The Aeromarine Merlin is an American homebuilt aircraft that was designed by Czech Aircraft Works and is produced by Aeromarine LSA of South Lakeland Airport, Florida, introduced at the Sport Aviation Expo in 2016. The aircraft is supplied as a kit, for amateur construction.
Design and development The aircraft features a cantilever high-wing, a single-seat enclosed cabin, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.
The aircraft is made from aluminum sheet, with the engine cowling made from composite material. The design employs access doors that hinge vertically and a conventional low tail. Its span wing mounts flaps. The cabin width is . The standard engine used is the Rotax 582 twin-cylinder two-stroke powerplant.
The manufacturer estimates the construction time from the supplied kit as two weeks at the factory completion center.
While initially offered as an amateur-built kit, future development plans include an electric powered version and a light-sport aircraft version that will be sold ready-to-fly.
Development
The Merlin originated from a Czech-designed single-seat aircraft platform later adapted for the American experimental and sport aviation market through Aeromarine-LSA.
Aeromarine-LSA positioned the aircraft as an affordable alternative to increasingly expensive light sport aircraft, offering rapid-build kit construction supported through factory-assisted builder programs.
Variants Merlin-PSA Initial "personal sport aircraft" version powered by a Rotax 582 two-stroke engine for the US Experimental Amateur-Built category.
It features an enclosed cockpit, aluminum construction, flaps, baggage capacity, and engine options including Rotax and Aeromarine proprietary powerplants.
The aircraft has been promoted as a low-cost entry into sport aviation compared with conventional certified or light sport aircraft. Merlin Lite
The Merlin Lite is a redesigned ultralight variant developed to comply with U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Part 103 ultralight regulations.
Unlike many ultralight aircraft, the Merlin Lite features:
enclosed cockpit
all-metal construction
optional glass instrumentation
hydraulic brakes
self-launching motor-glider capability
The design emphasizes low drag and short-field capability.
Merlin II
The Merlin II is a larger and more capable derivative intended to extend the Merlin concept into a higher-performance category.
Aeromarine has described the Merlin II as featuring increased capability, additional powerplant options, and expanded utility compared with the original Merlin.
Electrolite
The Electrolite is an electric propulsion experimental derivative based on the Merlin Lite airframe concept.
The aircraft was developed as an exploration of electric recreational flight within the ultralight category. See also
Experimental aircraft Light-sport aircraft Ultralight aviation Federal Aviation Regulations Part 103
Specifications (Merlin-PSA)
References
External links