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Vickers Aircraft Company, Ltd. Wave

Website: http://www.vickersaircraft.com/

-- - New Zealand

Weird? Or, Wonderful? More Companies Move Toward eVTOL …Will Sport Pilots?

By Dan Johnson || May 8, 2018 6 Comments

Workhorse's SureFly octocopter takes it's first hop fitted with "training wheels."

What on Earth is going on in Airplane DesignerLand? Are we headed for a bifurcation, a parting of the ways among those engineering the next generation of aircraft? Perhaps. Will this affect you? How do you feel about non-fixed-wing aircraft? I am searching for a term to generically describe these emerging flying machines; "drones" doesn't quite do the job. More of these seemingly-weird-looking machines seem to pop up every day. Prior experience suggests that most will never make it to market. Ones that do succeed in the eVTOL or electric-powered aircraft market may not even exist today. For that matter, it is far from certain that this will ever turn into a market, though given the huge amounts of money pouring into research projects, it seems nearly inevitable (to me) that some will survive and perhaps have a major impact on flying, both for transportation and for sport or recreation.

Wave eVTOL uses distributed power near the wingtips for cruise flight.

Along this vein, before and at Sun 'n Fun 2018, I spoke to officials from BRS parachutes. They reported being intensely busy fielding requests for ballistic parachute systems from eVTOL creators. You know STOL and probably VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing). EVTOL is the electric powered version of the latter and it's a space where literally billions may be spent; many hundreds of millions already have been. No wonder the interest in a parachute rescue system. While multicopter aircraft have the potential to be even safer than conventional aircraft with wings, that safety hinges on software robustness. Electric motors are much more reliable than combustion engines but an aircraft with no wings depends utterly on several spinning props doing their job. Developers say they can lose some and still get safely to the surface. I don't doubt that but doing so leans heavily on highly capable software. Remember how often your Windows computer crashed 20 years ago? No one wants that in their aircraft. However, modern computers and now tablets and smartphones rarely crash. The same sort of evolving development will likely happen to this merging of infotech and aircraft. On April 30th, Workhorse's SureFly octocopter (see our earlier article) took its first untethered flight. It lasted a mere 10 seconds but they've continued flying since. Workhorse co-founder and CEO Steve Burns said, “The first [untethered] flight proved to us what we needed to know: the energy used, the noise [level], the ease of control with the joystick, the balancing algorithms."

Unlike multicopters such as SureFly, Wave eVTOL "is a transitioning tilt rotor aircraft… designed to take off vertically and then transition to flight like a normal aircraft," reports Vickers.

A piston-powered SureFly is designed to fly up to 75 miles at a speed of approximately 75 mph, with an anticipated empty weight of 1,100 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight of 1,500 pounds. A 400 pound payload seems underwhelming but these developments are at an early stage. What happens when our current batch of deeply-experienced airplane designers get involved with this new action? Will they abandon our beloved LSA airplanes, trikes, gyroplanes, powered parachutes, and motorgliders for aircraft with multiple spinning props or pivoting wings? Maybe it's already happening.

Enter the Wave eVTOL

"It has always been my vision to move aviation forward," said Paul Vickers, the man and name behind New Zealand's much-anticipated Wave LSA seaplane from Vickers Aircraft. Nearby images show what he and his team have in mind.

"Wave eVTOL is a four-seat, semi-autonomous hybrid and will harvest 80% of our Wave Light Sport Aircraft model’s DNA," said Paul. "This positions us well down the road of developing shared technology, components and tooling, R&D, materials, manufacturing processes, techniques, and facilities that we have been refining over the years for our LSA." "Developing an eVTOL with amphibious capabilities opens possibilities not yet explored in this space, and with the New Zealand government leading the world from a regulation standpoint, New Zealand is on track to be the first country to allow approved manned eVTOL passenger flights." Vickers Aircraft is working closely with the Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAANZ) throughout the development of the Wave LSA and eVTOL aircraft variants. As you can see yourself, the proposed Wave eVTOL uses the multicopter approach with wing sections. They aren't the first to do this (see this article) but the Vickers' entry has the most artistic and graceful wings I've seen, swooping up and out from a tailless Wave fuselage.

Anticipating a question readers might pose, I asked Paul if this new direction meant he was easing away from the fixed wing LSA. "The initial design for the Wave was always to have a core base that can be used on a number of different models; the second in this range is the Wave eVTOL," Paul explained. "With facilities and technical ability already established [and with] wider government and regulatory support for the development of next generation aircraft in New Zealand, we feel confident in having a proof of concept ready by 2020." The Wave LSA seaplane will come much sooner though Vickers Aircraft is cautious about promises given what they've observed from other companies in this space. He offered no update on the fixed wing model. However, he is enthusiastic about using years of hard work to bring a one-design company closer to the family of aircraft he always foresaw.

"The beauty of the Wave eVTOL is that it can be developed in parallel with [our] LSA, enabling us to maintain our schedule," said Paul. "Both models will share everything from components and tooling to ergonomics and storage, as well as manufacturing procedures and material allowables that will combine to result in a rapid development cycle." To further communication on the new aircraft in planning, an organization called Sustainable Aviation Foundation will host a panel discussion called "Urban Planning for Sky Transit," on May 12, 2018 in San Francisco, California. For those who want to learn more about these new flying machines, see our just-released video review of most of the electric-powered aircraft at Aero Friedrichshafen. While this begins to look like an industry, this is just the beginning, I suspect. The video interviews European publisher Willi Tacke who has created a publication specifically for these eAircraft. It's free to read online and is also offered in print form. https://youtu.be/jPdP8Fw-vRs

What on Earth is going on in Airplane DesignerLand? Are we headed for a bifurcation, a parting of the ways among those engineering the next generation of aircraft? Perhaps. Will this affect you? How do you feel about non-fixed-wing aircraft? I am searching for a term to generically describe these emerging flying machines; “drones” doesn’t quite do the job. More of these seemingly-weird-looking machines seem to pop up every day. Prior experience suggests that most will never make it to market. Ones that do succeed in the eVTOL or electric-powered aircraft market may not even exist today. For that matter, it is far from certain that this will ever turn into a market, though given the huge amounts of money pouring into research projects, it seems nearly inevitable (to me) that some will survive and perhaps have a major impact on flying, both for transportation and for sport or recreation. Along this vein, before and at Sun ‘n Fun 2018, I spoke to officials from BRS parachutes.

