Lawrence (Larry) Matanski founded in 1980 Airmaster Inc. in Renton,
Washington, to produce and market the Avalon 680 amphibian aircraft
he was designing. The all-metal aircraft was powered by a single 750
shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135 turbine engine mounted atop the wing
and cabin, driving a pusher propeller, which rotated between the
twin-boom tail. The prototype N767LB flew for the first time in
October 1983.
The six-seat cabin was unpressurized; the nose-wheel landing gear was
retractable with the main wheels stored into the sponsons. The
sponsons were attached to stubs and from these stubs two struts
supported the wing where they connected at the twin-booms.
The production model would have a 24 in (0.56 m) fuselage stretch,
additional cabin windows, optional pressurization, 62 sq.ft (5.76
sq.m) increase of wing area, sponsons moved 5 in (0.13 m) out, a 4 in
(0.10 m) wider rear hull, fuel tanks in the stubs, and larger fins
and rudder.
From land the Avalon needed 800 ft (244 m) to get airborne, from
water this was 1,200 ft (366 m). Landing run on land was 650 ft (198
m), on water this was 700 ft (213 m). Maximum landing weight was
5,100 lb (2,313 kg), cruise speed was 200 mls (322 km)/h, stall speed
65 mls (105 km)/h.
An twin-engined Avalon Twin Star 800 was developed to be powered by
two Allison 250-C20Bs providing a total of 820 shp would drive a
single pusher propeller. Also an Avalon Twin Star 1000 and a military
A-1200 Guardian have reportedly been designed, but except for the
Avalon 680 prototype no further aircraft have flown.
Avalon 680
Larry Matanski Aviation Memorial Photo Tribute
Specifications
Type:
Six-seat amphibian
Engine:
One 750 shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135 turbine engine