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DynAero MCR 4s

Hi there,

I'm looking into for an economical airplane for VFR-touring (later IFR) within Europe for 2 people. Here's the features that should fulfil that mission:

  1. Good endurance (> 500 nm)
  2. Not sluggish (> 130 kias cruise)
  3. Good climb rate (for those mountains)
  4. Fuel-efficient (ideally < 25 l AvGas, MoGas a plus)
  5. Reasonable service and spares availability for legacy airplanes
  6. Budget < 100k EUR
  7. Possible to equip for night VFR and IFR
  8. Luggage > 20 kg per person with full fuel
9. Reasonable take-off / landing performance

The DynAero MCR 4s has caught my eye. It seems to exceed the above, even when discounting the book values for reality (numbers are book values with Rotax 914 engine):

  1. Endurance with standard (130 l) / long-range tanks (200 l): 1000 nm / 1500 nm (about 7 h / 11 h) at 65% power
  2. Cruise 138 knots at 65% power (147 knots at 75% power)
  3. Sea-level climb rate 900 fpm
  4. 17.9 l/h at 65% power (Rotax 914), MoGas possible not advised (?)
  5. DynAero went bankrupt last year, but is in new hands that continue the business and model development.
  6. Well-equipped used ones go for just under 100 k EUR
  7. ??? see question below
  8. Useful load 400 kg, so about 250 kg with full fuel, leaving almost 100 kg baggage with two standard-weight people
9. Take-off ground roll 300 m (not clear under what weight and conditions)

Do you have any experience with this type or other DynAero planes?

I understand as a kit-plane this will be registered as experimental, subject to national regulations despite EASA. Do you know if night VFR and IFR are possible for experimentals registered in Germany or Switzerland? If not, anywhere else maybe?

Any other plane that I should consider?

Thanks for any advice!

Joerg

LFHN, LSGP, LFHM

Others here know more than me but if you want IFR, a kit plane is not going to work. 10h endurance is good but pointless in my view as no-one wants to sit in a light plane for that long.

What is your budget?

EGTK Oxford

Hi Jason,

thanks for your input. Why would a kit plane not work? Are you sure EASA and European national regulations don't allow IFR with experimental aircraft? How about night VFR?

I'm looking for planes in the range 50-100 k EUR (with reasonable maintenance and fuel costs, hence the "economical" requirement for a usage of about 150 hours per year). Peter's Socata seems to come very close to my profile but might be somewhat above my budget (running costs).

Agree with the endurance though (except for trips over oceans maybe ;-), although I still find these numbers very impressive.

Joerg

LFHN, LSGP, LFHM

17.9 l/h at 65% power (Rotax 914), MoGas possible not advised (?)

It's the other way around. The Rotax 914 (turbo) does not like Avgas, it wants Mogas. Which is a problem in international touring because Mogas is only available in some countries and certain type of aerodromes.

Here's the official recommendation by Rotax against Avgas.

And no, IFR in EASA-land with an experimental is not allowed. There are people that do it though.

Endurance is more important than you might think. It's not that a 7h endurance allows you to fly 7h legs (not very enjoyable) but it allows you to go to places where there is no fuel or save the hassle of buying fuel where it is either time consuming to get or expensive.

In Sweden IFR with experimental is allowed. I do know that they fly IFR outside Sweden. If their flightplans are accepted they fly :)

ESOW Västerås, Sweden

Consider an RV, OK I’m biased as I have one.

Large fleet with over 8,000 flying, all metal, choice of Lycoming or Rotax (on the RV12 only) engines. My RV9 cruises at 135kts at 25ltrs, same or cheaper than a Rotax on long journeys. You can get a 1000 mile range, but my personal limit is 500nm giving me good reserves. RV’s exceed all your other criteria.

Here in the UK permit aircraft will be able to fly IFR at some time in the future. Each aircraft will have to be individually cleared and the RV6/7 will be first to be considered although the RV9 /10 are more suitable for touring.

Norman
United Kingdom

Hopefully someone has more insight into EASAs own continuum, but as I've heard from a presentation by our swedish CAA, the changes in EASA law (April 2013) means that Annex II aircraft is not covered. Those will be regulated in respective state.

dublinpilot,

as so-called ulltralight you can only have the twoseater registered i.e. in Germany. I think otherwise it is the same aircraft - at least the fuel selector valve should be the same. Lucky guy having survived that engine out in 500ft ...

Just noticed your post is no longer there, edited?

EDxx, Germany

Hi Nobbi,

I've no idea where my post went. I didn't delete it...at least I didn't mean to, and wasn't editing it, so can't see how I would have done it by accident!

An MCR4S is not actually a ultralight. It's actually a certified kit build. It's certified in the VLA (Very Light Aircraft) category, which allows it a weight limit of 750kg.

It's a lovely aircraft and I would hope to own one some day ;)

It was first released around the time I started to fly, and I'm always surprised that it doesn't have a bigger audience. It's a great aircraft (at least on paper) and looks well. It's got a lot going for it except the need to build it yourself!

Colm

EIWT Weston, Ireland

Thanks to all for the interesting discussion. The different Vans' models sure deserve a closer look!

What I'm still wondering is whether EASA and/or national European (especially Germany, France, or Switzerland) regulations allow for experimental aircraft to be used under night VFR and IFR. (Good news seems to come from Sweden. :)

Would an N-registration make this possible?

By the way, can you freely choose in which Member State to register the plane, or are there residence requirements?

Edit: Found the relevant EASA certification CS-VLA which says right on top that only day VFR is possible. However, around 2006 a VLA type got certified for night VFR.

LFHN, LSGP, LFHM
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