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...

FMI: www.toyota.com