Check Out The Cobalt Co50 At Oshkosh Display Area 22!

Cobalt Aircraft Industries is an aircraft conceptual design company and is organized to become an Original Equipment Manufacturer.

Headquartered across from Toussus-le-Noble airport (LFPN) and only 20 km from Paris, Cobalt will provide total OEM service from Aircraft On Ground (AOG) assistance to long-term study, manufacture, and certification of customization requests. The first aircraft in the Cobalt range, the Co50, shall be the first certified canard in its class in the world.

This five-place, luxurious, 350hp, turbocharged, FADEC-controlled, single-engine piston aircraft will offer short- to mid-range travel at high speeds and impressive payloads.

Did You Know??? (Cool Facts About Cobalt Aircraft Industries)

• The idea to build an aircraft that filled the need for fast, comfortable, and luxurious personal travel while using the latest innovations in structure, mechanics, and vibroacoustics was conceived by Aerospace Engineer David Loury eight years ago (2002).

  

• A canard configuration was chosen because of its theoretic value in creating more efficient lift and speed, and popularity among Rutan-inspired kit planes.
• The Co50 is designed using a composite chassis structure rather than exoskeleton and ribbing to support aerodynamic forces - the first aircraft to do so in the world.

  

• The Co50 is to be the first high performance, five-place, composite, certified canard in the world. The Co50 will have a 25,000' maximum operating altitude and be fully IFR-equipped. Simulated performance values equate to 245 KTAS maximum cruise speed and a maximum range of 1150 nm.
• Some of the Co50's features include electric retractable landing gear; 350hp, twin-turbocharged, and FADEC-controlled engine; power and fuel management as well as a mechanical linkage for control of the constant speed propeller using a single lever; panoramic viewing through its Full Vision Canopy™ including remote-controlled electric opening; and Xenon-powered landing lights and LED nav/strobe/beacon combos.

  

• Mr. Loury completed the first full-size Co50 research prototype himself in the beginning of 2007, after which he established a sound network of collaborators and supports in industrial, financial, and political fields to set up Cobalt Aircraft Industries.
• CEO David Loury and co-founder CTO Mehdi Batel registered Cobalt Aircraft Industries in 2007 in France.
• With the first round of funding completed in 2008, Cobalt Aircraft Industries opened its headquarters across from Toussus-le-Noble airport (LFPN) only 20 km from Paris, France.

  

• Aerostructures for the Co50 were subcontracted end of 2008, including the selection of its 350 hp, twin-turbocharged, and FADEC-controlled engine manufactured by TCM, and constant speed, three-blade, aluminum alloy propeller by Hartzell.
• Detailed design of the 109.5 USG fuel tank, landing gear, flight control systems and linkages, and ergonomic interior were achieved and manufactured during 2009.
• Ongoing design, prototyping and testing will continue throughout 2010 with the Co50's maiden flight rescheduled for the second half of this year to allow for the completion of the canard, flight control surfaces, and engine cowling.
• Cobalt Aircraft Industries will be opening a company in the U.S. in 2010 (place and date TBA). Aerostructures will be subcontracted to a U.S. supplier as well as glass panel avionics (both currently under negotiation).

  

• The Co50's static, dynamic, and first flight over the runway tests are scheduled for fall 2010.
• Certification of the Co50 will commence by the end of 2010.
• Cobalt Aircraft Industries is expecting that the Co50 will be certified in two years.

FMI: www.cobalt-aircraft.com, or vist them in Oshkosh Display Area 22.