Right Rudder Aviation Chief Operating Officer Andrew Chan and Tour Manager Shavonna Reid started their tour of the United States in Florida and hit their 12th state, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, December 2.
With Pipistrel being based in Slovenia, the Panthera had never been flown in the U.S. until 2020 when Pipistrel partnered with Right Rudder Aviation, an FBO in Inverness, Florida, that offers full-service aircraft maintenance and flight training programs, and, now, is a proud dealer of the Panthera.
“We got this [Panthera] in September, August, something like that and it was the first one in the U.S,” Andrew said. “Prior to that, Pantheras have been flying in Europe since 2012, and not only accumulating time, but they’ve been modifying them as they find ways to improve them and this one was the first one that they said, ‘OK, we have the design solidified now, based on all the feedback, and this one’s going to the U.S.’”
As an official dealer for the Panthera, Andrew said his job is to inform people about the aircraft.
“On this tour we’re basically meeting with people on a one-on-one basis, small groups and appointments,” Andrew said. “We’re taking proper precautions, such as wearing masks and cleaning down the aircraft and everything like that, to do what we can do to stop the spread of COVID as much as possible, but still get people in the aircraft, and flying, and check it out.”
What is the Panthera?
The Panthera is a four-seat, high-performance aircraft designed by Pipistrel, to be quiet, safe, comfortable, eco-friendly, and capable of landing and taking off from both hard surface and grass runways.
Key features:
-Three large gull-wing style doors
-Full-airframe parachute rescue system
-Retractable landing gear
-Carbon fiber with anti-static materials, and Kevlar for reinforcement
-Hand-crafted leather seating
-Garmin G500 series PFD/MFD synthetic vision screen and Garmin GTN series touch-screen flight management systems
-Lycoming 10-540V-V4A5
Perhaps the most important, or most impressive, piece to know about the Panthera is its long-range capability.
The Panthera can fly four people for 1,000 nautical miles cruising at 200 knots.
“Where drag can be eliminated, it has been,” Andrew said. “So, we are in true airspeed at economy cruise, we’re doing 185 knots a true air speed at around 7,500, 8,500 feet, and that’s while burning a measly 10.8 gallons an hour in fuel. So that’s incredible efficiency for a gasoline powered engine. The only aircraft that can beat it at the moment, in terms of efficiency, are going to be Jet-A powered diesel.”
Andrew said safety was top priority for both Pipistrel and RRA.
“With safety in mind, the aircraft is a carbon fiber design, very, very structurally strong and able to take for example, turbulence, and it can absorb off airport landings and things like that, because of the design and the structure,” Andrew said. “The passenger compartment has a roll cage around it of entirely carbon fiber that’s encased in Kevlar. So, if there was an accident, that carbon fiber roll cage protects the occupants, and the additional Kevlar stops shards from coming out, either from the air, from itself, or from the trees or the things like that. So, safety is of key importance on the aircraft.”
Purchasing in the United States
Right Rudder Aviation is the first and only American dealer of the Panthera with a full-service shop. Andrew said as of right now, they are accepting orders for both factory-built experimental and fully certified aircraft deliveries.
“The aircraft will be certified, EASA certified in 2022, and FAA certification will begin shortly thereafter,” Andrew said. “We believe the first U.S. certified aircraft are going to be delivered either in late 2022, or early 2023, but in the interim, people can purchase the aircraft as a factory built experimental exhibition aircraft.”
Andrew said for someone who wants to order an experimental exhibition Panthera today, the timeline for delivery is nine to 12 months and for the fully certified one, either in late 2022 or 2023.
“The experimental exhibition aircraft is fully built by the factory in Slovenia,” Andrew said. “They fly it for about 25 hours before taking the wings off. It goes into a container, and is then shipped over to us. The delivery takes place at our facility in Inverness. Our customers come to pick up the aircraft, and then also do a transition training course.”
Right Rudder Aviation: more than just a dealer for the Panthera.
One of the many benefits of having Right Rudder Aviation as a dealer for the Panthera is the training they provide their customers.
“We operate a full-service flight school, and we do everything from primary, instrument, commercial training, but we also provide specialty trainings such as pre-agricultural instruction, aerobatic instruction, motor glider training, bush flying, upset recovery, and spatial disorientation,” Andrew said. “Even though we’re a full-service aviation company, our roots are always in flight training. When we approached Pipistrel and said, ‘Hey, we want to represent the Panthera in the United States.’ One of the things we said is that safety is the only thing that matters.”
Andrew said RRA has developed a two-week intensive transition course that is designed for someone with complex cross-country experience.
“We want to bring them to the next level in their training and get them current with first off, the new technology because it’s a very modern glass cockpit, but then also go back to the basics of things that we’re experts in, such as a spatial disorientation, upset recovery, and spin recovery,” Andrew said. “A lot of pilots don’t go back and get recurrent training because it’s not required in the ACS, or the PTS, or by any other entities. So, when you look at the accident reports in the accident histories, a lot of accidents are pilot error, and of those that are pilot error, many of them could have been avoided with additional training.”