Aviation Future Shock? Questions & Answers with a Australian Editor

By Dan Johnson || March 21, 2018 4 Comments

Vickers Aircraft’s coming Wave, a powerful LSA seaplane project; it hails from New Zealand.

Recently I had an exchange with Australian Flying magazine editor, Steve Hitchen. He asked some great questions and after giving my responses I realized some of his question were common ones I hear being discussed. So why not share our give-and-take? Steve's questions are in blue.

I'd like to talk about power. With LSA restricted to 120 KIAS, it seems unlikely we'll get much engine development to increase power unless regulations change to either allow an increase in speed or gross weight.

Clubman is a beautiful customization of the B&F FK-9 that has sold well over the last two decades. Their U.S. rep is Hansen Air Group.

LSA are getting more power, to wit, Rotax’s new 915iS with 135-horsepower and the Continental Titan line with 180 horsepower. I do not think this is the end of the horsepower boosts …plus LSA speed and/or weight changes could conceivably follow in the USA but are currently not limitations in other countries that accept the ASTM standards as a basis for approval or certification.

What would be the point of more powerful engines on LSA?

FX1 is a fully updated version of the JetFox97. It makes significant use of carbon fiber construction.

Well, beside pilots’ interest in having more power, aircraft operating at higher elevations and seaplane or floatplanes benefit from more power even when they cannot fly faster.

There's already a lot of technology in LSA thanks to the need to save weight, which has me wondering where the sector is going. Can you provide me with some thoughts?

Well, that topic could take us down quite a lengthy path. Let me offer a somewhat shorter reply.

Lisa’s Akoya is a LSA seaplane with several innovations such as the Seafoils you see cutting the water.

You are right about many tech developments — and on that I point you to an article published recently in General Aviation News' "The Pulse of Aviation." Two thoughts: (1) I believe the LSA sector has reached an interesting level of maturity. The pace of major innovations may have slowed but the most important developments are now common on most LSA (and light kits). This situation is not so different than smartphones that totally upended mobile a decade ago with the introduction of the iPhone. In a similar time period, that industry has also matured and development has lost its torrid pace. (2) The funny thing about innovation is you often don’t know how or when it might emerge. Electric propulsion is one possibility and then we are seeing the first glimmer of a new class of aircraft with a collection of spinning blades or rotating wings. Who can guess where precisely that is headed? Whatever the coming changes, they will work first on lighter aircraft. My article referenced above tries to speculate a bit.

By the way, the use of technology seeks not only to save weight. New methods are used because they can, that is, developers don't need to jump through the regulatory hoops as demanded in Part 23. LSA developers can quickly implement new ideas and materials. Boeing’s Aurora is one of a flock of new developments aimed at the air taxi trade but it could result in a sport model.

Composite versus metal. Is there something else? What type of composites are in common use and what types are under development? What drives composite development? Does metal still have a future in LSA? Is mix-and-match of both the way to go?

One definition of composite is "made of various materials." In the past "composite" implied fiberglass. LSA already rely on fiberglass, aluminum, and steel but add high-tech materials such as Kevlar, carbon fiber, and titanium. Today, the most advanced designs have significantly carbon fiber airframes, partly for weight but also strength as well as aerodynamic efficiency and design beauty.

Terrafugia’s TF-X is a second generation of their “roadable airplane,” now more likely after a substantial investment from China’s Geely auto maker.

However, metal seems here to stay, being highly established and proven. Its advantages in easy repair, easier-to-determine fatigue, and a widespread familiarity of working the material — along with low weight — will keep aluminum in play.

What are the major construction methods? Is there room for the construction method to contribute to the aircraft performance in terms of weight saving? Aircraft like the Ekolot Topaz have fuselages formed in two halves then adhered together like a Revell P-51 model. Is this the way of the future? Is there room for mass production?

North Wing’s smoothly-contoured Solairus Part 103 trike carriage shows how even older ideas can be dramatically upgraded.

That's one beauty of fiberglass and carbon. You can have beautiful shapes and strength with weigh savings. Assembly ease is a factor, too. Those materials will surely persist for those reasons and for future production efficiencies. However, since nearly all airplanes are low-production — essentially hand-built with modest use of robotics, even at the Boeing or Airbus level — prospects for genuine mass production seem distant.

Avionics development has seen technology cascade down from GA, but there is some that has been designed from scratch for the LSA sector, such as AoA Indicators. Which way will the technology flow in the future? Is EFIS going to become standard for LSAs or do the traditional clocks still have a place? Have we reached a pinnacle in LSA simply because the sector can operate without technology such as HUDs?

Drone maker Yuneec’s concept four seat electric aircraft.

