Evektor-Aerotechnik Sportstar C-ILUV 08 showing split flap

The SportStar and EuroStar are a family of a two-seat,

light sport aircraft A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight (aka "microlight") aircraft, but LSA restrictio ...

(LSA), manufactured by

Evektor-Aerotechnik Evektor-Aerotechnik is a Czech aircraft manufacturer based in Kunovice, Czech Republic. The company produces range of light sport aircraft, training, advanced ultralight aircraft and electric aircraft. Evektor-Aerotechnik is also developin ...

of the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

and powered by a

Rotax 912ULS The Rotax 912 is a horizontally-opposed four-cylinder, naturally aspirated, four-stroke aircraft engine with a reduction gearbox. It features liquid-cooled cylinder heads and air-cooled cylinders. Originally equipped with carburetors, late ...

, engine.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: ''World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12'', pages 47-48. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485X The SportStar was the first approved special

light-sport aircraft A light-sport aircraft (LSA), or light sport aircraft, is a fairly new category of small, lightweight aircraft that are simple to fly. LSAs tend to be heavier and more sophisticated than ultralight (aka "microlight") aircraft, but LSA restrictio ...

(S-LSA) and was named "S-LSA Aircraft of the Year" in 2011 by AeroNews Network. According to

Flight International ''Flight International'' is a monthly magazine focused on aerospace. Published in the United Kingdom and founded in 1909 as "A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport", it is the world's oldes ...

, the SportStar held the number-one seller spot in 2005, which the periodical attributed to its high range of options and overall affordability.

Development

Development of the SportStar is closely entangled with its Eurostar sibling; while the former was specifically developed to meet the needs of the light-sports aircraft (LSA) sector of the

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

market, the lighter EuroStar was designed for the ultralight-microlight (UL-ML) portion of the European market. The two aircraft, which have been grouped together in the same family by their manufacturer, are visually similar; however, the SportStar is slightly heavier and larger aircraft than the Eurostar, the former having a greater wingspan and a marginally wider fuselage. The 550kg maximum weight of the SportStar was a deliberate choice by Evektor so that the aircraft would be compliant with the relatively stringent LSA limitations enacted in countries such as

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. The SportStar RTC design was reportedly based on the

EASA The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for civil aviation safety. It carries out certification, regulation and standardisation and also performs investigation and monitori ...

's JAR-VLA certified aircraft standards; Evektor claims it to reflect the latest development in design, safety and cockpit comfort present amongst modern light sport aircraft. Furthermore, according to Evektor, the SportStar was developed to achieve relatively low costs of operation, along with ease of maintenance, and to specifically satisfy the needs of flight schools. It is claimed by the manufacturer that the aircraft is capable of achieving half of the typical operating costs incurred by contemporary training aircraft. According to Flight International, the cost of consumables for the type is comparable to those of a typical car, while the overall operating costs, including depreciation, engine and maintenance reserves, is roughly around €45 per flight hour if flown for a typical 200 hours per year. Following the

FAA The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...

's finalisation of the Sport Pilot/Light Sport Aircraft rule in April 2005, the SportStar became the first aircraft to be certified in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

as an LSA. Prior receiving certification in the US, the SportStar had already established itself in the European market, particularly as a reliable trainer. By the end of 2006, a total of 600 SportStars were reportedly in service around the world.

Design

The SportStar is a two-seat

, intended for recreational flying, touring, basic flight training, and towing roles. It possesses a relatively low-mounted wing along with a

bubble canopy A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility. The designs of bubble canopies can drastically vary; so ...

, which provides high level of exterior visibility, a particularly desirable attribute for a trainer aircraft. The SportStar is capable of towing

sailplanes A glider or sailplane is a type of glider aircraft used in the leisure activity and sport of gliding (also called soaring). This unpowered aircraft can use naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to gain altitude. Sailplan ...

up to 1544 lbs (700 kg) gross weight, as well as towing banners of up to 1479 sq ft (140 m²). It can also be configured as an

amphibian Amphibians are tetrapod, four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the Class (biology), class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terres ...

when outfitted with suitable floats. For the safety of its occupants, the SportStar can be furnished with a rocket-boosted recovery parachute, which fires upwards and sideways through an aperture in the forward engine panel; this system, which is an option, is manually triggered by the pilot via a handle in the cockpit. The SportStar is powered by a single

air-cooled

piston engine A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is typically a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common featu ...

, which typically drives a three-bladed VZLU V230C

variable-pitch propeller Variable-pitch propeller can refer to: *Variable-pitch propeller (marine) *Variable-pitch propeller (aeronautics) In aeronautics, a variable-pitch propeller is a type of propeller (airscrew) with blades that can be rotated around their long a ...

, although alternative propeller designs of both fixed and variable pitches can also be fitted. This engine can be operated using automotive-standard

unleaded petrol Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organic com ...

