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Flight Design Introduces Third Generation Light-Sport Aircraft: All-New CTLS Reveals Many Upgraded Features

This news was published on Friday, December 7th, 2007 and is archived under Air Sports.

Echterdingen, GERMANY / 10 December 2007 — Eleven years after the first CT entered production in June 1997, the Flight Design Team is introducing their new CTLS. Pilots will easily recognize the similarity to preceding CT models, yet the changes are many as the new LS model addresses customer requests over the last two years. Flight Design, the clear market leader in Europe and the United States, has proven that the company knows how to satisfy customer expectations. Despite the addition of numerous equipment items the CTLS is just 2-3 kg (5-7 lbs) heavier than an Advanced CTSW with the same equipment. “Our LS offers the utmost in space, comfort, performance and ease of flying so that less experienced pilots can fly it easily,” said Matthias Betsch, CEO of Flight Design GmbH. The aerodynamic qualities of the CTLS were completely reworked using full-size wind tunnel tests and flight evaluations employing the newest data recording equipment.

“With the LS, Flight Design’s team achieved an easier handling, easier to fly airplane with improved performance,” reported U.S. importer Tom Peghiny after flying a prototype. “The new landing gear offers not only energy absorbing characteristics, but has a high level of dampening to reduce rebound after touchdown.”

In the LS interior, the seats have been redesigned and the noise level reduced to underline the long range capability of the CTLS. The cabin has been resculpted to add volume and light. The engine installation and fuel system have been reworked according newest market experience and know how. New construction materials have improved durability and outside weather resilience.

As corporate policy, Flight Design never presents a new airplane until it is fully certified and ready for delivery. “The Flight Design team has worked in close cooperation with its partners around the world for two years on the concept, development, testing and certification of the CTLS,” explained Oliver Reinhardt, Technical Director of Flight Design. The CTLS will be debuted at the 2008 Sebring Expo in Florida, USA on January 17th and at similar dates in different countries around the world. The CTLS will be at that time certified as a Special Light-Sport Aircraft fully meeting ASTM standards and the German BFU/LTF-UL rule.

“Serial production of the CTLS started in mid-November 2007 and Flight Design began accepting 2008 orders from its worldwide representatives,” said Betsch. “Starting in January 2008 demonstrator airplanes will be available in many countries.”

Augmented not replaced, the CTSW model will be continuously built in the existing configuration. “We especially believe the extremely lightweight CTSW Classic Light model will prove very popular in the future,” added Betsch.
   
Flight Design is a 21-year-old air sport products producer based in Germany. More than 1,000 of its aircraft are flying in 25 countries. One of the first aircraft certified under the American ASTM standards, in 2005, the CT (“composite technology”) is currently the best-selling LSA in America. CT in several models has been popular in Germany and Europe for more than eleven years.

Source: Flight Design
Picture provided and copyrighted by Flight Design
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