Prototype centaur to be built as joint UK/US programme

Citation

(2002), "Prototype centaur to be built as joint UK/US programme", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 74 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2002.12774daf.007

Prototype centaur to be built as joint UK/US programme

Keywords: Prototypes, Flight Simulators, Funding

Warrior (Aero-Marine) Ltd and its wholly owned US subsidiary, Warrior (Aero- Marine), Inc., developers of the Centaur, a new concept amphibious light aircraft, have received financial support from the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Maine Technology Institute (MTI) in the USA to build a prototype for flight demonstration purposes.

The DTI Smart Exceptional Award, (£450,000), was awarded under the Smart Exceptional Award scheme, only ten of which are nominated every year. The MTI award, also highly competitive, is for $ 500,000 (£350,000), In addition, private investors have demonstrated their faith in the programme by committing more than £2 million in cash and services, to give the programme some £2.8 million to build the first aircraft.

A successful test programme are reported to have already been carried out using dynamically accurate fifth scale models and Warrior is now confirming the aircraft's detailed design using state of the art CATIA software. Warrior has also placed its first contracts for fuselage and wing tooling. The fuselage, wing and other structural components are being built by Maine Composites, Inc. of Richmond. Maine, USA, and will be shipped to the UK for final assembly by Warrior at the certification facilities of CMC Ltd, Old Sarum. Salisbury, Wiltshire.

The maiden flight of the Centaur will take place from Old Sarum in the first quarter of 2003. The Centaur will reportedly be a prominent exhibitor at many trade shows during the rest of that year.

James Labouchere, managing director of Warrior and the Centaur creator said: "Centaur is now a go programme thanks to these two awards and the faith of our private investors. This funding enables us to produce and demonstrate the prototype, which will take us a long way to Certification. We now need further funds to market the Centaur and the business opportunity, and to fund the Certification programme."

Centaur is a six-seat single piston engine aircraft, which it is said takes advantage of a totally new approach to seaplane hull design and on-water handling, opening up a potentially huge untapped market. Its hull geometry has been derived from the designer's experience in the world of multi- hull racing yachts, we are informed that this enables the aircraft to operate with much lower engine power than other seaplanes and to operate in up to 80 per cent rougher water.

The boat handling concepts, which include folding wing capability, reportedly enable the aircraft to manoeuvre on water just like a 40 ft boat, accessing berthing facilities that are denied to all other seaplanes, Its all-composite structure means that it can operate on salt water without fear of corrosion, unlike conventional aluminium seaplanes.

Warrior believes that not only does this put the Centaur in pole position for replacing the six-thousand plus outdated technology seaplanes currently operating in the Centaur's size category, but it makes possible a whole new range of uses for amphibious aircraft. Centaur, according to Warrior, is expected to replace existing seaplanes, landplanes, helicopters and even boats, and generate the opportunity for aviation to expand beyond and independent of airfield constraints.

It is asserted by Warrior that wherever a destination is water-related, for business or pleasure, the Centaur owner can go there with customers or family, freight or sporting equipment, however remote. Centaur can reportedly carry its designated payload a greater distance at a lower seat/mile cost than current comparable seaplanes because of the efficient hull and wing design and lower power requirement.

Warrior's Centaur is said to provide all the attributes seaplane pilots are looking for and will open the doors to a new era and far wider application for seaplanes, wholly compatible with where boats go, able to compete well as a landplane, and eliminate the age-old barriers in transport systems that have kept aviation distant from the wealthier, far more diverse, marine sector.

We are informed that Centaur has already sparked major interest in the North American aviation and marine communities through promotional activities over the past few years. It is expected by Warrior that the construction of the prototype Centaur will act as the catalyst to turn this interest into firm orders.

Details available from: Warrior (Aero-Marine) Ltd, Tel; +441722 421860, e-mail: james@centaurseaplanc.com