The Fusion 213 prototype has successfully completed its maiden-flight

The new aircraft of Magnus Aircraft Zrt. is a small piece of the world's, but it is certainly a landmark in Hungarian aviation history, as it will be the first aircraft developed and manufactured entirely in Hungary to obtain a type certificate from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

An important moment in this process was the maiden-flight of the prototype at Pécs-Pogányi International Airport.

The production of the aircraft designed for pilot training was motivated by two extremely important reasons. Firstly, the take-off weight limit for the UL (Ultralight) category in most European countries is 472.5 kg, which severely limits the options available to aircraft manufacturers (e.g. the equipment of the aircraft can be very limited).
Secondly, due to legal restrictions, ultralight aircraft are not suitable for PPL (Private Pilot Licence) training, which is the basis for further training levels.

For these reasons, we decided to start the further development of our Fusion 212 ultralight aircraft and its certification in a higher category in 2017. The LSA (light-sport aircraft) is a higher category, with stricter EASA type certification requirements in addition to the 600 kg maximum take-off weight.

The Fusion 213 prototype is not very different from the Fusion 212 at first glance, but there are many things that are hardly or not visible at all from the outside:

• - The structure of the aircraft, including the composite lay-up, has been significantly modified to enable the aircraft to withstand the increased load factor resulting from the higher maximum take-off weight and the +6 G load multiplier associated with aerobatic performance.

• - In order to increase the range of the aircraft, in addition to the existing single fuel tank in the fuselage, additional tanks have been added to each of the wings, increasing the range of the aircraft to over 1000 km.

• - To simplify the production technology, the metal grid structure of the previous models, which, among other things, provides the link between the wing and the fuselage, has been removed and replaced by a strong composite unit. In addition, the milled aluminium main landing gear leg used in the previous models have been replaced by composite leaf-spring landing gear leg, also designed and manufactured by us.

• - The ergonomics of the Fusion 213 cockpit have been designed for a more comfortable view and easier handling, including the replacement of the integrated flight support system (Dynon EFIS), with a Garmin.

Even after the completion of the current ongoing type certification, we will not stop developing the aircraft. We have already started to prepare the aircraft for NVFR (night visual flight rules). The biggest challenge however, will be the certification of the aircraft for aerobatics, which will require - among other things - the installation of a new, more powerful and aerobatic engine.

The design, development and prototyping of the new aircraft was carried out in many thousands of working hours. In addition to their expertise, our colleagues have put their "heart and soul" into making the prototype take off from the runway today. It was an exhilarating moment to see the Fusion 213 prototype fly, signed by all the company's employees.