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.
