Apex Eco 6 Explained

The Apex Eco 6 is the first of a family of Czech single and two seat flying wing ultralight trikes that were designed and produced by To-Mi Aviation and later by Apex Aviation. The aircraft were supplied as kits for amateur construction.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Design and development

The single seat Eco 6 was designed to comply with the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules, including the category's maximum empty weight of 2540NaN0. It features a cable-braced hang glider-style high-wing, weight-shift controls, a single-seat, open cockpit, tricycle landing gear and a single engine in pusher configuration.

The aircraft is made from bolted-together aluminum tubing with steel brackets, with its single surface wing covered in Dacron sailcloth. Its 9.61NaN1 span wing is supported by a single tube-type kingpost and uses an "A" frame control bar. A variety of single-surfaced wings can be used on the Eco 6, with wing areas ranging from 14to. The Eco 6 had a factory option of a Galaxy ballistic parachute. The standard engine supplied was the 300NaN0 Rotax 447.

Developed from the Eco 6 were two two-seat models, the Dolphin 3 and the Cross 5. The three aircraft line commenced production in the mid-1980s and was introduced into the United States in 1997, represented in the US by AKS of Portland, Oregon.

Operational history

The Cross 5 model was supplied to the Czech Air Force.

Variants

Eco 6
  • Single-seat model with a Rotax 447 engine of 300NaN0 or a Rotax 503 engine of 370NaN0. Acceptable power range is 34to. Fifteen had been completed and flown by February 2000.
    Dolphin 3
  • Two-seat tandem model with a useful load of 3190NaN0, powered by a Rotax 503 engine of 370NaN0, a 480NaN0 Rotax 582 or SVS-1400 engine
    Cross 5
  • Two-seat tandem model with a steel tube frame and a gross weight of 4500NaN0. Can accept any engine under 750NaN0 in weight, including the 450NaN0 Zanzottera MZ 201. Fifteen had been completed and flown by February 2000. Construction time from the kit was reported as 100 hours.
    Cross 5x
  • Version of the Cross 5 with higher and wider seats

    Notes and References

    1. Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page C-5. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001.
    2. Downey, Julia: 2000 Trike and 'Chute Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 2, February 2000, page 45. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851
    3. Downey, Julia: 2005 Trikes 'Chutes and Rotorcraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 22, Number 2, February 2005, page 47. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
    4. Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, Fifth Edition, page 276. BAI Communications, 15 July 1998.

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