Development

A Long Road

The concept of the Maverick developed slowly, growing out of modified powered parachutes and into the rugged vehicle of today. The intial designs resulted in a boxy aluminum vehicle affectionately dubbed the 'grasshopper', in reference to the two antennae-like angled masts that held the parawing aloft. This primitive design was quickly improved, and a modified powered parachute then became the testbed for an advanced wind-deployment system concept.

In the summer of 2008, after the initial proof of concept, a propeller-driven four wheeled chassis was constructed and the prototype Maverick was born. Hydraulic steering was quickly added, later superceeded by electric steering. It was also at this stage that the dual drive was introduced, in which a single engine powers both the propeller and the Maverick's wheels. This prototype Maverick made appearances at Oshkosh 2009 and Smoketown Fly-In. Rigorous testing, multiple revisions, and several extensive modifications later, the Maverick Team recognised that a complete rebuild of the Maverick would be necessary. So we took our experience from the prototype, combined it with agressively innovative alterations to the Maverick's design, and charted a path for the Maverick's future: the Maverick LSA.