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/434207
44 Vol.3 No.12 / December 2014 ULTRALIGHT WORLD SIX CHUTER INTERNATIONAL LLC recently announced the produc- tion of its all-new ultralight powered parachute (PPC) model called the P3 Lite. The P3 Lite is a single-seat PPC that meets the strict requirements of FAR 103 for ultralight aircraft. The model is equipped with a Kawasaki 440A engine, an Ultra-Prop, simple instrumentation, and a Performance Designs (PD) Barnstormer 360 canopy. The model is being offered for $9,995 in kit form, and the company includes a $500 coupon for training at that price. The P3 Lite is built on a strong but light airframe made of aluminum and chromoly steel components. The Kawasaki engine is rated by the engine manufacturer at 750 hours between overhaul. The Barnstormer 360 canopy is easy to fl y and of ers great performance. The seat is an oversized molded plastic seat with optional padded upholstery. The seatbelt is a heavy-duty, "racing"-style belt with shoulder straps. The P3 Lite is of ered in two standard colors, black or white. The molded seats are available in a variety of colors, and the op- tional upholstery is likewise available in various colors. The PD 360 canopy has several stock colors or can be custom designed at no extra cost. Doug Maas, president of Six Chuter and director of mar- keting, outlined the objectives of the design. These included making a true, legal ultralight PPC that could be more easily manufactured and easily and quickly built from kit form. The price objective was to hit the market with a retail price under $10,000. The design also is intended to make a slightly smaller footprint for ease of transport while increasing the comfort and fi t for even taller and larger pilots. These were quite formidable goals given the cost of materi- als and the existing competition in the market. Maas explained that the primary driver for the project was when Rotax announced the discontinuation of its popular 503 engine series. That engine had been used on Six Chuters and Six Chuter International Powered Parachutes Announces New Ultralight P3 Lite Go fl ying for less than $10,000! REPRINTED FROM THE SIX CHUTER INTERNATIONAL NEWSLE T TER The Six-Chuter P3 Lite single-seat powered parachute. Photography courtesy of Six Chuter International