Italian manufacturer Vulcanair is advancing their four-seat single, the V1.0, to the stage where it will soon be ready for the US market.
The company based the V1.0 on the Partenavia P.64 and P.66 Oscar series of the mid-1960s, with the aim of producing a budget four-seater that would be up to modern standards, but sell for significantly less than a Cessna 172.
Production started in April 2015, with target dates of EASA certification at the end of 2015 and FAA certification in mid-2016. According to Vulcanair, they are aiming at turning out 10 aircraft per year.
The V1.0 is made of a welded steel frame clad in metal, which the company believes provides them with great strength whilst maintaining low weight.
The combination of a 180-hp Lycoming IO-360 and a two-blade constant-speed prop is expected to drag the aircraft along a maximum of 139 KTAS and lift a total of 1155 kg.
Vulcanair has priced the new aeroplane very competitively, with the sell price of $US250,000 nearly $US150,000 less than a new C172.
More information on the V1.0 is available on the Vulcanair website.