Magnus Fusion successfully passed the Intentional Spin & Recovery test series

The Magnus Fusion aircraft has successfully completed the comprehensive Intentional Spin & Recovery test series, so Fusion aircraft is officially suitable for upset and recovery training (UPRT) which is extremely important for flight safety. János Sonkoly, the qualified aerobatic pilot tells about his experiences about the aircraft during the testing process.

What does such a series of tests mean in practice?

According to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) recommendations, we tested the behavior of the aircraft in nearly 250 situations of stall and spin maneuvers with taking control back on the aircraft. We tested the recovery for example in extreme gravity-center situations, with different throttle and flaps settings. During the tests we went to the edges by intentionally making ‘mistakes’ in the maneuvers and delaying steering movements.

Why is it important for Magnus to complete this set of tests successfully?

From now on – including the Fusion aircraft had already been sold retroactively -, the Fusion 212 AFM (Aircraft Flight Manual) officially includes the aircraft’s ability for performing intentional spin and recovery maneuvers. With this, the Fusion 212 S-LSA type aircraft became one of the few qualified aircraft in its category making it available for UPRT for schools.

Which features of Magnus Fusion would you highlight making them specifically competitive on the market?

Fusion aircraft are built with state-of-the-art construction technology and provide world class low operating costs to training organizations. Magnus Fusion aircraft are well known for their high structural load capacity, which is extremely important to the pilot that the parameters (speed and load) remain within the permissible range even in case of complex UPRT maneuvers.

From flight safety point of view, why is it very important for pilots to carry out Intentional Spin & Upset-Recovery Training?

Abnormal flight situations can occur both in private and commercial aviation. It is crucial for the pilot to be able to recognize and be able to take control over them. In these trainings, the pilot experiences very unusual, rarely - or perhaps never - experienced aviation maneuvers, such as the negative G-force or loss of coordination. In my experience, 90% of average pilots in such a situation remain incapacitated for a longer or shorter period of time. Therefore, UPRT has become widespread in pilot education in order to help pilots to overcome such situations. With Magnus Fusion aircraft, pilots can master their skills and get routine on how to handle such dangerous situations safely.

What's the next step for the Fusion aircraft type?

The FAA UPRT validation is of great importance not only in the United States but also in Europe and worldwide, as the bases of validation are very similar. When Magnus Aircraft designed Fusion type, a fundamental aim was to build an aerobatic and emergency maneuvers capable aircraft. Magnus has taken a significant step on this path. Now Magnus Fusion has only very few competitors in its category on the field of emergency trainings.