'Metal Concept' Intended To "Swallow The Flight School Market Whole"

The Aero-News team participated in a media-only unveiling Sunday afternoon of an all-new light sport aircraft (LSA) produced by Flight Design, the 2009 MC or Metal Concept Model. The aircraft has been in development for approximately 36 months and with significant user input, was designed to respond to the needs of flight schools, flight clubs and the preferences of aviation enthusiasts who value the characteristics and maintainability of a metal fuselage.

Flight Design's new MC uses aluminum for the fuselage, wings, and tail, with a complete steel internal fuselage and carbon fiber used on the nose cowl. A welded steel safety cell surrounds the cabin. As with Flight Design's other offerings, the MC comes standard with a whole airframe emergency parachute system.

The overall length of the MC is similar to the CTLS, but has a wider wing span and is designed with a conventional stabilizer-elevator, intended to improve pitch stability and allow for "easier landings." With the student pilot in mind, the aircraft includes urethane polymer shock absorbers in the nose gear designed to absorb more than 50% of the energy generated on the first bounce.

The aircraft controls include a center, floor-mounted stick and will be available with the Classic or Advanced Instrument Panel options similar to the other CT lines, provided by Dynon, Garmin, and PS Engineering.

The MC provides a roomier cabin as compared to the CTLS and CTSW adding nearly 8" in height over the CTLS, and claiming to be more than 12 inches wider than most GA training aircraft. The MC payload is approximately 525 pounds, slightly less than the CTLS. The fuel capacity of the aircraft is considerably less than the other Flight Design LSAs, holding 26.4 gallons vs. 34 gallons in both the CTLS and CTSW. However, the MC maintains noteworthy and economical fuel consumption in the same 4-5 gallon per hour range, using the ubiquitous Rotax 912 engine.

Flight Design, based in Germany, has thus far produced approximately 1,000 LSAs, flying in 25 countries, currently giving them the largest market share of an estimated 20+ LSA manufacturers. The US is the company's largest market for LSAs but also serves customers in Canada, South America, Europe, and India.

Flight Design USA's President, Thomas Peghiny estimates that the Ukraine based production facility would, in the first year, produce approximately 60 of the new MCs for the US market, with the first aircraft expected to be available in the 1st Quarter of 2009.

Flight Design USA has seven US distributors. Representatives from two Midwestern distributors mentioned they are very pleased with the new MC and that because of the outstanding fuel performance of these aircraft, Flight Design sales continue to do well, despite -- or, perhaps, in response to -- increases in fuel prices.

When asked about their marketing goals, Ken Godin, National Sales Director, responded Flight Design wants to deploy the MC to "swallow the flight school market whole"... an ambitious task, particularly with Cessna's Model 162 SkyCatcher on the horizon for a late-2009 entry into service.

Along with the introduction of the MC, Flight Design has also developed a financing and training programs that they believe will be of interest to their target markets. Godin described how Flight Design USA will be offering flight schools a packaged training program that encourages more interest in aviation and shows how prospective students can attain their LSA certificate within two weeks, either concurrently or one week per month for two months.

The 2009 MC will be displayed at the Flight Design exhibit at AirVenture 2008, where more information will be made available on the aircraft.

FMI: www.flightdesignusa.com