QUALITY

Always reaching the top

Quality is a dominant principal of Blackshape S.p.A, encompassing every single action we take, ensuring that every aircraft that leaves our premises exceeds your expectations. It is exactly that philosophy that drives our unending quest for quality. Our choices in materials, people, process and systems are shaped by our intentions, our efforts and our direction. Therefore the quality in our molds, the avionics, and the advanced security systems, just to name a few, are top rated.

MATERIALS

Blackshape uses highest quality prepregs, steel and aluminum in its products. Prepregs: selected and traced carbon fiber twill and unidirectional tissues constitute the airframe of the Prime, with the highest percentage of composites material in the category.Steel: Chomoly (CRMO ) 4130 steel, praised for its strength to weight ratio, and is typically used in structural tubing. Aluminum: Anodized aluminum 7075 used for its high strength to density ratio, ensuring high strength without additional weight.

PROCESSES

LAMINATION
Blackshape uses only pre-preg, aeronautical, composite materials stored at controlled temperature.

MOULDING
Moulding is done within a clean room with controlled temperature,humidity and air quality.

AUTOCLAVE CURING PROCESS
Our autoclave curing process, the same as large aircraft manufacturers technology, combines the effect of pressure and temperature to increase the performances of main and secondary structures.

ASSEMBLY
Assembly of the main frame is done exclusively with aeronautical structural adhesives on a laser referenced (or laser cut) assembly jig with a tolerance of 0.1mm to guarantee perfect symmetry and increased aerodynamic efficiency.

CHECKS

NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
Blackshape uses only certified materials, and ensures quality of welds, structures, bonding and mechanical assembly using non-destructive testing.

VIBRATIONAL TESTS
To ensure quality of electrical systems and installations, Blackshape products undergo vibration tests before the products are released to the public.

PROCESS CONTROL
Blackshape’s supply chain, process control and storage areas guarantee the quality of the composite material, while tap-test and thermal inspections verify the quality of the moulding and curing process. Exclusive Carbonal patented carbon-aluminum fittings increase structure strength and easy inspection.

CERTIFICATION

WE FLY HIGH IN FOUR CONTINENTS.

From its incorporation, Blackshape is strongly oriented to achieve higher certification standard in its category. The Prime is certified under the LTF-UL standard by the Deutsche Ultraleichtflugverband e.V. The Prime is also registered as Advanced Ultra-Light Aeroplanes (AULA) under the Transport Canada Civil Aviation. These standards represent the state-of-the-art and the most demanding safety criteria to comply with in the UL category. Blackshape is the first manufacturer to certify a top performing aircraft under this category.

Blackshape production conforms to the EN9100 aeronautical standard quality system.

Blackshape is currently following eleven different certification procedures for the UL product and has a VLA version under development with application at EASA and FAA.