We've Had Photos, But no Pronouncement, for Weeks
The people at Scaled Composites, who built the plane, are
relying on us for information about it, so quiet is the customer,
Toyota. We've called the Toyota publicity people, and we're
told that "It's just a proof-of-concept," and "We're not sure it
will ever go to production," and "We don't have any information on
it," and "We don't have photos."
Well, WE have photos, courtesy ANN News-Spy
"T," who needs to stay anonymous.
A second Toyota spokeslady was able to send us the official
press release, with a friendly note attached:
"Since you expressed an interest in Toyota's proof of concept
plane, I wanted to bring this press release, which originated in
Japan, to your attention.
"An official photo of the plane has still not been issued and we
have no plans to do so at this time. At which time an official
photo is taken and distributed, we will include you in the
distribution." [Don't sweat the photo -- our great people have come
through! --ed.]
Official word:
Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) has successfully
completed the first test flight of an experimental aircraft built
to verify small aircraft technology in a joint project with Toyota
Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (TMS).
TMC and TMS commissioned the roughly one-hour test flight,
conducted in the vicinity of California's Mojave Airport on May 31,
local time (June 1 JST), to U.S.-based Scaled Composites, LLC,
which has a well-established experimental-flight track
record. The test was part of TMC-TMS research to examine
whether Toyota's aerodynamics and low-cost production technologies
could be applied to the small aircraft sector.
The aircraft used in the flight was a four-seat,
single-engine piston plane fitted with an engine produced by an
outside manufacturer. Its fuselage, consisting of a one-piece
co-cured (single-molded) unit of a carbon fiber and resin composite
material, is aimed at achieving excellent aerodynamic and cost
performance when compared to conventional small aircraft. TMC
and TMS plan additional test flights to complete a series of
technological evaluations.
Based on technology accumulated through its auto
manufacturing experience, Toyota plans to continue with similar
research in the area of personal aviation, with the aim of making
contributions to general aviation technology.
Well, the rest is fairly obvious: it's a fixed-gear, low-wing,
conventional-looking design [conventional? from Scaled
Composites???]; we've also been told it carries a Lycoming IO-360
up front.
Any more than that, and we'd have to be making this up...