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During the 2012 the model “SILA 450C” have been tested  in Germany  and this was the first successful step allowing to obtain the German certification under the standard LTF-UL, the first permit to fly has been immediately released . At the same time the lightest aircraft produced to be sold in Germany according to the LTF UL regulations it can be also registered without problems in the JAR VLA category.

Sila 450C, anyway designed in line with the GA standards, underwent  a series of tests in order to obtain the German certification and this following the complete design and production documentation where the Engineers of the research and development department of AEE studied and set the whole mechanical testing methodology in order to demonstrate practically the compliance of the a/c with each of the prescribed task.

The testing methodology must give reason of each investigated parameter, this means that the whole airframe, as each one of the single elements has undergone a list of exams each one simulating all the possible flight or landing conditions and mechanical stress.

The mechanical stress testing has been carried on in every of the extreme condition at the maximum possible load factor to demonstrate the mechanical strength of the aircraft in all the specific hardest situations of use, all that at the presence of the Inspectors Authorities from the German CAA (Civil Aviation Authorities).

Every test session, during the three days of work (total duration of the exams), has been executed first to certificate the conformity to the LTF-UL standards and then in a second moment up to the 600Kg MTOW requested in the case of the LSA standards and more. The success of the demonstrations, each one concluded with the release of the relative signed documents issued by the Inspectors, showed that also the smallest a/c of the series SILA, conceived to enter the UL market, is in fact able to face the most severe conditions of the 600Kg category.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Wwt8Uj1T0

And finally a series of drop tests were executed. This kind of test consists in dropping the airplane from different heights. It is interesting to notice that the requested performance by law is conceived simply in order to confirm the safety of the persons in the cockpit in the case of an heavy landing, no matter if after the hypothetical  “heavy landing” the airframe or the landing gear will report damages or not. In the case of the SILA the results demonstrate not only the safety but also the evidence that no damages were caused  to the structure or to the landing gear… The experiments of the airplane several dropping finished with a funny bouncing of the aircraft with the natural and normal working of the shock absorbers that did not reach not even the end of their physiological stroke!

This, which is only the last but not the least, perhaps may be interesting for all the sport Pilots that some times exaggerate with some heavy landings…: do not worry the model SILA 450 will forgive you more than many of your exuberant and inventive landings…!