One of the most beautiful areas in the 48 states is Washington state, especially in summer. So, no wonder the third largest fly-in of the USA takes place north of Seattle in July. Some 50-60,000 visitors attend. With Boeing nearby, tons of seaplane activity, plus being relatively close to aviation-crazy Alaska, Arlington is the major western event. This year it will be even better as Arlington has its own LSA Mall, modeled after the same concept at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. *** Thankfully, I’m recovering well from my injuries in early April and will attend. If you can come to Arlington, look me up in the Mall on the 5-6-7th of July. Later in July, I’ll do duty in Oshkosh’s LSA Mall from July 23-30. I hope to see you at one of these or at a Sport Pilot Tour stop — Minneapolis (Aug.
Archives for June 2006
First-Ever Powered Parachute SLSA Approval!
Summit Powered Parachutes beat a group of companies working toward the first Special Light-Sport Aircraft PPC. The Vernon, British Columbia, Canada-based powered parachute producer won their SLSA Airworthiness Certificate on Thursday, April 27, 2006. I flew and reported on the Summit II in the 11/03 edition of Ultralight Flying! Magazine. I found Summit II to be notably different than most other powered parachutes partly due the sliding rudder pedal-like foot controls used to steer the canopy that exhibited fluid action. Last November Summit won German certification in the only such approval by an American company with which I am familiar. This earlier certification may have helped Summit as they prepared for stating compliance to the quite different ASTM standards. Although the powered parachute standard has been done for many months, those producers have not rallied to the new regulation. All that may change now that Summit is out of the gate with their approval.
IndUS Aviation’s Hot Thorpedo
IndUS Aviation’s Hot Thorpedo performs more energetically than the Continental-powered version. When you install a non-certified Jabiru 3300, six-cylinder engine into a 58-year-old certified light aircraft, you make one lively machine out of it. This relatively new company is doing things for this CAR 3-certified aircraft that legendary designer John Thorp could never do (for one, he didn’t have the Australian Jabiru powerplant). EAA’s Sport Pilot magazine (2/05) will have a full pilot report on Thorpedo. Look for it here 90+ days after publication.
Germany’s FK Lightplanes Gains a U.S. Distributor
For years, FK Lightplanes has been a leading supplier in Europe. Designs are created by Otto and Peter Funk, the father and son team that introduced the FK9 Mark IV (all-round use and trainer design), the FK12 Comet (enclosed, folding biwing), and the elegant FK14 Polaris, a modern LSA candidate available in tricycle gear or taildragger. FK planes appointed Wings of Paradise their American representative. Based in south Florida at North Perry Airport (HWO), Wings of Paradise is a longtime ultralight dealer and provider of lessons on Miami area beaches. FK Lightplanes sells models like the FK14 Polaris in 51% kit form, fast-build form, and it is available ready-to-fly. Wings of Paradise is working with the German producer to meet SLSA standards; the design is certified under Germany’s Microlight rules. E-mail contact.
FK9 Wins SLSA Certification
FK Lightplanes FK9 Mk IV becomes our 21st SLSA since April 15 (a rate of 3 per month!). A longtime ultralight enthusiast with a list of FAA ratings, importer Tony Anderson has moved fast since securing distribution of Germany’s FK Lightplanes. Since my SPLOG two days ago, Tony was able to confirm by copy of his Airworthiness Certificate the SLSA approval for the FK9 Mk IV on November 17th. Here is a proven microlight design built very lightly (590 pounds empty) using fiberglass over steel construction. Powered by a Rotax 912 or 912S, FK9 cruises at 105 knots and climbs 1,500 fpm at gross (with 100 hp engine at 1,146 pounds gross weight). In service for many years in Germany, FK9 is quite popular with flight schools. It also has the slickest of wing folding mechanisms. A single person can unhook the wing — from the tip — and fold the wing.
Rotax Certifies 582; Good for American Designs?
Perhaps a long time coming Austria-based Rotax recently certified the 65-horsepower R-582 two-stroke engine under ASTM standards. Now, some American designs may proceed with pursuing their Special Light-Sport Aircraft approval. One that pops into my mind immediately is Quicksilver‘s already-certified GT500 (under Primary Catetory from the mid-1990s) but many more could be close behind…for example, powered parachutes and other popular American ultralights. While most SLSA are hitting the gross weight limit of 1,320 pounds, LSA aren’t required to be that heavy so the 65-horse engine could be a most appropriate powerplant. One interesting note is that if A&Ps currently resist working on the 912 series what will they think of two-stroke engines? A swing factor could be Cessna, should the big company choose the lightweight 9-series Rotax over a Lycoming (part of Cessna’s corporate family). If Cessna goes Rotax, then the door may open to mechanic acceptance.
Sport Pilot Tour Blows into the Windy City
The country’s third largest metro area will soon be visited by a collection of Light-Sport Aircraft plus hundreds of pilots and friends interested in Sport Pilot. On Saturday, June 17th get out and enjoy these activities — EAA experts will answer questions on the Sport Pilot license. You can sign up for a free Sport Pilot certificate if you’re an EAA member. You can close-up examine SLSA in a relaxed environment that will give you time to ask your questions and try on the aircraft for fit. The Sport Pilot Tour brings all this to an airport near you, this month on the outskirts of the Windy City. Food is available. The event is free. All Sport Pilot Tour stops are staged near areas with large general and pilot populations to insure the best results. Minneapolis will be next (Aug. 19), Boston (Sep. 9), Riverside CA (Dec.
Jabiru Hits a Double with Twin Approvals
And then we had 20…SLSA approvals, that is. Jabiru’s Pete Krotje announced his company had received not one but two FAA airworthiness certificates for J250 and the new J170. The latter is aimed at the flight training market. Smaller than the J250 which has an enormous baggage area — being based on the the four-seat J400 — the J170 is based on the proven two-seat Jabiru, the Calypso. It will be powered with the company’s four cylinder, 80-hp 2200 engine. Smaller, yes, but J170 still has a broad 45-inch cabin with plenty of headroom. The J170 is big in other ways, too, with a 562 pound useful load and a whopping 35 gallons of fuel (which may not all be used in training applications). Meanwhile J250 is your cross country cruiser with room for all your gear and able to cruise easily at SP/LSA’s 120-knot speed limit.
Cessna Studying Development of Their Own LSA!
Earlier this year at Sebring Cessna officials including boss Jack Pelton made a stealth visit to the LSA Expo (see SPLOG of January 14, 2006). Well, a bizjet hiding among Light-Sport Aircraft wasn’t particularly stealthy but they were apparently serious. Today the rumor mill kicked into overdrive with the big company’s formal announcement that it is “studying the feasibility of developing and producing a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA).” Cessna said they’ll have have a mockup in the LSA Mall at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2006 and noted that LSA represents “the highest growth sector of general aviation.” This announcement is both exciting and more than a little scary for current LSA providers. Cessna jumped into the Very Light Jet (VLJ) market with their Mustang, and they are supposedly creating a “Cirrus Killer.” The storied brand is glancing over its shoulder in several aviation markets. Big companies are often less nimble than small players.