Designed by Mark Brown, the 1985 Pulsar was based on Star Lite prototype N500SS.

High Tech Composites (HTC) in Oxnard, California, USA, owned by Rich Trickle, produced composite structures for other aircraft manufactures before Rich designed the two-seat KIS TR-1 (KIS stands for “Keep It Simple”). Constructed with the assistance of Vance Jaqua and Martin Hollmann, the aircraft was first presented at the EAA event at Oskosh, Wisconsin, in July 1991

Subsequently HTC was renamed Tri-R Technologies and the composite kit plane was marketed to the homebuilt constructor. It could be fitted with a nose-wheel or tail-wheel landing gear, an 80 to 150 hp engine could be fitted, and for storage, the wings could be detached easily. The four-seat KIS Cruiser was also developed.

The KIS TD is the tail wheel version of TR-1, first flown in 1992.

The Pulsar and Pulsar XP were designed by Mark Brown and offer great lightplane performance and economy in kit cost and operating expenses. These very popular kits are available in tailwheel or nosewheel configurations, and are easy to build and fly.

Equipped with fuel tanks in the wings, a composite spar and moulded wing skins, earlier models had a 1.5mm Finnish birch plywood/outer fibreglass matting covering foam ribs. Pulsar XP includes an in flight adjustable prop pitch option which increases 75% power cruise from 140 mph to 150 mph at 4 USG/hr, and was specifically designed for the Rotax 912. The first Pulsar XP was N912XP.

In 1996 the manufacturing rights for the Pulsar went from Aero Design to Skystar, which was then sold to become Pulsar Aircraft Corp. Pulsar Aircraft Corp. rescuing the Pulsar design from the original company’s bankruptcy. Pulsar Aircraft Corporation also keep the original legacy Pulsar design alive under the name of Pulsar XP.

Aircraft Spruce was a supplier of materials & components to Skystar for use in Pulsar kits.

Designed by Mark Brown and Solly Melyon around the same lines as the Pulsar XP, the Super Pulsar 100 was introduced by Pulsar Aircraft Corporation in August 2001. A high performance sport airplane capable of cruising at speeds over 200 mph but yet docile and safe for low time pilots. Its 2500 fpm climb will leave you breathless and it’s docile and slow flight stability lets you land on short fields. The Super Pulsar was equipped with 38 gallon fuel capacity for seven hours of endurance and 1250 mile range.

In 2001 the Pulsar Aircraft Company (formed in 1999) acquired the design and production rights of Tri-R, while the latter still produced the composite parts. The two-seat KIS TR-1 was re-designated Pulsar 150, while the KIS TR-4 Cruiser became the Pulsar Super Cruiser. In 2005 all aircraft production was transferred to Ilopango, El Salvador.

Gallery

K150 / KIS TR-1
Engine: 100hp Aeromax
Wingspan: 23’0″
Length: 22’0″
Useful load: 700 lb
Max speed: 175 mph
Cruise: 160 mph
Stall: 52 mph
Range: 800 mi
Seats: 2
Taildragger or tri-gear
detachable wings

Pulsar
Engine: Rotax 582, 66 hp
Speed max: 160 mph
Cruise: 130 mph
Range: 500 sm
Stall: 45 mph
ROC: 1000 fpm
Take-off dist: 800 ft
Landing dist: 800 ft
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft
Fuel cap: 17 USG
Weight empty: 460 lb
Gross: 1000 lb
Height: 6.3 ft
Length: 19.5 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 80 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel

Pulsar XP
Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp
Prop: GSC Wood, 60 in
Speed max: 160 mph
Cruise: 140 mph
Range: 600 sm
Stall: 46 mph
ROC: 1200 fpm
Take-off dist: 800 ft
Landing dist: 800 ft
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft
Fuel cap: 2 x 10 USG
Useable fuel: 19 USG
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft
Weight empty: 630 lb
Gross: 1200 lb
Useful load: 533 lb
Wing Loading: 13.25 lb/sq.ft
Wing Power loading: 13.25 lb/hp
Height: 6.3 ft
Length: 19.5 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 80 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel
Takeoff Roll: 800 ft
Landing Roll: 800 ft
Trim: Full electric
Brakes: Matco Hydraulic Disk

