The chute on your 50 YO Bo is slightly better than one in Panthera, I take it?

So you get to decide when your engine is going to throw a rod, or when your heart attack is going to happen? Must be nice.

If I'm not mistaken just about any 4 seat airplane without a parachute, air conditioning, FIKI, and _________ will be substantially lighter than an SR22.

Looks like turbocharger and oxygen might fit the list as well.

Feeding an IO540 from 54 gallons of fuel tank, hmmm.

Edit: It looks like they are supposed to have a parachute I wonder if that's an option and reflected by the weigh numbers.

BRS comes standard.

I DO NOT understand this choice of powerplant.

Bad fuel specifics, old technology, sub-par power to weight ratio even by 1970s standards.

Why not a FADEC, TN/TC, or high compression ratio engine? Why not all 3?

Airframe is slick, more power would not go to waste. Absolutely baffling.

-J

Unleaded fuel

They originally wanted to go with the IO390.

"The first choice of engine was the Lycoming IO-390, but we received the news that it will never be certified for Mogas. Due to this decision we were forced to switch to IO-540-V, which is already certified also for the Mogas, even though the Panthera does not need a stronger engine. Since it doesn't need this additional power, it will fly at very low power settings and consumption will consequentially stay more or less the same as with the IO-390 model, but the IO-540 260 hp option will provide a significant performance improvement"

Isn't diesel even more available than MoGas? Why not throw one of the new whiz-bang diesel engines on there?

-J

because you don't do a new airframe and new powerplant together if you want it to be manufacturable and reliable.

because you don't do a new airframe and new powerplant together if you want it to be manufacturable and reliable.

-J[/quote]
because you don't do a new airframe and new powerplant together if you want it to be manufacturable and reliable.[/quote]

Which would lead us back to the, arguably, single biggest issue with the development of new GA aircraft: engine innovation. Mate a conversion of a dependable, mass produced, automotive engine to a modern airframe design and you just revitalized GA.

Jg[/quote]

You'll still have the weight problem for the engine and the radiator. If you could use their electronic fuel injection, electronic ignition and their better designed heads and metallurgy the engine would have a 3000 hour TBO (no lead) more power, go higher and dependability.
It would only take money

Correct Steve, that is the seemingly unsolvable quandary.

Key words: Mass production. That can only come when the aviation production numbers are supported by automotive production.

Quite a head scratcher that the most reliable aviation engine of World War Two vintage was the water cooled Merlin.

Jg

They are doing a tour of the US with the Panthera. Below is there schedule; got this from Facebook, posting by Right Rudder Aviation.

The Pipistrel Panthera is coming to an airport near you during the US tour beginning tomorrow! Check out our stops and projected dates below. Want to experience the Panthera yourself? Let us know by submitting this form: https://forms.gle/MK8ZmV3v1bitCS4G9
Depart KINF- 10/3
KPDK- 10/3 -10/6
KGMU- 10/7 - 10/10
KCEZ (not depicted on map)- 10/11 - 10/15
KINT- 10/15 - 10/16
KHEF- 10/16 - 10/18
KOQN- 10/18 - 10/19
KTEB- 10/20 - 10/21
KBVY- 10/21 - 10/22
KROC- 10/22 - 10/23
KTOL- 10/23 - 10/24
KUGN- 10/25 - 10/26
KOSH- 10/26 - 10/27
KBIL- 10/27 - 10/28
KUAO- 10/28 - 10/30
KHAF- 10/31 - 11/2
KCMA- 11/3 - 11/6
KIWA- 11/6 - 11/7
KABQ- 11/8 - 11/9
KRBD- 11/9 - 11/11
KNEW- 11/11 - 11/13
KHWO- 11/13 -11/14
Return KINF 11/15