TechProAviation Merlin 100

Design and development

The Merlin 100 features a cantilever high-wing, a single-seat enclosed open cockpit accessed via a single door on the fuselage righthand side, fixed tricycle landing gear with wheel pants and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from matched-hole drilled sheet aluminum. Its 7.8 m (25.6 ft) span wing has an area of 7.05 m² (75.9 sq ft) and mounts flaps. The standard engine used is the 35 hp (26 kW) Verner JCV 360 twin cylinder four-stroke powerplant. Alternative engines include the 60 hp (45 kW) HKS 700E four-stroke, 50 hp (37 kW) Hirth F-23 and 64 hp (48 kW) Rotax 582 two-stroke powerplants. The aircraft will be marketed as a kit only.

By mid-2011 only the prototype had flown, logging 100 hours of testing, These tests led to modifications; by November 2012 the prototype had gained a fin fillet and the mainwheel legs were slightly forward raked.

Operational history

By 2013 ten Merlins had been built. Flyaway prices, without tax, are engine dependent; the cheapest is the Verner-engined variant at €15,500 in 2015.

Variants

These are in production in late 2015:

Merlin 100 UL

Version for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight class, specification below. A tailwheel version was flown in April 2012 and is available.

Merlin 100 ML

Lightened lightened version for the German 120 kg (265 lb) class It has reduced dimensions, with a span of 6.40 m (21 ft 0 in) and length of 5.12 m (16 ft 10 in), a tailwhell undercarriage and is powered by a Polini motorcycle engine. It first flew in late March 2014.

Merlin Mikro

Version with conventional landing gear for the European 120 kg class. Equipped with a Thor 200 powerplant.

Rotax

As 100UL but with a Rotax 582 engine which gives it a speed of 240 km/h (150 mph; 130 kn). An amphibious floatplane version is planned.

Specifications (Merlin 100 UL)

Data from Bayerl and TechProAviation

General characteristics

Crew: one

Length: 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in)

Wingspan: 7.8 m (25 ft 7 in)

Height: 2.12 m (6 ft 11 in)

Wing area: 7.05 m² (75.9 sq ft)

Empty weight: 150 kg (331 lb)

Gross weight: 300 kg (661 lb)

Fuel capacity: 50 litres (11 imp gal; 13 US gal)

Powerplant: 1 × Verner JCV 360 twin cylinder, air-cooled, four stroke aircraft engine, 26 kW (35 hp)

Propellers: 2-bladed composite

Performance

Cruise speed: 160 km/h (99 mph; 86 kn)

Stall speed: 62 km/h (39 mph; 33 kn) flaps down

Never exceed speed: 185 km/h (115 mph; 100 kn)

Wing loading: 42.5 kg/m² (8.7 lb/sq ft)