Fly along as Pipistrel’s Panthera successfully completes a 10-turn spin with four-people on board and three-quarters fuel.
“The tests revealed that no modifications to the airframe were necessary, no adaptations to the already designed production tooling or to mold-lines,” said Ivo Boscarol, general manager of Pipistrel. “The fact that no other on-board systems require any interventions is a testament to this fantastic design. It is remarkable, but even after a full ten-turn spin, Panthera recovers in less than one additional turn just by releasing all controls.”
Pipistrel plans to certify the Panthera as a Part-23 (FAR-23 and CS-23) certified airplane under the “Utility”, not “Normal” category. This calls for spin testing – a fully developed spin of at least 6 full rotations before recovery is initiated. All combinations of centers of gravity, cases of asymmety, flaps and landing gear positions, engine power variations were tested.
