Overview and Development
The Comp Air 6 is a light, multi-purpose, all-composite aircraft manufactured by the American aviation corporation Comp Air Inc (Aerocomp Inc.). Its development ran concurrently with the production of the Comp Air 4 model. American aircraft designers successfully extended the fuselage, allowing the aircraft to accommodate up to six people onboard.
This capacity typically included one crew member, three adult passengers, and two children (or three adults, a full fuel tank, and luggage). Although specialists anticipated that this would increase the aircraft’s functionality, demand proved rather modest, with only 69 units built between 1995 and 2012. The prototype made its maiden flight on April 3, 1995.
Kit Assembly and Powerplant Options
The Comp Air 6 is produced as a self-assembly kit, enabling buyers to construct a fully functional aircraft with minimal costs, typically requiring around 900 hours of work. These assembly kits could be supplied with a standard powerplant, which was quite expensive but offered high flight performance characteristics, or without an aircraft engine.
Opting for a kit without an engine allowed customers to choose an alternative powerplant, thereby significantly reducing the overall cost of the aircraft. This flexibility offered customization and made the aircraft more accessible to individual builders and private pilots with varying budgets and performance requirements.
Performance and Capabilities
Beyond passenger transport, the Comp Air 6 is also capable of cargo transport, with a maximum take-off weight of 1293 kilograms. It can perform flights over distances of up to 1287 kilometers, which meets most of the requirements for aircraft of this type for short to medium-range missions.
The standard Comp Air 6 is equipped with a Franklin piston aircraft engine as its powerplant. While reliable, this engine is relatively expensive to maintain. It can develop thrust up to 220 hp, propelling the aircraft to a maximum flight speed of 268 km/h. However, if desired, a different, more powerful engine (up to 300 hp) can be installed, further enhancing the aircraft’s flight performance characteristics.
Configuration Options
Upon customer request, the Comp Air 6 can be supplied with various landing gear configurations. Options include conventional wheeled landing gear, skis for snow operations, and specialized variants for water operations. Specifically, it is available as a seaplane (CA-6SF) or an amphibian aircraft (CA-6AF), highlighting its exceptional operational versatility across different environments.
Technical Specifications
| Modification | Comp Air 6 |
| Wingspan, m | 10. 67 |
| Aircraft length, m | 7. 44 |
| Aircraft height, m | 2. 44 |
| Wing area, m2 | 19.70 |
| Empty weight | 862 |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 14 51 |
| Engine type | 1 Piston engine Franklin |
| Power, hp | 1 x 220 |
| Maximum speed, km/h | 321 |
| Cruising speed, km/h | 268 |
| Practical range, km | 1852 |
| Rate of climb, m/min | 518 |
| Practical ceiling, m | 5480 |
| Crew, crew members | 1 |
| Payload | 3-5 passengers |
Image gallery of the Comp Air 6
