Retractable Gear, Adjustable Prop, Lightweight Sporter

It's no secret that the market for sport aircraft is competitive, even busy, when the full spectrum of aircraft is considered throughout the world.

The sum of hundreds of manufacturers worldwide, vying for the most diverse pilot groups in all of aerospace, trying to one-up each other while meeting varied worldwide requirements for size and weight. The cap on certain dimensions for ultralights, light sports, or similar classifications have resulted in a developmental arms race, with each brand striving to improve their products while maximizing market compatibility of their aircraft. Sport aircraft have become the one of the last bastions of enthusiasts, an endangered species of affordable, enjoyable, advanced aircraft. TL Ultralight, of Czech fame, has worked with their American cousins, TL Aircraft, to release their newest sport plane for discerning, hungry customers stateside. 

The Sparker, at first glance, strikes a comfy, sporty balance between a full-size GA aircraft and a smaller sportplane. A sleek, aerodynamic build with a spacious, high-visibility panoramic canopy that promises at a glance will make the most of every bit of its power. The carbon and kevlar shell provides maximum crew protection in case of rough off-airport landings should the worst occur, which, given the ballistic parachute recovery system, should be a rare occurrence.

Retractable landing gear with a steerable nose wheel make for easy taxi handling, with 24 cubic feet of luggage compartments hungry enough for a trip's worth of luggage. 

The cockpit is where the aircraft shines, as the Sparker combines the sportiness of another of TL's aircraft - tandem-seat, fighter-esque Stream - with the luxurious, spacious cockpit of a larger aircraft. With leather and carbon fiber interior trim, the layout feels closer to a premium sports car than an off-the-shelf aircraft. Where some of its competitors make do with hollow aluminum tube wrapped in a stairmaster’s foam handgrip, the Sparker has a genuine, ergonomic, side stick wrapped in a sculpted, fighter-like joystick. With the coveted HOTAS layout, hat switch, and stick buttons, the sparker's layout can do a convincing imitation of a personal fighter, if only to pretend the mic key is an imaginary weapon release.

Triple glass panel G3X Touch avionics, and durable, guarded switches, the Sparker provides a level of refinement and hardiness in its parts that should last a lifetime of frequent use. 

Powerplant options include the stalwart Rotax 912 USL or the 915 iS. The USL is a four-cylinder, carbureted engine, and the 915 iS is a turbocharged four-cylinder perfect for owners seeking higher performance. A choice of fixed or adjustable propellers are available, as well, with TL's top recommendations being a 3-bladed PowerMax or 2-bladed DuoMax prop. Estimated performance from TL Aviation gives the Sparker a range of 1,000 miles, a cruise speed of 175 knots TAS, and a fuel consumption of 7.5 gallons per hour. If accurate, the plane could be a rare chance to have the best of both worlds: a cheap long-range cruiser, and a sporty daytripper. 

FMI: www.tlsportaircraft.com