Silverlight Aviation’s new Recon EAB high wing is promising pilots versatility and economy. The plane was just unveiled this week at Sun ‘n Fun, and ordering now can reportedly have you traveling to Zephyrhills Municipal Airport in Florida in four months to build it.
The starting price of $110,000 includes a Rotax 912uls and a build assist which reportedly gets you a plane in 7 days. The folding-wing Recon can be built as a tri-wheel or tail dragger, and the starting payload of 600+ lb allows you to trade payload for tundra tires if you want to go backcountry flying. “This plane was modeled on the Apollo LSA,” said Silverlight owner Abid Farooqui. “We stretched it out a little, made a wider cabin, added to the wingspan, and changed the airfoil to improve its efficiency.” The result, Farooqui says, is a plane that has a real world payload, can cruise at 90-100 knots, and stall at 37 kt clean or 33 kt with flaperons engaged.
The wing ribs and spars are aluminum, as are the wing’s leading edges. Ceconite poly fiber covers the rest of the wing and the steel latticework fuselage. The flaperons and cowl are fiberglass. There are two 14-gallon wing tanks and a 1.2 gallon header. Matco brakes are standard.
Internal dimensions of the cabin allow for 44” at the hip and 46” at the elbow, and its rudder pedals are adjustable to three positions. The Recon’s avionics include a radio and transponder. “Considering all the options for this plane, as well as its capabilities, we have something special that beats anything near its price,” Farooqui contends.
Let’s walk up to the Recon:
