Buyer's Guide
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Buyer's Guide |
Sapphire LSA Mk2 |
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| FACTORY LOCATION: Fosterville, 20 km NE Bendigo, Vic |
AIRFIELD (Assembly & demonstration): S36°40' E144°27' Elevation: 700 feet Runway: 06/24 Length: 240 metres Runway: 12/30 Length: 390 metres Airfield VHF: 126.7 AVFAX code: 3021 [Bendigo] ARFOR: 30 Animal hazard exists. Approach to runways 12 - 24 - 30 is over 50 feet trees. Call 0418 301 916 before flying in. |
| SALES MANAGER: Steven Dumesny | |
| AIRCRAFT TYPE and CATEGORY GROUP: • Australian design high performance single seat, strut braced high wing & tailwheel ultralight. Pod and boom pusher configuration. Flap equipped. • CAO 95.55 para 1.5 RAAus registered 51% amateur built kit aircraft • CAO 95.25 Factory built fly-away fitted with Rotax 447 as standard. | |
| GENERAL AIRCRAFT DESCRIPTION: The Sapphire LSA Mk2 is a fast and efficient ultralight, manufactured using composite materials. The clean aerodynamic design provides outstanding performance characteristics using low power Rotax 447 or 503 engines. The Sapphire has an excellent cross country capability, generous ergonomically designed cockpit, great economy and low cost maintenance. In order to achieve the 51% Amateur Built rule when supplied in kit form, some of the fabrication work must be completed by the home builder - in addition to the assembly - but this is not considered difficult. The kit contains all the materials necessary to complete the aircraft less the engine, instruments, propeller and paint. Fully optioned kits are available. | |
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ENGINE & PROPELLER OPTIONS
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OTHER OPTIONS AVAILABLE:
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PRICES $ Aust ex factory:
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PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS - LSA Mk2 447 model:
(1) V speeds defined (2) Take-off and landing distances specified |
DIMENSIONAL SPECIFICATIONS - LSA Mk2 standard model:
Notes: (3) Load limit factors defined |
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BRIEF HISTORY The Sapphire was originally designed and built in Australia by Scott Winton. Scott started out designing and building surfboards and worked for his father for a while building the Grasshopper. It was while working for Col Winton that he got the desire to build his own aircraft, resulting in the initial design of the Sapphire. The Sapphire derived from a group of pilots talking about an improved design to those ultralights already in existence. As the discussion progressed, the design was scratched in the dirt. It was about six months later that Scott called them and said "come and fly it". Scott, and his brother Dean, produced around 20 Sapphires and earned a good reputation in the manufacture of ultralights. However, Scott’s interest in aircraft was more than just producing the Sapphire. He decided to pursue another project called the ‘Opal’. About this time, Don Bowd, a distributor for the Spectrum Beaver Ultralight, developed a liking for the Sapphire and bought the Sapphire business. Don produced twenty Sapphires and improved the design with flaps and wing tanks. Don produced around four aircraft per year, with a waiting list of up to two years. However, in the early nineties Don became ill, which resulted in reduced production. Don never regained the same enthusiasm, and subsequently the Sapphire business was sold in early 1998. Sapphire Aircraft Australia was formed on the 2nd of July 1998. Shortly thereafter, the company started on the development of parts, tools, jigs, templates and created databases. The first Amateur Built category Sapphire (number 19-3099) was produced and flown in February 1999. The development of the kit assembly manual for the Sapphire LSA MK II followed and was accepted just in time for NATFLY 99. The first kit was sold in June and flew in September 1999, built by Eddie Higgs. |
| Sapphire Aircraft Australia
telephone / fax: international +61 3 5444 4821 national: 03 5444 4821 mobile: 0418 301 916 EMAIL: stevendumesny@bigpond.com |
Currency of information - last updated with company supplied data - February, 2003
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