As GA and SportAv Struggle with Post-Pandemic Recovery, A New Player Would Be Most Welcome

There MAY be a new player coming to the sport and GA scene.

Maybe.

Yamaha Motor Co and ShinMaywa Industries have been circulating news of an agreement they have signed for the joint research of a next-generation small aircraft.

According to this agreement, Yamaha will explore avenues for adapting its small-engine technologies to the aviation industry, while ShinMaywa will offer its aircraft engineering technologies and expertise—garnered through the development of flying boats and various other aircraft, to designing concepts, constructing prototypes, conducting tests, verify autonomous technology and more for small aircraft.

Both companies note that they will use this joint research endeavor to explore possibilities for the commercialization of some next-generation small aircraft -- taking into consideration the direction and future of the project based on market interest and other factors.

They have acquired a high-wing LSA design to build some  experience in the genre, but it is as yet unknown and specified what type of aircraft they may attempt to create under this program.

Heretofore, a number of Aero-conversions of various Yamaha snowmobile-type engines have been successful (and are making some waves in the STOL community, in particular) and are starting to build some fans among experimental aircraft builder/flyers. The engines are not yet ASTM-conversant.

FMI: www.global.yamaha-motor.com, www.shinmaywa.co.jp/english/