Trail

The Groppo Trail is the short-field tandem model built by Ing. Nando Groppo S.r.l. in Mezzana Bigli, Lombardy. Nando Groppo had been building ultralights in Italy since 1972 and founded today's company in 1993; its first big success was the tube-and-fabric Groppino, with more than 250 examples recorded by the Aero Club d'Italia. The Trail was called 'Trial' until March 2014, when it was renamed. A large share of production leaves the factory as a 51 % or ARF kit for amateur builders – KITPLANES reports that nearly 70 % of all Trails are sold as kits. The 600 kg series holds DULV data sheet 808-11 12 'Trail Spornrad', first issued 17 April 2023, last amended 27 February 2024.

Construction is all-metal: aluminium skins around a welded steel-tube centre frame, a strut-braced shoulder wing, cruciform tail and a taildragger undercarriage on an aluminium leaf spring – both details come from the manufacturer, while the data sheet says only 'metal' and 'tailwheel'. Span is 8.51 m over 10.2 m², length 6.22 m per the data sheet (6.26 m per the factory sheet), and the cabin is 780 mm wide with the two seats in tandem. The wings rotate 90 degrees and fold against the fuselage, and the horizontal tail folds too; KITPLANES reports about five minutes for one person. Besides the base series the DULV lists further propeller variants (808-11 13 with a 1.95 m Helix H50F, 808-11 14 with a 1.95 m Helix H60A) plus older series at 450 kg MTOM (472.5 kg with a rescue system installed) with the 59.6 kW / 80 hp Rotax 912 UL and the Jabiru 2200 (data sheet 808-11 11, 450 kg). The Groppo XL is the same design on nosewheel gear, and a Rotax 914 turbo version is offered.

With the Rotax 912 ULS (100 hp), VNE is 210 km/h IAS and maximum continuous level speed 170 km/h IAS; the factory data sheet quotes a 170 km/h cruise while the manufacturer's product page states 100 kt (about 185 km/h). What matters is the slow end: stall with full flaps at 68 km/h IAS (manufacturer figure 65 km/h), 120 m takeoff, 140 m landing, and 4.1 m/s climb per the data sheet (5 m/s per the manufacturer). The airframe is stressed to +4/-2 g with ultimate loads of +6/-3 g, noise at MTOM is 67.5 dBA, and a Junkers Magnum 601 rescue system is listed – installation expressly restricted to the manufacturer or its appointed agents. Options include vortex generators, a fuselage baggage bay up to 10 kg and an extended vertical tail (height then 2.55 m); the manufacturer also lists skis, floats, bushwheels and a tow hook. With the Rotax 914, Groppo quotes 180 km/h cruise, 7 m/s climb, 100 m takeoff and 120 m landing.

Strengths are genuine STOL performance with a 120 m takeoff run, the rugged metal structure around the steel-tube frame, the rough-field capability of the taildragger gear, and folding wings for trailering or tight hangar slots. Weaknesses: the 780 mm tandem cabin is narrow and limits communication on board, and the tailwheel demands proper conversion training and landing technique. The data sheet caps empty weight at 385 kg and guarantees only 55 kg minimum useful load, so actual payload depends heavily on the individual empty weight – check the weighing report, especially on kit-built airframes. Neither manufacturer nor DULV publishes range, fuel burn or service ceiling figures. And although Groppo offers a tow hook, the 'towing' section of data sheet 808-11 12 is blank, so glider or banner towing approval cannot be assumed.

The Trail suits pilots operating from short grass strips or Italian aviosuperfici, those after backcountry character and rough-field ability, or anyone wanting an aircraft that can be dismantled for transport. For homebuilders, the 51 % and ARF kits are a major part of the type's appeal. Current prices and build years of the Groppo listings appear in the market overview on this page and are calculated live from the active inventory. Pilots who want side-by-side seating and faster touring are better served by the G70-600.