Next up for 2014 was the Tecnam Astore:
Tecnam is unique among sport aircraft manufacturers in that it builds both certified and LSA/sport aircraft. It offers a range of four LSA/ Sport aircraft - two high wing (the entry level P 92 and the more up market P 2008) and two low wing (the entry level Sierra and the more up market Astore).
The Astore (Goshawk in Italian) was designed by Professor Luigi Pascale and was introduced at Aero Freidrichshafen in 2013. Its construction is of a welded tube steel with aluminium skins and composite fairings including the rear upper fuselage, cowling and wingtips. The wings are all aluminium with large trailing edge flaps and the main undercarriage is of spring steel while the castoring nose wheel undercarriage is constructed from a steel tube leg with an oleo-pneumatic damper. It comes with a comprehensive avionics package.
Specifications are: length 7.00 metres (23 feet), wingspan 8.65 metres (28 feet 5 inches) and the wing area is 131 square feet. the empty weight is around 830 pounds (376 Kg) and the Astore is registered as an LSA in New Zealand meaning the MAUW is 1.323 pounds (600 Kg). Engines can be Rotaxes between 100 HP and the 114 HP Rotax 914, and with 100 HP the cruise speed is around 120 mph (104 knots) while the stall speed with full flaps is around 40 mph (35 knots).
We have had three Tecnam Astores in New Zealand to date:
Our first Astore ZK-AST2 (c/n 015) was registered to Tecnam Australasia Ltd of Papakura on 5/8/14 and first flew in New Zealand from Ardmore on 21/8/14. It was used as Tecnam's demonstrator aircraft and is photo'd as such at the 2014 Black Sands flyin at Raglan, on 5/11/14.
It was sold to Paul Carran of Auckland on 2/6/15 and it is photo'd above under his ownership at Dargaville on 24/2/18. More recently Paul Carran bought the RV 8 ZK-EYT2 and the Astore was sold to W N Stables of Wellington, on 28/7/19.
Our second Astore was ZK-MSV (c/n 036) was registered on 31/3/15 to Progress Partners Ltd of Te Awamutu (Michael and Sue Visser) and it is photo'd in the Tecnam hangar at Ardmore being assembled, on 1/4/15.
It is photo'd above at the 2019 Black Sands flyin at Raglan, on 9/11/19.
And our third Astore to date also has its owners initials. ZK-RGH (c/n 041) was registered on 7/9/15 to Cambridge Bee Products of Cambridge (Richard G Haddrell) and then to Benn Road Ltd also of Cambridge on 12/5/16. It is photo'd above at Tauranga on 4/10/17.
I reckon we might see more Astores here, but the latest Mk II Sierra looks like an Astore and has similar performance for less cost.
Tecnam is unique among sport aircraft manufacturers in that it builds both certified and LSA/sport aircraft. It offers a range of four LSA/ Sport aircraft - two high wing (the entry level P 92 and the more up market P 2008) and two low wing (the entry level Sierra and the more up market Astore).
The Astore (Goshawk in Italian) was designed by Professor Luigi Pascale and was introduced at Aero Freidrichshafen in 2013. Its construction is of a welded tube steel with aluminium skins and composite fairings including the rear upper fuselage, cowling and wingtips. The wings are all aluminium with large trailing edge flaps and the main undercarriage is of spring steel while the castoring nose wheel undercarriage is constructed from a steel tube leg with an oleo-pneumatic damper. It comes with a comprehensive avionics package.
Specifications are: length 7.00 metres (23 feet), wingspan 8.65 metres (28 feet 5 inches) and the wing area is 131 square feet. the empty weight is around 830 pounds (376 Kg) and the Astore is registered as an LSA in New Zealand meaning the MAUW is 1.323 pounds (600 Kg). Engines can be Rotaxes between 100 HP and the 114 HP Rotax 914, and with 100 HP the cruise speed is around 120 mph (104 knots) while the stall speed with full flaps is around 40 mph (35 knots).
We have had three Tecnam Astores in New Zealand to date:
I reckon we might see more Astores here, but the latest Mk II Sierra looks like an Astore and has similar performance for less cost.
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