Super Pulsar 100
Engine: Pulsar Power Rotax , Jabiru, or Continental
Empty Weight: 340 kg / 750 lb
MTOW: 635 kg / 1400 lbs
Stall: 48 kt / 55 mph / 89 kmh
Cruise: 181 kt / 208 mph / 335 kmh
VNE: 191 kt / 220 mph / 354 kmh
Climb Ratio: 2200 ft/min / 11 m/s
Take-off dist (50ft obstacle): 500 ft / 152 m
Landing dist (50ft obstacle): 800 ft / 244 m

Pulsar Aircraft Corp Super Pulsar 100
Engine: Continental IO-240, 100 hp
Cruise: 165 mph
Range: 920 sm
Stall: 63 mph
ROC: 1700 fpm
Take-off dist: 600 ft
Landing dist: 800 ft
HP range: 100-125
Fuel cap: 38 USG
Weight empty: 820 lb
Gross: 1400 lb
Length: 20 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 80 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Cockpit width: 43 in
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel

KIS TR-1 / Pulsar 150
Engine: Continental IO-240, 125 hp
Speed max: 195 mph
Cruise: 170 mph
Range: 750 sm
Stall: 55 mph
ROC: 1100 fpm
Take-off dist: 1200 ft
Landing dist: 1300 ft
Service ceiling: 17,000 ft
HP range: 80-125
Fuel cap: 34 USG
Weight empty: 850 lb
Gross: 1450 lb
Height: 6 ft
Length: 22 ft
Wing span: 23 ft
Wing area: 88 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose wheel

Pulsar Aircraft Corp Pulsar 150
Engine: Lycoming, 125 hp
Cruise: 175 mph
Range: 810 sm
Stall: 55 mph
ROC: 1500 fpm
Take-off dist: 750 ft
Landing dist: 1100 ft
HP range: 80-160
Fuel cap: 34 USG
Weight empty: 890 lb
Gross: 1450 lb
Length: 22 ft
Wing span: 28 ft
Wing area: 88 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Cockpit width: 42 in
Landing gear: nose or tail wheel

KIS TD
Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1B, 108 hp
HP range: 80-125
Speed max: 180 mph
Cruise: 165 mph
Range: 750 sm
Stall: 55 mph
ROC: 1300 fpm
Take-off dist: 600 ft
Landing dist: 1200 ft
Service ceiling: 17,000 ft
Fuel capacity: 21 USG
Weight empty: 812 lb
Gross: 1450 lb
Height: 6.17 ft
Length: 22 ft
Wing span: 23 ft
Wing area: 88 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: tail wheel.

Pulsar II-912
Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp
Speed max: 150 mph
Cruise: 150 mph
Range: 1000 sm
Stall: 49 mph
ROC: 1200 fpm
Take-off dist: 800 ft
Landing dist: 800 ft
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft
Fuel cap: 28 USG
Weight empty: 630 lb
Gross: 1200 lb
Height: 6.3 ft
Length: 19.5 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 80 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose

Pulsar II-914 Turbo
Engine: Rotax 914 Turbo, 115 hp
Speed max: 180 mph
Cruise: 180 mph
Range: 900 sm
Stall: 49 mph
ROC: 2000 fpm
Take-off dist: 500 ft
Landing dist: 800 ft
Service ceiling: 17.500 ft
Fuel cap: 17 USG
Weight empty: 660 lb
Gross: 1200 lb
Height: 6.8 ft
Length: 20 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 80 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose

Pulsar Aircraft Corp Pulsar III
Engine: Rotax 912, 80 hp
HP range: 80-120
Speed max: 150 mph
Stall: 50 mph
Cruise: 150 mph
Range: 810 sm
ROC: 1800 fpm
Take-off dist: 600 ft
Landing dist: 800 ft
Fuel cap: 28 USG
Weight empty: 650 lb
Gross: 1200 lb
Length: 20 ft
Wing span: 25 ft
Wing area: 80 sq.ft
Seats: 2
Landing gear: nose or tail

