Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By tlyons
#105781
The new owner of the ARV rights and assets is Tony Dawson, an English aviation engineer who use to work on Concorde.
Tony has announced that he has chosen to locate a new ARV factory in Stoneville, North Carolina.
Last edited by tlyons on Sun Jul 31, 2011 1:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Old Pilot
#106060
I hope this comes off but I have read nothing anywhere else.

Richard Noble's original plan was for the ARV to be the platform for cheap entry flying training in the UK. I flew in one of the Daily Express PR machines with him and it is a nice little forgiving aircraft although like the Rotorway Exec helicopter a little cramped.

And let's be fair. Park a Bolkow alongside an ARV and tell me who designed what!

Bar talk or will it happen
By tlyons
#109490
"Bar talk or will it happen?" ...... It's happening! ...... I've seen the photos!

No doubt Tony Dawson, the new proprietor, is focusing on securing FAA approval, so that the ARV Opus can be sold in the huge USA aviation market. (The original ARV was fully CAA-approved, and FAA approval cannot be far away).

Since there is an existing (if small) base of enthusiastic ARV fans on this side of the pond, the UK will no doubt be the second main market for the Opus.
By tlyons
#138802
Some more news of Tony Dawson's ARV/Opus project in the USA can be seen on:
Link
By tlyons
#149397
LATEST ARV NEWS!!!

After lengthy negotiations, some ARV owners have at last successfully persuaded the CAA to allow ALL CAA registered ARV Super2 aeroplanes to move onto a PFA Permit.

Of the 35 or so ARVs produced in the UK, about a dozen are on the CAA register. Some of these CAA ARV aircraft have been languishing unused for some time, their owners frustrated by the non-existence of either factory airframe parts or Hewland engine parts.

This new development means that all ARV Super2s can now be kept airworthy. Some of the former CAA ARVs will no doubt be re-engined; but some owners may chose to "stay original", but upgrade their Hewland engines with new parts.

The Manchester-based owners of the Hewland assets are said to have increased the output of the 3-cylinder inverted liquid-cooled two-stroke engine from 70 to 90 bhp; and this should transform the performance.

Two alternative engine options are: the ubiquitous Rotax 912/912S/914 family (a known quantity, if a bit heavy and rather pricey); and the flat-four air-cooled Jabiru engine (which has recently benefitted from a power increase from 80 to 85 bhp). A handful of existing ARVs also use the Mid-West twin-rotor **** which is light, smooth, powerful and compact; but I don't know if this unit is still available from the new Austrian owners, Diamond.

This move from CAA register to PFA Permit should really invigorate the ARV Super2 world; and since the ARV is also to be produced again in the new Opus factory in the USA, it seems that there is now a great future ahead for the ARV Super2.
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By Old Pilot
#149405
G-INFO certainly lists this one as being on a permit. Powered by a ROTAX 914-UL it is serial no PFA 152-13035 and is registered to a Lancashire owner.



Image
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By scuderia
#149448
I think these are fun and funny aircraft and the couple of chaps that fly one out of EGKA love theres to bits.

When I watched one of them pull up to the pumps at EGKA and watch the prop stop absolutley dead as the engine is switched I can't help but think the grass box is full :lol: :lol:

Hope this works out as there are very few modern pieces of British aviation around.

Mark.
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By Flyin'Dutch'
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#149459
t,

With that move will that mean that new Opusses will have to gain type certification again?

Can not imagine that the CAA/EASA would allow newly built, certified machines, to go onto permits.
By tlyons
#156931
There is a six-page article on an ARV Super2 in the March 2005 edition of "Today's Pilot".

Also, the June 2005 PFA magazine "Popular Flying" reports on the Popham Microlight Fair. (See page 52). It seems Weslake and SGT have produced a very nice-looking air-cooled flat-twin direct-drive four-stroke aero engine weighing 61kg (gross) and producing 90hp. It has fuel injection, electronic ignition and appears to have 4-valve heads. Weslake have chosen to put the prototype engine in an ARV Super2 airframe. In the past, the ARV has been a "mule" for the development of other engines, namely the Hewland 3-cylinder 2-stroke and the MidWest twin-rotor ****.
Last edited by tlyons on Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By tlyons
#499547
Getting US certification is a lengthy process, buthe OPUS Super2 Sport Aircraft is getting ever closer to production: http://www.opusaircraft.com/
Opus will be offering the Rotax 912UL and the 912S; and they are also testing the Jabiru 2200.
By tlyons
#516376
The PFA magazine "Popular Flying" reports that ARV Super2 G-BMDO, which was damaged in 1997, has been rebuilt and is now flying again. It was fitted with a Rotax 914 engine, and now has a MAUW limit of 526kg (rather than the usual 499kg). Re-registered as G-YARV, this ARV joins four others (G-OARV, G-XARV, PH-ARV, G-ZARV) with an "ARV" call-sign. There could be a number of Golf Romeo Victors at the next Super2 fly-in!
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By Jim and Pat Dalton
#516448
Dave W wrote:...and I spent today sat 50m from one at Farnborough. :D

Graced the apron with BBJs, 125s and Gulfstreams very nicely it did, too.


Richard Noble used to keep his a Farnborough


Jim