A Doub Ly International LSA
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Canadian-Designed Czech-Built Skylark A doub ly international LSA Story by Dan Johnson, photos by Jim Koepnick portsPlanes.com imports sev- Investigating the Skylark Skylark, but SportsPlanes.com com- eral light-sport aircraft (LSA) My opportunity to fly the Skylark pany pilots Dale Faux and Eric Del- that have found ready buy- came while attending the U.S. Sport lenbach, who is also SportsPlanes. ers. After researching through Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, in com’s national sales director, have Sseveral designs, SportsPlanes’ owner January. I flew with Darrell Hamil- wrung the plane out extensively. Josh Foss originally settled on the ton, the SportsPlanes representative Although the Skylark is a Czech- Comco Ikarus C42 and Breezer and for Florida. built LSA, it was designed by David the U.S.-built American Flyer for its Darrell retired from Northwest Marsden, a professor of aeronautical fleet. Most recently, the company Airlines four years ago. He most re- engineering at the University of Al- added the Czech-built Dova Skylark cently crewed the fly-by-wire Airbus berta in Edmonton, Canada. Marsden to its offerings. A320, which needs only small con- was able to use the university’s wind However, the real story of this com- trol movements. But he also piloted tunnel, a capability not available to pany is not Josh Foss’ care in the se- the Boeing 747 and, before that, the many LSA designers. After complet- lection of what airplanes to sell. What McDonnell-Douglas DC-9. The latter, ing the design work, Marsden enlist- may be more important to the mar- he said, took lots of control pressure ed Dova to be the manufacturer. Lat- ketplace is the network his company and control column movement. He er, in 2005, he sold the design rights has built to bring service and sup- had to unlearn that experience when to the Eastern European company. port to SportsPlanes.com’s customers. he started flying the more responsive However, Marsden remains involved Currently, 15 SportsPlanes centers are Dova Skylark. My regular evaluation to help with some of the problem operating, with the goal to establish routine put us through some paces solving that’s inevitable with initial 25 centers nationwide. Darrell had never explored in his production of a new design. The T-tail was reportedly used to pre- The Skylark’s vent the Skylark from being affected by power changes in the way a standard swept winglets tail configuration is. Designer Marsden said, “This configuration puts the hori- “are intended zontal stabilizer in the optimum posi- tion for clean airflow.” to convert wingtip vortices into lift, a concept proven on faster aircraft. 20 . MAY 2007 ” EAA SPORT PILOT . 21 The Skylark is an all-metal airplane, A T-tail is also rather rare among The Skylark’s seats have a lot of for- the baggage area resulting in an aft CG primarily using 2024-T6 aluminum LSA, and it was reportedly conceived ward support on the bottom cushion, load. However, if you wanted to carry as its construction material. Marsden to prevent the Skylark from being af- providing a surface all the way to your something large but light—sleeping describes the airfoil as a semi-natu- fected by power changes in the way a knees. For many pilots this assures a bags come to mind—the space can ac- ral laminar flow design. That may more common cruciform tail may be. comfortable seating position for lon- commodate such gear. not mean much to some pilots, but I can’t judge that idea, but I did note ger flights. The spar runs under your The Skylark has an excellent useful the goal was to keep the air attached that the T-tail is high enough to stay knees rather than under your bottom, load unless you load up on weighty to the wing through as much chord effective even when doing a full-stall which itself may translate to greater equipment. With base price equip- length as possible. landing. Some T-tailed aircraft expe- safety in the event of a hard landing. ment, the Skylark weighs only 653 The Skylark’s swept winglets are rience flow disturbance when in a Darrell indicated the Skylark seat pounds. Given a relatively modest intended to convert wingtip vortices nose-high attitude, but I found none structure will go through some rede- 45 pounds of baggage, weight and into lift, a concept proven on faster of this in Skylark. sign, too. Currently the seat pans are balance calculations appear to allow aircraft. Even if the gain is modest thin, and I can imagine some big fel- two 239-pound occupants, though on the Skylark, it certainly