Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/234576
T h e M a ve r i c k L i g h t- S p or t A ir c r a f t window, special care must be taken to compensate for the lack of visibility to the rear, and you quickly learn to use the streamlined side mirrors. There is no traditional speedometer; the Garmin GPS display is switched to ground mode, and your ground speed is read there. The Maverick has two throttles, the automotive accelerator pedal and the aircraft throttle mounted on the floor next to the gear shift. I found that for highway driving you could set the aircraft throttle like a flat-road version of cruise control. The Maverick is licensed in most states under "kit car" rules, exempting it from many Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation regulations. Not only is it a lot of fun to drive, but two Maverick demonstrators drove all the way from Florida to Oshkosh for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2011, proving their reliability. The Maverick people see their creation as the "ultimate roadable, all-terrain, aerial vehicle." It was originally built for the specific mission of backcountry transportation in undeveloped areas; a similar market is ranchers who need a way to survey a fence line or check on their herds. The Maverick can take off and land anywhere at a fraction of the cost (and flight training) of a helicopter. Beyond Roads does not advertise the Maverick, relying on its website, word of mouth, and displays at a few events such as AirVenture, the Sun 'n Fun International Fly-In & Expo in Lakeland, Florida, and the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida. As this was written, customers own five completed Mavericks, and the factory maintains two demonstrators. As the Maverick is one of the most fun and capable powered parachute available, it is attracting a wide variety of customers, and these numbers are sure to grow. Specifications Base price: $94,000 Engine: 2.5-liter Subaru, 190 hp, fuel injected Dual drive: Transaxle/propeller Fuel capacity: 17 gallons (87 octane unleaded gasoline) Airspeed: 40 mph Rate of climb: 600 fpm at gross, 1,200 fpm solo Range: 3 hours (+/-) Takeoff distance: 300 feet Landing distance: 300 feet Service ceiling: 10,000 feet Mast and boom wing deployment system: Ram-air wing, 460 square feet with 48-foot span Propeller: Warp or Powerfin five-blade composite LSA gross weight: 1,430 pounds (per exemption) Useful load: 450 pounds Avionics options: P.S. Engineering PM1000 intercom Garmin SL40 communication radio Icom portable communication radio 28 Vol.2 N o.12 / December 2013 Nicki Paden provides friendly curb service at Sonic drive-up restaurant when Troy Townsend takes the Maverick for a burger. Garmin Aera 500 GPS (with air and ground modes) Emergency Locator Transmitter FAA certificated as S-LSA, E-LSA, or E-AB Car specifications Highway speed: 0-100 mph/0-60 mph in 4 seconds (+/-) MPG: 25 to 30 highway Range: 450 miles (+/-) Continuously variable transmission (CVT) Four disc brakes Other options Sunbrella side panels with vinyl side windows ("tuxedo") – custom colors High-speed tires on aluminum rims Fenders – custom colors available Custom colors – powder-coated frame paint and painted hood Rosen sun visors For more information Beyond Roads LLC (a division of I-TEC) 10575 SW 147th Circle, Building #2 Dunnellon, FL 34432 352-489-4456 www.MaverickLSA.com www.ITECusa.org Enjoy this video of the Maverick in flight. Bruce Moore is an ATP and CFI with 17,000 hours and specializes in aerobatic, tailwheel, and antique aircraft. Photography by Bruce Moore