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September 2008 brings a time when ByDanJohnson.com offers a welcome retreat from nonstop presidential election coverage. August was another strong month -- thank you very much! -- and LSA news continues to flow.

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...a web log of developments in Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft

3Xtrim Navigator Is Newest SLSA (#86)

September 8, 2008

3Xtrim's new SLSA Navigator 600 comes standard with an 18.2 gallon fuel tank though large-capacity, long-range tanks are available. Wing area 127.4 square feet; empty weight 716 pounds; payload 496 pounds with full fuel giving a 400 mile range. More specs.

At Sebring 2007, I flew an enjoyable airplane from Poland with the uninspiring name of 3X55 Trainer (see my blog post). A re-engineered and renamed Navigator 600 received SLSA certification on August 22, 2008 reported new importer SPair proprietor, Phil Duncan. *** Navigator grew up and now boasts a 1,320 pound gross weight and a useful load of 600 pounds with a 47.2-inch cabin width, specified producer, 3Xtrim. I thought 3X55 looked small but she felt sufficiently roomy inside. 3X55 was also very straightforward to fly at modest speeds (88 knots at cruise). And it was so simple to land that the earlier model easily justified the "Trainer" label. *** SPair presently has two aircraft N-numbered and is expecting four more before year's end. Base price for a reasonably well-equipped Navigator is $99,000. Duncan will equip a Navigator LTD with the Dynon D100 EFIS; a Garmin SL40 radio and GTX-327 transponder; Airgizmo GPS mount for your choice of Garmin GPS in the x95 series; wheel pants; tinted glass all around; and position lights for $109,000 which represents a good value at today's euro/dollar exchange (1.42). Navigator options include amphibious floats, skis, a dedicated trailer, or even a glider tow hook.

Lycoming Announces LSA Powerplant, the IO-233

September 6, 2008

From top left, clockwise: Rotax 912S; Jabiru 3300; Lycoming IO-233; Continental O-200 *** Weight review (valid approximations): Rotax 912S ~141 pounds -- Jabiru 3300 ~178 pounds -- Continental O-200 ~190 pounds -- Lycoming IO-233 ~200-210 pounds

Here come the American engines! Rotax 912s from Austria presently dominate the LSA market with an estimated 70% of installations. Australia's Jabiru with two engines (85-hp 2200 and 120-hp 3300) has another estimated 15%, leaving the U.S.-built Continental O-200 with about 15%. *** The Lycoming O-235 has been used (in Falcon LS and an RV-9 ELSA) but never LSA optimized. At Oshkosh '08, the Pennsylvania company announced development of their IO-233 aimed specifically at LSA. At its heart, the new engine is an O-235, but it's been equipped with electronic ignition, fuel injection in lieu of carburetors, and smaller jugs. "We shaved 40 pounds with thinner induction pipes and a less bulky flywheel, among other changes," said Mike Kraft, Lycoming's VP of engineering." The IO-233 can produce 100 horsepower at 2400 rpm and 116 horsepower at 2700 rpm. *** Despite the weight reductions, the new Lycoming will be significantly heavier than a Rotax 912, perhaps a third more (installed weight can vary due to a variety of factors -- see photo legend). However, the Lycoming has a 2400-hour TBO, much longer than Rotax's 1500 hours. Kraft said the IO-233 will run on high-octane mogas or 100LL. The company expects to meet ASTM standards but is still looking at Part 33 approval. No price was announced.

Chubby LSA from Canada Offers Huge Interior

September 4, 2008

Ecoflyer is related to the Private Explorer, a larger and much heavier "flying camper." The Canadian company also makes floats for aircraft up to 6,000 pounds.

Just one glance at the Canadian-developed Ecoflyer confirms its size. Looking like an overweight American, Ecoflyer nonetheless boasts enough room to set up a small dining table in a spacious cabin that could later be converted to your bedroom. Ecoflyer's cabin contains 152 cubic feet of volume, only 13 feet less than a Chrysler minivan that seats seven. You may only be able to take one family member along but if you want to fly your LSA to a remote field and camp for the night, Ecoflyer could be your Light-Sport flying machine. "It's intended to be used as shelter when on the ground," said Bernard Laferrière, president of Explorer Aéronautique, based in French-speaking Québec. The flying seat backs flip around so two occupants can face aft. Two more can sit facing forward in an aft cavity. *** Empty weight is a fairly remarkable 750 pounds, low considering even the simple Cub-like LSA designs have to work hard to stay below the LSA maximum empty weight of 890 pounds. Part of weight minimization employs a Y-joystick accessible to either pilot. Engine choices are the 100-hp Rotax or 120-hp Jabiru. Delivery is expected by summer of 2009. Ecoflyer is priced about $100,000.

