This is the best-looking and sleekest airplane in general aviation today, and maybe ever;
it quickly catches attention. Highly innovative and capable, it is equipped with advanced safety
equipment and technology and is perfectly designed to give the crew and passengers
an enhanced and unforgettable flying experience. This is the Pipistrel Panthera, a unique 4-seater
with an attractive design and efficient performance. Opening a whole new world of
opportunities, the Panthera is an excellent aircraft, carefully designed to keep one
safe and comfortable, while at the same time being quiet and friendly to the environment.
The Pipistrel Panthera is a lightweight, all-composite, highly efficient four-seat
aircraft under development by Pipistrel of Slovenia. It is also available as an
experimental aircraft, either factory-built or as a kit for amateur construction.
Pipistrel hasn’t drifted from devotion to efficient, environmentally friendly flying
machines, as the aircraft will eventually be offered in both pure electric and hybrid-electric
versions. Some of the main features of the aircraft include an airframe ballistic parachute
designed for use at high speeds and low altitudes, an all-composite airframe, and a glass cockpit.
The Panthera’s radical appearance certainly makes it look like a next-generation GA aircraft
that will move from experimental to certification with style.
The Panthera is designed by applying the most modern design and construction techniques.
It has an all-composite airframe, made from carbon fiber, glass fiber, and Kevlar, offering superior
strength. The composite materials used for the exterior of the aircraft were selected in part
based on their ability to withstand lightning strikes. The cabin is constructed as a rigid
shell designed to provide occupant crash protection in a roll-cage structure.
Because carbon fiber is susceptible to sharding during impact, the occupant spaces are protected
with Kevlar. The aircraft sports trailing-link electrically operated retractable landing gear
made of titanium and aluminum alloys, which will be of benefit for operations from grass runways.
It includes 11 doors that seal out every possible performance-stealing air gap,
and the backup gear system is a crank located in the center console between the two front seats.
The airframe is designed to be as maintenance-free as possible, with permanently lubricated push-rod
tubes actuating the ailerons and elevators, while the rudder is cable-operated and requires
occasional lubrication. The flaps are about two-thirds of their span and are electrically
controlled by a two-position switch, which offers two operational settings: 15 and 45 degrees.
The flap section over the wing walk area on both sides is protected with a solid surface,
eliminating any chances of stepping on the flap. The Panthera has two stub wings with a pair of
spars that fit together in the fuselage with a pin assembly. The specially designed wing airfoils are
optimized for cruise efficiency and, therefore, speed, while at the same time ensuring high
maximum lift and docile stall characteristics. The aircraft’s instantly recognizable T-tail
ensures low interference drag and helps improve spin characteristics
by preventing the horizontal stabilizer from shadowing the rudder at high angles of attack.
Pipistrel originally proposed the four-cylinder, 210-HP Lycoming IO-390
because its power-to-weight ratio fit the airplane and it could burn autogas.
A change was made because Lycoming does not plan to certify it for automotive fuel. So Pipistrel
switched to the six-cylinder, 260-HP IO-540. The IO-540 provides the same cruise performance
and fuel economy as the 360, but weighs 90 pounds more for an additional 50 horsepower.
Pipistrel was able to rejigger the mount design and center of gravity to accommodate the engine
by adding some additional length to the airframe and allowing the Panthera's gross weight to be
increased by 210 lb. to make up for the extra weight. The aircraft will use the existing
cowling, which was originally designed to accommodate a six-cylinder engine anyway.
This engine swap was better as the IO-390 version was unlikely to produce speeds up
to 200 knots and, without turbocharging, it was not going to have much power in
high-density altitude conditions, which is a requirement topping Pipistrel’s must-have list.
The exhaust system has been specially tuned for maximum power and minimum noise.
The Panthera has been specially optimized to ensure minimum noise and maximum performance,
reducing the aircraft’s environmental footprint and increasing cabin comfort.
The avionics panel includes a bevy of avionics that equip the Panthera for serious IFR
flight. It offers a Garmin G3X touchscreen primary flight display with a second G3X available option,
a touchscreen GTN 750 Com/Nav/IFR GPS, a GTN 650 second Nav/IFR GPS,
and a two-axis GPS slaved digital autopilot. Mid-Continent Instruments’ Standby Attitude
Module provides backup airspeed, altimeter, and attitude indications.
While this provides sufficient capability, some buyers may view it as a step down from the
G1000 NXi found in the new Cirrus and Diamond models. Because of the smaller panel space,
it’s unclear if the NXi would fit, and, in any case, it would be more expensive.
On the plus side, the G3X is easier to use without giving up much capability. With the two GTNs,
there’s more than enough panel space for maps, engine displays, and the primary flight display.
The attention-grabbing Pipistrel Panthera is a 2900-pound plane,
which is about the same as a Cirrus SR20, but with the performance of the SR22. With a useful
load hovering around 1100 to 1200 pounds, the Panthera is a true four plane airplane,
which means you can fill up the seats, carry full fuel, and go 1000 miles. Moving to its dimensions,
it has a length of 26 feet 6 inches, which is the same as the Cirrus SR22, a height of 7 feet
2 inches, and a wingspan of 35 ft. 8 inches, making it about three feet less than the SR22.
The cabin is accessed via two large gullwing doors and, for the rear occupants,
an even larger gullwing hatch, similar to Diamond’s approach on the DA40/42/62
series. The main doors are hinged at the top of a 6-inch-wide bar that runs fore to aft over the
center of the 47-inch-wide cockpit. When the pilot pulls down the doors, the view becomes
truly impressive, as other than the center post, all the pilot sees is the great outside.
