Updates 10/4/11 and 10/5/11 — Congratulations to Pipistrel for their unprecedented third win at a NASA Challenge. Picking up a cool $1.35 million, the company won with their unorthodox dual Taurus G2 fuselages joined by a larger, centrally-mounted electric engine. The custom-configured, four-seat aircraft achieved an amazing 403 passenger miles per gallon of fuel (or its equivalent). After this string of wins, Pipistrel has firmly placed itself in the lead position among highly efficient light aircraft and those powered with electric motors. *** NASA claims the prize purse was the biggest ever awarded for an aviation competition. In second-place a much smaller but still hefty check for $120,000 went to the German eGenius team, NASA announced. *** Read more from our friends at AvWeb and at Flying online. In addition, Aero-News offers a video with more on the potential of electric power (scroll to or search for “The Green Flight Challenge”).
Archives for September 2011
REMOS GXeLite: Super Diet?
Sign of the times: cut costs wherever possible. And kudos to those LSA makers who can cut weight too! *** Remos Aircraft has a lower-priced, dramatically lighter version of its flagship GX that bears closer scrutiny. *** It’s called GXeLite, and lists at $133,924.The model is targeted at pilots, clubs and flights schools that don’t feel the need for all the latest high-tech glass and embellishments. Typically, “loaded” models like the GX and new GXNXT models price out at well over the wallet-flattening $150K mark. *** The eLite is dramatically lighter in empty weight too: just 638 lbs. (My recent flight report on the NXT listed that model’s empty weight at 718, or 90 lbs. heavier!). That would allow full tanks as well as some truly hefty passengers too, since the useful load is 682 lbs.! *** The main steps taken to lighten the load on the eLite include reinstating the composite landing gear, using carbon fiber instead of metal wing struts, new carbon fiber seats and a new instrument panel, which is lighter as well as lower.
Three If By Sea
Some bright minds at LISA Airplanes, a French company, had a great idea to take the hydrofoil concept and apply it to an LSA seaplane. I’d often wondered why hydrofoils haven’t been done before, it’s such a great concept.Anyway, the airplane is the AKOYA. The technology for the entire package is patented and called Multi-Access, not the most sizzling name but what the hey, look at how cool those little moustache water wings look sticking out from the hull! *** Now get this: the company claims AKOYA operates as easily from land as from water…or snow! First, to those water wings sticking out: they’re called Seafoils, a trademarked name, which adds a little more marketing sizzle to this steak. *** They’re connected to a retractable gear that can be rigged with wheels or skis, I guess, and also to motor-driven, pivoting wings! There’s also a chute onboard. Very neat.
Lockwood Rotax and Bristell at AOPA Summit 2011
At AOPA summit I spent time in the Lockwood Aviation booth giving me a chance to speak with a few RV-12 builders. *** Van’s has reportedly sold approximately 600 RV-12 Light-Sport Aircraft, of which 150 may be flying, making RV-12 by far the most successful Experimental LSA. RV-12 would among rank high among all Light-Sport Aircraft were we able to include ELSA in the SLSA List (…we cannot, for several reasons). In a sign that proprietor and industry leader Phil Lockwood sees good potential in RV-12 service work he displays the leading ELSA on his latest Lockwood Aircraft Supply catalog. Van’s did not exhibit at Summit 2011. *** I found it equally interesting to hear much improved reception to the Rotax line compared to earlier AOPA Expos or Summits. Perhaps it’s the 2,000-hour overhaul time. Maybe it’s the 40,000 9-series engines Rotax has installed on aircraft.
Electric Whirlybird Flies!
Anyone still in doubt that we’re in the midst of the birth of electric flight need look no further than this story, just posted today on the online tech zine Gizmag.Pascal Chretien, an enterprising electrical/aerospace engineer and chopper pilot, made the world’s first fully electric helicopter flight in the prototype he designed and built almost entirely by himself…in just 12 months! Hang glider and ultralight trike pilots will delight in hearing a weight shift control system is involved. *** For me, the big story here is once again we see that innovation lives, not just in megabuck corporate and government R&D departments but in the garages of individual megabrains as well…as it always has and we can expect always will.Chretien, in making his 2 minute, 10 second test eggbeater flight, threw whipped eggs in Sikorsky’s face since that aviation giant’s well-funded electric project, in development for some time now, has yet to fly.
