Belgian manufacturer Sonaca Aircraft is looking to secure a chunk of the two-seat trainer market with their Sonaca 200.
An all-metal low-wing, the Sonaca 200 is a certified aircraft with an MTOW of 750 kg, making it an attractive option to the traditional trainers such as the Cessna 172 and Piper Cherokee series, and pitting it against emerging aircraft such as the Vulvanair V1.0, Piper 100 and the certified Tecnam P2002JF.
Using a 115-hp Rotax 914 turbo and three-blade ground-adjustable prop, the Sonaca 200 will cruise at 115 knots at 75% power and carry 140 litres of fuel.
At Friedrichshafen this year, the company presented the aviation industry with a Pro version, which included Garmin G500 TXi avionics, GTN 650 navigator and a Bendix King KI300 back-up attitude indicator.
"The Sonaca 200 trainer Pro seduces schools that offer CPL and ATPL training programs because the avionics are similar to that of a commercial aircraft used for ATPL training," says Carl Mengdehl, Engineering and Certification Manager at Sonaca Aircraft.
"The navigation equipment also seduces flying clubs that travel by plane. Finally, the digital option attracts the younger generations of pilots who are familiar with touch screen and digital systems."
The structure is stressed aluminium, with aluminium alloy used for the fuselage, wing, tail and main landing gear. Corrosion proofing is used throughout the aircraft. The flaps are electric and the trim manual, with push-rod actuation for all control surfaces.
At first glance, the Sonaca 200 resembles the South African designed Sling LSA, not surprising given that Sonaca Aircraft is partly-owned by The Airplane Company, the manufacturer of the Sling series. The other parent company is Belgian aerospace giant Sonaca Group.
The standard Sonaca 200 with analogue panel is listed at EUR177,500, with the Pro version coming in at EUR208,500.
More information on the Sonaca 200 is available on the Sonaca Aircraft website.