TL Sport goes STOL

In an announcement at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin, Trey Murdaugh, president of TL Sport Aircraft North America, discussed the ever-growing popularity of backcountry flying and noted that many Sirius aircraft owners were already utilizing their aircraft in STOL (short takeoff and landing) competitions and for backcountry exploration.

The new Sirius Backcountry aircraft will come in two variants, the Sirius Backcountry and the Backcountry SE (STOL Edition), both featuring a Rotax 916iS engine, 41-gallon fuel capacity, a Garmin G3X avionics suite, a DUC propeller, a ballistic parachute, Alaskan Bushwheel 26-inch tundra tires, and an Acme Aviation tailwheel.

The aircraft is designed to have a 37-knot stall speed, a cruise speed of up to 125 knots, a 21,500-foot service ceiling, a STOL takeoff distance of less than 100 feet, and a normal takeoff roll distance of 150 feet. A  STOL landing distance of less than 200 feet is expected, along with a normal landing distance of 300 feet. The aircraft is designed with a flight range of 600 to 700 nautical miles. The company says flight data will be available at a later date.

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“We are so excited to bring this extraordinary aircraft to the market here in North America. The Sirius Backcountry is a result of 30 years of design excellence from TL Sport Aircraft and we believe is a cost-effective, multi-functional, MOSAIC-ready/ E-AB aircraft. As the North American distributor, we are thrilled to be working hand-in-hand with the TL factory in the design and delivery of these cutting-edge aircraft to a new segment of the aviation market,” Murdaugh said.

TL Sport plans to bring the aircraft to market in fall 2024.