Gang, with all the excellent publicity the Terrafugia Transition “roadable” LSA airplane has gotten this last year or so, you’d think they were the only game in town. *** Meanwhile, back at flying car HQ, here comes the sleeper, with some important news under its (canvas) hood. *** I’ve blogged about the Maverick Flying Car a couple times now (read earlier post). *** It’s a project created by I-Tec in their mission to aid third world indigenous people in remote and rugged locales around the world. *** To paraphrase Luke Skywalker, if the Transition is the bright promotional center of the universe, the Maverick has been the planet farthest from it…until now. *** They’ve been quietly, and quite effectively, judging by the video below, getting the job done with their own unique approach to the flying car concept. *** Without further ado, check out the vid below of the Maverick LSA…Para-buggy, Para-Car, Dune-Chute, whatever.
Archives for July 2010
GPS Alien vs. Predator
Yesterday in our Ultraflight Radio interview Jim Sweeney and I compared and contrasted two red-hot digital instruments for the cockpit: the Adventure Pilot iFly 700 and the Apple iPad with its tons of aviation apps; see my earlier post on the Zlin iCub. *** To learn more about these two amazing digital toys I also swapped emails with Walter Boyd of Adventure Pilot, who created and does all the incredible programming for the iFly 700. *** Full Disclosure: I just bought an iFly 700 yesterday — couldn’t deny myself any longer! *** First, the iPad, (projected to sell at least 6 million units by year’s end — over 3 mil already!), offers much more than a GPS moving map. As Walter acknowledges, it’s a portable computer optimized for viewing rather than producing information, as on a laptop or netbook. *** Next, it’s big: a 9.7 inch diagonal, beautiful bright screen.
The Mid-Year View
I had some fun today talking with Jim Sweeney, guest host of Roy Beisswenger’s Ultraflight Radio Show. *** Our first topic was the state of the LSA industry. I first picked my pal Dan Johnson’s satellite-view brain of the LSA Big Picture to glean we’re looking at an industry that is weathering the economic storm and ready for an upswing. *** Once the economy really ramps up, many observers feel LSA, which remain an incredible bargain compared to new GA airplanes, should pick up smartly. Let’s toast that happy day! *** Meanwhile, Tom Peghiny of Flight Design USA tells me sales are picking up, particularly from his dealer network who are selling their inventory aircraft and ordering replacements. *** We’ll post fresh market stats from Jan Fridrich after Oshkosh AirVenture on FAA registrations through mid-year but in general it’s good to remember that companies are doing whatever it takes to survive in this prevailing market psychology of uncertainty.
FAA To Change ASTM Certification?
News began filtering out today that FAA informed LAMA (Light Aircraft Manufacturers Assoc.) that it is strongly considering imposing new mandates on how S-LSA designs are approved. *** LAMA chairdude Dan Johnson sent a strong message to LAMA members that FAA may require LSA makers to pass compliance audits managed by a team of FAA inspectors, rather than the manufacturer-certified voluntary nature of the certification program as it now exists, where airframe builders can pay for an audit through LAMA, but are not required to do so. *** Earl Lawrence of EAA talked in depth about this development on the Ultraflight radio program Tuesday July 13th; check their archives to hear the full interview. I appeared on the radio show later in the program to talk about the state of the industry and what’s coming with electric LSA. *** I also got more info from Dan on what this portends for the S-LSA industry as a whole.
Flying Missionary Car Now Street Legal
Since everybody seems to be talking these days about flying cars, specifically the Terrafugia (the company excels at promoting its Transition model, which recently got a weight allowance boost from FAA), I thought I’d update my earlier post about the I-TEC Maverick Sport Model. *** It’s a cool idea, this flying car developed for missionary work in third-world countries like the Amazon rainforest, where getting from village to village can be daunting to impossible for traditional vehicles. *** Instead of folding wings, it uses a paraglider-style canopy for lift. I-TEC (Indigenous People’s Technology and Education Center) spent seven years in development. I talked with one of the I-TECcies at Sun ‘n Fun 2010 and they’re pretty proud of this compact, relatively inexpensive vehicle. *** Changing from road warrior to sky king takes just a few minutes. Once rigged, the fabric-fuselage Maverick lifts off in 250 feet, climbs at 500 feet per minute, and rips along at just under 40 knots.
Why the Raging Avgas Debate?
Have you missed the great debate raging over the impending demise of 100LL? Many leading groups — including AOPA and apparently EAA plus others such as the Green 100 Octane Coalition — have endorsed a one-size-fits-all solution. *** But, hey! One size does not fit all. Light-Sport owners are aware their aircraft can operate just fine on 91 octane (premium) ethanol-free gasoline. The same can be said for 70%-80% of all piston-engine aircraft in the U.S. Indeed, more than 60,000 Autogas STCs have been granted from EAA and Petersen Aviation but such added approvals aren’t needed by LSA powered by Rotax or Jabiru. *** Leading aviation alphabet groups show little support for the installation of ethanol-free Mogas pumps at GA airfields. One wonders why? Several benefits follow increased use of E-zero (E0) Mogas: * It’s ideal for the vast majority of American aircraft including virtually all new LSA designs; * It would lead to an immediate reduction in the use of leaded fuels and its impact on the environment; and, * Switching from 100LL to Mogas would dramatically reduce the cost of flying for sport aviators and to flight schools adding LSA to their fleets.
Paris Green Air Show
A couple days ago I promised to follow up on the Paris Green Air Show so here we go. *** The show is held (2010 is the 2nd year) at the Musee Air + Despace, at Le Bourget airport, the field where Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis and where the huge Paris Air Show takes place every other year (next up in 2011). *** It’s mission statement is implicit from the phrase on the evocative splash drawing: “L’aviation du futur”. It took a bit of digging and some web translations to find out more about the show that Gizmag first posted about the other day. *** The explosion of imaginative designs and concepts at the show is staggering: very much like the first years of aviation after 1903. Dirigibles large and small, including man-powered balloons; aircraft engines with zero CO2 emissions; aircraft powered by electric, solar and hydrogen fuel cell engines; noise and pollution reducing sustainable development concepts for airports, runways and aircraft “villages.” All in all, quite a hoot; I’d love to go to the next one.