Aero Concepts Discovery Explained

The Aero Concepts Discovery is an American amateur-built aircraft, produced by Aero Concepts of Florida. The aircraft is supplied as a kit for amateur construction.[1]

Design and development

The Discovery is a three lifting surface aircraft that features a cantilever mid-wing, a twin boom high tail, a canard surface, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from composites. Its 301NaN1 span wing employs a NASA NLF-0215 airfoil and has an area of 125square feet. The canard uses the same airfoil, while the tailplane uses a NASA 63218. The aircraft's recommended engine power range is 160to and standard engines used include the 1800NaN0 Lycoming O-360 four-stroke powerplant. Construction time from the supplied kit is 1200 hours.[2]

The company plans to develop the design into a light-sport aircraft, a jet-powered version and four-seat variant as well.

Operational history

By the end of 2011 three examples had been reported as completed and flown.

Notes and References

  1. Vandermeullen, Richard: 2012 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 38. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  2. Web site: Discovery Specifications . 28 October 2012 . Aero Concepts . 2001 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121128201403/http://www.aeroconceptsllc.com/html/specs.html . 28 November 2012 .