Actually, I don’t believe it is accurate to say instrument technology cascaded down from GA. Instead, I think the best tech has cascaded UP, if you will, from lesser-regulated machines. Many airline pilots look at a modern LSA and say, “Wow, this is as good or better instrumentation than what I have in my airline cockpit!” For example, synthetic vision has been around for years already in LSA. Today, EFIS is pretty much standard in all LSA and, to some extent, that is spreading to Type Certified aircraft in the form of iPads that can now show full ADAHARS info plus traffic and weather. Since these can be handheld or yoke mounted, they need no FAA/CAA approvals. HUD is also coming but at more affordable prices. Who can predict what future tech is on the way. AoA has been around for years as well, and commonly the cost to add an AoA system is $200± per aircraft (as the digital screens can easily adapt to minor hardware additions); this is a small fraction of the cost on TC’d aircraft. One thing I feel sure of — the newest tech will appear in the least regulated aircraft first. As one more example, the very first use I know of for GPS, anywhere in aviation, was on hang gliders of all places.

Weight-saving is always an issue for manufacturers. In Australia a land-based LSA can lift no more than 600 kg (1,320 pounds), so what can manufacturers do to increase their useful load? Are we reaching a dangerous situation where the aircraft are getting too light or are too heavy to include some desirable safety features, such as parachutes?

Both airliner-building giants Boeing and Airbus are experimenting with small (1- and 2-seat) aircraft. This is a concept drawing for Airbus’ Vahana that just took its first flight.

Perhaps we are pushing some boundaries if new ideas and materials are not forthcoming. However, they are forthcoming. I’m not too worried about it. For example, crush zone technology in cars did not add weight — in fact removed it compared to other methods — and this greatly added to safety.

Are regulations stifling LSAs? Should LSAs be able to fly at up to 750 kg MTOW (1,650 pounds gross) to give manufacturers more design freedom? Is there anything that has to change to enable more technology to be used in LSA, and if so, what is it?

An airframe parachute is one of several innovations that started in light Aircraft and migrated up to larger aircraft.

As a rule, I’d rather see less regulation to encourage more innovation. Even FAA appears to agree, based on their Part 23 rewrite recently released. Many tend to think regulation makes for safer aircraft, but (1) that is matter of diminishing return — how much safety is gained from more regulation? — and, (2) regulation is not the only way safety has advanced. Insurance companies have demanded improvements that FAA didn’t consider. Media people help improve designs by their critiques. Other industries contribute tech that improves safety, if regulations don’t prevent it. Consumers are another bulwark against dumb ideas and for more creative and cost-efficient safety solutions. Finally, competition stimulates improvements, the best of which quickly flash around an industry. Look how similar airliners or smartphones appear. The most successful ideas tend to be used by everyone in time.

There's a lot there, but there's also a lot to think about. Until the rewrite of FAR23, the LSA sector led general aviation in technology, especially in the use of composites. The new FAR23 is sort of like catch-up regulation for GA, but where does the technology leader, LSA, go to from here?

BRM Aero’s handsome Bristell, seen here in taildragger configuration, is a 5th generation design that shows how far the LSA industry has come in a short time.

You are right that LSA is leading the innovation charge in many ways. Where can the industry go from here? We (LAMA) have spoken to FAA a lot in the last three years as we seek new opportunities within the present regulatory framework. It is perfectly clear that LSA were a significant reason why FAA went ahead with the Part 23 rewrite and use of industry consensus standards. To answer the future question, I again refer you to this recent article. The freshest new tech in aviation may come from outside aviation but I would never discount the passionate, imaginative, and motivated designers and developers operating in light aviation today.

Recently I had an exchange with Australian Flying magazine editor, Steve Hitchen. He asked some great questions and after giving my responses I realized some of his question were common ones I hear being discussed. So why not share our give-and-take? Steve’s questions are in blue. I’d like to talk about power. With LSA restricted to 120 KIAS, it seems unlikely we’ll get much engine development to increase power unless regulations change to either allow an increase in speed or gross weight. LSA are getting more power, to wit, Rotax’s new 915iS with 135-horsepower and the Continental Titan line with 180 horsepower. I do not think this is the end of the horsepower boosts …plus LSA speed and/or weight changes could conceivably follow in the USA but are currently not limitations in other countries that accept the ASTM standards as a basis for approval or certification.

Vickers Oshkosh Forum to Describe Progress toward Wave Light-Sport Aircraft Seaplane

By Dan Johnson || July 23, 2017 2 Comments

A large format machine marks carbon fiber pieces for cutting.

Now that we are in the middle of winter, activity is brisk. Middle of winter!? Down under in New Zealand, residents are presently in the colder months of the year. Pilots in U.S. states currently sweating through summer may need a moment to ponder that. New Zealand may be a long ways away but the Vickers Aircraft team building Wave are bringing their fascinating aircraft ever closer. As they work, they are gaining experience with new equipment used to build Wave LSA seaplanes. "Our tooling is all in place now," said CEO Paul Vickers. "Initial parts are coming out of molds and they are matching the CAD files perfectly." Modern design, even of more affordable aircraft, are often fully created on computer work stations. The days of hand making a prototype are passed and the older way is nearly extinct.

Scanning the mold assures the final part will precisely match the original CAD file.

"We've also recently doubled the size of our facilities," added Paul. As the New Zealand company moves steadily toward initial production, design work is mostly complete and the translation of that computer effort has transitioned to initial fabrication. "We have carbon fiber clean rooms to make or 'pull' parts from molds," said Paul. The combination of computer design and laser cutting of raw material allows a faster move to building parts and the magic of this modern method is components that are right the first time. How do workers at Wave know the parts are right? The answer is more high tech equipment. In the nearby photo, a lower wing skin mold is 3D scanned using a hand held instrument. The surface of the mold is verified to assure it precisely matches the CAD file. In the image you see a series of dots, which are stickers applied to the mold. The dots identify reference locations used by the hand held scanner to assist the worker.

