The Bristell B23 is the rare modern two-seat aeroplane that looks like a polished light-sport machine yet was developed to the more demanding world of CS-23 type certification. Its appeal is not nostalgia or bargain-basement simplicity: it is a low-wing touring and training platform with a notably broad cabin, a proper constant-speed propeller, contemporary glass avionics and a 750 kg maximum take-off mass. Against lighter recreational rivals, it trades a little of the featherweight feel for a more substantial, more deliberately engineered aeroplane.

BRM Aero built the B23 in Kunovice, Czech Republic, from the visual language of the earlier Bristell line, but the certification programme required more than a familiar silhouette. The fuselage was lengthened, the tail surfaces enlarged, the rudder changed to aluminium and the flaps and stabiliser reworked. Reinforcement of the airframe and load-bearing surfaces, plus redesigned composite main gear legs, aimed the type squarely at repetitive training use as well as private cross-country flying. The result is a family that spans carbureted, fuel-injected and turbocharged Rotax power, including a dedicated IFR-certified 915 variant.

Quick facts

What makes the Bristell B23 stand out from lighter two-seaters?

The B23’s central trick is that it does not ask the pilot to choose between light-aircraft efficiency and a certified-aircraft sensibility. The low wing, bubble canopy and centre sticks retain the immediate, open-air feel buyers expect from the Bristell name, but the aeroplane sits in a normal-category certification framework rather than merely borrowing the look of one. That matters in its intended roles: ab-initio instruction, night VFR touring, instrument training in the appropriate variant and ordinary private travel.

In the cockpit, the wide 130 cm cabin is the feature that tends to settle the question quickly. It gives two occupants shoulder room unusual in the two-seat class, while independent dual sticks avoid a central yoke mechanism and leave the panel unobstructed. Adjustable rudder pedals help make the fixed geometry work for different pilots. Visibility through the canopy is excellent, although the same canopy means sun load and ramp heat deserve respect; broad views are rarely free.

Handling was given more than cosmetic attention in the redesign. Larger tail surfaces and flaps, together with the revised landing gear, speak to predictable training manners and repeated landings rather than a design preoccupied solely with top-speed numbers. The B23 is certified to +4/−2 g, and its BRS whole-aircraft parachute system is standard across the family. That is useful safety equipment, not permission to turn sound judgement into an optional extra.

Powerplant, systems and technical highlights

• Rotax power options run from the 100 hp carbureted 912 ULS through fuel-injected 912 iS Sport models to turbocharged 915 iS and 916 iS installations.
• Fuel-injected iS engines use FADEC electronic engine management; the turbocharged choices are intended to retain stronger cruise performance at altitude.
• A three-blade MT hydraulic constant-speed propeller is standard, with propeller model matched to engine installation.
• The all-metal low-wing airframe uses a longer fuselage, enlarged tail surfaces and an aluminium rudder compared with the earlier Bristell concept.
• Fixed tricycle gear combines direct nose-wheel steering with hydraulic differential disc brakes and rugged composite main legs.
• Typical B23 avionics centre on dual Garmin G3X Touch displays, Garmin autopilot, ADS-B capability and a NAV/COM installation; the B23-915 IFR carries a fuller IFR suite.
• Night VFR certification and a BRS airframe parachute broaden the mission beyond fair-weather local flying.

How it compares

Comparison is with the Tecnam P2008/P2008JC. Published figures vary materially by model, certification category, engine, propeller and installed equipment; buyers should compare the flight manual for the exact variant under consideration.

Honest ownership note: The B23 is a sophisticated modern light aeroplane, so ownership is not simply a matter of finding a mechanic familiar with any Rotax engine. A pre-purchase inspection should establish the exact certified variant, engine and propeller installation, avionics software status, parachute-system calendar requirements, logbook compliance with applicable bulletins and the condition of the nose-gear leg, propeller installation, electrical system, brakes, control runs and centre-section/seat-bracket area. BRM Aero publishes model-specific technical documentation and service bulletins, including items concerning nose-gear weld inspections and avionics software. Parts and technical support should be discussed with an authorised Bristell service centre before purchase, particularly where local experience with the type is limited.

Exterior and cabin

Exterior

• Clean, low-wing proportions with a pointed cowling, close-fitting wheel fairings and a broad clear canopy.
• Fixed tricycle gear gives the B23 a purposeful stance rather than the crouched look of a retractable tourer.
• Wing-root lockers and a rear cabin baggage compartment make the aeroplane visibly more travel-minded than many stripped-back sport types.
• The larger fin and tailplane are subtle clues that the B23 is more than a rebadged earlier Bristell.

Cabin and cockpit

• Wide side-by-side seating beneath the bubble canopy, with four-point harnesses.
• Dual centre sticks provide each occupant with a direct, conventional control position.
• Adjustable rudder pedals, armrest storage and map pockets support practical touring use.
• A glass-panel layout places engine monitoring, moving-map information and flight instruments in the pilot’s natural scan.

Who is the Bristell B23 for?

• The private pilot who wants an efficient two-seat cross-country aeroplane without stepping into an older four-seat design.
• The owner who values cabin width, modern Garmin instrumentation and a constant-speed propeller.
• The flying school or club seeking a robust fixed-gear platform with dual controls and night-VFR capability.
• The pilot who wants a low-wing aeroplane with contemporary Rotax operating economics and strong visibility.

The Bristell B23 makes most sense for a buyer who sees a two-seater not as a compromise, but as a focused travelling and flying machine. It is polished without being precious, technically current without becoming anonymous, and its broad-cabin, low-wing layout gives it genuine character. Choose the engine variant carefully, verify the certification and equipment status with equal care, and the B23 offers a thoughtful answer to the question of what a modern two-seat aeroplane ought to be.