The Sunward SA 60L Aurora is a Chinese light-sport aircraft, designed and produced by Sunward Aircraft, a division of Hunan Science and Technologies Co Ltd, an industrial machine manufacturer located in the Lu Gu High Technology Development Zone. The aircraft is intended to be supplied as a complete ready-to-fly-aircraft.Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 78. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. ISSN 1368-485XTacke, Willi; Marino Boric; et al: World Directory of Light Aviation 2015-16, page 82. Flying Pages Europe SARL, 2015.
Design and development The Aurora was designed to comply with the US light-sport aircraft rules. It features a cantilever low-wing, a two-seats-in-side-by-side configuration enclosed cockpit under a bubble canopy, fixed tricycle landing gear and a single engine in tractor configuration. The aircraft's span wing has a rectangular planform and employs flaps. The standard engine available is the Austrian-made Rotax 912ULS four-stroke powerplant.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China granted the design a type design approval in mid-2013.
Bayerl et al. note that the Aurora closely resembles the Fly Synthesis Texan, but that the manufacturer claims the Aurora is an original design.
The aircraft can be equipped for banner-towing, aerial photography and has an airshow smoke generation system available.
In July 2014 the company announced an improved version, the SA 60V, with an upgraded engines installation using Austrian, rather than Chinese components and an IFR capable instrument panel.
The design was added to the Federal Aviation Administration's list of approved special light-sport aircraft on 20 August 2019.
Reactions Reviewer Marino Boric described the design in a 2015 review as "stylish" and "elegant".
Accidents and incidents On 26 June 2026, a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, registry B-12PP, owned by a local general aviation company crashed into the China Zun skyscraper in Beijing, China. It was reported that the pilot died and that 13 people sustained injuries.
Variants SA 60L Original model SA 60V Upgraded model with engine installation improvements and IFR instrumentation
Specifications (SA 60L Aurora)
References
External links