Parts resulting from the CAD process lead to much faster production capability.

"We've digitally designed the aircraft and the scanning is a validation that the part matches the design," explained Steve Hamblin, an engineer with very applicable experience from another LSA company. Steve moved from the USA with his family to assist the Vickers Wave effort. Taking your family half way around the world shows a level of commitment to this highly-anticipated project. Wave boasts many intriguing features and further distinguishes itself by being the first LSA seaplane planning to use the potent Titan X-340 engine from Continental Motors. With 180 horsepower, Wave should be a most enthusiastic performer. As Icon continues laying the groundwork for serial production of their popular A5 (more than 1,500 orders have been placed, said Icon), Vickers has attracted great interest in his LSA seaplane of advanced design. Paul reports many customers have approached him, keen to know more. Typical of the lower-key way Vickers is conducting their development, the company does not report orders nor promise dates yet but that is not holding back interest from pilot consumers.

A sophisticated paint booth and related high tech tooling required Vickers to double the size of their production facility.

"We are fully funded and moving according to plan to get our Wave ready for production," observed Paul. In addition to the primary task of preparing Wave for production, Vickers leadership and engineers are working on the Wave Pilot Operating Handbook, maintenance manuals, and additional documentation. All this will be needed when FAA later schedules a visit to approve the company. After changes a few years back, FAA has the option to perform a full company documents audit before a new Special LSA can gain agency acceptance. With an innovative design like Wave, FAA inspectors will surely take the option. "We a building a company as well as a plane," stressed Paul Vickers!

Want to know more?

The many who have expressed an interest in Vickers Wave have a golden opportunity to find out more… soon. You can hear the latest on this impressive design directly from the source.

"We received confirmation from EAA on the time slot for our forum and meet & greet at AirVenture 2017 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin," said Paul. Vickers Aircraft will be at Forum Stage 2 at the Forums Plaza (Knapp St.) from 1:00-2:15 pm on Tuesday, July 25th. Here's a show grounds map to guide you. "Although the aircraft will not be present, we will be giving a short presentation about Vickers Aircraft and the Wave," said Paul. This provides an excellent time to meet with a few of Vickers' key people, including Founder and CEO, Paul Vickers.

Now that we are in the middle of winter, activity is brisk. Middle of winter!? Down under in New Zealand, residents are presently in the colder months of the year. Pilots in U.S. states currently sweating through summer may need a moment to ponder that. New Zealand may be a long ways away but the Vickers Aircraft team building Wave are bringing their fascinating aircraft ever closer. As they work, they are gaining experience with new equipment used to build Wave LSA seaplanes. “Our tooling is all in place now,” said CEO Paul Vickers. “Initial parts are coming out of molds and they are matching the CAD files perfectly.” Modern design, even of more affordable aircraft, are often fully created on computer work stations. The days of hand making a prototype are passed and the older way is nearly extinct. “We’ve also recently doubled the size of our facilities,” added Paul.

Vickers Aircraft — Wave LSA seaplane

By Dan Johnson || February 1, 2017 5 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFVTAEYybq8#action=share Among all Light-Sport Aircraft, some of the most intriguing new design qualities are emerging from LSA seaplanes. Icon's A5 has gained a ton of attention but here's a new entry from Vickers Aircraft of New Zealand. This aircraft is -not- yet flying (as of late 2016) but is such an innovative engineering exercise that we wanted to interview designer Paul Vickers when he was in the USA arranging aspects of Wave's debut in America. Stay tuned; we're sure to have more!

Among all Light-Sport Aircraft, some of the most intriguing new design qualities are emerging from LSA seaplanes. Icon’s A5 has gained a ton of attention but here’s a new entry from Vickers Aircraft of New Zealand. This aircraft is -not- yet flying (as of late 2016) but is such an innovative engineering exercise that we wanted to interview designer Paul Vickers when he was in the USA arranging aspects of Wave’s debut in America. Stay tuned; we’re sure to have more!

A Powerful Wave Is Headed Your Way!

By Dan Johnson || April 3, 2016 Leave a Comment

This a rendering of Wave's upper fuselage center of Wave. Get a more complete view of the airplane in this article.

The above image shows three upper fuselage carbon fiber production components, some of which are for first customer aircraft deliveries.

In this image the windscreen mold has just been cured in Vickers' oven and is now ready for the first batch of screens to be made.

Nose components of Wave. See more complete images of the LSA seaplane and read all we offer at this link.

