With all the bright minds drilling down for electric flight gold worldwide these days, including extensive research into battery storage technology and electric motor development, you’d think it’s only a matter of time before a major aircraft company comes out with an off-the-shelf aircraft to officially “launch” electric flight for the masses.
Yuneec, a Chinese company, did just that a few years back with its graceful E430. Several other companies debuted exciting electric prototypes yet since then, little has manifested under the pilot’s Christmas tree beyond a $200,000-plus electric-sustained sailplane (the elegant Lange Aviation Antares 20E), a composite motorgliderish single-seater that goes for around $140,000 (PC Aero Elektra One) and a two-seat, side-by-side electric powered sailplane (Pipistrel Taurus Electro G2, also available gas powered.)
Of course, we can’t overlook pioneer Randall Fishman‘s efforts.
Archives for December 2012
Pipistrel Benchmarks, News, Developments
Known for their several lucrative wins at the NASA Challenge events, Pipistrel also logged market successes in the USA and around the world during 2012. The manufacturer with a range from weight shift trikes to electric-powered gliders to Light-Sport Aircraft to their four-seat Panther in development has become a company to watch. At the end of the year, the Slovenian company with a production facility in Italy had plenty to discuss.
Most notably, the company built their 500th aircraft from the Sinus/Virus family. These sleek machines include the Sinus (“Seen-Us”) motorglider, the Virus (“Veer-Us”) lightplane and shorter-winged version called the Virus SW. The company proudly announced, “Together with the other models and the powered-hang gliders, this means we have made well over one thousand flying devices!” Aircraft number 500 buyer was Charles Dalglish from Australia. The aircraft was handed over to distributor Michael Coates whose organization includes U.S. sales.This year Coates recorded his 100th delivery.
Airshow China in Zhuhai … a Photo Essay
Last month the southern China city of Zhuhai hosted a large collection of aircraft at Airshow China. We’ve been hearing about this once-closed country in matters of aviation so often, I thought it would be something different to show a collection of photos taken by my LAMA Europe colleague, Jan Fridrich. He works for the Czech Light Aircraft Association and you know his name as the man who does the hard work to gather figures for our regular LSA market surveys.
Another associate of mine, Will Escutia, one of the new owners of Quicksilver Aeronautics, also traveled to China recently. Visiting dealer prospects in the north of the large country Will reported that he sees four main forces driving the opening of aviation in China: (1) airspace below 3,000 meters is opening to civilian aircraft; (2) high interest in flying follows that airspace opening; (3) government is concerned about their economy and aviation is seen as helpful; (4) entrepreneurs are jockeying to take early advantage of the burgeoning market.
Dynon SkyView Class Before Sebring Expo 2012
Our group was overwhelmingly instrument-rated pilots, not a flock of fresh students taking basic flight classes. Here were many experienced pilots paying rapt attention to a delivery by Kirk Kleinholz as he launched a series of classes covering the operation of the Dynon SkyView. *** In a few days, Kirk will repeat this several times via twice-daily classes offered at the Sebring Expo. Sebring sessions are free, though later classes may carry some tuition. *** Kirk needed to be highly knowledgeable with the Spruce Creek Fly-in group, and he is. A CFI-Instrument, he’s an expert on Dynon’s glass screens and matching SkyView to the mission. *** SkyView is a computerized EFIS (Electronic Flight Information System) offered in 7- or 10-inch sizes that display synthetic vision, moving map, and engine info.*** Kirk’s two-overhead-screen projection system allowed us to see his points while also viewing the effect of adjustments on a master SkyView unit that was linked to Dynon’s modestly-priced autopilot servos ($750 each).
Stick Wigglers Versus Glass Panel Geeks
After flying more than 350 different aircraft models, I became rather adept at what some pilots call “stick wiggling.” The reference is for all the actions you take to physically fly the plane. Heck, it’s about all you do on very basically-equipped ultralight aircraft that I still love to fly. Modern LSA, however, typically offer loaded instrument panels and while I check out stalls, flight qualities and landings of a Light-Sport Aircraft, I rarely get any time to play with the panel goodies.
Fortunately, a recent experience in a brand-new Flight Design CTLSi provided a three-hour window to wiggle the stick plus a whole lot more. Like a majority of late-model LSA, this aircraft was equipped with a full glass panel, comprised of dual 10-inch Dynon Sky View screens on either side of a Garmin aera 796. Checking me out was Brian Boucher, an airline pilot who operates Florida Light-Sport Aircraft from my home airport at Spruce Creek.
