Tecnam Sierra Retractable

I browsed over the Tecnam site for the umpteenth time last night .... mmm lovely airplanes.

It seems they've just launched the "Ultralight" of their existing P2002-JR.  As far as I can follow the, JR designation means that it's JAR Certified (J) and retractable undercarriage (R). The non-certified aircraft get names instead of the JR or JF designator.  So for example

P2002-JR Pascale designed, originally launched in 2002 JAR certified and Retractable
P2002-JF Pascale designed, originally launched in 2002 JAR certified and Fixed gear

What has just been launched is the non-certified version of the P2002-JR the P2002 Sierra RG and it looks good.   The Tecnam website refers to this as an "Ultralight"  but I can't seem to find a suitable explanation of this category since the JAR Microlight classification calls for a 450kg maximum take-off weight (MTOW) and the Sierra/2002JR has an MTOW of 580kg.  In the US the Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category allows for aircraft of up to 649kg.  So maybe it's aimed at the US, where Tecnam already has a good share of the LSA market. But wait a minute - the Sierra RG has a variable-pitch propeller which isn't permitted on an LSA airplane.

The one regime under which I do know where you can operate a non-certified aircraft like this is as a Kitbuilt or Experimental aircraft.  In these parts of the world that means under the auspices of SAAC or th PFA in the UK.  I wonder how long it will take the UK distributor of the Sierra kit to get the Sierra RG PFA approved or are there even any plans to.

Comments

[rob]

Hi there,
I'm glad you liked my video of the tecnam at kilrush on youtube, they're lovely aircraft and very economical to fly.
I'm sure you could get a flight in the tecnam in kilrush some time, the owner is a tecnam dealer and his info is on the tecnam website.
Keep up the good work on the blog!

[David]

Hi Rob,
I certainly did. I may well head down to take a look at the Sierra again. I flew one in the UK and was very taken with it and, as you say it is an econmical little ship with a reasonable turn of speed.

David