Urban Air Samba XXL EI-FDF

We have seen multiple Sambas in the air overhead Abbeyshrule Airfield on most of the flyable days since the early 2000’s. Pilots have had great experiences with them, and are well trained once they learn to fly on one of these aircraft. The main agent for them was based at the airfield and they have always been well supported, yet affordable to maintain.

This 2008 Urban Air Samba XXL has only 533hrs TTAF. Built on 10^th Oct 2008, it was previously OK-NUA 19 and then became EI-FDF. This aircraft has an upgraded Jabiru 2200 Generation 4 engine with only 86hrs SNEW fitted in April 2022. A new DUC swirl 2 blade ground adjustable propeller was also fitted at this time. EI-FDF lives in its own hangar, and has always been serviced by the main agent for Urban Air. The aircraft are still produced and supported by Distar in Czech, but as inflation has moved on so has the new price of aircraft like this. To buy what’s on offer here new would cost well over €140k.

The aircraft is finished in white with a decal wrap making it easy for a new owner to customise. The canopy Perspex is excellent and the seats are appointed in grey leather. The interior has dual headset jacks, intercom, dual sliding fresh air vents and 12v power outlet. There is a generous glove box and baggage area behind the integral seats which feature four point harnesses.

We have to point out the safety and crashworthiness of these Urban Air aircraft. The entire aircraft is a fibreglass monocoque structure with a carbon reinforced spar. The wing is a stressed skin with a foam core and features double slotted electric flaps, making the stall speed an incredibly low 35kts! The aircraft has a glide ratio of 18:1 which makes it a safe low inertia platform for someone who thinks these things out.

Performance wise to run through the numbers, the Samba XXL rotates at 38kts and climbs at 65knots at 1000ft per minute. In the cruise there are two main profiles, economy which is 2500rpm burning just 10L an hour with a massive 10hrs endurance at 92kts. Stepping up to max continuous at 3100rpm the fuel flow isn’t breaking the bank at 18L an hour and the cruise speed is up to 112kts. With a 100L of fuel you still have 5hrs endurance at max continuous power with a 30 min reserve. Take off distance is 150m, and it will land and stop in 80m of dry tarmac. VNE is a generous 146kts and the maximum structural cruising speed is 108kts. These Jabiru 2200 engines can operate on Mogas, UL91 or Avgas, the current owner has always operated it on Avgas as the consumption is so little compared to his past aeroplane!