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As of some time in October this year (before the 23rd) the Kiss 400 has achieved full Section 'S' certification. Click here to read a review which appeared in Microlight Flyer magazine. The data below is from the brochure:
Air CreationAir Creation was founded in 1982 by Gilles Bru and Jean Yves Lebihan. It rapidly developed into a market-leader, and has grown to be the world's largest manufacturer of Flex-wing Microlight aircraft. Air Creation's success is built on producing strong, safe aircraft, at the cutting edge of technology and design, coupled with excellent after-sales support. The KissFlex-wing technology has traditionally focused on producing ever-faster and bigger-engined machines, constantly seeking that extra couple of miles per hour, and accepting heavy handling and poor manoeuvrability as part of the bargain. Designer Gilles Bru decided that he would use his 35 years of Flex-wing design experience to attempt to retain the performance of the current, state-of-the-art machines, and to make advances in the areas of handling and manoeuvrability. The successful result of the project is the Kiss. The Kiss achieves the dual aims of performance and handling in a number of innovative ways. Wing area is kept to a minimum, which helps manoeuvrability and ride in turbulence, and also keeps drag low for performance. However, in the past this has always resulted in unacceptably high stall-speeds. The Kiss wing uses an optimum span wise area and lift distribution, and has a tightly controlled, high-lift coefficient centre-wing portion. The wing frame has also been redesigned to optimise stiffness and lightness, and has new spar connections to reduce stress and increase suppleness of flex under rolling conditions. Sail material is all-new too. For the first time on a production Flex-wing Microlight, a fabric called Hydranet is used for the upper surface. Over twice the strength of traditional Dacron, Hydranet uses super-strong Dyneema (That's what it says here!) to reinforce the fabric, and make it almost impossible to tear. It is important for Flex-wing sails to do exactly what it says on the tin - i.e. flex - and the important parameter is tortional flexibility - i.e. it bends well under twisting forces. This is necessary for the wing to respond smoothly and with light control forces in roll. The Kiss wing achieves this by combining the Hydranet upper surface with a Dacron lower surface, joined at the rear of the wing with a web of flexible Neoprene. Internal profile stabilisers and Trilam reinforcing complete the picture. Did you get all that? I'll be asking questions later. SafetyThe Trike has passed the Section S load tests for a maximum take-off weight of 450kg, (Editor's note: The Trike is certified to 450Kg, but the wing to max 400Kg - hence the name: Kiss 400) and is the first trike to do so! The design philosophy was to produce a unit that would carry two people in comfort and still be capable of rough-field operation - and when the French say 'rough', they mean it! The main undercarriage features deep-travel, gas-filled shock-absorber units. Under test, these have demonstrated almost perfect energy absorption, and are capable of a 3g landing impact without bottoming out. The front forks are also massively strong and feature deep-travel, swinging-arm suspension. The fork position is adjustable to accommodate pilots of differing leg length. The trike is enclosed in a smooth fibreglass shell (a pod), which provides a useful, under-seat stowage area, and has finned wheel fairings for enhanced directional stability at high-speed. Although offered as a kit-built aeroplane, the Kiss has been required to meet the full specifications of British Civil Aviation Requirements Section S. This is considered the most thorough standard for Microlight certification anywhere in the world, and provides an excellent guarantee of structural and flight-safety standards. In addition, the Kiss wing has been thoroughly tested on an aerodynamic test-rig, which investigates flight characteristics well outside those normally encountered in flight, and certainly beyond what can be explored by a test pilot. |
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