If you’ve always wanted to build a light aircraft, but were uncertain you had the time, expertise or money to put together a plane that fit your needs, SilverLight Aviation might have the kit for you. The company’s Recon is a mission adaptable, convertible gear EAB with folding wings that can be put together with factory assistance in about 17 days. And, you can have that plane flying as a Light Sport with a fuel-injected Rotax 912 and glass avionics for less than $130,000. Build it yourself and/or go with simpler avionics and a carbureted 912 and you can knock about $15,000 off that price. Or, you can play with the numbers a little more and add a larger Rotax that allows for a 1500 lbs maximum take off weight. After recently taking a ride in SilverLight’s demo aircraft, I found myself contemplating a Recon build somewhere down the road. Its customizability, flying qualities, overall finish and price make for a very attractive package.
Development and Features
SilverLight’s owner and the designer of the Recon, Abid Farooqui, says he developed the plane from the Apollo Fox LSA. Farooqui partnered with the Fox’s Hungarian manufacturer in 2007/2008 to help the plane meet US Special Light Sport standards. While handling importation and sales of the Apollo Fox, as well as developing SilverLight’s AR-1 gyroplane, Farooqui began thinking of a larger version of the aircraft might be like. His goal was to produce an easy-to-build plane that could meet a greater variety of needs.
“The Recon can be built as a tail-dragger or a tri-gear, or in a ‘combo’ configuration that can easily switch between a back country aircraft with large wheels and an LSA cruiser with wheel pants,” explains Farooqui. “And whatever choices you make upon purchase, we provide everything you need… from wiring harnesses to firewall forward and more. You won’t have to hunt around from other suppliers and hope that you’re getting appropriate parts.”
Some of the plane’s other features include: a welded steel frame, aluminum ribs and spars with aluminum skinned leading wing edges, Ceconite covering available in multiple colors, Matco brakes, wings that can be folded by one person in less than 15 minutes, easy access to luggage from outside the plane, seat pans and cushions that can be adjusted for different size occupants (or optional sliding seats that can be removed), and a wide choice of avionics, including glass from Dynon and Garmin. You’ll need to decide upon gear configuration when you order a Recon. The tri-gear setup requires a slightly beefier frame to support a front wheel. You can easily convert a tri-gear to a tail-dragger later by purchasing a kit, but you can’t convert a tail-dragger to a tri-gear if it doesn’t have the stronger front end from the start. The Recon can be ordered with Light Sport size tires and fairings or back country wheels (up to 29 inch tundra-type tires). There’s even an optional Cabane-style shock set up available to take the place of the standard leaf spring gear if you’re really planning on bush flying. You’ll also need to decide upon the standard or clipped wing version. The latter allows for a little more speed at the expense of a slightly higher stall speed and longer takeoff roll.
Flying
I found the Recon to be great fun in the air and easy to fly despite it being quite different from my Evektor Harmony and the other low-wing Light Sports I’m used to. Phil Mednick, the CFI SilverLight tasked with orienting me to the plane, had to handle the take-offs and landings since I don’t have a tail-dragger endorsement, but he gave me the controls once we were off the ground. The Recon, equipped with a 912 ULS, lifted off very quickly and was climbing at more than 750 fpm despite a 1300 lbs payload and a ground temperature of 80-degrees. The plane quickly reached 100 mph and its Rotax was sipping gas at that speed. I was impressed given the drag likely created by the size of the tires on the plane.
One of the first things I noticed about the Recon was the view out of its cockpit. The plane’s doors are entirely transparent, providing an unobstructed view to the side and down. The view through its skylight was equally spectacular, and it stretches rearward enough that you can see the plane’s tail. Additionally, the cowl sits fairly low, offering a view forward that means you don’t have to weave while taxing to see where you’re going.
The Recon tracked quite well in the air, with minimal rudder required to coordinate turns. I didn’t test the plane’s dynamic stability in any formal way, but the plane felt quite in harmony with itself. Powered and unpowered stalls were easy to feel coming on, gentle in nature and quickly recovered from. Some approaching weather later in our flight allowed Mednick to demonstrate the plane’s ability to handle windy conditions. We landed with a gusty, 90-degree crosswind of 15 to 20+ kts. The plane had more than enough rudder to center itself on the runway, and while it wasn’t the smoothest landing I’ve ever experienced, it wasn’t the least bit scary. I’ve seen many a tail dragger handle winds like that with less grace.
Unlike similar kit planes I’ve sat in, the Recon easily fit my 6’3” and 250lbs. bulk. SilverLight says there’s about 44” available at the hip, and I had plenty of space above my head. The nicely padded seats were very comfortable and I’m sure I could easily handle longer trips in the plane. The interior, nicely finished with paint and polished metal, is on the classy side of Spartan and its design adds to the overall look of the plane. I appreciated the positioning of the flaperon and trim control levers on the floor between the two seats. I’d never used a trim ‘lever’ before, but found it easy to quickly adjust in flight. The remainder of the Recon’s controls were equally accessible. The demo aircraft had its fuel pump, avionics, and light switches in front of the passenger rather than the pilot, but they were easily in reach from the left seat. Dual sticks, throttle levers and toe-brakes allow the plane to be flown from either side. I appreciated there being a USB power port readily available on the right side of the panel too. The only thing about the plane that didn’t thrill me was its doors, but it’s a complaint I often have with smaller high wings. I’m used to a canopy that locks down tight. But, like most kit planes of this type, the Recon’s downward swinging doors don’t completely seal when they’re latched. I noticed a slight draft, and while that’s not a problem in Florida it can be annoying for pilots like me who regularly fly in colder climes. (The plane, however, does have a very capable heater.) One nice thing about the doors— small shocks hold them up rather than allowing them to swing freely and require attachment to the wing upon opening.
Final Thoughts
Building a kit plane can be an ordeal. How a manufacturer puts a kit together and writes its instruction manual makes a big difference in the assembly process. I can attest to the Recon flying well, but I haven’t built one. And since the plane’s been available for less than a year, few people have. That being said, SilverLight does have considerable experience in helping builders get in the air reasonably quickly and without too much trouble. Its American Ranger gyro, which only comes in kit form, has a good reputation as a kit and in the air. Farooqui says he’s been working hard to make the Recon easy to put together and keep it flying. “We’re a US company based in Florida. You’re going to get technical support within 24 hours, not within a week,” he promises. Parts will also be readily available too.
While I’m not a designer or veteran builder, the Recon does look to be relatively easy to put together, certainly more so than the tube & fabric kits I’ve seen. And, the Recon seems as if it can be adapted to a variety of missions without complicating the build process. All the parts on the plane I could see fit nicely, and combined with the Ceconite fabric and vinyl graphics the aircraft looks more like a factory built Special Light Sport than it does an EAB. Add the Recon’s substantial payload for an aircraft this size, speed (at least for a fabric-covered aircraft), and folding wings, among other options and features, you have a kit in a class all its own. Farooqui says it’s about a five month wait to get a kit once a deposit is made. A Recon will be on display at Sun N Fun this year if you’d like to see one in person.
