Air Creation’s magnificent Tanarg 912 and their popular GTE 912 were presented with the first two weight shift control Special Light-Sport Aircraft certificates on January 20th in Arizona at Kemmeries Aviation flight center where Air Creation USA is based. Not only are these the first two certificates ever issued for weight shift control LSA, the Tanarg 912 and GTE 912 were approved with the iXess, iXess Training, KISS 450, and FUN 450 wings. None of the 24 airplane SLSA holders can make that claim of versatility. (If you don’t know this quality of trikes…the chassis or carriage can be flown with a variety of factory-approved wings.) Air Creation has delivered more trike aircraft than any other builder. This French company is 20% owned by American John Kemmeries, an icon and leader of weight shift aircraft in the United States.
Archives for January 2006
Can An Oldie Be a Goodie…as a LSA?
I find it ironic that our first new SLSA certification of 2006 is one of the oldest. Welcome to the Taylorcraft Sport as Number 24 in our parade of newly FAA-approved Special Light-Sport Aircraft. A bright red Taylorcraft Sport showed at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo last week after winning its approval on January 9th. The taildragger Sport comes with a Continental O-200 100 horsepower engine and without flaps for $69,995, a fairly modest price in this time of Light-Sport Aircraft hitting six figures. Taylorcraft has a rich historical background, starting in 1935 and including a run of thousands of aircraft built. In mid-1946 the company was producing 30 new aircraft a day!…so many that, even today, the majority of Taylorcrafts flying are from that year. Now, buyers can obtain a brand new Sport from the revived company.
Sebring II Is Proving a Big Success
The second running of Sebring is a success by any measure. Days one and two enjoyed warm weather with good conditions for a large number of demo fllights. One fascinating development was the arrival of some top Cessna officials who evidently came to check out the LSA scene although their presence was relatively low key (however, it’s hard to hide a bizjet on the ramp among a flock of LSA). No one was saying what might transpire. Sport Aircraft of all varieties were present including most fixed wings and several trikes and powered parachutes. Sebring visitors also saw the arrival of the first flying version of the Advanced Aero Inverted V design. According to lead engineer Chris Gagliano, “Our single seat prototype has already completed six hours of flight time after its first flight on December 30, 2005.” Chris, his father, and their team are at work on the two seater and their work has progressed logically through computer models and physical models.