Unless you've had your mind on other pursuits — oh, for example, preparing to head to Sun 'n Fun 2016 next week (the show runs April 5-10) — you could hardly miss the growing buzz surrounding Icon. A soft whistle of air escaping the cabin turned into a deafening roar as Aero-News.Net (always fast with news), AOPA online, AVweb and others piled on to a story about Icon's 40-page A5 purchase contract. Credible journalistic work was done by Jim Campbell, Jim Moore, and Paul Bertorelli (respectively of each of the publications mentioned above) in documenting the behemoth contract. I have an opinion too — one part respectful of the California company's wish to protect their brand and their investment and and one part saying, "What the...?" I see no reason to delve into further than the lengthy stories my fellow writers already posted. Instead, I like following what's new in Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, and ultralights. I have such an abundance of story material, my task is how to present it all. Thanks to Jim, Jim, and Paul for doing their jobs but I prefer to look south... way south, all the way south to New Zealand, nearly on the other side of the planet. I refer to Wave from Vickers Aircraft. I've been following this since near the beginning (much like I did with Icon) and I want to provide an update from the company. People are scratching their heads about Icon. Many (like me) wish them well in their goal to grow aviation but wonder what is taking so long. Meanwhile, working furiously but out of the glare of bright stage lights is Paul Vickers and his dedicated team at Vickers Aircraft. Their work demands careful planing and other elements. First: vision. Many think Icon started something good. Certainly their airplane is handsome and flies without fault. They had vision. Over my years in aviation publishing, I've met hundreds of engineers and hundreds of artists. I find those creative folks share a common theme, that of wanting to do something excellent. Aircraft designers envision what some of us cannot. Then they start drafting. The same could be said of a sculptor looking at a massive block of granite or marble and seeing the finished work before picking up a tool. "From the beginning our plan was to build a production aircraft using realistic techniques and real world solutions," said Vickers CEO, Paul Vickers, with whom I've been communicating steadily for more than two years. "I am pleased to say that real progress is exactly what we are achieving." Especially in light of recent events, Paul's observation — made several days before the Icon furor started — was, "The LSA sector is screaming out for an amphibian that is real and delivers on its promises. Wave will do so, you have my personal guarantee," asserted Paul. Second: money. You have to have it and plenty of it to build a new-from-scratch LSA seaplane. This may be one of the toughest tasks: birthing a new airplane company... just ask Icon or many other companies. "We secured American investors to help us bring Wave to reality," said Paul. "Their incredible support helped to shape 2015 into a year of progress and success." The images accompanying this article give visual proof of progress much better than engineering drawings can. "Our customers continue to give us the confidence and determination to reach beyond our limits to bring our incredible product to the aviation market," Paul expressed. "With strong encouragement from our supporters we were driven to strive for excellence." Third: tooling. In 2015 Vickers Aircraft fired up their first curing oven. "We are well underway with producing the pre-preg carbon fiber parts for the first production cycle," said Paul. He added that custom-developed PLC software enables detailed control of heating cycles and offers the full traceability that is required to manufacture aircraft. Vickers' oven is capable of producing components for 30+ aircraft per year, he said. Team Vickers is fully in control of their process. "All components for the Wave, both aluminum and carbon fiber, are made in house by our dedicated team," Paul noted. You cannot build an all-carbon-fiber airplane without some rather exotic tools. (For comparison, Icon does not primarily use carbon fiber, though companies like Flight Design have done so for years.) Fourth: manufacturing. Over my years following more companies than I can recall anymore, I've seen brilliant designers create some fantastic airplanes... and then never build them, or not very many of them. Some engineers design for production from the start and Paul Vickers relentlessly stresses this is his goal. Paul said, "As we enter into the next stage of growth for Vickers Aircraft we have begun looking for a suitable location to base Vickers Aircraft USA, our sales, training and delivery facility in the United States." He has begun exploring sites on the East and West coasts. As reported earlier, Wave will be powered by the 180-horsepower Titan engine, now offered by Continental Motors. This potent powerplant should do wonders compared to similar weight LSA seaplanes using 100-115 horsepower. "Deliveries will start early 2017," promised Paul. "We are aiming to be flying late this year." Indeed, a powerful Wave is building. Below, watch a video of production work to make carbon fiber parts for the Vickers Wave...

Unless you’ve had your mind on other pursuits — oh, for example, preparing to head to Sun ‘n Fun 2016 next week (the show runs April 5-10) — you could hardly miss the growing buzz surrounding Icon. A soft whistle of air escaping the cabin turned into a deafening roar as Aero-News.Net (always fast with news), AOPA online, AVweb and others piled on to a story about Icon’s 40-page A5 purchase contract. Credible journalistic work was done by Jim Campbell, Jim Moore, and Paul Bertorelli (respectively of each of the publications mentioned above) in documenting the behemoth contract. I have an opinion too — one part respectful of the California company’s wish to protect their brand and their investment and and one part saying, “What the…?” I see no reason to delve into further than the lengthy stories my fellow writers already posted. Instead, I like following what’s new in Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, and ultralights.

Continental’s Titan Engine to Power Vickers Wave

By Dan Johnson || October 6, 2015 Leave a Comment

Vickers is completing all component elements including the CNC bullet sump (top) and tooling for the fuselage.

Big power is not just for LSA taildraggers anymore. A few years back, CubCrafters surprised the LSA world with its installation of the most powerful engine in the LSA space. The western U.S. company mounted a Titan engine from ECi making the modest Cub-like airframe perform far better than the old versions from the Piper company. At the time, this potent powerplant raised eyebrows for two reasons. First, it seemed an excess of power for the then-new lightweight class of airplanes FAA had just regulated into existence. Most had been using one of the 9-series engines from Rotax, which in some cases was itself a move up from a two-stroke Rotax 582 providing 65 horsepower. CubCrafters limited power after takeoff to maneuver within the regs, though, honestly, who would continue using so much power in cruise or while sight seeing? Secondly, the Cub-style airframe is already near the upper LSA empty weight calculation so CubCrafters' engineers had to add many costly carbon fiber elements to keep the empty weight low enough to fit in the class. Compared to the Rotax 912, Titan beefy engine adds considerable weight so the airframe diet represented considerable work. All the handsome carbon fiber also boosted the price of the CarbonCub to breathtaking levels. Nonetheless, the company made it work so well that they have set the pace for airplane deliveries in the LSA space for several years. Since they broke the mold, however, other companies such as American Legend and Zlin have installed the engine to offer essentially the same performance characteristics ... and they've been able to push the price down to levels ByDanJohnson.com readers are more likely to embrace. However, one strongly emerging class of airplane is the LSA seaplane, and you might think that this higher-empty-group of designs could benefit from more power. Indeed, Rotax recently announced their new 915 model (video) offering 135 horsepower. Given the Austrian company's vast global network and overwhelming market acceptance, the 915 seems destined to be a success story. However, 915 won't arrive on the market until 2017, the company detailed at their Oshkosh press conference. In the meantime, another LSA seaplane has seen an opportunity. In May 2015, Continental Motors Group, a division of China aviation giant, AVIC, announced it purchased all the asset of Engine Components International, or ECi, maker of the Titan engine and other engine parts. Simply put, the Titan 300-series is now part of Continental Motors, giving the powerplant added funding and a massive international network. The acquisition gives Continental a strong foothold in the experimental market via ECi's Titan line of engines, which includes the X320, X340 and X370 models, which, interestingly, are all based on Lycoming type designs. In our video below (or click here) ECi's Miguel Soto tells you more about the Titan engine used by Vickers. I've followed and written about Vickers Aircraft's coming Wave here and here. Along with Icon and MVP.aero, Wave appears to be a third generation design in the 11-year-old LSA world. All three models have superb design ideas — each different in their own ways — and represent state-of-the-art creations among Light-Sport Aircraft. With a new announcement, Wave is increasing the ante significantly.

