Blackshape Prime

The Blackshape Prime is an Italian ultralight aircraft, produced by Blackshape srl, the company founded in Monopoli by Luciano Belviso and Angelo Petrosillo. The aircraft first flew in 2007 and was introduced at the Aero show held in Friedrichshafen in 2009. It is supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.

Design and development
The Prime started as the Millennium Master, but the design was later acquired and further developed by Blackshape, however the exterior is largely unchanged from the Millennium Master's. The aircraft was designed to comply with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale microlight rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-tandem enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, retractable tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration.

The aircraft is made from pre-preg carbon fibre, with an aluminium and steel structural frame. Its 7.94 m span wing has an area of 9.96 m2 and double slotted flaps. It is stressed to +4/-2g. The standard engine available is the 100 hp Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant, driving a two bladed constant speed propeller, which gives it a maximum level speed of 300 km/h and a cruise speed of 275 km/h. The 115 hp Rotax 914 is also available as an option, as is the 141 hp Rotax 915 iS.

The rear seat is mounted a few inches higher than the front seat, with a small baggage compartment behind the headrest. The aircraft has dual controls with centre sticks, conventional rudder pedals and throttle levers. Avionics include 10 in Dynon SkyView panel, which is standard only in the front seat, with a back seat installation available as a factory option. A two-axis Garmin autopilot is also optional.

Variants

 * BK100
 * Base model with a 100 hp Rotax 912ULS engine and MT-Propeller MTV-33-1A two-bladed, variable pitch propeller; giving 5.6 m/s (1100 ft/min) climb rate, 260 km/h cruise speed, with a 1260 km range. Originally named the BS100.


 * BK100 T
 * Model with a turbocharged 115 hp Rotax 914UL engine and an MTV-33-1A propeller, giving a 7.4 m/s (1450 ft/min) climb rate, a maximum cruise speed of 273 km/h, with a 1204 km range. Originally named the BS115.


 * BK100 iS
 * Model with a 141 hp Rotax 915 iS engine and an MTV-34-1A propeller, giving a climb rate of 8.6 m/s (1700 ft/min), a maximum cruise speed of 344 km/h and a range of 926 km.