Whatever happened to the incredible STOL Sky Maxx aircraft?

[eightyknots]

Whatever happened to the incredible STOL Sky Maxx aircraft?

 

 

Was this aircraft, designed in an aeronautical institute in Italy and set up to be mass-produced in Germany, too good to be true? The aircraft was first known as the G97 Spotter and a successful prototype was built and flown in Europe. For all intents and purposes, this flying machine looked very promising.

 

I read about this side-by-side, aluminium, STOL aeroplane a few years ago and always wondered where it was up to in its production. It seems like the concept has fizzled out around 2008 (was it the GFC?) or thereabouts. The specifications were very favourable for a recreational aircraft:

 

Stall speed (full flaps) : 65 kmh (35 kt)

 

Cruise Speed: 200 kmh (108 kt)

 

Never exceed speed: 258 kmh (139 kt)

 

Climb Ratio: 1400 fpm

 

Empty Weight: 595 lbs (270 kg)

 

Max take-off weight: 1653 lbs (742)

 

Engine Options: ROTAX 80-102 hp, HIRTH, BMW, Jabiru 6-cylinder

 

Sky-Maxx:

 

*An aircraft for pilots who want the higher cruise speeds available with aircraft in the Small Light Aircraft (SLA) or ultralight category, while still maintaining the short field capabilities of the traditional microlight.

 

*Compared with other light aircraft models, the Sky-MAXX distinguishes itself through his robust full-aluminum-construction and highest quality-standards, that are far over the usual standards in the ultralight-norm.

 

*The view-field in the Sky-MAXX amounts approximately 270° and corresponds that of a helicopter.

 

Does anyone know what happened?

 

 

[Towering Cu]

Hi 80kts,

 

The Sky Maxx looks interesting and also very familiar. Has its design morphed into the Colyaer range of aircraft?

 

What do you think??

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

What do you think??

Well-spotted, Towering Cu! The main features and specifications are similar except that aluminium has been replaced with composite material:

 

- A side-by-side 2-seater aircraft with a double control stick making it ideal for teaching.

 

- A spacious cabin, comfortable and with good visibility and totally enclosed.

 

- Cruising and stall speeds of 200 Km/hour and 65 Km/hour respectively.

 

- An ultra-light aircraft.

 

- Built using composite materials to guarantee strong resistance against corrosion and fatigue, and require minimal maintenance.

 

- A range of over 1000 Km.

 

- Competitive price.

 

Due to the complexity of the project, instead of embarking on the amphibian aircraft immediately, they decided to develop 2 other new projects first: a land plane to study flight patterns and runway take-off and a seaplane to develop hydrodynamics.

 

 

[eightyknots]

In the meantime, a few more pictures surfaced of this interesting plane:

 

 

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

It has been three years since I wrote the above, but there still seems to be no word that this plane is getting off the ground (pun intended). The company appears to have succumbed financially during the global financial crisis back in 2008. But, what has happened to all the design work that was done? Have the Sky Maxx plans and intellectual property rights been sold? Has the Sky Maxx pop up somewhere else?

 

 

[Castlusion]

I am still researching it my self. I will update here if I find anything else.

 

 

[Blackhawk]

I did some searching last night and found information from 2014, which I've put in a PDF attachment.

 

The G97 was renamed the M7 by the designer who I have emailed but not received a reply yet.

 

Cheers, 

 

G97 - M7.pdf

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

Empty weight of 270 kg, max weight of 742 kg and “rugged construction” seem a fantasy-land combination, especially with that narrow tail boom, strutless wings and sculpted glasshouse. Still a nice looking aircraft. 

 

 

[Blackhawk]

I think you got the MTOW wrong; it's 472.5kg not 742kg

 

 

[Downunder]

To me, seeing the 472.5 kg was the obvious reason this never took off (pardon the pun).

 

As soon as 600 kg became the norm, anything below was immediately devalued. (At least here)

 

With Aussies being generally large people and the country being so large, 600kg is about the minimum for 2 people and some gear with any sort of decent range.

 

 

[APenNameAndThatA]

I think you got the MTOW wrong; it's 472.5kg not 742kg

 

The original post said 742 kg or about 1600 lb. As others have said, the payload is not competitive - even if the empty weight really is as stated. 

 

 

[Blackhawk]

I've done a bit more searching and if you need clarification on the exact specifications of the G97/M7;  Peter Harlow - Foxbat Australia  would be able to give you the correct information as he was the approved Australian/New Zealand distributor for them.

 

He may even pick up on this thread and let us know what happened to the design.

 

APenNameAndThatA you will know Peter.

 

 

[eightyknots]

I've done a bit more searching and if you need clarification on the exact specifications of the G97/M7; Peter Harlow - Foxbat Australia would be able to give you the correct information as he was the approved Australian/New Zealand distributor for them.

 

He may even pick up on this thread and let us know what happened to the design.

 

APenNameAndThatA you will know Peter.

 

It has been 1/2 a year now and still no word from Peter Harlow.

[marshallarts]

There is an aircraft called the SkyArrow that is very similar to this. It's from Italy, and looks like a serious, certified product that is actually being built. Website is at SkyArrow

[eightyknots]

There is an aircraft called the SkyArrow that is very similar to this. It's from Italy, and looks like a serious, certified product that is actually being built. Website is at SkyArrow

 

The Sky Maxx and the SkyArrow are quite different. For instance, the takeoff and landing distance are much greater for the SkyArrow. Also, this aircraft is a tandem plane rather than side by side.