;

avgas Avgas (aviation gasoline, also known as aviation spirit in the UK) is an aviation fuel used in aircraft with spark-ignited internal combustion engines. ''Avgas'' is distinguished from conventional gasoline (petrol) used in motor vehicles, w ...

and mogas can also be used for limited periods if required. A push/pull throttle lever is the primary engine control, this being centrally mounted in the base of the instrument panel; it incorporates an uncommon twist function to make fine adjustments to the engine's

rpm Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...

without moving the lever. A centrally-located propeller lever mounted on the cockpit floor is used to adjust the pitch of the propeller. Electrical power is provided by an engine-driven generator that charges a single 12V battery. The SportStar comprises a mostly-metal construction, being primarily composed of anodized,

corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...

-proofed

aluminum Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. It has ...

; a limited number of

composite material A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common name) is a material which is produced from two or more constituent materials. These constituent materials have notably dissimilar chemical or ...

s have also been used in areas such as panels. As a consequence of the high use of conventional aluminium, the airframe is relatively easy to repair as well as affordable to construct. The airframe uses a pop-riveted and bonded construction, which the company claims will improve

fatigue Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...

characteristics and result in a longer service life. The company has also claimed that this construction technique results in better

crashworthiness Crashworthiness is the ability of a structure to protect its occupants during an impact. This is commonly tested when investigating the safety of aircraft and vehicles. Depending on the nature of the impact and the vehicle involved, different crit ...

qualities, as well as the elimination of rivet zippering during an accident, and results in quieter noise levels in-flight due to the elimination of oil-canning and flexing tendencies. The cockpit is provided with electrically-operated flight instrumentation, along with a

VHF Very high frequency (VHF) is the ITU designation for the range of radio frequency electromagnetic waves (radio waves) from 30 to 300 megahertz (MHz), with corresponding wavelengths of ten meters to one meter. Frequencies immediately below VHF ...

radio unit,

transponder In telecommunications, a transponder is a device that, upon receiving a signal, emits a different signal in response. The term is a blend word, blend of ''transmitter'' and ''responder''. In air navigation or radio frequency identification, a T ...

GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...

and ILS navigation systems, and lighting. In a typical arrangement, five standard flight instruments are present in the console, although the layout of this instrumentation and the installation of various other instruments are options available to customers. Conventional analogue engine indicators are installed to the right of the instrumentation console. The cockpit can be heated via ducted engine air, while cooling is provided via compact openable panels in the canopy. The wing, which was developed in-house, features manually-actuated

split flap A flap is a high-lift device used to reduce the stalling speed of an aircraft wing at a given weight. Flaps are usually mounted on the wing trailing edges of a fixed-wing aircraft. Flaps are used to reduce the take-off distance and the landing ...

s that can be set to four positions as standard; electrically-actuated flaps are available as an option. Early production aircraft had a centrally-mounted single fuel tank behind the seats with a maximum capacity of 65 litres; this was replaced on later-built aircraft by a pair of integral fuel tanks within the wings for a maximum capacity of 120 litres, thus allowing the fuselage space freed up to be used for baggage or other equipment.

Variants

;EuroStar SL :Model for the European ultralight category, with a gross weight of ;EuroStar SL+ :Version of the EuroStar SL with a new wing and integral fuel tanks, bigger baggage compartment and lower empty weight by .Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: ''World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16'', pages 48-50. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ;EuroStar SLW :Model for the European ultralight category, with a gross weight of . It combines the EuroStar fuselage with the wing and stabilizer from the Harmony. ;Harmony :Model for the US LSA market, based on the Harmony

airframe The mechanical structure of an aircraft is known as the airframe. This structure is typically considered to include the fuselage, undercarriage, empennage and wings, and excludes the propulsion system. Airframe design is a field of aerospa ...

, with enlarged

aileron An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...

s and rudder to improve crosswind capabilities, an improved wing,

winglet Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft' ...

s and tail, wider and longer cockpit, as well as refined

wheel pants An aircraft fairing is a structure whose primary function is to produce a smooth outline and reduce drag.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, Third Edition'', page 206. Aviation Supplies & Academics Inc, Newcastle Washington, 1997. ...

and other fairings. ;SportStar :Initial model ;SportStar SL :Improved model ;SportStar Max :Version for the US LSA market with a gross weight of ;SportStar RTC :SportStar RTC was developed to meet EASA VLA certification and intended for use in flight training. ;

Evektor EPOS The Evektor EPOS ("Electric powered small aircraft"), also called the SportStar EPOS, is a Czech electric ultralight and light-sport aircraft under development by Evektor-Aerotechnik of Kunovice. It was introduced at the AERO Friedrichshaf ...

Electric aircraft An electric aircraft is an aircraft powered by electricity. Electric aircraft are seen as a way to reduce the environmental effects of aviation, providing zero emissions and quieter flights. Electricity may be supplied by a variety of methods, ...

version, using the SportStar RTC fuselage and a new wing design.

Specifications (SportStar Max)

References

External links

Evektor SportStar Max Light Sport Aircraft overview via YouTube.com

Evektor SportStar: Czech Mate via planeandpilotmag.com

Popular SportStar undergoing club trials via kiwiflyer.co.nz
{{Evektor-Aerotechnik aircraft 2000s Czech sport aircraft Light-sport aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Low-wing aircraft

SportStar ''Sportstar'' is an Indian monthly Sports magazine, sports magazine published in India by the publishers of ''The Hindu''. Its headquarters is in Chennai. History and profile ''Sportstar'' was established in 1978. The magazine covers interna ...