Most people familiar with general aviation aircraft would associate the name Grob with sailplanes, powered gliders, and at best, light trainer aircraft. They have a very interesting history however. The designed, built and flew a few experimental very high altitude aircraft. One is appropriately named the Strato 2c or the G850. This aircraft is unlike any I’ve ever seen. It is also unusual and interesting in that it was/is the largest all-composite fully certified manned aircraft built. Powered by two piston IO540 engines (modified with 2-stage turbochargers) it was (on paper) capable of…26km!!! Thats 85,000ft!
It was proven in test flights to climb to 53,500 feet. Thats incredible for a piston powered aircraft.
More info here: http://www.grob-aerospace.de/get.php4?pageid=247
and here:http://www.spyflight.co.uk/g850.htm
Quite impressive!
-J-
Do you know what the pricing is? Their A/C are kinda like Diamonds’ and Cirrus’. I would like to know more about their A/C series. Interesting.
The Starcraft SK-700 is a medium-range low-cost executive aircraft concept. With a speed of almost 400 mph! (That like 340 kts) Hey, thats like the Cessna Mustang, faster than the D-Jet, and competes with the Eclipse! It first flew in 1994. There are three major version planned. The SK-700 has low/straight wings, fore and aft piston engines, and a ventral fin. Here are some of the specs I found about it.
Length=36 feet
Wingspan=42 feet 3 inches
Height=14 feet 1 inch
passengers=7 (2 in cockpit and 5 in cabin)
Cargo=1,450 pounds
Range=not found
SK-700: standard production
SK-700SE: single engine fixed gear
SK-1100: 12-seater
…And that’s all I know about it. But it sounds like a pretty COOL airplane. I’d consider it if it was an option to buy.
Here’s a joke for all you VLJ fans. What is the slowest jet around and what’s it speed? The D-Jet and 315 knots. Hahahahaha Diamond made the biggest joke of a jet I can think of. …Except may be the ME-163. But that’s a rocket plane. I mean come on! 315 knots is a joke for a jet. What’s a Citation X gonna say when it passes a D-Jet? “Was that a bird?” Really now, I serious. 530 kts to 315 kts…
Pop quiz in Math for today children. Which number is larger, 530 or 315? [/elementary teacher] Uuuuhhhhh. 530? 530 divided by 315 is 1.68. [/nerd kid]
Allow me to dismount my golden plated soap box. Thank you 
Here’s a picture of the SK-700.
I’ll update it with better quality picture in 10 minutes at 18:50 PST.
I guess permission granted. LOL I tried to Google Starcraft and Starcraft SK-700 but with no luck.
Here’s an article about the Piaggio P180 Avanti. It cruises at 398 kts and sells for a little over $6 million. If I had the money I’d fly one.
Oops! “Page Not Found”, CCX.
Thanks.