Riding the Wave … Vickers’ Wave, That Is

By Dan Johnson || June 28, 2015 Leave a Comment

CNC Billet Machined Ribs fitted to main Alloy spar prior final assembly. all images provided by Vickers Aircraft

Windscreen template being test fitted, prior to trimming the first screens.

CNC machined rear empennage and vertical tail plug taken prior to mold being produced and first article.

As I've written a few times, I see a dichotomy in LSA designs. Landplanes appear to have entered a "mature" phase, where changes are incremental, evolutionary rather than revolutionary, if you will. I see nothing wrong with that. To the contrary, it speaks to an industry that knows where it is going and how to achieve design goals. Electric propulsion is still stirring things considerably (witness several recent articles here and elsewhere) but electric motors can work on landplanes or seaplanes. To my view, it appears the lead in the most innovative design is being done in LSA seaplanes. Perhaps this was triggered by Icon and their A5. The California entry is handsome and well enough marketed to collect many orders. While finally coming to market A5 has been a decade in preparation. This left the door open for more highly innovative entries Meanwhile existing designs such as Searey and Super Petrel have been much refined and have demonstrated meeting ASTM standards with Searey also achieving Chinese Type Design Approval. Another innovative design, called MVP, looks mighty intriguing but is still some years away from reaching the market. However, rather quietly and thousands of miles away from California, Vickers Aircraft has been steadily working on their Wave. "Earlier this year we secured substantial investment," reported boss Paul Vickers. "We worked hard over the prior twelve months to seek suitable investors from the USA and we found what we needed." I can imagine that the rather dramatic and fresh design of Wave helped inspire investors to open the checkbook. Thanks to a major injection of capital the pace has quickened as you can see in the development photos accompanying this article. "We are building a 'conforming prototype' that is production ready, meaning that no redesign work or retooling is required to enter production, said Paul. "Once we have completed the current build we will begin working on the first customer delivery, components and parts for which have already been made. The first customer delivery is scheduled for mid-2016." "We are manufacturing all components, both alloy and carbon fiber in house," Paul noted. "This ensures complete accuracy both dimensionally and with regards to weight. We are very pleased that our design weights match actual part weights. We have opted to use prepreg carbon fiber as is generally used on supercars and Formula One race cars so that we can assure the desired repeatability during production." Many steps have been taken during the design process with an eye to serial production. Vickers reports completing sufficient work at this point to see their fit to the marketplace. "We expect our price will be competitive due largely to keeping the unique part count to around 400, considerably less than that mentioned by other aircraft companies," Paul explained. "This coupled with a realistic investment in Vickers to-date appealed to our new American investors as it offers a stable and sustainable platform moving forward." "We are very excited to bring this aircraft to market and we are getting closer to that reality every day," said Paul. "We are looking forward to unveiling some truly exciting innovations that will make the Wave stand alone." One major difference in Wave from all the others is the planned use of a 180 horsepower engine that he calculates will produce a 120-knot cruise. At such speeds, Wave would be the fastest of the breed. Pry as I might, Paul would not divulge all his secrets. Yet he did agree to share some very interesting design features if I agreed not to write about them yet, and in so saying, he further piqued my interest. This is one reason why I see LSA seaplanes as the point of the spear, design-wise. Vickers has lined up a number of what they call "strategic partners." For example, emergency airframe maker BRS has entered into a new developmental partnership with Vickers Aircraft. "The truly innovative and well thought out design of the amphibious Wave aircraft, when coupled with BRS' long standing leadership role in aircraft recovery parachutes, creates an aircraft that may well set a new standard in performance, fun, and of course, safety," stated Boris Popov (video), founder and senior vice president of sales at BRS Aerospace. "BRS is honored to have been selected by Vickers for integration into this new aircraft design." "Stand alone styling that is both smooth and strong, incredible innovations, intuitive systems wrapped in functionality for a price that will stun..." expressed Vickers CEO Paul Vickers. "That is the Wave." I look forward to inform you further as more details and images leak out of Vickers Aircraft.

