Aircraft
Akoya is smallest luxury toy here
The ultra-light Akoya, an original amphibian twin-seater, is to make its first flight by this summer.

The ultra-light Akoya, an original amphibian twin-seater, is to make its first flight by this summer. The Akoya can takeoff from land, water or even snow thanks to innovative features, Lisa Airplanes CEO Erick Herzberger explained to EBACE Convention News. Simultaneously, the Chambery, France-based company is working on a fuel-cell powered aircraft, the Hy-Bird.

The Akoya’s first flight was pegged for early this year but further development has postponed this to “the coming weeks.” The unique aircraft’s main feature is its ability to use three different surfaces for takeoffs and landings. It can liftoff from water thanks to having hydrofoils rather than a conventional fuselage hull. The two hydrofoils lift the fuselage out of the water, starting from approximately eight knots. “They add some drag in flight but this penalty is much smaller than that of a conventional seaplane fuselage,” Herzberger said.

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