On Tuesday, February 22nd, 2005, High Performance Aircraft's innovative and uniquely apportioned TT62 Alekto diesel twin prototype D-IXTT took off from Heringsdorf airport on the island of Usedom, Germany for its maiden flight.

The successful maiden flight marks the first in a series of qualification flights as the TT62 goes through certification testing.

D-IXTT was piloted by test pilot Gerard Guilaumaud, who started flight testing with a series of low-level flights at moderate speeds over the island of Usedom. The maiden flight of D-IXTT occurred two years after development of the innovative diesel twin started. The flight test program will culminate with JAR 23 certification in 2006, with first customer deliveries shortly thereafter.

The TT62 Alekto is a composite twin powered by two TAE Centurion 4.0 diesel V8 engines that are buried in the rear fuselage, behind the pressurized cabin. The 310 HP engines run on Jet A and are designed to propel the TT62 to cruise speeds of well over 200kt. HPA expects about 50 nautical miles per gallon, and a 1,700 nm range with IFR reserves.

The TT62 also features a state-of-the-art glass cockpit, with three displays and sidesticks for control. The aircraft is currently priced at around 500,000 Euros.

FMI: www.hp-aircraft.de