There is an interesting brief article in the latest Sport Aviation (January 2020) about the three Karl brothers and their DarkAero 1 project for a "275 mph" RV-killer with a 200 hp UL Power 200 hp built in infused carbon fiber on CNC-cut 3D molds. It's interesting to see previously million-dollar technologies trickle down to a small-scale operation, but they lost me at the price ($80,000 for the kit, about $150,000 completed and flying). See https://www.darkaero.com/
Not for the first time, I am disappointed to see that pretty much every venture involving composite aircraft development wants to be the Porsche 911 (or the Lamborghini Diablo) of light aircraft. I am still waiting for someone who want to be the Volkswagen Beetle and apply these technologies to making an inexpensive, easy-to-built, easy-to-fly kit plane for ordinary folks.
Not for the first time, I am disappointed to see that pretty much every venture involving composite aircraft development wants to be the Porsche 911 (or the Lamborghini Diablo) of light aircraft. I am still waiting for someone who want to be the Volkswagen Beetle and apply these technologies to making an inexpensive, easy-to-built, easy-to-fly kit plane for ordinary folks.