Mermaid Amphibian Light Sport Airplane

The Mermaid Amphibious Airplane is a small amphibious airplane, aluminum framed and skinned, of the new Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) type with pusher-prop-on-pylon propulsion. It has a single mid-wing and conventional (though appropriately large) tail. It is an updated descendant of the Osprey2.

* It can be purchased ready-to-fly (about (US)$92K Rotax or $98K Jabiru) or as a quick-build kit (about $45K+ engine+ shipping +...) With a Jabiru 3300 (180lb 120hp air-cooled alum. boxer six) engine at 75% power it cruises at ~105 knots, at max power smooth level flight (Vh) of ~120 knots, a Do Not Exceed of 135knots, and climbs at >900fpm. (It can also be powered by the Rotax 912S, though that option may be discontinued.)
* The Mermaid can deploy or retract its landing wheel gear in flight, or in the water. It seats two side-by-side and has an autonomy of >4 hours. LSA's can be flown by anyone licensed Sport Pilot or above, and thus with a Drivers License as an alternative to a Class 3 Pilot's Medical.
* It was designed and is built by the CZAW Airplane Co. in Czechoslovakia. The US distributor is Sport Aircraft Works; Australian distributor is Air Noosa.
* Production is currently modest but the new factory (already in operation) might be producing them, at some significant fraction of the rate of the CZAW Sport Cruiser, early next year.
* Production is however in serious jeopardy for all the CZAW aircraft, because of a current request to file bankruptcy for CZAW by some of its shareholders. CZAW management insists there is no cause for a bankruptcy.

External links

* [http://MermaidLSAmphibian.wikispaces.com/HOME Public Mermaid Wiki]