Coming Together Globally; Kolb's Flyer SS

Coming Together Globally; Kolb’s Flyer SS

bydanjohnson

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at 11:27 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

The Flyer SS, New Kolb Aircraft's first factory-built SLSA, received approval in July, marking a significant transition for the 30-year-old brand previously known for producing 3,000 kit aircraft.
This SLSA is a product of international collaboration, re-engineering a Canadian design by an American company and manufactured by Brazil's Flyer Industria Aeronautica, a company with a history of building over 1,500 airplanes.
Retaining the original design's "master lines" with an enlarged, rounded fuselage and new flight controls, the Flyer SS has already sold 57 units in South America and is expanding into the USA market.

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While the aircraft’s fuselage is carbon fiber, wings and tails feathers have a 6061-T6 and 2024-T3 aluminum construction. Wing struts attached to the fuselage aft of the doors helping entry and exit. The cabin is a generous 47 inches. Empty weight is 850 pounds. Read my Sport 600 report.

A Canadian design — the Pelican 700 — was reengineered into a SLSA by an American company — New Kolb Aircraft — and is being manufactured by a Brazilian company — Flyer Industria Aeronautica. Such international collaboration is becoming common. *** Kolb won approval for the Flyer SS in July (#87 on our SLSA List). Leading the SLSA project is Izek Therrien who said, “The master lines [of the Pelican] were kept. The fuselage was then rounded, enlarged and equipped with a new flight control system.” He reported 57 have been sold in South America and that a second Flyer SS will enter the USA in October.” *** Some SPLOG readers may be unfamiliar with the Kolb name, but this 30-year old brand has produced 3,000 of their popular models including the Mark III and the Kolbra. Every one until the Flyer SS has been a kit. Kolb is recalling a veteran name from their history. Flyer was what Homer Kolb called his first ultralight back in 1980. *** The idea of an LSA coming from Brazil should surprise few world-wise pilots. Brazil has a rich aviation history. Flyer Industria is operated by Claudio Goncalves, whom I met many years ago. His company has built more than 1,500 airplanes.