Single-engine light sport aircraft, such as the sweet new Cessna 162 SkyCatcher, fly like a dream when the engine's running. Shut it down, however, and it won't be long before the party's over. On the other hand, to experience the silent joy of unpowered soaring, you need a purpose-built glider, a single-engine tow plane to get your glider aloft, and a pretty clear plan for the future — that is to say, where and when you intended to set 'er down. Enter the Czech-built Lambada, the glider that serves as its own tow plane. On sale in the U.S. thanks to its recently earned FAA Special Light Sport Aircraft certification and a brand new U.S. importer, the Lambada flies either as a single-engine light sport aircraft with a 120-mph cruising speed, or as a soarer with a 30:1 glide ratio and a 42-foot wingspan (or, with wingtip extensions, 49 feet). It seats two, side-by-side, with room for 100 pounds of luggage, and the wings and horizontal stabilizer are easily removable, stowable in cradles alongside the fuselage. Power comes from an 80-horsepower Rotax 912 engine with a two-blade, fully featherable prop for lower drag during soaring manuevers. With a pair of 13.2-gallon tanks, the 628-pound Lambada will fly up to 800 nautical miles — not including glide time. Available through UrbanAir USA of Melbourne, Florida, the Lambada will set you back about $110,000, which includes a fuselage-mounted Magnum Ballistic Parachute aircraft recovery system.
More photos after the break, courtesy of UrbanAir USA.
