Last week I told you about the Viper SD-4 that will be on display at the Winnsboro Muni Airport on Thursday, Oct. 14, from 10 am - 4 pm. This is a new entry in the sport category with amazing versatility other aircraft can't match.
Today I had the distinct privilege of speaking to the president of the company, Jan Pjatak. Tomark Aero USA has been given the go-ahead to assemble these lightweight beauties in the United States.
After just a few minutes with Jan, I learned why this is a very special plane. Overall it's more versatile than other sport airplanes and was designed to be very pilot-friendly.
- It's more fuel efficient because of the aerodynamics.
- It's cheaper than competitors.
- The craft is all metal - aluminum - which allows for a much longer
life than sport aircraft constructed of plastic. - It boasts the widest cabin in its class.
- The plane is considerably more economical than others in this class -- about $100,000 (plus or minus $20,000 depending on the technology included and other optional equipment).
I was particularly taken by an unusual option - a parachute for the plane itself. If there's a problem, the pilot can release a parachute that will allow the plane to float safely to the ground.
These sport models require only 20 hours of flight training and your driver's license is all the ID you need to fly these babies.
The Viper SD-4 will be showcased in Winnsboro, and then formally introduced at the upcoming Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo January 20-23, 2011 at the Sebring Regional Airport in Florida.
Get a sneak peak of this new model. You're likely to run into a number of sport airplane fans who are flying or driving in to meet Jan and check out the Viper SD-4 at the Winnsboro Muni Airport.
