was certified in August 1999 with a 75 kw (100 hp) Rotax 912 ULS engine. In June 2000 a prototype of a new variant (D-MPCJ) was shown in Berlin with a 54 kw (72 hp) Auto SAB 430 turbocharged two-cylinder four-stroke engine which weighed 30 kg (66 lb) less than the Rotax. Later the Mirage RS was announced with a re-designed rudder and undercarriage, and an additional window in the roof.
In 2003 the Mirage RS/L model appeared, having a number of weight saving modifications, the prototype of this model (D-MPLK – c/n 137) flying with a Jabiru 2200 engine. Examples have been supplied to the Argentine Police and military agencies in Romania. Further changes have been made to the design, including the installation of a larger 84 litre (18.5 Imp gal) fuel tank.
First examples seen in this region were imported by the local distributor, Ivan Strathern, of Hamilton NZ in 2005, the first registered being a G3NZ which became ZK-REM² (c/n 0155) to Sport Aviation Imports Ltd at Hamilton, in March 2005. Ownership was changed to John Wilson of Hamilton in November 2014 and the aircraft took up residence at Horotiu. A further example became ZK-PRH (c/n 228) and was registered on 13 February 2008 to Philip Hart of Huntly. A couple of examples have been registered in Australia under Recreation Aviation Australia (RAA) regulations.