In April 1992, the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V - DLR) commenced a programme to develop an aircraft to carry out atmospheric, stratospheric and climatic research.

[4] The wings featured winglets, and were mounted across the top of the fuselage which terminated in a T-tail configuration.

The aircraft was designed to be crewed by two pilots, and could accommodate two scientists and associated mission equipment in a pressurised cabin.

[7] Despite setting a world altitude record for manned piston-engined aircraft of 18,552 m (60,897 ft) on 4 August 1995,[8] on its 29th and what turned out to be final flight, the programme was cancelled by the DLR in 1996.

[9] Data from Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000[10]General characteristics Performance