Sam Aircraft Sam LS

The Sam Aircraft Sam LS is a Canadian aircraft design, designed and produced by Sam Aircraft, formerly known as Haim Aviation[2] of Lachute, Quebec. The aircraft was designed for the Canadian AULA and American light-sport aircraft rules and had its first flight on 26 February 2013.[3][4][5][6]

Sam LS
Role Advanced Ultralight Aircraft and light sport aircraft
National origin Canada
Manufacturer Haim Aviation
First flight 26 February 2013
Status Awaiting production commencement
Produced 2013 (prototypes only)
Number built one[1]
Haim Sam LS prototype
Sam LS side graphic

Design and development

The Sam LS is a low-wing, tandem seat monoplane. It can be configured for conventional or tricycle landing gear. The fuselage is semi monocoque, with a welded 4130 steel tube protective cockpit cage structure and aluminum skin. Three different wing planforms for light-sport, STOL and amateur-built categories can be installed to a common fuselage. The aircraft can be flown open cockpit with the canopy removed.[4][6][7]

Prior to its first flight a prototype was shown at the 2012 EAA airshow.[4][8]

As of June 2013 the aircraft was on Transport Canada's list of accepted advanced ultralights, but has not completed US Federal Aviation Administration special light-sport aircraft approval.[9][10]

In July 2013 pricing was announced for kits and sub-kits, including wings, fuselage and empennage. In a break from normal industry practice the company said that it would offer those three sub-kits for a total that was the same as if they were ordered as a single kit, US$29,000. The complete kit with a 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS engine and Dynon Skyview avionics was forecast to cost US$65,000 at that time, taking a factory-estimated 900 hours to complete.[6][11]

By August 2014 the company was up for sale as SAM Aircraft President Thierry Zibi indicated that he would rather develop new designs than run a production operation. Zibi was hoping to find a buyer to produce the aircraft.[12] In November 2015 the rights to the design, parts, jigs, molds, data and the prototype aircraft were being all offered for US$100,000.[13]

In January 2016 Zenith Aircraft announced that it had purchased the Sam design and was planning to produce kits alongside the existing Chris Heintz designs.[14]

Specifications (Sam LS)

Data from Expo LS, Manufacturer

General characteristics

  • Crew: one
  • Capacity: one passenger
  • Length: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
  • Wingspan: 8.7 m (28 ft 7 in)
  • Wing area: 12.8 m2 (138 sq ft)
  • Empty weight: 376 kg (829 lb)
  • Gross weight: 558 kg (1,230 lb)
  • Fuel capacity: 83 litres (18 imp gal; 22 US gal)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Rotax 912ULS Horizontally opposed piston aircraft engine, 75 kW (100 hp)
  • Propellers: 2-bladed Sensenich, 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) diameter ground adjustable

Performance

  • Cruise speed: 201 km/h (125 mph, 109 kn)
  • Stall speed: 78.8 km/h (49.0 mph, 42.5 kn)
  • Never exceed speed: 249 km/h (155 mph, 134 kn)
  • Range: 724 km (450 mi, 391 nmi)
  • Endurance: 4.2hr
  • Service ceiling: 4,420 m (14,500 ft)
  • Rate of climb: 4.5 m/s (890 ft/min)

Avionics

  • Dynon Skyview

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

References
  1. Transport Canada. "CCARCS-RIACC - Aircraft Details". tc.gc.ca. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  2. Sam Aircraft (2012). "A New Vision to Light Sport Aircraft (sic)". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  3. "New LSA Looks Like a Varga". Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  4. Bernard, Mary and Suzanne B. Bopp: What's Coming?, Kitplanes, Volume 29, Number 12, December 2012, page 29. Belvoir Publications. ISSN 0891-1851
  5. Grady, Mary (11 March 2013). "First Flight For Retro Sam LS". AVweb. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. Tacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 78. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015. ISSN 1368-485X
  7. "Sam LS Modern Retro LSA". Archived from the original on 4 June 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  8. "Meet the SAM LS Light Sport". Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  9. Federal Aviation Administration (7 January 2013). "SLSA Make/Model Directory". Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  10. Transport Canada (28 June 2013). "Listing of Models Eligible to be Registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA)". Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  11. Bertorelli, Paul. "Sam LS Available As A Kit - AVweb flash Article". Avweb.com. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  12. Durden, Rick (28 August 2014). "SAM Aircraft On The Sale Block". AVweb. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  13. Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, SAM designer selling airplane rights for less than the price of a kit, COPA Flight, December 2015, page A12
  14. Zenith Aircraft Company, SAM Aircraft Acquired by Zenith / Zenair, retrieved 19 February 2016
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