The Super Pétrel is of mixed construction, though with much use of composite materials. The wings have tubular aluminium alloy spars combined with PVC foam ribs. The leading edges and wingtips are formed from glass fibre composite, with fabric covering elsewhere. The wings have constant chord and zero sweep, with angled winglet tips; the upper wing has the greater span, less dihedral (2° 13′ compared with 3° 26′). There is slight stagger. The Super Pétrel is a single bay biplane with N-form aluminium interplane struts with an additional diagonal strut in each bay from the lower fuselage to the top of the interplane struts. The centre section is supported by a pylon or cabane which also contains the engine mounting. Ailerons are carried only by the upper wings; there are no flaps. The wings can be disassembled in about 30 minutes for transportation by trailer. The single-step hull is an epoxy/carbon fibre foam monocoque, with a carbon fibre boom supporting the all-composite, cruciform and wire braced tail unit. The rear control surfaces are balanced. The cockpit is forward of the central pylon and seats two side-by-side with dual controls. It may be flown open, with just a windscreen, or enclosed by the single piece, forward-hinged canopy. There is a baggage compartment behind the seating. The Super Pétrel has a short legged tricycle undercarriage for land operation; the main units, which have hydraulic brakes, retract upwards through 90° into the sides of the hull with the wheels exposed but recessed into the underside of the lower wing. The steerable nosewheel retracts forward, leaving the tyre partly exposed as a docking fender. A pair of small, stepped floats on the lower wings below the interplane struts stabilise the aircraft on water. The Super Pétrel is powered by a 73.5 kW (98.6 hp) Rotax 912ULS flat-four engine mounted in pusher configuration on the central pylon just below the upper wing. It drives a three-blade Airplast propeller, either a fixed pitch model 175 or an electrically controlled, variable pitch model PV 50. VARIANTS Super Pétrel Superseded Paturi after 2002. Lowered engine line, revised undercarriage and controls. Structural alterations with more carbon fibre; wingtips with washout and winglets which increased the span of both wings; floats moved from tips to wing underside. Super Pétrel LS 280 mm (11 in) longer and with a 25 km/h (16 mph) increase in cruising speed; greater fuel capacity; redesigned cabin and tail group. AAC SeaStar SP North American version marketed by Amphibian Airplanes of Canada (AAC).
