World’s Largest Kit Aircraft Producer Now Adding Factory-Built Version

At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013, California-based Quicksilver Aeronautics said in a news conference that the company is finalizing work on their Special Light-Sport Aircraft (SLSA) model and is awaiting an FAA audit to confirm the procedure before deliveries can get underway.

“Compliance with the ASTM consensus standards is a seriously work-intensive task," said Quicksilver Aeronautics Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Perez. “Complying to ASTM standards encompasses proving the design and structure of the plane, the plane’s performance in flight, the Quality Assurance program in the manufacturing operation, and the Continuous Operational Safety Monitoring of all aircraft sold. These are perhaps the most important items but our engineers had to meet extensive ASTM standards in an entire range of functions.”

Quicksilver is working to gain approval on two models simultaneously; the Sport 2S open cockpit as well as a closed or partially closed cockpit GT 500. Each is a two seat model. “Both Sport 2S and GT 500 were designed to the highest standards as Experimental Amateur Built aircraft (EAB),” added Perez, “and we believe this puts both models in a very good condition to comply with the ASTM standards.” To gain a high level of assurance of meeting a thorough FAA compliance and regulatory audit, Quicksilver retained the serves of Streamline Designs, a very experienced firm. Streamline Designs, led by Adam Morrison and Severin Kempf, is intimately experienced with ASTM aircraft certifications and offers engineering consultation services. The company was contracted to guide Quicksilver certification efforts in late 2012.

“The Sport 2S certification for Lights Sport is nearing completion with the key help of Streamline Designs,” said Perez. “The current plan is for the FAA to be present in our California facility in September 2013 to conduct a certification audit. The effort to certify our second model, the GT 500, started three months ago. Because the GT 500 possesses FAA Primary Category certification, the testing to support the certification to the Light Sport ASTM consensus standards is significant less than with the Sport 2S. We expect to certify the GT 500 by the end of the year.” By year’s end 2013, Quicksilver Aeronautics expects to offer two Special LSA plus Experimental LSA (ELSA) kit models and 51% EAB models for its entire line of seven aircraft models.

FMI: www.QuicksilverAircraft.com