LSA Over the Years; Observing Trends

August 27, 2008

The LSA industry has done well to put more than 1,400 new airplanes in American skies in approximately three years. And we have yet to add deliveries of big companies like Cessna (SkyCatcher), Cirrus (SRS), Icon (A5) and more.

Light-Sport Aircraft burst on the aviation scene in April 2005. By the end of that year, less than 50 had been registered with FAA. But in 2006, 2007, and so far in 2008, growth has been brisk...if somewhat erratic. *** It may seem a bit early to be blogging about an "historical perspective" on LSA, but looking at the trend line illustrates something I find fascinating. Sales of recreational-class flying machines closely track the major shows at which they're exhibited: Sebring, Sun 'n Fun, and Oshkosh. AOPA's Expo also has an influence but it is less demonstrable than the other three. *** Also, you can easily see the effect of the 2008 U.S. economic slow-down that has afflicted general aviation as well as light sport aviation. (Even bizjets may begin to show this effect, according to experts, as their backlogs mean present-day strong deliveries were from orders placed in the economic high times of 2005.) *** Consumers of LSA buy them for fun flying as well as regional trips, so when the economy gets shaky, many pull back until they have a clearer view of what's ahead. The good news is that current LSA businesses are rapidly building infrastructure -- check the growth in our FIRM List as an example -- and more new SLSA models are still in development.

260 Air Academy Kids Fly a Remos LSA

August 23, 2008

Photos depict the G-3 flying while new Remos CEO Corvin Huber poses in front of the new GX with movie star Harrison Ford. As present Chairman of the Young Eagles, Ford is active in helping kids to fly.

At EAA's Gathering of Eagles fund raiser at AirVenure 2008, movie stars Harrison Ford, John Travolta, and Cliff Robertson plus golf legend Arnold Palmer took the stage. With their encouragement, EAA raised a ton of dough that night. Young Eagles is a great program, having flown more than 1.4 million kids. But it isn't the organization's only youth-in-aviation initiative *** Some 260 kids aged 12 to 18 attended summer sessions in Oshkosh this year. Programs varied, said EAA, but every student got to fly a Remos G-3 for 20 to 30 minutes. "The Remos is fun to fly and easy to control," said Bob Campbell, Director of the Air Academy. "Students held the controls until it was time to land and were able to log the time. It's our hope that it will be the beginning of a Sport Pilot [certificate] for each one." *** Remos Aircraft benefits from having a dealership based right on Wittman Field, the airport that plays host to AirVenture each summer. Orion Flight Services is where I flew the new GX model for a pilot report to appear later. All I can say is...those lucky kids! *** The Air Academy programs house 48 students per session in a handsome log and stone dormitory built on the southeast corner of Pioneer Airport.

Bilsam Sky Cruiser Wins SLSA (#84)

August 21, 2008

Sky Cruiser from Bilsam Aviation has been created by a company experienced in glider building, common in Eastern European countries. Four years in the making, the Polish design is all carbon fiber with cantilever wings that are said to produce a 15:1 glide ratio.

They still sneak by...under the radar. Welcome to Sky Cruiser, which won approval before Oshkosh. As the LSA industry heads toward its #100 SLSA approval -- perhaps by the April 2009 fourth-year anniversary date since the first approval -- welcome to #84 (previously reported #85). *** Built by Bilsam Aviation in Poland, the Sky Cruiser is represented in the U.S. by Joe Carswell's Light Wing Sport Aircraft. His company also sells Allegro and X-Air plus Titan kit-built aircraft, all of which occupy the lower price range of Light-Sport Aircraft. Based in Morganton NC, Light Wing provides flight training at Clyde Valley Airport. *** To top out their line of modestly priced LSA, the Carolina company imports the Sky Cruiser. Plenty of technology details or specs can be found on the Bilsam website but the highlights are: Cruise 108 knots with a 100-hp Rotax 912 swinging a 3-blade carbon prop; stall 40 knots; climb 1,050 fpm; gross weight 1,298 pounds; empty weight 704-770 pounds, depending on equipment selected, which can include an optional factory installed parachute; 26-gallon fuel capacity yielding a 600 mile range; and a broad 48-inch wide cabin. Sky Cruiser wings detach in 30 minutes for storage or trailer transport.

For more SPLOG postings, see the SPLOG section under Light Sport Aircraft.