RUSSIAN MADE AMPHIBIAN SEAPLANE LA-8

Lands on water & land

PRIVATELY OWNED COMPANY

SEAPLANE MANUFACTURERS

The Russian built Amphibian airplane LA-8 is designed for business and passenger transportation, patrolling, rendering medical aid in regions difficult of access, search and rescue, tourism and entertainment and for other operations, as well as for carrying out training flights over the earth and water surface in compliance with visual flight regulations. This airplane can take-off from and land on ground and water, paved or unpaved airfields meeting the requirements of the present Manual. In passenger option the number of seats is maximum eight, including the pilot. Airplane LA-8 is a cantilever monoplane with upper position of the wing, conventional single-fin empennage and tricycle landing gear system, including the nose landing gear. The airplane is fitted with two power plants - two aircraft engines M-337 AK made in Czech Republic - each rated at 210 h.p. The airplane is supposed to be used in all latitudes in Russia, in the countries of European Community, South-East Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. interested in purchasing then read on.

Outdoor air temperature, ground / water, °C ………….from – 35 to +35 / from +5 to +35 Maximum wind component, m/sec.: - headwind….25; - tailwind….5; - crosswind (at an angle of 90°)….10

Options:

Engine M337C, 250 hp; propeller MTV 486 Hartell; extra fuel tanks – 2x150 lit.; GPS, NAV/COM, 2nd radio station, 2nd gyro horizon, additional lighting of the cabin, life jackets, life raft.

Let us start the review with the exposition of our "floating" airplanes…""…amphibian airplane LA-8, produced in Samara. LA-8 is characterized by high strength of its fuselage, which safely protects pilots and passengers. The airplane cabin is spacious and has excellent view, heating and ventilation. The rear passenger seats can be transformed to sleeping berths. The airplane strong flaps make it possible to carry out shortened take-offs and landings…"

LA-8 WILL BE PUT INTO SERIAL PRODUCTION AS SOON AS THE NEW AIRCRAFT PLANT WILL BE BUILT

Today the foundations of the new aircraft complex for construction of amphibian airplanes LA-8 will be laid. The owner of the future plant  plans to set up the serial production of such airplanes and enter the world aircraft market by 2007.

It became known to REPORTYOR that AeroVolga intends to set up the serial production of amphibian airplanes LA-8 in the nearest future, for which purpose it starts building a large-scale aircraft complex. At this very time the working areas are prepared for serial production and the works for constructing the airplane in the newly built production aircraft complex will be started. It is planned to construct the first airplane by the end of 2006. On the whole the newly built plant will be able to produce 6 to 15 amphibian airplanes per year.  

The specialists estimate that the serial production of LA-8 will potentially be a good business due to the technical characteristics of the model airplane and its operation flexibility. For example, it can be used for transportation of passengers and cargos, rendering medical aid in regions difficult of access, patrolling the borders, prompt action in case of emergencies, forest guard and in the sphere of tourism and entertainment. Airplane LA-8 is able to take off from/land on water and ground and is purposed for 8 persons, including the pilot. The range ability is more than 1300 kilometers. The airplane has two engines made in Czechia or USA working on motor gasoline. The idea of the aircraft belongs to Sergey Alafinov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AeroVolga, which was established in 2002 as a company for development and construction of amphibian airplanes. The aircraft project was made in 2003 and was shown at International Aviation and Space Salon "ÌÀÊS- 2003", where it got the specialists" appreciation. At ÌÀÊS-2005 AeroVolga showed the finished and tested amphibian airplane LA-8. As of today there are all in all two airplanes LA-8, one of which has been already sold to a major Irkutsk company, which deals in oil transportation over the river Lena and Lake Baikal. According to Matveyi Shchelochkov, Executive Director for Marketing of AeroVolga, LA- 8 will be transported to Irkutsk in spring when LA-8 will be certified.

Mr. Shchelochkov says that AeroVolga first and foremost is international market-oriented. Already now a tender interest is taken in amphibian airplanes LA-8 in many countries of the world; the agreements have been reached with Brazilian and Portuguese companies, as well as with companies operating in South-East Asia and in the countries of Southern Africa. Besides, after demonstration of LA- 8 at ÌÀÊS-2005 the Head of the Russian Emergencies Ministry Sergey Shoigu took a great interest in purchasing the aircrafts of this model for the Ministry needs. Such demand for LA-8 resulted in the decision of AeroVolga management to build up a large aircraft complex. The leasable premises where the first airplanes LA-8 have been constructed don't allow organizing serial production of the airplanes; therefore it was decided to start the building of the plant for LA-8 production.

The analysts believe that LA-8 should gain the part of the Russian market and the larger part of the world market without problem, but on the way to this it has to compete with companies from Russia and North America. In the first case it is amphibian airplane Be-103, which is constructed at Komsomolsk-on- Amur plant and five-seat amphibious aircraft ÑÀ-1 "Status", made in Yekaterinburg. In the second case it is a four-seat Canadian-American Lake 4 — the only amphibian airplane, which is now serially produced in the West for general-purpose aviation. However, AeroVolga management believes that as to the price, carrying capacity and flying characteristics the Samara airplane will enjoy evident advantages.

[ Outsourcing Products in China & Thailand ]