Production-ready amphibian takes to the air

Last year the Czech Aircraft Works introduced the already-flying prototype of its sport pilot-ready two-seat aluminum-hulled amphibian called the Mermaid. Now it's taken the lessons learned from that prototype and started test flights on the first production model. The final design flies faster, lands slower, and is lighter weight, the company says. About a square meter was added to the wing area, and the wingtips were redesigned. The first customer aircraft are already in production, with first deliveries expected by end of summer.