PARIS — The roar of jet engines or the sheer size of a super jumbo is enough to draw an eye to the sky, but the makers of the AT-3 trainer hope their tiny trainer can grab the attention of those on the ground below.
The two-seat AT-3 Rotax piston-powered aircraft is manufactured by Warsaw based Aero Ltd. and will be the smallest manned aircraft in this year’s flying display. The aircraft is used as a basic trainer for flight schools or flying clubs.
Jacques Thomas, a 20,000-hour retired Air France Captain, will take the AT-3 into the skies over Le Bourget. Captain Thomas is an instructor at the Air France Aero Club, which owns six of the type based at Toussus Le Noble Airport southwest of Paris.
Marc Hemery, Aero Ltd. sales representative for France and the Middle East, says the company has delivered 50 aircraft to European customers under certification by EASA as a very light aircraft since 2005. Aero also manufactures the AT-4, the US FAA light sport certificated version of the AT-3, which currently has about 60 aircraft in service.
The two-seat aircraft will be on display during the show between the Piaggio and Dassault static stands.
Photo Credit Billypix
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This post originally appeared at Flightglobal.com from 2007 to 2012.