Novaer Craft has announced the development of two new carbon-fiber airplanes, the T-Xc Pilgrim and the U-Xc Stardream. The projects are already under way and, should they succeed, the company hopes to have Brazilian certification in 2015, followed by EASA and FAA certification, said Heitor Serra, Novaer’s director of operations, at a news conference at Sun ‘n Fun in Lakeland, Florida.
Serra revealed a lot of details about the new designs, both of which are planned to be low-wing airplanes equipped with retractable gear. Tooling is being built and the first prototype is expected to be complete this year. The first prototype will be equipped with Brazilian-made avionics, but Serra said the production versions will have Garmin G1000 panels.
The side-by-side, two-seat T-Xc Pilgrim is designed as a military and civilian aerobatic trainer. It will be capable of withstanding up to +6.0 and -3.0 G and have a maneuvering speed of 151 knots. The ambitious specs also call for a top cruise speed for the Pilgrim of 208 knots. A 315-horsepower Lycoming AEIO-580-BIA engine, specifically designed for aerobatics, will power the Pilgrim.
The same engine will be mounted on the front of the U-Xc Stardream, although this four-seat airplane is designed for the utility category. Top cruise speed is targeted at 205 knots and the hoped for 1,473-pound useful load would provide operators with 873 pounds of payload with the 100-gallon fuel tanks filled, allowing for four adults in the cabin. The expected useful load also includes air conditioning and the baggage capacity is 140 pounds.
The company did not release pricing information for either airplane.
While Novaer is located in São José dos Campos, Brazil, where major airplane manufacturer Embraer is also based, the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, located further south, is one major source of funding for the company. Novaer has been in business since 1998 and is the prime contractor for the landing gear on Embraer’s Tucano.
