No, It's Not A Small B-1B

While it's true no more F-14 Tomcats will grace the skies over AirVenture, a new swing-wing design debuted this year. Only, this one is different -- we're talking LSA, and the wing swings on the ground for storage.

Iren Dornier (below), grandson of Claude Dornier, presented the new aircraft design. The DO-S, a single-engine, two-seat amphibian, draws heavily on some of the early Dornier aircraft. Dornier came to AirVenture with the prototype, which first flew July 14.

"The idea came to us here two years ago at AirVenture," Dornier said. "We really found interest in the design."

The aircraft is built of composite materials. An innovative feature of the design is the wing structure, which rotates 90 degrees fore and aft for storage or transport. The fuel is stored in sponsons off the lower fuselage, which also provide buoyancy and stability, rather than floats on the wings.

"This aircraft is not built for speed," Dornier said. "It's built for safety."

Dornier said the company has 20 orders for the aircraft. A Rotax 914 powers the test aircraft; production aircraft will use the Rotax 912S for power. The initial round of DO-Ss will cost roughly $129,000.

Dornier Technologie will initially produce the aircraft as an LSA. Dornier expects to certify the aircraft in the European VLA category. Dornier expects Part 23 certification with an increased gross weight, diesel engine and increased range.

The DO-S's published performance figures for flight with a Rotax 912 include a cruise speed of 103 knots and a stall speed of 37 knots. Climb rate is 700 ft./min. and range is posted as 460 nautical miles.

FMI: www.airventure.org