Canada’s First Electric-Powered Ultralight
From the land of sky-blue waters comes … no, not a beverage but Canada’s first electric ultralight. And sky-blue waters aren’t the point; instead, it’s all about blue skies and getting up to them for a bit of soaring fun. Thanks to my journalist friend Russ Niles, Editor-in-Chief of AvWeb (one of my favorite aviation websites), I heard about a Canadian friend who’s done some interesting development work. Given the general excitement about electric power and my personal interest in soaring flight, I called up my old friend.
Like many of us who enjoy soaring hang gliders, developer Randy Rauck said, “I always wanted to apply electric to a lightweight trike so we could quickly and easily fly our hang gliders up to where the thermals abound.” When he’s not creating a new powerplant Randy runs the Freedom Flight Park in Lumby, BC Canada. “I wanted to try electric to get away from the vibration of a lightweight two-stroke gasoline engine.
CTLSi, as in *sigh*
Yes, as the pics show, I did indeed take advantage of a rare, calm, beautiful, warm (for winter) day in New England to drive over to Tom Peghiny‘s Flight Design USA and take my first hop in a fuel-injected Rotax-powered LSA: the new CTLSi. Company Chief Pilot Jonathan Carter did me the honors as we went for a spin the last hour of the clear-sky, gorgeous day: no bumps, no ATC to deal with, just that good smooth, strong CT climb up and away from the company’s little paved strip in Woodstock, Connecticut.
CTLSi, latest version of the industry-leading CT line (the company’s been at the front of the pack for 7 years), is noteworthy primarily for its new powerplant, which dramatically improves fuel economy, starts easier, and runs smoother. I’ll have a full flight report on the airplane in the spring issue of the magazine. But I don’t want to wait to say that for me, this is a wonderfully refined airplane and a real step forward from the version I flew four years ago when I got my Sport Pilot rating with instructor rock ‘n rollin’ CFI John Lampson (he moonlights with a popular rock band, Stealing Jupiter, in the Northeast).
iLSA & CTLSi — Much More than Fuel Injection
The first iLSA are flying in the USA. Springboarding from Apple’s famous iDevices, why not iLSA? This stands for “i” Light-Sport Aircraft, meaning they’re fuel injected, which today suggests Rotax’s new 912 iS engine. Tecnam has announced P2008s with the new powerplant. Pipistrel has iS models, too. Others will follow, although Remos indicated they are taking a wait-and-see approach to the new powerplant. All models remain available with the carbureted version of the 912s in 80 or 100 horsepower. (See this earlier article about the newest Rotax and this one with a video.)
Market leader Flight Design has iLSA arriving in all corners of the country under the slightly changed name of CTLSi. Flight Design USA president Tom Peghiny recently assembled a couple of these airplanes and logged several flights on them. He offered a series of comments on how his newest LSA is an improvement in last year’s model.
Air Creation Skypper Wins SLSA #130
Congratulations to Air Creation USA for winning Special Light-Sport Aircraft approval for their newest weight-shift control aircraft called the Skypper. That’s a worthwhile achievement for any new LSA, but before I tell you how this model is different, let me do another explanation.
In summer of 2012, FAA issued an internal order — meaning it was intended for their field offices and Designated Airworthiness Representatives (DARs) and others. This order with a name only a government agency could love — 8130.2G CHG1 — changed some of the rules about how aircraft gain their SLSA Airworthiness Certificates. One company that got trapped by the learning curve that followed was Air Creation USA, these days operated by Neil Bungard. Neil was relatively new to the ASTM standards process and any misunderstanding he may have had of CHG1 was matched by FAA officials and non-FAA DARs. Everybody had to read and decipher FAA marching orders as described in the lengthy document.
He Did It! Flying at 100 in His LSA
This article follows up on an earlier one about Guy Reynolds. Yesterday, on his 100th birthday, Guy took the skies as he has so regularly, flying his Evektor SportStar with a fellow pilot along for safety. Rather than interpret, I present local journalist John McVey’s entire piece below. John also gives you a perspective on Guy, a fellow aviator we can all admire.
The following was written by John McVey and published by the Martinsburg, West Virginia Journal newspaper. Bold accents are added. —DJ
MARTINSBURG — Thomas Guy Reynolds Jr. eased back on the stick of his Evektor SportStar light sport aircraft and it lifted effortlessly off the runway at the Eastern Regional Airport. He circled the field three times, making a couple of low passes over the runway for pictures, and softly set his plane down. That would not be extraordinary, but Reynolds flew Friday on his 100th birthday.