Overview
Shark.Aero is a Slovak aircraft manufacturer based in Senica, founded in 2009 and known for the Shark, a tandem two-seat ultralight widely described as one of the fastest microlights in production. The company designs and builds the aircraft in carbon-fibre composite and remains active and in production today, offering the naturally aspirated Shark 600 and a turbocharged Shark 600 T.
Heritage
The Shark first flew on 19 August 2009 and entered production in 2011, the work of a small Slovak engineering team set on extracting the highest possible cruise speed from the European microlight weight class. The aircraft reached a global audience in 2021 and 2022, when Zara Rutherford and then her brother Mack Rutherford each used a Shark to fly solo around the world, setting records as the youngest woman and the youngest person to do so. The company has continued to develop the line, adding the 600-kilogram weight-class variant and, more recently, a turbocharged model.
Design Signature
Every Shark is a carbon-fibre and aramid composite airframe built for speed: a slim tandem fuselage under a single bubble canopy, retractable landing gear, and an in-flight-adjustable propeller, with a ballistic airframe parachute fitted as standard. The result is a microlight that cruises around 160 knots on a 100-horsepower Rotax while burning automotive fuel, a combination of speed and efficiency that defines the brand. The flagship Shark 600 carries the full expression of that philosophy.
For Owners
Shark.Aero sells and supports the aircraft factory-direct from Slovakia through a network of national dealers. In the United States the Shark is flown on an Experimental airworthiness certificate rather than as a type-certificated or accepted light-sport aircraft, so prospective owners should confirm the current import and operating path with the US representative before purchase. Parts and factory support come from Senica, and the owner community, while small, is active and closely tied to the factory.