TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius
The TL Ultralight TL-3000 Sirius is a conventional single engine high wing ultralight and Light-sport aircraft seating two side-by-side. It was designed and is produced in the Czech Republic.
Design and development
The Sirius programme was announced early in 2007 and an unflown prototype or mock-up appeared at Aero '07 that year. Development continued into 2010 before it was ready for production.The TL-3000 is a mostly composite aircraft with a carbon fibre wing and glass- and carbon-fibre fuselage. It shares many components with its TL [Ultralight TL-96 Star|TL-2000 Sting] low wing stablemate. The high wing has a constant chord centre section and tapered outer panels with downturned tips and is braced to the lower fuselage with a pair of forward-leaning lift struts. The fin is swept, with a wide dorsal fillet, and carries a horn-balanced rudder. The tapered, mass-balanced elevators are set at mid-fuselage.
The underwing cabin of the Sirius has a single piece windscreen, glazed side doors, rear side windows and an upper rear transparency. A choice of flat four engines offers either the 59.6 kW Rotax 912UL or the 73.5 kW Rotax 912 ULS. The Sirius is fitted with a fixed tricycle undercarriage with mainwheels fuselage mounted on composite cantilever spring legs. The nosewheel is steerable and the mainwheels have brakes; all wheels are almost completely enclosed in spats. The company has also developed a float installation for the TL-3000 to allow water operations.
The Sirus first flew on 21 May 2008 but the prototype was lost in a fatal accident in July.
The design has been accepted by the US Federal Aviation Administration as an approved special light-sport aircraft.