Aero-TV At DSAS21: Merlin Lite Single Seater Offers Highly Capable Affordability

Newest Development Offers A Distributed Electric Propulsion System With In-Wing Propellers
Chip Erwin of Aeromarine LSA brought their new Merlin Lite LSA to the 2021 Deland Sport Aviation Showcase and showed Aero-News Editor-in-Chief Jim Campbell the interesting directions they've taken their single seater sportplane.
"In aviation, the price goes up with the number of seats," said Erwin. "You can get a 120 mph, all aluminum, fully painted, EFIS-equipped, ADS-B in and out, transponder, electric trim - all of that for $52,000. It would be 3 times more, if you had that second seat!" Faced with factory stoppages for their off-the-shelf engines, Aeromarine began work on their own 60 hp, 4-stroke V-twin.
Erwin also brought their newest project in the works: a distributed electric propulsion system with in-wing propellers. In current form, the system has enough battery power for 30 minutes of flight, best used for brief spurts of extra thrust. The system shines with an added boost on takeoff to shorten the roll, or to buy some extra time in the pattern after an engine failure. When not in use, the propellers even index to align themselves inside the wing for zero drag in flight.
Aside from the performance benefit, the system provides enhanced safety with active envelope protection, engaging when they sense low-speed, uncoordinated flight, preventing a stall before it occurs.
Aero-TV is a production of the Internationally syndicated Aero-News Network. Seen worldwide by hundreds of thousands of aviators and aviation adherents, ANN's Aero-TV has produced over 5000 aviation and feature programs, including nearly 2000 episodes of our daily aviation news program, AIRBORNE UNLIMITED, currently hosted by Kimberly Kay. Now in its third decade of operation, parent company Aero-News Network, has the most aggressive and intensive editorial profile of any aviation news organization and has published nearly a half-million news and feature stories since its inception -- having pioneered the online 24/7 aviation new-media model that so many have emulated.
©2021 Aero-News Network, Inc., ALL Rights Reserved
FMI: www.aero-news.net, / aerotvnetwork , www.airbornetv.net, www.aeromarine-lsa.com

[@weaponeer]

Love the motors in the wing if for no other reason than safety

[@Bravo21]

Now that's a better mousetrap. Looking forward to seeing the aux system in action.

[@GeorgeStar]

Brilliant! Unfortunately the price is creeping up.

[@hardrock6034]

Great new ideas.

[@samuela6073]

Are you guys still opening up in Mobile?

[@rumpledxkn]

I’ve watched a bunch ofMerlin and Merlin Lite videos. I just was wondering. This is a one seat. Does the price go up exponentially when you add another seat and then every seat after that?