Certification
The Sky Arrow 650 TCN has been type certified in March 1996 in Italy and in October 1997 in U.S.A. The TCN version is in compliance with FAR 23, Amendment 42 requirements, as listed in FAA Advisory Circular AC-23.11 dated December 02, 1992. The engine is certified to FAR 33 and the propeller to FAR 35. Noise has been tested in accordance with FAR 36, Appendix G, and ICAO Annex 16, Chapter 10.

The Sky Arrow 650 TCN is type certified for day and night VFR in the U.S.A. and those countries that recognize Advisory Circular AC-23.11. They are used for recreation, sport, training and aerial reconnaissance. In the UK, they are also certified in the Transport Category (passenger). The aircraft, due to its tandem configuration, is also usable for military initial training. For this reason pneumatic gyroscopic instruments, with the relevant engine drive and pump, are part of the standard configuration. Due to the possibility to be used in night operations, navigation, strobe, landing, cabin and map lights are installed, as well as an additional alternator.

Fuselage
The fuselage is almost entirely made of carbon fiber sandwich in an epoxy resin matrix. Kevlar is used in some areas, such as the cabin, where added strength is requested for crash worthiness. The two fuselage halves are bonded together along the vertical plane.

Internally, the fuselage includes six minor bulkheads and two main ones. One of these bulkheads supports the main landing gear and the engine. The aircraft may be controlled from either seat.

The front rudder pedals are adjustable. A baggage compartment is located behind the back seat, and small bags can be stowed underneath it. The fuel tank is located in the fuselage, behind this seat.

The one-piece, glider-style canopy provides exceptional outside visibility. The engine and fuel tank attachments have been statically tested in crash landing simulations up to 18 g’s.

Wings
The airfoil is a Gottinga 398 modified for better handling at low speeds. Each wing is attached to the fuselage with 3 bolts (two at the root rib and one at the wing strut) secured by castle nuts and easily removable safety pins.

The wing and the control surfaces are made of carbon fiber. The two wing spars are of “C” section. Wing flaps are actuated electrically and can be positioned at 0, 10, 20 and 30 degrees. The ailerons are actuated via aluminum control rods and bellcranks.

Landing Gear
The tricycle landing gear is fixed. The main landing gear leaf springs are made of fiberglass roving. The nose gear strut is steel and carbon fiber. It features a “donut” type shock absorber and a shimmy damper. The nose gear is free castoring. Steering is provided by a combination of hand-operated differential braking of the main wheels (low speed) and rudder actuation (high speed).

Powerplant
The engine is a Rotax 912F, certified to FAR 33, with a maximum power of 81 HP at 5,800 rpm. The engine is a horizontally opposed, 4 cylinder, 4 stroke type. It features liquid cooled cylinder heads and air cooled cylinders, dual ignition, dry sump lubrication, dual carburetors and a propeller drive reduction gear box with clutch. The engine features one internal and one external alternator. The engine mount is made of aircraft steel tubing. The propeller is 2 blade, fixed pitch, certified to FAR 35.

Empennage
The rudder is made of fiberglass sandwich with a termanto core. It is actuated by dual cables and aluminum rod via a bellcrank. Both the horizontal stabilizer and elevator are in carbon fiber sandwich, in an epoxy resin matrix, with an electrical actuated trim tab. Aluminum control rods actuate the elevator.