Texas Aircraft Manufacturing officially introduced its new single-engine, four-seat Stallion S-LSA model on Wednesday. The aircraft was designed in partnership with Texas Aircraft’s Brazil-based sister company, Industria Paulista de Aeronaves (INPAER). Texas Aircraft noted that it intends to have the model approved under the FAA’s recently proposed Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates (MOSAIC) regulations, which would amend existing rules to include larger, faster aircraft.
“This program has been in development for a long time, and we’re so very excited to introduce the Stallion S-LSA,” said Kyle Braga, Texas Aircraft North American sales representative. “While we anxiously await the FAA’s decision on the new LSA2023 requirements, the Stallion’s ASTM approval process has already begun in Brazil, and our current expectation is to begin the same process in the U.S. in early 2024.”
The Lycoming IO-360-powered Texas Aircraft Stallion S-LSA is expected to offer a top cruise speed of 135 knots, 1,144-NM range and full-flap stall speed of 52 knots. Flight testing of the first prototype, which was built at INPAER’s facility in Campinas Sal Paulo, Brazil, is currently underway with the initial goal of collecting flight data for design finalization. Texas Aircraft plans to display the Stallion for the first time at the 2024 Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida.
S-LSA must meet the following LSA standards.
Maximum takeoff weight Aircraft not intended for operation on water- 1320 lbs
Maximum speeds- 120 kts at maximum power
Max stall speed- 45 kts
Maximum seating capacity- 2 persons
What did I miss?
The news linked in the article.
Uhh, Roger, THIS is what you missed: these guys are first to the party!
FAA is expanding Sport Pilot to allow gross weights up to 3,000 pounds, stall speeds up to 54knots, retractable gear, cruise speeds up to 250knots, and use of 4 seat aircraft (with only pilot and 1 pax aboard). The author of “Sport Pilot Encyclopedia” [sold by Aircraft Spruce, etc) has begun advising book purchasers that despite years of interference by industry flacks Dan Johnson and Roy Beisswenger [who were lobbying to add commercial revenue ops of little or no use to everyday sport pilots] on July 24 the FAA will finally publish an NPRM for comments on a new 61.316 with these and other changes expanding Sport Pilot operations that could be effective NLT November 1, 2023.
[See Docket No.: FAA-2023-1377; Notice No. 23-10]
2 Corrections and an aside:
>> getting deeper into the 300+ page NPRM discloses there is no MTOW limit of 3,000 pounds… just the assumption that a max Vs1 of 54 would allow weights up to that vicinity [with the latest Cessna 182 being the best example of a rugged powerful docile 4seater SP could fly but some lighter weaker Pipers NOT qualifying due to higher Vs1];
>>technically the final rule could publish before November but with FAA required to review and consider each of the expected flood of comments, Spring 2024 is more likely for a final rule and implementation.
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Impact: some comments are already going astray by saying a sport pilot shouldn’t be in a 250K retract and if they are, insurance will be somewhere between high and prohibitive. A reply to this printed elsewhere is accurate:
“WRONG…ABSOLUTELY WRONG!
Rates should go DOWN [or at least not rise just from the SP aspect].
And here’s why.
Most of the time thanks to this NPRM it will not be a low time newbie but the same gal/guy owning and flying that Mooney for the past 30 years who is now simply going to keep his baby instead of trading her for a shytbox SLSA.
They will likely now be operating it VFR and MUST be solo or one pax along under Sport Pilot rules = MUCH LESS “EXPOSURE” for the insuror.”
I once skydived from a Helio Stallion and this sure doesn’t look the same.😁
A huge distance remains to be covered between “proposed” and “approved”. If the S-LSA rules are changed, Texas Aircraft and INPAER are good. If not, they’re still good. Looks like a nice airplane which should be popular even if they have to remove the “S-LSA” badging.
We have desperately needed a competitor to the 172, at a price mortals can afford. It will be interesting to see how this goes, LSA or not.
Tecnam and Vulcan make highly credible 172-esq
*Sigh* Maybe Craig will bring us an edit feature.
Tecnam and Vulcan make highly credible 172-esq trainers. Big operators like the familiar though, and every A&P knows the 172 inside and out.
Hopefully, these new designs will provide more pilot and pax protection from crash impact and fire, and achieve levels reached by the the Diamond DA 40.