Inside the cockpit, it’s a clean design with everything clearly laid out.
We can find a center-mounted control stick that provides precise, uncompromised feedback feel
from the control surfaces, allowing for fun maneuvering in the Panthera, with the parking
brake conveniently located on the center console. To help mitigate the effect of the broad canopy,
optional air conditioning will be available on all production aircraft.
All the circuit breakers are positioned to the far right on the instrument panel and are
easily visible, and the large Garmin screens make information pretty easy to gather. There
is no doubt this airplane comes with a sports car-like interior environment.
One of the major design points of Panthera is the state-of-the-art ergonomic cabin.
All these features provide superior comfort for people of all sizes. The two back seats are very
wide and convenient. There is a supersized, standard cabin luggage-sized cargo door,
but the cargo can also be accessed from the cockpit during the flight. The interior is
furnished with the highest quality leather and LED lighting for an exclusive feel and functionality.
Panthera achieves unprecedented efficiency through careful aerodynamic shaping,
a lightweight advanced composite structure, a tailor-made propeller,
and a dedicated performance exhaust system. Currently powered by a 260 hp Lycoming IO-540
engine, Pipistrel claims that the high-speed cruiser Panthera will cruise at nearly 200
knots at 75 percent power, a few knots more than a late-model Mooney Ovation.
Standard on the Panthera is a specially designed German MT propeller.
Panthera specs cite a range of 1,000 nm and a maximum certified ceiling of 25,000 feet.
No other four-seat aircraft exists that flies this fast on the same engine!
The standard fuel capacity on the Panthera is 54 gallons. Optional tanks will add another 20
gallons per side, but that will cost about 240 pounds of the airplane’s significant 1,100-pound
useful load. It typically burns less than 14 gallons per hour at 75% power at 7,500 ft.
The Panthera’s standard equipment will include a BRS emergency parachute system that requires
repacking every nine years, very similar to other airframe-chute-equipped aircraft. A big difference
is this chute’s deployment speed, which is 195 knots as compared to 140 knots on the Cirrus.
The Panthera is light on the controls, with almost an aerobatic feel. It has a respectable
rate of climb of 1,300 fpm at its maximum gross weight and a top speed of 220 knots.
The stall speed with full flaps is 55 knots, whereas with flaps up, it stalls at 60 knots.
The ballistic parachute has proven a sales plus for the Cirrus, and that may
also be true for the Panthera. Other than Cirrus, no other manufacturer has offered
a high-performance single with a parachute. The price tag for the experimental version is
about $639,000, versus $672,000 for the certified airplane.
Although the Cirrus and Cessna airplanes are nice flying airframes, but the designs coming
from Europe, especially the Diamond and now the Panthera, are just nicer. The Panthera provides
a better control feel owing to its center sticks, and the gullwing doors and seating position are
also a plus. This is especially true on a hot sunny day when air conditioning is a must. You
can taxi with the doors fully open, propped by their gas springs or held partially open,
giving a rush of air inside the cabin. The airplane is a hoot in the pattern.
It doesn’t require a lot of fussy trimming. Secondly, it has a trailing link landing gear,
so even when touching down fast, the airplane plants with no bounce.
Weight-wise, the Panthera has about 1100 pounds of useful load. The CG envelope is
a generous 9 inches, so loading it outside of its limits will take a deliberate effort.
Its titanium trailing-link undercarriage, flaps, and trim are all electrically operated, resulting
in low weight and maximum reliability by removing the need for complex and heavy hydraulic systems.
Where the Panthera stands out is in its pure fly ability. With its center stick
and well-balanced control forces, some buyers might be attracted just on that count alone.
The gullwing doors of the Panthera are a compromise for some people, but
not for me haha. Although they do provide ready access, they also inhibit or entirely prevent
emergency egress if the airplane flips over in a crash. Another point of concern is the possibility
of the door opening mid-flight, as the door is likely to depart the airframe and could strike and
damage the tail. Although Pipistrel seems to have addressed this with a robust closing mechanism,
only time in service will reveal if this design is worth it.
Also, it is important to mention that during ingressing/egressing the aircraft during rain,
the interior is going to get moist along with the occupants, something that no one is going to like.
Secondly, cockpit ingress is not a very smooth process, and getting out will be an even bigger
challenge. The glare shield grips help, but some prying and lifting on the cockpit wall
may be necessary. The forward view is quite obstructed, and the glare shield is very
high and has been a subject of complaints from the pilots. From a visibility point of view,
landing the Panthera will feel more like landing a tail dragger. These limitations takes some
getting used to, but its not a deal breaker. Functionally, its avionics are adequate for
the task, but not as sophisticated as the top-of-the-line G1000.
The Panthera was always aimed at fitting somewhere between a Diamond DA40 and a
Cirrus. A better comparison, by mission, might be to think of the Panthera as a modern-day Mooney.
It doesn’t need to fly at extremely high altitudes to go fast. It’s not
built for a truck driver who has a side stick in their hands and mostly flies on autopilot.
To summarize it, the Panthera carries a little more than a Mooney, but less than a Cirrus,
and it’s a little faster than both, including the SR22T at lower altitudes. As the specific
range calculations show, it’s more efficient than either, at the expense of a less spacious
cabin compared to the Cirrus. However, it is too soon to judge the Panthera as a finished product,
as the road to final certification often has surprises.
If you prefer sporty handling, efficient performance, and turning heads on the ramp,
the sleek, fast, and stylish Panthera is definitely your airplane! The company’s
heritage of gliders and drones built for minimum drag and maximum glide capabilities is carried
forward by this smooth and sleek looking, highly innovative, and excellent Pipistrel Panthera.