Aerocomp CompAir Family

The Aerocomp CompAir family is a line of high-wing, strut-braced, all-composite utility kit aircraft designed by Ron Lueck and Steve Young. Aerocomp, Inc. was founded in 1993 in Merritt Island, Florida, a few miles south of Kennedy Space Center. The company (now doing business as Comp Air Aviation) pioneered the use of large composite airframes for the owner-built Experimental market, culminating in piston four-seaters, massive turbine-powered 8- and 10-place utility haulers, and eventually the Comp Air Jet program.

The CompAir airframes share a common design philosophy: simple, rugged, slab-sided composite fuselages with high-lift strut-braced wings, fixed gear (tailwheel or tricycle), cavernous cabins for their class, and the ability to absorb a wide range of engine options from 150-hp Lycoming flat-fours up to 1,000+ shp turboprops. The family is best understood as "composite Cessna 206/Caravan alternatives for homebuilders" — bush-capable, STOL-friendly, payload monsters with the economic flexibility that comes from the Experimental/Amateur-Built certification basis. See cessna-206 and pacific-aerospace-p750-xstol for the certified utility-single competitive set, and maule-m7 for a similar high-wing bush mission profile in the certified world.

Production numbers are modest — a few hundred airframes total across all variants — and Comp Air has gone through multiple ownership and funding transitions. The current company, Comp Air Aviation, is actively marketing the all-new composite CA6.2 at a ~$250,000 kit price with completed cost in the low-$400,000s.

All variants share composite fuselage construction, high strut-braced wings, and fixed gear.

The CompAir family's defining trait is short-field capability coupled with enormous payload. The CA10 is documented launching in 400 feet with 5 adults aboard. Cruise speeds vary dramatically by engine: a piston IO-540 CompAir 7 books ~145 KTAS, while the Walter-powered 7SL pushes ~180 KTAS and the turbine CA6.2 hits 225 KTAS.

Real-world cruise on the turbines is usually flown below book numbers to preserve fuel (Walter M601 burns 45-55 gph block vs. ~55-65 gph at max cruise). High density altitude performance is excellent because the airframes are typically flown well under gross, and turbine variants are effectively unaffected up to their flat-rated altitude. The piston variants behave similarly to a cessna-206 — solid climb at gross, wheezy at high DA with heavy loads.

Because these are Experimental/Amateur-Built, actual performance varies meaningfully with builder quality, weight control, engine condition, and prop selection.

CompAir 7 piston (IO-540, 88 gal, 4200 lb gross, ~1800 lb useful load):

• Full fuel (528 lb) + 2 pax (340 lb): ~930 lb remaining useful load for bags/cargo. Range ~700 nm.
• Full seats (7 @ 170 lb = 1190 lb): ~610 lb remaining for fuel (~100 lb bags), or ~510 lb fuel = 85 gal. Range ~650 nm.

CompAir 7SL Walter turbine (660 shp, ~120 gal with extended tanks, 4200 lb gross, ~1800 lb useful load):

• Full fuel (800 lb) + 2 pax: ~660 lb remaining. Range ~850 nm at 180 KTAS.
• Full seats (7 @ 170): ~610 lb for fuel = ~91 gal. Range ~500 nm.

CompAir 10XL (Walter 657 shp, ~6000 lb gross, ~2500 lb useful load, ~160 gal):

• Full fuel + 2 pax: substantial cargo remaining for long-range freight missions.
• 10 adults (1700 lb) + bags: still within useful load; fuel becomes the limiting factor, ~2-3 hour legs at high-power cruise.

The defining characteristic across the family is that fuel rarely runs out before useful load does — these are genuine payload airplanes, unlike many cross-country composites that fill the tanks and leave the seats empty.

• Backcountry (8): Short takeoff rolls, big tires, robust composite belly, high wing clearance, and fixed gear make the CompAir 6/7/8 excellent bush haulers. The maule-m7 is smaller and cheaper; the CompAir wins on payload and cabin volume.
• Cargo hauling (9): Class-leading useful loads (2000-2500 lb on the 8/10) and cavernous box cabins. The 10's 5x13 ft cabin is larger than a Caravan's.
• Cross-country (7): Turbine variants cruise 200-250 kt with 6-10 seats. Piston variants are adequate, not fast.
• Business travel (6): Turbine variants can do the mission, but Experimental certification limits commercial use and complicates passenger liability.
• Surveying (7): Large cabin, good endurance, high wing for camera ports, stable low-speed handling.
• Local fun (5): Too much airplane for the $100 hamburger; operating costs are utility-aircraft-class.
• Flight training (2): Experimental category largely prohibits training for hire; airframe is too large and powerful for primary instruction.
• Aerobatics (1): Not stressed for aerobatics; utility-only.

