Sport Pilot Talk

jbesper · Joined: 24 Sep 2008 Posts: 13 Location: montana

Maybe I'm behind the ball, but I've been trying to get in touch with SkyArrow USA. The website is down and all phone numbers are disconnected. Anybody know?

Chuckhhill · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 45 Location: Concord, CA

Don't know, but they haven't registered a new one in the US in about 9 months. The total FAA registration has stood at 21 for a long time.

Chuckhhill · Joined: 09 Jul 2007 Posts: 45 Location: Concord, CA

My last refers only to the Sky Arrow 600 light sport only. I haven't been tracking registration of the certified version of the Sky Arrow.

slsaowner · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 80 Location: WI

Jon Hansen told me at Oshkosh last summer that the Sky Arrow was no longer being built, but I see that it's still showing up on his Web site with a link to a Sky Arrow Web site. If you want to know more, start with Jon's Web site at: http://hansenairgroup.com/

tadel001 · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 251

Actually, the head of the US importer died this past year. At the same time, 3I, the company that makes SKy Arrow, was going through some changes. I believe they are getting back on track to produce in the US. OUr flight school has three of them and we still get parts from Italy.

sethdallob · Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Posts: 33 Location: Cedarpines Park CA

A Sky Arrow was the plane that just crashed off of Malibu yesterday. N454SA.

sp2b · Joined: 19 Aug 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Los Angeles

You are correct. It was the plane that crashed. This was truly sad.

The Sky Arrow 600, N454SA, was the plane I was training in, and the instructor, Griff Hoerner, that was killed was my instructor. No I was not the student who crashed with Griff on that day.

He was truly an amazing aviator and instructor. For the rest of my life as I fly I'll always remember his words through the intercom, "ennnergy management....feel the plane...don't look at your instruments, feeeel the plane, what is she telling you?"

I have not flown since.

--SP2B

spooky981 · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 45

Bumping this thread as it looks like the Hansen Air Group has acquired the rights to the Sky Arrow. Saw it in ByDanJohnson.com.

Glad to hear it. The Sky Arrow really is one of a kind.

HAmike · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Marietta, Georgia

Actually, 3I's Sky Arrow operation was just aquired by a large Italian aerospace component manufacturer. The new operators want to continue Sky Arrow production and are looking at making some improvements. Hansen AirGroup is the importer/dealer for Sky Arrow in the US. Now that the future of Sky Arrow is assured, we are looking forward to "Reintroducing" the 600 Sport to the US market. :D. More info to come when the new owners ok the press release...

spooky981 · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 45

Ahhhh great news! Any changes planned for the reintroduction, or will it remain essentially the same?

HAmike · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Marietta, Georgia

No big changes immediately. The engineers at 3I did come up with an option for longer range tanks in the last year. They have also sold at least one surveillance version to a foreign government in the past 12 months so the factory has been active during the reorganization. As I understand it there are 6 airframes mostly completed awaiting engine and avionics orders. We are hoping the new operators will make weight reduction one of their first major efforts. The Sky Arrow is "over built" for the LSA category. It should be possible to take off some empty weight by targeting certain parts of the airframe for the LSA arena vs. the heavier categories it also operates in and still exceed ASTM standards by a good margin. Also, by applying advances in design and manufacturing techniques developed in the 20 years since the Sky Arrow was first designed, further weight reduction without sacrificing ruggedness are possible. The future holds all sorts of possibilities for the Sky Arrow. :D (Shameless plug)

spooky981 · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 45

Can you comment on the approximate price for a base model?

EDIT: And target date for availability?

HAmike · Joined: 06 Oct 2010 Posts: 11 Location: Marietta, Georgia

3I has made an offer that would allow us to sell the next 6 aircraft for $99,600 US with what we call the "Standard Option" package. These would be day/night VFR aircraft with Icom radios, Garmin, transponders, docking station for G296-496, lights, strobes, cabin heat, defog and Dynon D6. Price will probably go up after these 6,

spooky981 · Joined: 23 May 2010 Posts: 45

Gah, need another year before I'm ready to buy.

Great news Mike! Keep us posted.

FastEddieB · Joined: 07 Jan 2009 Posts: 207 Location: Mineral Bluff, GA

Glad to see the Sky Arrow will still be around.

Too bad the price has increased so much*. I assume that has to do with the weakness of the dollar?

*my 2007 with comparable equipment listed new for $75,500, which seemed like a fair price at the time. Anyway, compared to the Remos' and CT's and Carbon Cubs and the like, even $99.6k is sounding reasonable - but is still a lot of money.

Delivery day!