You might say it’s Sirius when TL-3000 takes to the air for the first time. Kidding aside, the new model’s U.S. importer is seriously happy about their composite high wing making its initial flight. Czech producer TL-Ultralight makes the sleek low-wing StingSport that SportairUSA has been selling since the first SLSA lifted into American skies. In development since 2006, TL president Jiri Tlusty recently flew the carbon fiber TL-3000 for the first time. *** SportairUSA boss Bill Canino was recently in Czech Republic making arrangements to market the TL-3000 alongside the Sting S3, an advanced generation version of the TL’s successful low wing model. The Arkansas-based importer says the 46-inch wide Sirius is powered by the 100-hp Rotax 912S, has a useful load of 600 pounds, and extended range with fuel capacity of more than 30 gallons. *** As with StingSport and Sting S3, TL-3000 will come standard with high-end safety features such as a Galaxy rocket-deployed parachute system, PCAS collision avoidance, and AmSafe 4-point inertial-reel seat belts.
Archives for June 2008
AirVenture 2008 Excitement Builds; New LSA Mall
Never before had EAA given any exhibit the wonderful space just south of AeroShell Square. Almost always — by example, the Countdown to Kitty Hawk exhibit — the space was used one year and then changed. EAA gave the LSA industry the space for three years running. *** EAA will be changing the ground layout significantly in the years ahead, so that space will be given another purpose. Yet attendees tell airshow organizers they like the LSA clustered together in a Mall concept. Otherwise, they have to travel the immense show seeking one brand or another. AirVenture layout planners listened to LAMA‘s request for a dedicated area and established a new location (see photo). *** EAA will also launch their new Affordable Flying Center and what better place for LSA to be co-located? Especially with 100LL at $6 a gallon, LSA look pretty good at 30 miles per gallon (4 gph and 120 mph cruise) and with auto gas capability.
LSA Industry’s Fast Pace…Approaching Model #100
Despite an economic slowdown shared by all of aviation, the LSA industry is rich with entrepreneurs. Innovative new designs hit the market regularly. Consider this: In just over three years, the industry has certified an astounding 81 aircraft designs and several more are on the horizon. One hundred certified LSA might be available by 2009, in less than four years since the category was created by FAA. No one remembers anything close in FAA history. *** All Light-Sport Aircraft presently total about 1% of the U.S. piston engine fleet including all FAA registrations of all aircraft types and models. Yet three LSA years compare to 80+ Cessna years, so the new segment remains in its infancy. Consequently, the LSA industry may be acting precisely as needed — focusing on innovation and diversity as proven by the number of new models meeting ASTM standards. Big sales will follow, many experts believe.
Italy’s Tecnam Buys Producer of Spain’s Toxo LSA
Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam, simply “Tecnam” to Americans, manufactures the Sierra, Bravo, Echo Super, and Eaglet SLSA. On June 10th the Italian company completed its purchase of Composite Aeronautic Group (CAG). U.S. pilots became aware of CAG’s Toxo after it won SLSA airworthiness in March 2008. *** Tecnam CEO Paolo Pascale Langer explained, “Although Tecnam is expanding capacity due to significant growth we still require more space along with enhanced access to additional technologies. CAG provided both.” *** Tecnam plans to use CAG’s Zaragoza, Spain facility to double their current production of two seat aircraft. They claim annual output of 300 light single engine aircraft per year. The company hopes to boost that figure to 600 aircraft per year by the end of 2009. *** Tecnam has been focused on their dual Rotax engine airplane, the P2006T.
Not Your Father’s LSA; Icon A5 Grand Unveiling
One glance at almost any view of the Icon A5 will tell you this isn’t like any Light-Sport Aircraft you’ve ever seen. Oh, the Nexaer was shapely and showed innovative thinking. And certainly, we have many fine LSA on the market. Yet nothing I’ve seen compares to the Wow! factor that comes when your eyes feast on A5. *** In a grand ceremony attended by 550 invited persons at company headquarters near LAX airport, Icon finally pulled the concealing drapery off their new LSA. Unless you’re a contractor assisting Icon, you’ve probably never heard about the project, a tightly-guarded secret. *** This idea was given birth at Stanford University by F-16 fighter jock, Kirk Hawkins. He’s enlisted as impressive a team as I’ve seen since Cirrus burst on the market exactly 10 years ago. For example, Icon’s engineering staff is composed of the top people from Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites.