Experimental certification unlocks the full non-TSO avionics market. Typical panel tiers:

• Entry (piston CompAir 3/4/6, ~$15-25k): Dynon SkyView HDX or Garmin G3X Touch dual-screen, GTR 200B comm, GTX 45R ADS-B transponder, Garmin G5 backup.
• Mid (CompAir 7/8 piston or early turbine, ~$35-60k): Dual G3X Touch 10", GTN 650Xi WAAS navigator, GFC 500 autopilot (via experimental install), engine monitor integrated with EFIS.
• Turbine flagship (CA6.2/8/10 turbine, ~$80-150k): Garmin G3X triple-screen or Dynon HDX three-screen, GTN 750Xi, GFC 500/600 autopilot, synthetic vision, ADS-B in/out, FLIR option, TKS ice protection panel. Turbine installs often add PT6 or M601 engine monitoring with FADEC-style displays.

See avionics-pricing for non-certified avionics cost context. Experimental owners save roughly 40-60% vs. certified equivalents.

STCs do not apply in the traditional sense — all modifications on Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft are at the builder/owner's discretion under 14 CFR 21.191(g). Common modifications:

• Engine swaps: Piston-to-turbine conversions (Walter M601 or PT6A-20/21) are the most common and value-additive mod. A turbine conversion typically adds $200-350k in aircraft value while costing $150-250k in parts and labor.
• Amphibious floats: Aerocomp Inc. offered factory float kits; Wipline 3000/3450 also fit larger variants. $60-110k.
• Long-range tanks: Factory option boosting CompAir 3 from 45 to 200 gal; CompAir 7 from 88 to 120 gal.
• Cargo pod: Belly pods for sport-skydive and utility operators.
• Tundra gear and 29" bushwheels: Standard backcountry mod, ~$8-15k.

See maintenance-ecosystem. Support characteristics:

• Parts availability: fair. Factory composite parts are available from Comp Air Aviation in Merritt Island, FL, but lead times can be long and the company has gone through ownership transitions. Builders often fabricate minor composite parts.
• Mechanic familiarity: specialist. Any A&P can sign off an Experimental condition inspection, but composite repairs and turbine maintenance require specialist shops. Walter M601 support in North America is concentrated at a handful of shops (GE Aviation formerly supported the H80/M601 line).
• Annual condition inspection: $2,500-5,000 piston; $6,000-12,000 turbine.
• Expensive items: Walter M601 HSI ($35-55k), PT6A HSI ($50-90k), composite repair after incidents ($8-30k+), windshield replacement ($4-8k).
• Factory support: Comp Air Aviation maintains a builder-support operation in Merritt Island. Responsiveness has varied with ownership changes.

See valuation-methodology for the general framework. CompAir-specific factors:

• Engine choice dominates value: A piston CompAir 7 might sell for $120-180k; the identical airframe with a Walter M601 conversion sells for $400-650k.
• Turbine time-remaining: Walter M601 hot section and TBO state can swing value $50-100k.
• Builder reputation: Aircraft built by known, experienced homebuilders or completed by professional build-assist shops command 20-40% premiums.
• Float capability: Amphibious-equipped examples add $80-150k.
• Avionics: Modern glass/autopilot install adds $40-80k.
• CA6.2 (new composite): Currently only available as a kit at $250k, with completed cost estimates in the low-to-mid-$400k range.

Typical completed-aircraft price tiers:

• CompAir 3/4 piston: $80-150k
• CompAir 6 piston: $120-220k
• CompAir 7 piston: $150-250k
• CompAir 7SL/8 Walter turbine: $350-650k
• CompAir 10XL turbine: $500-850k

Experimental aircraft are not subject to ADs, but FAA Safety Alerts and manufacturer Service Bulletins are issued and widely followed. Known issues:

• Composite bond-line cracking at wing-strut attach points on early CompAir 6 and 7 airframes — inspect carefully.
• Elevator trim system on early CompAir 6 airframes had reports of binding.
• Walter M601 hot section inspections at 1500 hours and TBO at 3000 hours — HSI runs $35-55k, full overhaul $180-250k.
• Builder-quality variance: The #1 red flag on any CompAir pre-buy is workmanship. Inspect layup quality, bonded joints, wiring, control cable routing, and engine installation with a composite-familiar A&P/IA and, ideally, the original build log.
• Documentation gaps: Several early airframes went through multiple owners without complete build documentation, hampering resale.

See insurance-underwriting. Experimental utility/turbine aircraft are a tough insurance class:

• Hull: 2.5-4.5% of hull value for turbine variants, 1.5-2.5% for piston variants.
• Liability: Smooth $1M limits are increasingly hard to place; many CompAir turbine owners carry $1M per-seat sublimit policies.
• Underwriting quirks: Underwriters require a minimum of 10-25 hours dual in type with a qualified instructor, plus recurrent annually. Walter M601 transition training is specifically required by most carriers. First-year owners of turbine CompAirs should expect to pay 1.3-1.8x the steady-state premium.
• Float and ski operations add 30-50% to premiums.
• Commercial skydive operators (a large fraction of the CompAir 8 fleet) carry specialized liability policies at materially higher rates.