As I’ve written a few times, I see a dichotomy in LSA designs. Landplanes appear to have entered a “mature” phase, where changes are incremental, evolutionary rather than revolutionary, if you will. I see nothing wrong with that. To the contrary, it speaks to an industry that knows where it is going and how to achieve design goals. Electric propulsion is still stirring things considerably (witness several recent articles here and elsewhere) but electric motors can work on landplanes or seaplanes. To my view, it appears the lead in the most innovative design is being done in LSA seaplanes. Perhaps this was triggered by Icon and their A5. The California entry is handsome and well enough marketed to collect many orders. While finally coming to market A5 has been a decade in preparation. This left the door open for more highly innovative entries Meanwhile existing designs such as Searey and Super Petrel have been much refined and have demonstrated meeting ASTM standards with Searey also achieving Chinese Type Design Approval.

Clearer Picture(s) of the new Vickers Wave

By Dan Johnson || December 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

Fitting the vertical stabilizer to the airframe. Wave mixes use of carbon fiber and aluminum.

The incredible hull of Oracle's America's Cup speedster "flying" across the water. photo copyright Oracle Team USA by Guilain Grenier

After a rush of interest owing to earlier reports (see here and here), the team at Vickers Aircraft went head down and began pushing even harder on their fascinating new amphibious LSA seaplane entry called Wave. As you can see by the photos, they've now unveiled the overall appearance though additional details of this rather distinctive creation will be released as components are fitted and evaluated. Meanwhile, for those who want more, principal designer Paul Vickers added, "I am pleased to inform that our Vickers Aircraft website is now live. We invite pilots around the world to come have a closer look and to observe which companies we are engaging as partners. "We have achieved our production weights on completed assemblies," noted Paul, including wings, tail stabilizers, controls, and composites structures such as the cockpit and sponsons." Vickers says they achieved this by strategically combining aluminum and carbon fiber. Advanced designs use a mix of materials in areas that have varying strength requirements. "We spent a lot of time before the initial design was started working on construction techniques to ensure they could be transferred to the aircraft design and used in production. "We then took this proven solution into the design phase early 2010 and have now produced numerous components that are matching our design weights," added Paul. With a reported 80% of the prototype completed Vickers Aircraft said their clean-sheet design should achieve target weights enabling Wave to be an FAA-accepted Special LSA without any need for a weight exemption. Part of assuring weight targets are met — keep in mind that the LSA seaplane gross of 1,430 pounds (650 kg) can be demanding for a capable aircraft with retractable gear and other water-worthy features — means close coordination with leaders in carbon fiber. "We are very pleased to introduce Core Builder Composites as our partner to supply the carbon fiber components, said Vickers. Sailing enthusiasts may already know this company's work through their most celebrated product, the Oracle yacht that won the America's Cup this year as one of the fastest boats in the world. Core Builder Composites met the demand for a 72-foot catamaran that appears to zoom above the water (photo) while using a sail that looks for all the world like a long half-wing instead of a billowing fabric sail. Given the intense — and very well funded — competition for America's Cup sailboats, the company based in New Zealand along with Vickers appears well equipped to do prototype and production work on Wave's composite structures. I've written about the level of competition present in LSA seaplanes, perhaps triggered by the amazing success of California's Icon A5. Through very astute marketing Icon has reportedly collected more than 1,000 orders for their amphib seaplane. The company has been breaking new ground in several areas, such as their spin-resistant airframe that earned Icon a weight exemption from FAA. However, the effort has also delayed production and opened an opportunity for other designs to fill the void. This drives Vickers Aircraft to keep the pressure on to have product delivered to customers by summer 2014, a goal they still feel is achievable. While far less well known than Icon because they kept their focus on design and production preparation, Wave is making friends around the globe, reported Paul Vickers. Interest from a number of potential buyers is rewarding the push and the company repeated earlier statements, "Our sale price in the USA will be under $180,000 including the 180 horsepower Lycoming IO-360, automatic folding wings, and airframe parachute."

Vickers Releases Another Sneak Peak at their Wave

By Dan Johnson || October 28, 2013 Leave a Comment

Vickers Aircraft unveiled a more complete look at their new LSA amphibian.

Workers fit a custom Catto prop to Wave's Lycoming IO-360 powerplant.

Wave components returned from anodizing await inspection.

Following our initial unveil of a new amphibian called "Wave" by Vickers Aircraft Company, more details were offered in their programmed slow-motion rollout of a new amphibian LSA candidate. In this update we hear about who will supply the prop and see some of the hardware components. I was informed that response was brisk after the last article suggesting the tempting way facts are released developed a sense of intrigue. One thing not said earlier is that principal Paul Vickers spent years in marine hull design and fabrication, addressing that aspect of engineering competency. As to the aerodynamic side, Paul wrote, "We are confident in achieving our performance figures as we have spent the pat three years producing and studying the hydrodynamics and aerodynamics needed for our particular flight envelope." Vickers provided performance info to Catto props who developed and delivered a specific propeller to maximize to the airflow produced by Wave's pusher configuration. "This information coupled with the known performance figures of the Lycoming IO-360 should provide a 120 knot cruise," indicated Vickers. Vickers expressed appreciation to Craig Catto at Catto Propellers. "Catto delivered a unique prop (photo) in a short time," Paul emphasized. "We now have a specially designed propeller with hardened nickel leading edges to protect the prop from the effects of water spray. The three blade prop ensures that 180 horsepower delivered by Lycoming's engine is transferred into useful thrust. Some readers wondered about Vickers' ability to meet LSA weight limit, especially give the use of a powerful and relatively heavy powerplant. "We are pleased that completed assemblies including wings, tailplane, and composite structures have been matching engineering design weights." The company said it is confident Wave can provide a useful load of 500 pounds. CAD modeling computer simulations and analysis were intensely employed. "Our aircraft is 100% designed on computers; it's incredible what computers offer modern engineers. One wonders what might have been if the Wright brothers had access to some of the tools we have at our disposal." As the first parts were produced, Vickers engineers were pleased how close theoretical weights matched actual part weights. "With more than 80% of the aircraft built, we are well on our way to meeting our design and delivery goals," Paul observed. Vickers is presently building two aircraft, one for flight tests and regulatory approval and another, the first of several, they say, for delivery perhaps as soon as Oshkosh 2014. The company has been sharing development with regulators for "a speedy approval process." Vickers reported that preliminary response to their "peak-a-boo" announcement was surprisingly strong. (Add your name to their list by emailing Paul Vickers.) However, the company said many inquirers asked a similar question, "We heard about the big engine but what about more complete specs?" In other words, how will Wave compare to other LSA amphibians? Addressing this request, Vickers Aircraft offered the nearby chart. "We will be releasing progress production pictures and additional information on a regular basis," said Paul Vickers. Though it remains in development, interested pilots can bookmark Vickers Aircraft website for regular updates.

