Special thanks to Roy Beisswenger for this first-impressions report on the I-TEC Maverick. It is part of a comprehensive story Roy prepared for Sebring 2014 that will be coming soon in the February issue of Powered Sport Flying! Roy is a highly experienced powered parachute pilot, instructor, and Designated Pilot examiner. He is also gaining experience in gyroplanes — both types of aircraft are primary subjects of the magazine he publishes with Vickie Betts. Roy begins …
I have to admit that I thought that climbing into the back seat of the Maverick flying car would be a fun and OK experience. I really didn’t expect it to be much more than fun and OK, though. Granted, I’m in a regular auto-like seat (worse, the back seat) and I’m flying. I can’t see the wing anywhere. Oh well, like that hasn’t happened before. After all, having been a powered parachute pilot for a couple of decades and a gyroplane pilot for several months, I’m completely used to not seeing a wing on my aircraft.
Archives for January 2014
The Other LSA Revolution (Except Not SLSA)
Wings that go around in circles enjoy their own special niche in American Light-Sport aviation. Yankees can buy ultralight helicopters — including the Mosquito that can fit into Part 103, which is amazing in itself — and Americans can buy kit-built gyrocopters or gyroplanes (the terms are used interchangeably). The good news is Americans do indeed buy and build; AutoGyro USA sold some 30 examples in the last couple years. However, due to an apparent (and somewhat mysterious) intraagency dispute, fully built Special LSA gyroplanes were never allowed by FAA. Some say it was a turf war between the Small Aircraft Directorate and the Rotorcraft Directorate; though others disagree this was the problem. Whatever the explanation, no ready-to-fly LSA gyros are available in the USA despite years of effort by ASTM committee members, which has a standard ready. This is a shame as I rediscovered for myself on a flight at Sebring.
First Wrap-Up of Sebring 2014; Aircraft Debuts
It was cool but abundant sunshine provided good conditions for an excellent event at the tenth Sebring. Morning winds died down and allowed plenty of demo flying opportunities and even for those who didn’t go aloft, the Manufacturer’s Showcase allowed visitors to see numerous aircraft doing low fly-bys. The combination of readily available demo flights that could be conducted with a minimum of hassle thanks to great support from contract tower personnel and the display of most LSA or light kits in recreational aviation offered ample opportunity for buyers to step up … and sales action appeared quite strong, a sure sign of improving conditions after years of sluggishness.
Many exhibitors reported multiple sales, proven by deposits changing hands and orders being written. Ken Scott of Van’s Aircraft — which works closely with Synergy Air, builder of the ready-to-fly RV-12 SLSA — said it was the best show ever for his company.
Super Petrel LS Is (Almost) the Newest SLSA
In the beginning … OK, a few years ago, FAA went around to a couple dozen LSA producers to evaluate the state of the then-new LSA industry. The agency teams did not conduct an audit, they emphasized. More intensive examinations, actual audits, followed in recent years. Last year the agency issued new guidance to help them and everyone else judge who really was and was not a manufacturer. If the need for such a definition surprises you, remember, the brave new world of Light-Sport Aircraft threw curves to government regulators, captains of industry, aircraft design geniuses, plus all we rank and file customers. Everyone learned a great deal as an entirely new sector of aviation was given birth … one, by the way, with a worldwide impact as more countries sign on to the ASTM standards method of assuring airworthiness. The LSA industry is now a few months away from its tenth birthday and the gears of production are beginning to mesh more smoothly than ever.
Zenith Now Shipping CH 750 Cruzer
Zenith Aircraft based in Mexico … Missouri, to be clear, is one of the most solid and impressive kit producers in the light aircraft world. Chris Heintz designs were previously manufactured as fully built LSA by another company. Though that organization discontinued some years back the kit supplier and its models have thrived as before, every year delivering a number of airplane kits that could make other producers jealous. Last year Zenith introduced their newest model as a variation of their very popular “Sky Jeep,” known officially as the CH 750 STOL. Giving the airplane more cross cruising capability resulted in an airplane logically named Cruzer. Simply put by 20-year Zenith demo pilot veteran Roger Dubbert, “Some of our customers wanted an aircraft that would go a little faster.” The total change added about 20% to cruise speed compared to the 750 STOL. Recently, Zenith announced shipment of the first CH 750 Cruzer kits.
