France has a strong tradition of supporting light aviation, so
it is not surprising that the heavy metal at the Show is leavened
by some smaller birds, several of which are making their public
debuts.
From the host country comes the prototype Sauper Papango, a generously
glazed, side-by-side seat ultralight, first flown late last year
by the company that also builds the similar Joker. Best described
as "naturalized French" the not dissimilar Rand Kar
Hanuman is named after India's monkey-god because it originated
with Raj Hamsa (the X-Air ultralight people) but was flight-tested
and developed by the European dealer, arriving here in France
in mid-2001.
Ameur Aviation revealed plans for a light, four-seat twinjet two
years ago and has brought a mockup, now christened Altajet. The
same company's Altania, a mid-engine/pusher-prop kitplane, makes
its premier appearance in flying condition.
Louit, the small French company, is displaying a mockup of the
Masai, a powered sailplane that incorporates a Stemme-type retracting
propeller under the nosecone. Likewise here, the same company's
Cougar low-wing lightplane, one of which has flown, is already
known, but may be retitled in deference to the even better-known
helicopter of that name.
Italy offers the FlyLine Revenge, a pleasingly streamlined composites
shape, the Rotax 912-powered, ethanol-fuelled prototype of which
flew 12 months ago and is displaying its capabilities as the so-called
"Sniffer" monitor of atmospheric pollution.
We have seen the Issoire APM-20 Lionceau and APM-21 Lion at Paris
before, but not the APM-22 Liondo, which is an unmanned air vehicle
derivative of the latter with a 24-hour endurance.
