Light aircraft manufacturer Flight Design announced Tuesday that it has passed an engineering audit conducted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).
Flight Design noted that successfully completing the audit represents a significant milestone in the CAAC validation process for the company’s F2-CS23 two-seat piston aircraft. Designed to confirm compliance to a certification specification, the inspection was conducted by a four-person, on-site team from the agency and a Flight Design team led by head of design organization Matthias Betsch, head of airworthiness Christian Majunke, head of quality management Alexander Kosolapov, and head of general aviation China Wu Xiao Dong.
“We are very pleased [with] the result of the F2-CS23 on-site inspection by the CAAC this week,” said Betsch. “Our design organization is located in Eisenach, Germany, but our team of engineers are truly international. The fact that their great work has now been accepted by EASA and CAAC is a testament to their professionalism and hard work.”
A certified version of Flight Design’s F2 SLSA, the F2-CS23 received its type certificate from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in December 2021. The model has a top speed of 233 kph (126 knots), a 2,000-kilometer (1,080 nm) range with 30-minute reserve, and a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 pounds. It is powered by the 100 hp Rotax 912iS engine and comes equipped with Garmin G3X flight displays. Base price for the F2-CS23 is listed as 214,900 euros ($227,150).
The F2-CS23 is also undergoing validation by the FAA.
