Sam Aircraft Sam LS
| Sam LS | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Role | Advanced Ultralight Aircraft and light sport aircraft |
| National origin | Canada |
| Manufacturer | Haim Aviation |
| First flight | 26 February 2013 |
| Status | Awaiting production commencement |
| Produced | 2013 (prototypes only) |
| Number built | one[1] |
| Unit cost |
US$$135,000 (forecast, ready-to-fly LSA, 2012) |
The Sam Aircraft Sam LS is a Canadian aircraft design, designed and produced by Sam Aircraft, formerly known as Haim Aviation[2] of Lachute, Quebec. The aircraft was designed for the Canadian AULA and American light-sport aircraft rules and had its first flight on 26 February 2013.[3][4][5]
Design and development
The Sam LS is a low-wing, tandem seat monoplane. It can be configured for conventional or tricycle landing gear. The fuselage is semi monocoque, with a welded 4130 steel tube protective cockpit cage structure and aluminum skin. Three different wing planforms for light-sport, STOL and amateur-built categories can be installed to a common fuselage. The aircraft can be flown open cockpit with the canopy removed.[4][6]
Prior to its first flight a prototype was shown at the 2012 EAA airshow.[4][7]
As of June 2013 the aircraft was on Transport Canada's list of accepted advanced ultralights, but has not completed US Federal Aviation Administration special light-sport aircraft approval.[8][9]
In July 2013 pricing was announced for kits and sub-kits, including wings, fuselage and empennage. In a break from normal industry practice the company said that it would offer those three sub-kits for a total that was the same as if they were ordered as a single kit, US$29,000. The complete kit with a 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS engine and Dynon Skyview avionics was forecast to cost US$65,000 at that time, taking a factory-estimated 900 hours to complete.[10]
By August 2014 the company was up for sale as SAM Aircraft President Thierry Zibi indicated that he would rather develop new designs than run a production operation. Zibi was hoping to find a buyer to produce the aircraft.[11] In November 2015 the rights to the design, parts, jigs, molds, data and the prototype aircraft were being all offered for US$100,000.[12]
In January 2016 Zenith Aircraft announced that it had purchased the Sam design and was planning to produce kits alongside the existing Chris Heintz designs.[13]
Specifications (Sam LS)
Data from Expo LS, Manufacturer
General characteristics
- Crew: one
- Capacity: one passenger
- Length: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
- Wingspan: 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in)
- Wing area: 12.8 m2 (138 sq ft)
- Empty weight: 376 kg (829 lb)
- Gross weight: 558 kg (1,230 lb)
- Fuel capacity: 83 litres (18 imp gal; 22 US gal)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS Horizontally opposed piston aircraft engine, 75 kW (100 hp)
- Propellers: 2-bladed Sensenich, 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) diameter ground adjustable
Performance
- Cruising speed: 201 km/h (125 mph; 109 kn)
- Stall speed: 78.8 km/h (49 mph; 43 kn)
- Never exceed speed: 249 km/h (155 mph; 134 kn)
- Range: 724 km (450 mi; 391 nmi)
- Endurance: 4.2hr
- Service ceiling: 4,420 m (14,501 ft)
- Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min)
Avionics
- Dynon Skyview
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
References
- ↑ Transport Canada. "CCARCS-RIACC - Aircraft Details". tc.gc.ca. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- ↑ Sam Aircraft (2012). "A New Vision to Light Sport Aircraft (sic)". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
- ↑ "New LSA Looks Like a Varga". Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- 1 2 3 Bernard, Mary and Suzanne B. Bopp: What's Coming?, Kitplanes, Volume 29, Number 12, December 2012, page 29. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
- ↑ Grady, Mary (11 March 2013). "First Flight For Retro Sam LS". AVweb. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
- ↑ "Sam LS Modern Retro LSA". Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ↑ "Meet the SAM LS Light Sport". Retrieved 5 June 2012.
- ↑ Federal Aviation Administration (7 January 2013). "SLSA Make/Model Directory". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
- ↑ Transport Canada (28 June 2013). "Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)". Retrieved 5 August 2013.
- ↑ Bertorelli, Paul. "Sam LS Available As A Kit - AVweb flash Article". Avweb.com. Retrieved 2013-08-05.
- ↑ Durden, Rick (28 August 2014). "SAM Aircraft On The Sale Block". AVweb. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
- ↑ Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, SAM designer selling airplane rights for less than the price of a kit, COPA Flight, December 2015, page A12
- ↑ Zenith Aircraft Company, SAM Aircraft Acquired by Zenith / Zenair, retrieved 19 February 2016