Remos, the light sport aircraft with folding wings, has enhanced its GX model with more leg room and upgraded avionics. A model of the$143,000 (base price) aircraft flew this month in Oshkosh, Wis. As equipped with the Dynon SkyView glass cockpit, the demonstrator aircraft costs $155,000.
“We tried to accommodate what the Americans asked for,” said new Remos CEO Theo Paeffgen, who became head of the company on June 1. What American dealers said they wanted was more space to accommodate their somewhat larger size, and better visibility over the top of the panel. The bottom of the panel was raised, relocating several controls in the process, and the top was lowered.
During a brief flight test of the new model, dubbed the Remos GX NXT, on July 24 at Wittman Regional Airport near the height of arrivals for EAA AirVenture, there was never any question of legs contacting the bottom of the instrument panel. That was true for entry and egress from the aircraft, usually an exercise in contortion for most LSA. Visibility over the top of the instrument panel was much improved from the previous Remos model, such as AOPA’s 2010 sweepstakes aircraft.
Remos aims for global dealer network
Remos Aircraft is negotiating with dealers worldwide to establish a global distribution network, Remos CEO Theo Paeffgen said at AirVenture. Paeffgen said the company recently signed a distribution agreement with a Russian dealer and hopes to expand in Russia, China, and India.
There were also improvements in the navigation LED lighting. Wing struts were made more aerodynamic to improve airspeeds. A new air vent improves cabin cooling, and an articulating sun visor allows the pilot to twist the visor to the exact point needed. The largest change is in the avionics.
The aircraft comes standard with the Garmin Aera 500 GPS, and the Dynon SkyView glass cockpit with electronic flight instruments, an embedded transponder, and engine monitoring instruments. While one screen is standard, a second screen as seen in the demonstrator aircraft is an option. The screens can be reconfigured with the push of a few buttons, rather than scrolling through a complicated menu system. Both the type of information shown and its location on the screen can be changed easily.
Also standard is a Garmin SL40 VHF radio, and a Garmin GMA 240 audio panel and intercom. A 100-horsepower Rotax R912 ULS engine powers the Remos. Wings can be folded for ground transportation or storage by two people in about 20 minutes.