Fixed Wing or Flexible…TampaBay Has Choices
Our SLSA (Special Light-Sport Aircraft) List is popular with visitors and often generates a heads-up from alert readers about some new SLSA approval that snuck under my radar. This time the heads-up made me aware of new models in two forms. *** Please welcome TampaBay AeroSport’s Apollo Fox airplane and Monsoon weight-shift trike, to which I’ve assigned SLSA numbers 80 and 81. TampaBay, aka Apollo Aircraft, has been deeply involved with Light-Sport Aircraft for some time and previously won approval for the Delta Jet trike, which sells for a reasonable $38,000. Monsoon is a sleek, highly-engineered trike available with Rotax 582 or either 912-series engine for $45,000 to $58,500. *** In early 2008, the Florida Zephyrhills airport-based TampaBay also won an airworthiness certificate for their fixed wing Apollo Fox airplane. This European two seater is a variation of the popular design originated by Avid and Kitfox.
Atec Faeta Is Number 36 to Win SLSA Approval
You may know its sibling, the Zephyr, which was present at last year’s LSA Mall at AirVenture Oshkosh. Some 90 Zephyrs are flying, mostly around Europe. But the Czech producer’s U.S. importer, Atec Aircraft, went forward with certifying the Faeta (pronounced “Fay-eht-ah”) winning their approval in early June. Atec America’s Caleb Wood reported, “It was a challenging process because the documentation we had to use was in Czech language and had to be translated to English.” In addition, he said, the documents were in a different format with a different method of organization than FAA wanted. But ultimately the data was judged sufficient and now this very shapely design is available to Americans. Caleb and his Faeta will be at EAA’s LSA Mall if he can secure exhibit space elsewhere. *** SLSA number 35 for the Apollo Delta Jet trike represents the number 4 Weight-Shift Control LSA.
Silvery LSA-8 Has a Great Tradition, Now Built New
Clyde Cessna. William Piper. Walter Beech. Al Mooney. William Boeing. You knew all that.
But do you recall the name Donald Luscombe? You probably should.
The Luscombe Aircraft Company built some 8,000 aircraft, 6,000 of them the Silvaire model alone. And they once pumped out as many as 23 per day, yes, per day! In 1948, Luscombe produced more than 2,700 aircraft in a calendar year. That’s more than twice as many as all LSA companies combined have sold in three years.
Fortunately, it isn’t just a history lesson. Thanks to John Dearden and staff at Flabob Airport in Southern California, the Luscombe was revived as the LSA-8 earning approval as a Special Light-Sport Aircraft.
Lucky me, I went flying in it with John and a pleasure it was. Great manners in a responsive, good performing, all-metal, Continental-powered LSA that is 100% Made in the USA. Selling for around $90,000 LSA-8 looks inexpensive compared to euro-denominated LSA now running to $130,000.
Avemco Investigates LSA; Continues Insurance
Does FAA control aviation? They regulate it (sometimes well). True control may be in the hands of insurance companies. Just try to operate your airplane, your airport, your aviation business without insurance coverage. Insurance companies help keep airports open and protect our investment in airplanes when we occasionally land a bit hard. *** One company addresses market needs differently. Avemco sells directly to pilots, not through middlemen. This may explain why Avemco is one of the country’s largest airplane insurers. *** Their top man, Avemco President Jim Lauerman, has been out doing his homework on LSA. In our conversation at Sebring 2008, Jim told me about all the LSA leaders he spoke to at the event. Following Sebring he went quite a few extra miles and paid in-person visits to AMD, American Legend, and IndUS Aviation. *** Since Lauerman is personally willing to look carefully at LSA, industry players are likely to heed his advice out of respect for his interest and thoroughness.