| Puma ultralight, advanced
ultralight and lightsport aircraft category aircraft. |
| Rating from 1 to 10 with 10 being the best or easiest. |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
| Design - Structure, history, safety, resale value, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
The PUMA design, construction and
materials have proven themselves over the past 20 years. There has
been no evidence of safety related problems with the plane, and it
meets or exceeds some of Europe's most demanding certification
programs. The downside is that there are only 65 aircraft flying in
the world as of December 2007.
Only one of these is in North America. The North American
distributor is starting to set up a dealer network, but is still in
the early stages. For these reasons resale value would be lower than
a more established manufacturer. |
| Kit - Construction style, complexity, knowledge requirement |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The kit comes ready to assemble with
no building required. The assembly process in kit form is mainly
engine installation, instruments, and wiring. For Canadian customers
the distributor has an agreement with Aeropropulsion in ST-Lazare
Quebec, for customers wanting an engine installation at a fix cost
and under full Rotax warranty (engine plus installation).
Otreb Technologies also has a number 1 877 FLY-IPUM which
customers can call free of charge. |
| Factory - Years in business, kits produced, kits flying. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The factory has been producing
aircraft for over 20 years, it gets a low rating because it has only
produced 65 aircraft. |
| Manuals - Ease of reading, completeness, drawings and diagrams |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Manuals currently supplied
with the kit are the Rotax engine and installation manual, and
PUMA operating manual. Otreb
Technologies is also working on additional instrument and assembly
manuals, which are step by step pictures/drawing in both English and
French. |
| Cockpit - Comfort, noise, visibility, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The PUMA gets a very high rating for
pilot comfort, and visibility, and if flown again with the added
sound proofing that Otreb has installed would probably rate a 10. |
| Ground handling and suspension - System, complexity, does it work |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The ground handling characteristics
on the PUMA are something that I had a problem with. I have flown
many aeroplanes which use a castering nosewheel and brakes for
steering. I have also flown many thousands of hours in planes with
hand lever brakes. But this is the first time I have flown a plane
with a center mounted throttle, with a center mounted lever brake
system which is used for steering.
Most craft using a castering nosewheel use toe brakes, this means
the pilot can use the throttle, rudder and brakes in combination to
steer the plane and he DOES NOT have to reach over or release any of
the control systems.
For a pilot especially in an emergency situation to have to let go
of the control stick, reach over his/her body to work a throttle and
or brake lever is not something that I would think the average pilot
would feel comfortable with. |
| Flight Controls - Pressure, comfort, effectiveness, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| These section rates a 10 on all
points. |
| Propulsion Package - Reliability, noise, vibration, |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Rotax power plant, and PUMA
engine installation, with thermostat rates this a 10. The fact that
the exhaust seems to be a little noisier, is countered by the extra
performance it seems to supply.
As a pilot I would also like be able to check my oil and radiator
system without having to remove the cowls. This would only require
the installation of two trap doors, one on the top of the cowl, the
other on the side. |
| Performance - Compared to other craft with same weight, power and style of control systems. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The PUMA rates a 10 here. There are
very few ultralight/lightsport aircraft that I have flown that give
you the performance that the PUMA does on only 80 HP. |
| Overall Rating |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The PUMA rates a 83 out of a possible
100. Many of the negatives have nothing to do with the plane itself
but rather, the number of craft flying, etc. If you
take these out of the equation it rates over 90.
The main negative in my opinion is the throttle and steering
arrangement, which will be both confusing and cumbersome for most
conventional and ultralight/lightsport aircraft pilots. |