Andrew said RRA requires every customer to go through the course.
“At the end of the day, whoever buys this aircraft is going to be part of the Right Rudder Aviation family,” Andrew said. “We want to make sure they make it home to their loved ones at the end of the day. Our level of support goes beyond just the training, because from a maintenance perspective, we are the maintenance service center for these aircraft. So, it’s not just a one-time, ‘Hey, this is your plane and done deal.’”
Andrew said RRA has full-time A&Ps on staff and houses most parts.
“We’ll house parts at our facility, but it depends on what the customer needs, we may have to get it from the factory, but everything will go through Right Rudder Aviation,” Andrew said.
Experimental exhibition limitations
Typically, the operating limitations issued to aircraft certified under experimental exhibition include a geographical restriction in addition to the annual program letter.
“Under experimental exhibition, there are more restrictions than if you’re in the normal category and one is the program letter, which we provide to all clients,” Andrew said. “When a DAR goes and inspects an aircraft to determine whether it’s eligible for an airworthiness certificate, the DAR has some leeway based on his or her conversation with the MITO, and can place limitations or remove limitations. For the Panthera, we don’t have a geographical limitation. We do have some other limitations. The limitations that we do have are the program letter, and the other one is the Bravo airspace restrictions. So, you can fly over Bravo under Bravo or around Bravo. But if you want to enter Bravo, you have to call the TRACON one hour in advance of your entry. So, you can still enter Bravo. You just have to call ahead.”
“We knew this aircraft was coming and worked very closely with the DARs that we use, and the MITO,” Andrew said. “A lot of experimental exhibition aircraft were designed for military purposes. Obviously, there’s some concern about that, but with this, they didn’t have the same concerns because it’s a factory produced modern design and it’s demonstrated to be very safe. Most of the testing required for certification has already been completed. So, it was looked favorable upon by the FAA.”
Although, Andrew said one thing to keep in mind is that your aircraft will always be experimental if you purchased an experimental version of the Panthera.
First Impressions
There’s no doubt that this an attractive aircraft. In fact, this is the type of aircraft that you find yourself doing a double take at. From a sleek exterior design to state-of-the art technology and hand-crafted leather seating with plenty of room to move about, you can’t help but find yourself absent-mindedly walking up to it to get a closer look.
Looks aside, one thing that surprised me while flying the Panthera was how heavy it felt on the stick. Even while trimmed properly, the aircraft had a heavy feel on the controls, which I was not expecting. That being said, I found it to be very responsive.
At one point, Andrew turned on the auto-pilot feature. Once he turned it off, I remember asking him, “Are you sure it’s turned off?” He just responded, “Yup, it flies just like it’s in auto-pilot mode.” And it sure does.
As far as flight characteristics go, Andrew describes the Panthera as very maneuverable, and once you get used to the initially high control forces, I would agree.
“It almost feels like an aerobatic airplane when you want it to be,” Andrew said. “Then at the same time, when you have it trimmed, you could take your hands off and it’ll just sit there, and fly straight at exactly what you told it to do. So, it’s very predictable. A lot of people compare it to the DA40 because the shape is similar, and it’s got a T-tail and its composite, but ultimately, it’s still its own, it’s still the Panthera. It’s still its own thing.”
The future of Panthera: Hybrid
“The hybrid electric version is being flight tested this year, and it is truly exciting,” Andrew said. “Essentially, it’ll use a four-cylinder turbocharged Rotax engine and together with an electric motor in line with that. So essentially for takeoff and climb, where you need the most power, you’re going to use both powertrains, and then once you get up to cruise altitude, your electric shuts off and you’re using just gasoline, the Rotax engine to move forward and go to long distances.”
“So, what that means is you can get really good climb rate, and then once you’re at the cruise, you don’t need as much power, you just use the Rotax,” Andrew said. “You’ll be able to get similar speeds as we do, but instead of burning 10.8 gallons, you’ll probably be burning seven gallons an hour. So, there’s some savings there. Your rate of climb will be better because you have both the electric plus the gasoline. And then on the descent, essentially, you’re able to use your propeller to regenerate lost energy, and recharge your batteries on the descent, while using the propeller as kind of like a windmill such as speed brake.”
Andrew said he is most excited about the enhanced safety measure behind the hybrid version of the Panthera.
“So, let’s assume that you’re going and you’re either taking off or you’re in cruise somewhere in flight, and for some reason you’ve lost your gasoline engine,” Andrew said. “You still have that electric powertrain. Now it’s obviously not as much power as both systems combined, but it would be enough to, especially on this slick of an airplane, help you maintain altitude essentially. So, in a way it’s a multi-engine because there are two, but they’re both powering the same propeller. So, it greatly enhances safety. When you’re talking about a single engine piston aircraft, a lot of people are like, ‘Well, piston aircraft engines aren’t super reliable,’ but this is a way to enhance that. So that engine is being flight tested this year. We believe that it should be available commercially in about two years. There’s no plans at the moment to certify that engine, but it will be available as experimental.”
