The aircraft is a development of the
Talon XP which in turn traces its lineage to the
Maxair Drifter. The Explorer has been produced by a number of companies and under a variety of names.[1]
The main advance over the Drifter is the Explorer's use of main wing
struts and
jury struts in place of cable bracing. Like all aircraft in this family they feature excellent visibility, especially from the front seat when the optional
fibreglass cockpit pod is removed. As a result, the design is often employed as a
camera platform. It can be flown on floats and has been used for banner towing.[1]
Construction is of bolted
aluminium tube, with the flying surfaces covered in pre-sewn
Dacron envelopes. The kit takes about 150–250 hours to assemble.[1][2]
The standard engine is the
Rotax 582 of 64 hp (48 kW), with the four-stroke 80 hp (60 kW)
Rotax 912 optional.[1]
Variants
Explorer
Initial version, derived from the
Talon XP, but with struts in place of the cable-braced wing. Produced by
Advanced Aviation, no longer in production.[1]
Zephyr
Similar to the Explorer, but produced by
Arnet Pereyra Inc, no longer in production. Also known as the Zephyr II, 40 reported flying in 1998/2001.[1][5][6][7][8]
Toucan
New name for the aircraft when manufacturer Arnet Pereyra changed the company name to
Aero Adventure Aviation, powered by a
Rotax 582 of 64 hp (48 kW). In production, with 10 flying at the end of 2011.[1][2][3][4][9][10]
Barracuda
Aero Adventure Aviation produced version powered by the 80 hp (60 kW)
Rotax 912, 1,250 lb (567 kg) gross weight, optimized for amphibious floats. Out of production, with 1 flying at the end of 2007.[1][2][3][4][9]