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The Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen is a Ukrainian-designed, two-seat, high-wing ultralight and light-sport aircraft built by Aeroprakt as a faster, more refined development of the popular A-22 Foxbat. With a metal airframe, all-flying tailplane and a roomy cabin, it appeals to sim pilots wanting a nimble, economical trainer and tourer with genuine short-field and cross-country capability.
The Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen is a Ukrainian two-seat, high-wing, tricycle-gear ultralight aircraft designed by Yuri Yakovlev and manufactured by Aeroprakt. In Australia the type is marketed under the name Vixxen, which has since become the common name used more widely. It sits in the light-sport and ultralight/microlight category, aimed at private owners, touring pilots and flight training operations, and represents Aeroprakt's move to refine the aerodynamics of its earlier A-22 Foxbat design into a quicker, sleeker machine while retaining the same rugged metal construction and easy handling.
The A-32 was developed from the A-22 Foxbat over three years of research and development, with design work concentrating on aerodynamic refinement rather than a change of engine. The prototype was completed in January 2014 and the first production aircraft was shown in April 2015; the type's first flight is recorded as 2014, with the first production example subsequently flown at Moorabbin, Australia, on 20 July 2015. In the United Kingdom the A-32 Vixxen is supplied only in kit form, while in 31 other countries it is available as a ready-to-fly, factory-built aircraft. In the UK a company called Dragon Aviation Sport Aircraft Ltd holds A8-1 approval from the CAA to sell the ready-to-fly microlight version, built to the same standards as the kit-built version, and under LAA rules the A-32 Vixxen is approved as a 600 kg microlight, allowing any microlight licence holder to fly it without additional GA training; existing UK-registered Vixxens can be re-registered as microlights for around £150.
The Vixxen retains the all-metal airframe philosophy of the A-22 Foxbat, valued for its impact resistance and resilience to UV, heat and humidity compared with composite or wooden construction. To raise cruise speed while keeping the same 100 hp (75 kW) Rotax 912ULS engine as the A-22, Aeroprakt gave the A-32 a new flush wing-to-body fairing, an all-flying horizontal stabiliser (the first such design on an Aeroprakt aircraft, complete with anti-servo tab), and moulded baffling for improved engine cooling airflow. The wing is 10 cm (3.9 in) shorter than the Foxbat's, with shorter lift struts and a better-faired wing fuel tank. The cabin is notably large and airy, with a windscreen that curves up level with the top of the wing for a panoramic forward view, no diagonal windscreen struts or horizontal cross-member behind the seats, and high-set seats that tilt forward for luggage access, giving good knee room and visibility without needing to duck under the wing. Doors use composite frames with convex polycarbonate transparencies sealed against the airframe to reduce noise and drag, along with a spring-free door handle mechanism. Standard control is via a central Y-stick, with twin control yokes offered as an option. The aircraft carries 95 litres (25 US gal, 21 imp gal) of usable fuel in two tanks and turns a 3-blade KievProp ground-adjustable propeller with metal leading edges. Key dimensions are a length of 6.27 m (20 ft 7 in), wingspan of 9.45 m (31 ft 0 in) and height of 2.22 m (7 ft 3 in); empty weight is 320 kg (705 lb) and maximum take-off weight is 600 kg (1,323 lb). An ultralight variant, the A-32L, has a lower MTOW of 450 kg (472.5 kg with a recovery parachute system) to comply with European microlight regulations.
The A-32 Vixxen offers a class-leading speed range for its type, with a cruise speed of 213 km/h (132 mph, 115 kn), a stall speed of 50 km/h (31 mph, 27 kn) and a never-exceed speed of 232 km/h (144 mph, 125 kn), representing roughly 20 kn (37 km/h) more cruise speed than the A-22 Foxbat on the same engine. Endurance is quoted at 4.5 hours, with other sources describing a 5-6 hour fuel range suited to touring, and the aircraft is rated to +4/-2 g. Take-off and landing performance is strong for the category, with figures of around 230 m take-off distance and 244 m landing distance quoted, and the type is promoted as capable of 100 m take-off and landing runs for farm-strip flying. Absolute ceiling is listed at around 15,000 ft (150 x 100 ft).
The principal variant is the A-32L, an ultralight version built to a maximum take-off weight of 450 kg, or 472.5 kg when fitted with a recovery parachute system, to meet European ultralight regulations, though this configuration is not legal in the UK. Both the standard kit-built and factory-built ready-to-fly aircraft are constructed to the same standard, differing only in country-specific certification and completion status.
The Vixxen is used as a private touring and recreational aircraft as well as a training platform, with its wide cabin, forward visibility and light handling suiting flight instruction. In the UK it is available and flown as a microlight under LAA/CAA microlight approval at 600 kg, opening it to any microlight licence holder without extra general aviation training, while in most other markets it is flown as a light-sport or ultralight aircraft, supplied ready-to-fly from the factory in 31 countries outside the UK.
For a simulator pilot, the Vixxen's appeal lies in its combination of docile, low stall speed handling with a genuinely brisk cruise for a light-sport type, plus its short-field capability, making it well suited to farm-strip and backcountry-style flying as well as longer touring legs thanks to its 4.5 to 6 hour endurance. The all-flying tailplane is noted for giving more precise pitch control, particularly during take-off and landing, which should translate into responsive but forgiving handling characteristics in a simulated environment. Its roomy, glass-cockpit-friendly cabin and straightforward Y-stick or optional yoke controls make it approachable for newer virtual pilots, while its metal-airframe, Rotax-powered profile places it firmly in the light-sport and microlight training niche within flight simulation.
