Advanced Aviation Explorer

Template:Infobox aircraft The Advanced Aviation Explorer is a two-seat ultralight marketed in kit form, for amateur construction. It is a high-wing taildragger aircraft of pusher configuration with tandem seating.<ref name="Cliche">Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, page B-109. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. Template:ISBN</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2007">Downey, Julia: 2008 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 24, Number 12, December 2007, page 37. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2004">Downey, Julia: 2005 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 42. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2003">Newby-Gonzalez, Tori: 2004 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 20, Number 12, December 2003, page 37. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2001">Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 21. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2000">Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 29. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec1998">Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 37. Primedia Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref><ref name="Aerocrafter">Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter – Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 117. BAI Communications. Template:ISBN</ref>

Design and development

The aircraft is a development of the Talon XP which in turn traces its lineage to the Maxair Drifter. The Explorer has been produced by a number of companies and under a variety of names.<ref name="Cliche" />

The main advance over the Drifter is the Explorer's use of main wing struts and jury struts in place of cable bracing. Like all aircraft in this family they feature excellent visibility, especially from the front seat when the optional fibreglass cockpit pod is removed. As a result, the design is often employed as a camera platform. It can be flown on floats and has been used for banner towing.<ref name="Cliche" />

Construction is of bolted aluminium tube, with the flying surfaces covered in pre-sewn Dacron envelopes. The kit takes about 150–250 hours to assemble.<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2007" />

The standard engine is the Rotax 582 of Template:Convert, with the four-stroke Template:Convert Rotax 912 optional.<ref name="Cliche" />

Variants

Explorer

Initial version, derived from the Talon XP, but with struts in place of the cable-braced wing. Produced by Advanced Aviation, no longer in production.<ref name="Cliche" />

Zephyr

Similar to the Explorer, but produced by Arnet Pereyra Inc, no longer in production. Also known as the Zephyr II, 40 reported flying in 1998/2001.<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2001" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2000" /><ref name="KitplanesDec1998" /><ref name="Aerocrafter" />

Toucan

New name for the aircraft when manufacturer Arnet Pereyra changed the company name to Aero Adventure Aviation, powered by a Rotax 582 of Template:Convert. In production, with 10 flying at the end of 2011.<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2007" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2004" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2003" /><ref name="ToucanHome">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="KitplanesDec2011">Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 37. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851</ref>

Barracuda

Aero Adventure Aviation produced version powered by the Template:Convert Rotax 912, Template:Convert gross weight, optimized for amphibious floats. Out of production, with 1 flying at the end of 2007.<ref name="Cliche" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2007" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2004" /><ref name="KitplanesDec2003" /><ref name="ToucanHome"/>

External links

• Official Aero Adventure Toucan website