Andrew said the approximate cost of the hybrid version will be around $900,000, whereas the current version costs approximately $700,000.
Panthera Specifications:
| ENGINE | Lycoming I0-540V-V4A5 |
| max power | 260 hp / 194 kW |
| WEIGHTS AND DIMENSIONS | |
| max take off mass, MTOM | 1315 kg / 2900 pounds (subject to extension to 1360 kg / 3000 pounds ) |
| useful payload | 500 kg / 1100 pounds |
| total usable fuel | 2 x 105 l / 2 x 27.7 gallons |
| full fuel payload | 350 kg / 770 pounds |
| length | 8.07 m / 26 feet, 6 inches |
| wingspan | 10.86 m / 35 feet, 8 inches |
| height | 2.19 m / 7 feet, 2 inches |
| wing area | 11.2 m2 / 121 ft2 |
| PERFORMANCE (at MTOM) | |
| stall speed (flaps extended), VS0 | 55 KIAS |
| stall speed (flaps retracted), VS | 60 KIAS |
| maneuvering speed, VA | 143 KIAS |
| never exceed speed, VNE | 220 KIAS |
| typical cruise speed at 75% power | 194 KTAS @ FL100 |
| typical cruise speed at 55% power | 178 KTAS @ FL080 |
| climb rate at MTOM and VY | 6.6 m/s / 1,300 fpm |
| take off ground roll | 372 m / 1,220 feet |
| take-off distance (50 ft obstacle) | 657 m / 2,155 feet |
| landing distance (50 ft obstacle) | 706 m / 2,316 feet |
| landing ground roll | 346 m / 1,135 feet |
| fuel consumption at 75% power | 56 l/h / 14.8 gal/h |
| fuel consumption at 55% power | 42 l/h / 11.1 gal/h |
| range (with 45 min reserve) | > 1000 nm, 155 KTAS, FL 120, 4 people aboard (4 x 86 kg) |
| ceiling | 7600 m / FL250 |
| AVIONICS | · Garmin G3X GDU 460 dual 10-inch display PFD and MFD (dual ADAHRS, Synthetic Vision, EMS, ARINC module)
· Garmin GMC 307 2-axis GPS-slaved digital autopilot · Garmin GTN 750 Xi Com/Nav/IFR GPS, touch screen · Garmin GTN 650 Xi Second Com/NAV/IFR GPS, touch screen · Garmin GMA 35 Remote Audio Panel, Intercom · Garmin GTX 345R Transponder Mode C/S ES ADS-B In/Out · Artex ELT 345 (406 MHz) · Mid-Continent Instruments SAM Backup Airspeed, Backup Altimeter, Backup Artificial Horizon |
Projected specifications for the hybrid variant:
| PANTHERA HYBRID EXP | PANTHERA ELECTRO EXP | |
| Powerplant | Hybrid 200 kW take-off power | Electric 200 kW take-off power |
| Rated power | 200 kW (150 kW continuous) Maximum cruise power 100 kW |
200 kW (150 kW continuous) |
| Weight and Dimensions | ||
| MTOM | 1315 kg / 2,900 pounds | 1315 kg / 2,900 pounds |
| Useful payload | 415 kg / 915 pounds | TBD |
| Total usable fuel | 2 x 105 l / 2 x 27.7 gal | N/A |
| Full fuel payload | 265 kg / 585 pounds | N/A |
| Wingspan | 10.86 m / 35 feet, 8 inches | 10.86 m / 35 feet, 8 inches |
| Length | 8.07 m / 26 feet, 6 inches | 8.07 m / 26 feet, 6 inches |
| Height | 2.19 m / 7 feet, 2 inches | 2.19 m / 7 feet, 2 inches |
| Wing area | 11.2 m2 / 121 ft2 | 11.2 m2 / 121 ft2 |
| Performance (at MTOM) | ||
| Stall speed (flaps extended) | 60 KIAS | 62 KIAS |
| Stall speed (flaps retracted) | 65 KIAS | 68 KIAS |
| Manoeuvring speed VA | 143 KIAS | 143 KIAS |
| Maximum structural cruise speed VC | 175 KIAS | 175 KIAS |
| Never exceed speed VNE | 220 KIAS | 220 KIAS |
| Typical cruise speed at 75% power | 177 KTAS @ FL150 (full generator power) | TBD |
| Typical cruise speed at 55% power | N/A | 177 KIAS |
| Climb rate at MTOM and VY | 5.8 m/s / 1,150 fpm | 5.8 m/s / 1,150 fpm |
| Take off ground roll | 290 m | 290 m |
| Take-off distance (50 ft. obstacle) | 530 m | 530 m |
| Landing distance (50 ft. obstacle) | 570 m | 570 m |
| Landing ground roll | ||
| Consumption at Performance cruise | TBD | TBD |
| Consumption at Economy cruise | TBD | TBD |
| Range with 45 min reserve | TBD | TBD |
| Ceiling | TBD | TBD |