Range Map

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+ cargo
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1

Tank-dry, where fuel runs out at catalogue's stored cruise burn.

Excludes reserves: range beyond the dashed circle requires a leaner cruise than what we store. Great-circle, still air, book cruise. Estimates only: always verify against the POH.

Payload vs. Range

Occupants:

Fuel on board

Cargo

nm

Range

Cargo is additional payload after occupants and baggage.
full tanks
Available Range / nm
Mission capable. This load flies with full fuel.
Fuel reduced by . left aboard for nm range.
Over max payload by . At this load it cannot lift a single occupant.

Trip Preview

Mission Profile

MOSAIC Eligible
In production Aircraft available new or used
Light-Sport Factory-built light-sport
115
KTAS
Cruise Speed
775
nm
Max Range
15,000
ft
Service Ceiling
2
Occupants
346
lbs
Wet Payload
Flight Design CTLS (G-CONA). Photo by Ronnie Macdonald, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Flight Design CTLS (G-CONA). Photo by Ronnie Macdonald, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Estimated Ownership Costs

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About the Flight Design CT

Overview

The Flight Design CT series (CT2K, CTSW, CTLS, CTLSi) is a family of German-designed two-seat composite Light-Sport aircraft. Built around a full carbon-fiber airframe with panoramic glazing and a standard ballistic recovery parachute, the CT built a large US following after the Light-Sport category opened in 2004, prized for reaching the LSA speed limit while carrying a useful load higher than most metal LSAs.

The CT rewards a cross-country-minded owner who wants Light-Sport economy without giving up speed or range: 34 gallons of fuel and a 115-knot cruise put real trips within reach for two people and light baggage. The caveat is corporate rather than aerodynamic. Flight Design’s German company entered insolvency proceedings in early 2025 and CT-series production has moved to a Kazakhstan joint venture, so a buyer should weigh parts and support continuity as carefully as the airframe, and lean on the established US dealer and used-market network when evaluating a specific aircraft.

Key Features for GA Buyers

  • Roomy cabin. At 49 inches across, the cabin gives two large adults real shoulder room, with panoramic glazing for exceptional visibility.
  • Composite performance. The slick carbon-fiber fuselage lets the CT reach the Light-Sport speed limit near 120 knots while carrying a useful load typically higher than metal LSAs.
  • Standard ballistic parachute. A whole-airframe BRS recovery parachute is standard, deployable in a stall or spin or after an engine failure over hostile terrain.
  • Endurance. With 34 gallons of fuel it can stay airborne well past 6 hours at typical cruise.

Trade-offs

  • Floaty on landing. The high-aspect-ratio wing and low drag make the CT prone to floating in the flare. Precise approach-speed control is needed to avoid ballooning.
  • Composite repairs need specialists. Carbon fiber does not corrode, but structural repair calls for composite skills that not every local GA shop carries.
  • Variant spread. Performance, avionics, and powerplant differ meaningfully across the CT2K, CTSW, CTLS, and CTLSi generations, so verify the specific aircraft’s spec sheet rather than family averages.
  • Company in restructuring. Flight Design’s German entity filed for insolvency in December 2024 with full proceedings opened in 2025, and CT-series production has relocated to a Kazakhstan joint venture while the firm shifts its German line to the newer F2. Deliveries and support continue, but confirm parts availability and dealer backing before you buy.

See Also

  • CZAW SportCruiser – an all-metal Rotax Light-Sport at a lower entry price, the metal counterpart to the CT’s carbon fiber. Compare
  • Remos GX – another German full-composite high-wing Light-Sport, the closest construction-philosophy peer. Compare
  • Tecnam P2008 – a high-wing Light-Sport blending metal wings with a composite fuselage. Compare
  • Tecnam P92 – an all-metal high-wing Light-Sport, the workhorse trainer most commonly cross-shopped. Compare
  • Cessna 162 Skycatcher – Cessna’s discontinued metal Light-Sport, common on the used market. Compare

Featured in our buying guides

Technical Specifications

Dimensions & Weights

Wingspan 28 ft
Height
8 ft
Length
22 ft
Parking area (ft²2)
1,020 ft²
Max Takeoff Weight
1,320 lbs
Max Landing Weight
1,320 lbs
Useful Load
550 lbs
Fuel Capacity
34 gal

Performance

Cruise Speed
115 KTAS
Never-Exceed (VNE)
145 KIAS
Max Structural Cruise (VNO)
115 KIAS
Approach Speed
50 KIAS
Stall, Clean (VS1)
39 KIAS
Range
775 NM
Service Ceiling
15,000 ft
Rate of Climb
960 fpm
Takeoff over 50 ft obstacle
1,500 ft
Landing over 50 ft obstacle
1,600 ft

Engine

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Sources

Where the figures on this page come from. Flight Design CT specifications are traced to published references; estimated values are flagged inline next to the figure.

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