Following our initial unveil of a new amphibian called “Wave” by Vickers Aircraft Company, more details were offered in their programmed slow-motion rollout of a new amphibian LSA candidate. In this update we hear about who will supply the prop and see some of the hardware components. I was informed that response was brisk after the last article suggesting the tempting way facts are released developed a sense of intrigue. One thing not said earlier is that principal Paul Vickers spent years in marine hull design and fabrication, addressing that aspect of engineering competency. As to the aerodynamic side, Paul wrote, “We are confident in achieving our performance figures as we have spent the pat three years producing and studying the hydrodynamics and aerodynamics needed for our particular flight envelope.” Vickers provided performance info to Catto props who developed and delivered a specific propeller to maximize to the airflow produced by Wave’s pusher configuration.

“Cool and Sexy” Describes New LSA Amphibian

By Dan Johnson || October 7, 2013 Leave a Comment

Offering only a temptation at this point, Vickers Aircraft is beginning to pull back the curtain on their three-year development.

Big power comes to LSA seaplanes as Wave elects the 180-horsepower Lycoming IO-360.

I've written a number of articles about LSA seaplanes ... about the several we already have in the fleet (Aventura news), and about new designs to come (quick tour of many new LSA and Ultralight seaplanes). One of new ones is called Wave from Vickers Aircraft Company and the new entry is starting to peek from behind the dark curtain. Along with other designs in development, the Vickers project merits close attention as it offers genuine out-of-the-box thinking. Previously I agreed not to say more, governed by a non-disclosure agreement. However, at AirVenture 2013 I ran into Director and principal designer Paul Vickers. After talking about his sponsorship of EAA's Young Eagles program Paul told me he was finally ready to make some announcements about his project. Following are a couple glimpses. Another man with inside knowledge said, "This is the coolest, sexiest aircraft coming to market. Wave is breathtaking." The speaker: Bill Canino of SportairUSA and winner of the LAMA 2013 President's Award to an Outstanding Individual. This tiny slice of the airframe (image) where wing meets fuselage is all Vickers is willing to show right now. They've begun the peek-a-boo unveiling to tempt early position orders. Much like Icon Aircraft did some years back, Vickers Aircraft plans to collect a small deposit from early adopters and will give them special perks for jumping on board sooner. For example, Vickers is offering their first 100 position buyers a percentage discount off a seaplane expected to go for a price similar to Icon's A5. The offer is a fairly serious motivator, as much as a $37,000 discount. Icon came on the market at $139,000 but in what is often called "constant dollars" (meaning that today's price involves more dollars, thanks to inflation). Icon buyers making recent delivery position orders report a price similar to what Vickers is considering for their Wave. While both aircraft are impressive, Wave has some unique qualities. Vickers Aircraft may be teasing your interest but the company did reveal one very interesting choice: the engine — a Lycoming IO-360, putting out 180 horsepower. Now we've seen engines from CubCrafters and Zlin offering similar power and UL Power has some non-certified engines getting close. Still, offering a bigger displacement Lycoming brand engine at this power on a seaplane notably compares to the Icon A5's 100-horsepower Rotax 912 iS. Paul told me several reasons why he made that decision from the start and he'll begin discussing this publicly as time goes on but he'll inform early customers even sooner. Oliver Leber, OEM Sales Manager for Lycoming Engines said, "We have enjoyed working with Vickers on this project, and are excited to see this kind of innovation in the world of general aviation." Vickers Aircraft Company also said their amphibian will come with automatic folding wings. Paul Vickers promised, "We're planning to deliver production aircraft at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014." If he makes this schedule — the project has been in development for three years already — he may tie or could even beat Icon to market. "Delivery positions are now available," said Vickers. To get your name on the list and to receive information, email Paul Vickers. Assisting Vickers is Abid Farooqui of SilverLight Aviation. When working on a similar project SilverLight Aviation drew unusually supportive comments from various FAA personnel after successfully completing a full audit. I hope Paul will keep leaking details of his new seaplane. We'll be keeping an eye on this one.

I’ve written a number of articles about LSA seaplanes … about the several we already have in the fleet (Aventura news), and about new designs to come (quick tour of many new LSA and Ultralight seaplanes). One of new ones is called Wave from Vickers Aircraft Company and the new entry is starting to peek from behind the dark curtain. Along with other designs in development, the Vickers project merits close attention as it offers genuine out-of-the-box thinking. Previously I agreed not to say more, governed by a non-disclosure agreement. However, at AirVenture 2013 I ran into Director and principal designer Paul Vickers. After talking about his sponsorship of EAA’s Young Eagles program Paul told me he was finally ready to make some announcements about his project. Following are a couple glimpses. Another man with inside knowledge said, “This is the coolest, sexiest aircraft coming to market.