Years after production halted, the Grob G520 is back in the spotlight, with Grob Aircraft seeking buyers for its revived G520 NG.
The German company is pitching the aircraft to governments worldwide, talking up its ability to perform reconnaissance at extreme altitudes and its 7.5h endurance.
The company, which filed for insolvency in 2008 but was revived by current owner H3 Aerospace, says it has conducted a number of demonstration flights for potential customers and could begin production next year.
Grob certified the G520 in 1991 and built six of the aircraft, including one two-seat trainer that featured on the static display at Farnborough air show.
The revived NG variant has a 750shp Honeywell TPE 331-14 powerplant and a digital glass cockpit from Genesys Aerosystems.
It can reach a maximum altitude of 50,000ft and has a maximum take-off weight of 4,700kg (10,362lb), says the company.
Rolf Amende, head of maintenance for the G520, calls the aircraft a “poor man’s satellite”, saying it can perform a variety of scientific and military roles, from fisheries and traffic reconnaissance to acting as a satellite for telephone communications.
Grob's G520 NG. Source: Grob.
Source: Flight Daily News