lends a Front Cabin lows leaning on them too hard dur- folks that size might be snug in the modern look to the LSA, while set- The Skylark has a well-braced step aft ing entry. Also, Eric is suggesting seat 43-inch-wide cockpit. Most pilots will The canopy slides forward on a robust rail, and operated smoothly on the aircraft ting the design apart from the oth- of the wing to facilitate clambering up and interior design changes that will likely fly at somewhat less than full flown for this report. More canopy latches, including a locking latch, will be added ers. Since perception is paramount, onto the low wing. To further assist en- add more padding. Though the seats gross weight. to future Skylarks. this design feature simply may be try, a sturdy rail runs laterally aft of the in Darrell’s Skylark had thin padding, Many LSA use a single hand-operated quire some concentration. Darrell flew good marketing. seats, and I also found the aft canopy I survived with no sore spots, thanks Getting Reflexed brake, which most general aviation with two GA who also reported think- support to be quite solid. The canopy to the shape of the seats and the ex- With its flap arrangement, Skylark (GA) pilots find a bit strange. ing the stick forces were on the light itself shouldn’t be used for support as it tended seat cushion. joins a limited number of LSA that side. This is a common feeling about will move toward you if you pull on it, From the right seat, both trim con- offer a reflex position. The four-posi- Let’s Go Cruising! LSA in my experience, but once you traversing readily in its tracks. trol and throttle take a long reach, tion flap lever deploys from minus 10 Takeoff behind the 100-hp Rotax 912S become accustomed to a light control The canopy in Darrell’s Skylark though they are convenient to the nor- degrees to plus 10, 20, and 40 degrees. proved rapid as is common on LSA feel, you tend to prefer it. But a light latched only at the upper rear. A new mal pilot-in-command left seat. In ei- When you select the reflex or “mi- flying with this engine. For landings, touch is something to be learned. canopy configuration is planned with ther seat, the joystick position is excel- nus” position, the flaps move upward Darrell suggested setting power at The day Darrell and I flew, a smog latches on each side and a locking lent. I could rest my right hand on my from neutral to flatten the top of the 3000 rpm on long downwind with a layer hung at about 3,000 feet. Below latch on the top aft to give owners a knee and operate the stick with small wing and add curvature (though not pattern speed of 80-90 knots, which that in distinctly bumpier conditions keyed entry. The present canopy ar- motions. I observed Darrell using his undercamber) to the lower side. This he considered a bit on the slow side. the Skylark took more effort to fly. rangement with a latch only at the rear right knee (in the left seat) to support sailplane-style design feature adds a As he turned base and final, he held In the smooth air above, the plane is not only less secure feeling but also his throttle hand. Without an armrest, few knots of speed to the airplane. his speed at 70 knots. flew effortlessly. This suggests excel- provides a clothing catch point during the vernier throttle proved a bit more In theory at least, it should reduce Darrell advised 20 degrees of flaps lent cross-country flying, at least in entry/exit, according to Darrell. Help- challenging to adjust smoothly. in-flight bumps by making the wing for standard operations, and my first smoother air. ing secure the canopy is a robust track As is common on many Rotax in- more symmetrical. landings went well at this setting. I also Even in the lumpy air below 3,000 on each side. stallations, there’s no carb heat knob In a departure from many LSA that tried the full 40-degree setting as full feet, the Skylark executed steep turns I noted the canopy produces a whis- on the panel, but a choke control and have fuel selector levers that are off or flaps on some long-gliding LSA have beautifully, showing sustained banks tling noise at cruising speeds. At climb a pull-for-heat/push-for-air knob flank on, Skylark’s fuel selector sets for left, presented challenges to GA pilots. In at sharp angles without adding any attitude the sound resembles a trou- the throttle. right, and closed, but not both. While the Skylark, 40 degrees proved man- extra power. I found it easy to main- bling engine noise, but Darrell assured Darrell’s Skylark was equipped with I appreciate that this allows you to ageable, but of course, the briefer flare tain the turn.