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Marv Snow/Nevada Appeal News Service The Hungarian-built Corvus MK-3 is being sold out of the Silver Springs Airport. It was shown at the Lyon County Fly-In in May.
If it's true that one thing that separates the men from the boys is the size of their toys, here's a gift idea: A Corvus MK-3 light sport airplane.
"It's a toy," said Corvus USA President Jesse Martin. "And they've become extremely popular. Since the approval (three years ago), each year the numbers have gone up."
It's not the kind of plane you take a vacation on, unless you plan to travel light. The plane only has two seats and no area for luggage.
"It's not considered an ultralight, it's a step above," he said. "It's somewhere between a glider and a Cessna."
Martin said the planes weigh 1,320 pounds maximum and are restricted to about 130 mph.
The cost is about $100,000, which Martin said is low. A check on the Internet showed other sport aircraft costing between $200,000 and $300,000.
"It's a toy," said Corvus USA President Jesse Martin. "And they've become extremely popular. Since the approval (three years ago), each year the numbers have gone up."
It's not the kind of plane you take a vacation on, unless you plan to travel light. The plane only has two seats and no area for luggage.
"It's not considered an ultralight, it's a step above," he said. "It's somewhere between a glider and a Cessna."
Martin said the planes weigh 1,320 pounds maximum and are restricted to about 130 mph.
The cost is about $100,000, which Martin said is low. A check on the Internet showed other sport aircraft costing between $200,000 and $300,000.
He has moved his company's headquarters to the Silver Springs Airport, where he said the opportunity to grow with the airport and the community was too good to pass.
"We looked at Silver Springs' and Fernley's growth potential," he said. "We're a new company, a small company, and we want to grow with the Silver Springs Airport."
Corvus USA has one aircraft at the airport in Stead for convenience, Martin said, but the corporate headquarters will be at Silver Springs.
"When the hangars start going up and the fire suppression system goes in, and with the new highway coming in there, it gives you more access to other shipping methods like railheads," he said. "I see it in four to five years as a perfect opportunity to grow."
Martin said the companies that manufacture Corvus planes are from Europe, since the plane has been only recently approved in the U.S.
"It's something that the Europeans have been doing for years," he said. "We import from Hungary."
He said the planes are shipped to Germany from Hungary in pieces, then shipped to Houston, then sent by rail to Nevada.
"We looked at Silver Springs' and Fernley's growth potential," he said. "We're a new company, a small company, and we want to grow with the Silver Springs Airport."
Corvus USA has one aircraft at the airport in Stead for convenience, Martin said, but the corporate headquarters will be at Silver Springs.
"When the hangars start going up and the fire suppression system goes in, and with the new highway coming in there, it gives you more access to other shipping methods like railheads," he said. "I see it in four to five years as a perfect opportunity to grow."
Martin said the companies that manufacture Corvus planes are from Europe, since the plane has been only recently approved in the U.S.
"It's something that the Europeans have been doing for years," he said. "We import from Hungary."
He said the planes are shipped to Germany from Hungary in pieces, then shipped to Houston, then sent by rail to Nevada.
"One of the advantages of the light sport aircraft is they are take-apart things anyway," Martin said.
He said the planes are very simple in nature, as opposed to general aviation where planes have four seats, glass cockpits and a full instrument panel.
"This is a simple, basic airplane because we're restricted on weight," he said. "It goes right back to the basics in airframe design. Just the bare essentials, as simple as they can be."
He said the focus to take weight off is the reason for the lack of steel, pointing out the only metal was the motor and the control tubes.
"It's all composite material, honeycomb Kevlar," he said.
Martin plans to market both the completed plane as well as a Corvus kit at air shows and through advertising and the Internet. He expects sales to begin later this year.
He has been at the airport since March and had his Corvus MK-3 out for visitors to the recent Lyon County Fly-in to see.
He said the planes are very simple in nature, as opposed to general aviation where planes have four seats, glass cockpits and a full instrument panel.
"This is a simple, basic airplane because we're restricted on weight," he said. "It goes right back to the basics in airframe design. Just the bare essentials, as simple as they can be."
He said the focus to take weight off is the reason for the lack of steel, pointing out the only metal was the motor and the control tubes.
"It's all composite material, honeycomb Kevlar," he said.
Martin plans to market both the completed plane as well as a Corvus kit at air shows and through advertising and the Internet. He expects sales to begin later this year.
He has been at the airport since March and had his Corvus MK-3 out for visitors to the recent Lyon County Fly-in to see.
Martin said the two primary demographic groups for customers are older pilots who have disposable income but may lose their flying license because of medical restrictions, or the younger pilot age 27-35 who can't wait to get airborne.
"A medical certificate is not required," he said. "And it takes less time to get your license; 20 hours instead of 45 hours (of training.)"
On the Net
www.corvususa.com
• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.
"A medical certificate is not required," he said. "And it takes less time to get your license; 20 hours instead of 45 hours (of training.)"
On the Net
www.corvususa.com
• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111 ext. 351.
