New World Record Claimed for a Light-Sport Aircraft; Flying Around the World in a Flight CTsw
2007-08-24

Echterdingen, GERMANY / 24 August 2007 — Success! The Flight Design CTsw flown by Indian Air Force Wing Commanders and Squadron Leaders Rahul Monga and Anil Kumar completed a round-the-world flight in 79 days involving 19 countries. This is believed to be a new world record for this class of aircraft and it was done as part of celebration of the Indian Air Force 75th Anniversary. In all countries Monga and Kumar made contact with local air force units to extend greetings.

English pilot Brian Milton did a notable flight around the world in a microlight aircraft in 1998. He completed the circumnavigation in a British-built Pegasus trike in 120 days. Monga and Kumar began their voyage on June 1st at Delhi, India and returned August 19th. At the end of their globe-circling voyage, the pilots flew an Indian Air Force registered airplane to Pakistan and landed for refueling in Karachi, a unusual good-will event for the neighboring countries that have experienced tensions.
After thorough evaluations, the Indian Air Force selected a serial production CT aircraft from German manufacturer Flight Design. “The round the world tour under day VFR (visual reference) rules was successful with this airplane despite difficult weather conditions,” reported Matthias Betsch, CEO of Flight Design. He added, “The carefully planned flight succeeded due to highly qualified and motivated Indian Air Force pilots Rahul Monga and Anil Kumar who are normally involved with helicopter and MIG fighter functions. Both Monga and Kumar credit the high performance, quality, and reliability of the CT.
CT flies in serial version up to 130 knots (max 120 knots in USA) with a range of up to 1,100 nautical miles in a spacious cockpit when compared to a normal piston engine airplane. “Fuel consumption of 3-5 gallons per hour — equivalent to 30-36 mpg at a speed of 110 mph — is a level the car industry wants to achieve in the distant future,” Betsch said. CT represents a German high technology design built mostly of carbon fiber from the US company Hexel, using state-of-the-art “glass cockpit” instruments from Dynon USA, navigation and communications radios from Garmin USA, and a modern four cylinder four stroke engine from BRP-Rotax of Austria.
In the last 10 years Flight Design, with headquarters in Stuttgart Germany and production in Ukraine, has become the confirmed worldwide market leader among lightweight, sporting aircraft. In the USA, FAA’s new class of Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) has given a significant positive impact to the aviation industry and the CT leads the segment with more than 20% market share. Even jet manufacturer Cessna and piston engine market leader Cirrus have announced LSA projects. A similar class is expected to be available in Europe before the end of 2008.
Even before the Indian Air Force Round the World flight, the Flight Design CT has gathered significant experience from intercontinental flights: Berlin, Germany to Toronto, Canada, and Toulouse, France to Kongo, Africa. Intercontinental flights under extreme climate conditions give the Flight Design Team an approval of their concepts and additional knowledge for future development. “It is our goal to continue to serve our customers better than the competition,” noted Betsch.
“The Flight Design Team congratulates and thanks pilots Monga and Kumar plus the Indian Air Force for their engagement and professional work, which led to a superior success,” Betsch said.
            Flight Design is a 21-year-old air sport products producer based in Germany. Over 1,000 of its aircraft are flying in 25 countries. One of the first aircraft certified under the American ASTM standards, in 2005, the CT (“composite technology”) is currently the best-selling LSA in America. CT in several models has been popular in Germany and Europe for more than ten years.
 
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PHOTO: A photo of the pilots posing with their CT is available at: http://www.ByDanJohnson.com/promo > 1 NEWS RELEASE PHOTOS for Media > Flight Design NEWS PHOTOS > CT Round-World Flight NEWS PHOTOS > See photo titled: “CT world flight-0807.JPG” (4.4 MB)
 
CT PHOTOS: Go to – http://www.flightdesign.com/en_gallery.php (many images available in high res.)
 
CONTACT: Contact made be made directly to Commander Monga at rahulmonga@gmail.com