[onetrack]

The SkyMaxx is typical of so many "new aircraft designs" that simply fall by the wayside, due to unrealistic expectations of the designer, lack of working capital, and a lack of marketing and buyers lining up to buy it.

 

The plans are probably gathering dust somewhere, while the designer works at his everyday salaried job to enable him to live.

[eightyknots]

On 30/06/2020 at 2:33 PM, onetrack said:

The SkyMaxx is typical of so many "new aircraft designs" that simply fall by the wayside, due to unrealistic expectations of the designer, lack of working capital, and a lack of marketing and buyers lining up to buy it.

 

The plans are probably gathering dust somewhere, while the designer works at his everyday salaried job to enable him to live.

Hopefully, the designer has saved enough of his/her salary to make the plans become a reality by now.

[onetrack]

The original designer of the aircraft was a German bloke by the name of Stephen Kohl. Perhaps part of the aircrafts problem was the half-dozen different names it was, and still is, known by.

 

The Sky-Maxx was originally manufactured by German Aircraft GMBH, then Stefan Kohl took the design to Italy, where it was manufactured by S.A.I. Aeronautica. 

 

Kohl renamed the aircraft the Kohl Mythos, with the designation "G97 Spotter" added.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohl_Mythos

 

It appears around 30 of the G97 Spotters were constructed before manufacturing in Italy ceased in the early 2000's. Janes last record on the G97 Spotter ends at 2003.

Manufacturing in the early 2000's period appears to have moved from S.A.I., to another Italian company named Officine Mechanicche Mingarelli, who specialise in engineering and aeronautics.

 

https://janes.migavia.com/ita/sai/g97.html

 

S.A.I. is now totally defunct, and their website at ultraleggeri.net has been abandoned. The last I could find on S.A.I. they were trying to register the companys logo for use on clothing.

Stefan Kohl is now listed as "Head Engineer" at Kohl and Kohl, but I can find no listing on that company. Perhaps he just has a family company doing small contract work.

 

https://trademarks.justia.com/791/48/s-a-i-ambrosini-societa-aeronautica-79148061.html

 

It appears that the Sky-Maxx aircraft design was purchased by Officine Mechanicche Mingarelli in 2007, and they now advertise it as their product, under the name "M7 Servator".

 

The M7 Servator acquired certification in 2012, and this aircraft was redesigned again, with a totally new wing design, produced by Prof Vincenzo Giordano, of the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II.

It appears OMM is still seeking sales and a market for their M7 Servator, but it appears that very few have been produced. I can only find one M7 Servator actually flying.

I would guess OMM's other engineering work, such as railways engineering work, is keeping them afloat. I'd have to opine they're not placing great hopes on a huge income from M7 Servator sales.

 

http://www.flying-directory.com/popup_info.php?action=aircraft&id=59508

 

http://officinemingarelli.it/homeing.html

 

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/O-M-M-M7-Servator/2408738

 

 

 

[eightyknots]

On 19/09/2022 at 1:24 PM, onetrack said:

The original designer of the aircraft was a German bloke by the name of Stephen Kohl. Perhaps part of the aircrafts problem was the half-dozen different names it was, and still is, known by.

 

The Sky-Maxx was originally manufactured by German Aircraft GMBH, then Stefan Kohl took the design to Italy, where it was manufactured by S.A.I. Aeronautica. 

 

Kohl renamed the aircraft the Kohl Mythos, with the designation "G97 Spotter" added.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohl_Mythos

 

It appears around 30 of the G97 Spotters were constructed before manufacturing in Italy ceased in the early 2000's. Janes last record on the G97 Spotter ends at 2003.

Manufacturing in the early 2000's period appears to have moved from S.A.I., to another Italian company named Officine Mechanicche Mingarelli, who specialise in engineering and aeronautics.

 

https://janes.migavia.com/ita/sai/g97.html

 

S.A.I. is now totally defunct, and their website at ultraleggeri.net has been abandoned. The last I could find on S.A.I. they were trying to register the companys logo for use on clothing.

Stefan Kohl is now listed as "Head Engineer" at Kohl and Kohl, but I can find no listing on that company. Perhaps he just has a family company doing small contract work.

 

https://trademarks.justia.com/791/48/s-a-i-ambrosini-societa-aeronautica-79148061.html

 

It appears that the Sky-Maxx aircraft design was purchased by Officine Mechanicche Mingarelli in 2007, and they now advertise it as their product, under the name "M7 Servator".

 

The M7 Servator acquired certification in 2012, and this aircraft was redesigned again, with a totally new wing design, produced by Prof Vincenzo Giordano, of the Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II.

It appears OMM is still seeking sales and a market for their M7 Servator, but it appears that very few have been produced. I can only find one M7 Servator actually flying.

I would guess OMM's other engineering work, such as railways engineering work, is keeping them afloat. I'd have to opine they're not placing great hopes on a huge income from M7 Servator sales.

 

http://www.flying-directory.com/popup_info.php?action=aircraft&id=59508

 

http://officinemingarelli.it/homeing.html

 

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitled/O-M-M-M7-Servator/2408738

 

 

 

Thanks onetrack: that is very comprehensive. 

 

It is remarkable how many times a good aircraft design has come to the surface, to the point where a few are made and flown, and then it is ultimately abandoned (probably for economic reasons).