Skystar Aircraft Pulsar
Engine: Rotax, 80 hp
Wing span: 7.62 m
Wing area: 7.44 sq.m
MAUW: 544 kg
Empty weight: 280 kg
Fuel capacity: 106 lt
Max speed: 240 kph
Cruise speed: 225 kph
Minimum speed: 79 kph
Climb rate: 6.1 m/s
Seats: 2
Kit price (1998): $17,950

Tri-R Technologies Kis
Wing span: 7 m
Wing area: 8.1 sq.m
Engine: Continental / Lycoming
MAUW: 657 kg
Empty weight: 385 kg
Fuel capacity: 131 lt
Max speed: 280 kph
Cruise speed: 270 kph
Minimum speed: 88 kph
Climb rate: 5 m/s
Seats: 2
Fuel consumption: 22 lt/hr
Kit price (1998): $16,900

Kis
Engine: Limbach L2000, 80hp
Wingspan: 23’0″
Length: 22’0″
Useful load: 520 lb
Max speed: 150 mph
Cruise: 135 mph
Stall: 55 mph
Range: 600 mi
Seats: 2

In the 1990’s, West Coast entrepreneur William Shaw and aeronautical engineer and aircraft designer Martin Hollmann, developed the three-wing design called Discovery. The carbon composite construction of the new Discovery is both strong and light, and the interior provides room and comfort for two, plus a baggage compartment. Originally designed as near 200 mph speedster, the Discovery has handling characteristics that will qualify it for the Light Sport Aircraft category (with factory speed reduction modifications).
The Discovery engineering team has used the three wing surface design to develop an airplane that is in both the high end experimental and the new LSA categories. “Three wing surface designs”, offer the best features of both conventional and canard winged airplanes. The high horizontal tail surface of the Discovery has efficient pitch control throughout the flight envelope and particularly at slower speeds. The small canard wing offers trim control and the safety advantage of slow speed stall resistance.

Engine: Lycoming O-360, 180 hp.
Hp range: 115-200.
Range: 810 sm.
Roc: 1500 fpm.
To dist: 800 ft.
Ldg dist: 1200 ft.
Fuel cap: 30 USG.
Empty wt: 860 lbs.
Mtow: 1620 lbs.
Length: 17.9 ft.
Wingspan: 30 ft.
Undercarriage: Nose / fixed.
Wing span: 30 ft.
Wing Cord (root): 4.91 ft.
Wing cord (tip): 3.16 ft.
Seating: 2 place (side by side)
Wing area: 125. sq. ft.
Wing aspect ratio: 7.44
Wing airfoil section: NASA (NLF-0215)
Wing loading (gross wt): 12.18 lb./sq. ft.
Carnard span: 7.9 ft.
Carnard chord (root): 1.33 ft.
Carnard chord (tip):.067 ft.
Carnard area: 7.90 sq. ft.
Carnard airfoil section: NASA (NLF-0215)
Carnard aspect ratio: 8.35
Horizontal tail span: 7.90 ft.
Horizontal tail chord: 2.00 ft.
Horizontal tail aspect ratio: 3.96
Horizontal tail area: 15.80 sq. ft.
Horizontal tail airfoil section: NASA (63218)
Length overall: 17.92 ft.
Fuel capacity: 30 USG
Wheel base: 71 in.
Max speed level flight sea level: 200 mph
Cruise 75% pwr: 170 mph
Stall speed (gross weight): 58 mph
Initial ROC at sea level: 1500 ft/min
Range @ 75% power (no res): 714 miles
Maneuvering speed: 135 mph
Never exceed speed: 240 mph
G-limits at gross weight: +6.4 / -3.2
Cabin width: 43.00 in
Cabin height: 39.00 in.
Baggage area: 24 cubic feet
Controls: Centre stick/dual controls