A Pair of New SLSA Arrive Before AOPA Summit 2011
Just in time for this year’s AOPA Summit, welcome to a pair of Special Light-Sport Aircraft, numbers 121 and 122: the first, the formerly named NG 5 LSA, rebadged as the Bristell Fastback by importer Liberty Sport Aviation of Pennsylvania; and the second being the fourth approval for Pipistrel, specifically for their Sinus motorglider (previous Pipistrel approvals included the Virus, Virus SW, and Taurus). *** NG 5 LSA was not previously offered in the U.S. though it was sold in Europe as the NG 4 from Roko Aero. When Roko closed its doors production stopped for the NG 4. It became NG 5 as the company reformed into BRM Aero. Changes occur in any industry but Bristell Fastback designer, Milan Bristela, is a steady hand on the joystick known for his foundational work on the SportCruiser (for a year known as the PiperSport) that is presently ranked #2 in U.S.
October Shows Aim to Strongly Support LSA Sector
Just when you thought the airshow season was over, well… except for AOPA’s Summit starting in 10 days, here are four events in October, every one with substantial or exclusive Light-Sport Aircraft attention. |||| First up is LoPresti-Powered LSA fun at the Sebastian, Florida airport where the “speed merchants” are based. Before the event starts Phil Lockwood will give a maintenance training class on October 6th and 7th with service training following the event on 10th and 11th. Contact Lockwood Repair for preregistration info. *** The main fly in begins on October 8th with breakfast starting at 9 AM. Speakers are planned for the morning hours and at noon music starts with the Latin Festival that runs until 9-ish. At around 3 PM LoPresti promises three different bands with the headliner starting at 6 PM. *** Skydiving demos run all day. Also featured will be a LSA spot landing competition and flour bombing.
The Great LSA Tour Continues Down Texas Way
At the recently concluded Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, SportairUSA boss Bill Canino and American Legend rep’ Dave Graham confirmed the continuation of a successful series called the LSA Tour. This traveling show-after-the-show concept set in motion a plan to follow airshows with a tour of several LSA manufacturers or importers. The idea is that many interested aviators cannot make the airshows for various reasons. So, as exhibitors head home they schedule a series of stops that may bring the show to your home field. *** The start of the LSA Tour followed the Sebring show in January 2011 with a series of stops in Florida. Then after the Sun ‘n Fun show, a group of vendors went to Georgia and North Carolina. Another series happened in Colorado. Now they’ll be invading Texas, specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, an expansive aviation concentration of 50 airports within the 30 nm traffic area surrounding DFW, according to Graham.
Legal Eagle — CTLS Eye in the Sky
Light-Sport Aircraft can be working aircraft (think: flight instruction and rental, each potentially a commercial activity) but read about this new twist. *** Recently, Flight Design USA delivered a customized Light-Sport Aircraft to a sheriff’s department in California. A CTLS fitted with police camera, radios, and custom controller was dubbed CTLE for “Law Enforcement.” The specially equipped CTLS was completed at Flight Design USA headquarters. Near the end of August 2011, two police officers from Tulare County, California traveled to Connecticut and then flew the special LSA back across the country. *** Commonly police departments have used helicopters or larger general aviation aircraft for activities like surveillance work. Helicopters are especially expensive… to buy, to operate, and to maintain. Realizing this, Flight Design USA’s big distributor, Airtime Aviation worked with Roger Crow of Echo Flight Resources on a second CTLE modified with a pod for the CTLS right wing.
Two New (Yet Familiar) LSA Return to America
Here’s a tale of two planes. One has been seen and sold in the U.S. (Lambada motorglider). The other has a fascinating history and should look familiar to you… quite familiar. It’s now known as the NG 5 LSA and that probably rings no bell. However, NG 5 and the #2 ranked SportCruiser share a common history. NG 5 designer, Milan Bristela, once lead design work at Czech Aircraft Works, the first company to create and bring to market the SportCruiser. In 2010 that model took a yearlong debut as the PiperSport though once again U.S. Sport Aviation returns to their long support for and sales of SportCruiser, now produced by Czech Sport Aircraft. *** Along the way, Milan departed and worked for a time with another company called Roko Aero; the aircraft was then called the NG 4. The newly formed BRM Aero company said, “[We] finished collaboration with Roko Aero and stopped production of their NG 4 aeroplanes.” Now, Americans can welcome NG 5 LSA to be represented by Liberty Sport Aviation in Pennsylvania.