Jabiru Schedules Engine Seminar in Florida
In the LSA space, we presently have five engine suppliers that either have ASTM approval or FAA certification approval that grants them the chance to power Light-Sport Aircraft. The five brands are: Rotax, Continental, Jabiru, Lycoming, and HKS. For customers who like doing their own maintenance or for mechanics who want to have all the knowledge they need, company-presented seminars are invaluable. Since they have decades of history and a have been used on Type Certified airplanes, Continental and Lycoming enjoy broad awareness of mechanics around the world. Rotax has also pursued regular training for mechanics to work on their engines. Jabiru has also done these and their U.S. distributor just announced their latest in the Sunshine State of Florida.
Peter Krotje of Jabiru USA Sport Aircraft, LLC, sent notice of a two day seminar to take place over February 7th and 8th, 2014 at Voyager Aviation Services on Merritt Island (street address for GPS-equipped drivers: 475 Manor Drive; zipcode 32952).
CubCrafters Welcomes a New Certified Sales Center
Plenty of aviation companies, certainly in the light end of the industry, are happy to welcome a new dealer. CubCrafters elevates this position to a certified sales center and the Yakima, Washington company recently secured a new one fleshing out their national map more fully (graphic). CubCrafters announced the appointment of Innovation Aircraft Sales (IAS) as their new Certified Sales Center covering the Midwestern United States. IAS is now the exclusive authorized dealer for new and pre-owned CubCrafters aircraft including the Sport Cub S2 and Carbon Cub SS LSA models, as well as the Part 23-certified Top Cub. IAS will serve North & South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois and most of Nebraska from their base at Creve Coeur Airport (1H0) in St. Louis.
The LSA manufacturer announced facts about their newest outlet. As President and CEO of Innovation, Jeff Baber began his association with CubCrafters at SunCountry Aircraft Sales in 2012.
Van’s Confirms 2014 Production of RV-12 SLSA
We’ve seen “legacy” general aviation builders depart the Light-Sport Aircraft scene. The reasons are varied but certainly this is highly competitive space with frequent innovations applied and clean-sheet designs emerging like clockwork (more than one per month for ten straight years!). Once a company becomes accustomed to the profits turbines and jets can generate, small piston aircraft looks like a lean market. However, as one major name exits another arrives. A year and a half ago at AOPA’s last Palm Springs, California Summit, Van’s Aircraft announced their entry to Special LSA through an arrangement with Synergy Air. It was something of a toe in the water for the large kit builder. To no one’s surprise, they sold out immediately. After spinning up operations to build and deliver the first batch, Van’s and Synergy evaluated and chose to continue onward with building ready-to-fly airplanes.
Dick VanGrunsven, founder of Van’s Aircraft, Inc., and Wally Anderson, head of Synergy Air, recently announced that production of the RV-12 SLSA will continue in 2014.
BRS Moves Upward; Saves Those Moving Downward
For 18 years I worked with a great team at BRS Parachutes (as it was then called; they since renamed it to BRS Aerospace as they ventured into defense contracting). I left more than a decade ago and this website has since been my new home. I worked at BRS before parachutes were accepted and it was a great challenge and joy to help bring this life-saving product to market. The huge breakthrough that allowed BRS to gain the level of mainstream approval it enjoys today was one company: Cirrus Design. Co-founder Alan Klapmeier had lived through a mid-air collision and was determined his SR20 would have a whole-airframe parachute on it. While the ’20 and ’22 have much to speak for them, the models were distinguished in all of aviation by being “the parachute airplane.” Having a BRS system on board certainly helped and may have been one of the main reasons for the company’s success — with more than 4,000 aircraft sold in the last dozen or so years that are otherwise not aviation’s strongest period.
LSA Seaplanes Remain Newsworthy in 2014
Someone remarked to me recently that LSA seaplanes seem to be the topic of the week or month (or however often you check in to see). Indeed, as we approach the tenth anniversary of Sport Pilot / Light-Sport Aircraft, we can reflect with pride upon more than 130 models making their way to market. True, not all have proven successes in the market place but having choice is always good for customers even if they finally select from a limited number of brands to occupy their hangar. Therefore, thanks to all those entrepreneurial designers that brought new airplanes to the sky. Now, in the closing months of LSA’s first decade, a new focus appears turned to amphibious Light-Sport machines, with more than 20 vying for our attention. As always some are doing a better job of capturing mindshare than others. In this article I’ll talk about two from nearly opposite ends of the new spectrum.