One of the most celebrated of the Light-Sport Aircraft fleet is Icon Aircraft‘s A5 seaplane. The Southern California company has passed the benchmark set by Cessna after they first announced their Skycatcher to great fanfare back in 2007. Since Icon first emerged in 2005, the company has gone from one man with an idea to one of the largest players in the LSA space … yet they have yet to produce their first airplane. Some aviators have voiced concerns the company is a marketing juggernaut that raises money but builds nothing. To confront this perception and in preparation for their usual announcements at AirVenture — the only show where Icon chooses to present itself for the time being — Icon released photos and some details of their work to make production a reality. One of their earlier announcements related to engaging SR20 and SR22 manufacturer Cirrus Design to do component assembly.
Archives for April 2014
Sun-Delivered Electric Power on Sunseeker Duo
The developer refers to this long sleek flying maching as, “the first solar powered airplane with a passenger seat.” After his many years of development — longer than other projects that have captured more media attention — Eric Raymond’s Sunseeker Duo may be the most advanced solar powered airplane in the world and … he adds, “the first that might be suited to production.” True, with its 71.5-foot span, this may not be your ideal cross country machine for a family of four. However, soaring enthusiasts should note the resemblance to the top-of-the-line Stemme S10 motorglider. Indeed Sunseeker can soar with the best of them. Electric powered aircraft fans may also want to look closer. For that I direct you to the developer’s website. One more group might also be interested: green tech companies or component suppliers that would like to assist further development while getting themselves some fine publicity.
Flying through the Great Halls of Aero 2014
Aero 2014 is history now but sorting through all the discoveries and reviewing hundreds of photos I shot will consume more time. Just to give a flavor of the diversity in the halls, I present some images below with photo captions. As time allows I will provide several articles about aircraft and concepts contained in the great halls of Aero. One topic I will not cover is the large number of radio control or other model airplanes I saw. In some years, such can take an entire gymnasium-sized hall by themselves … fascinating! Yet the image you see nearby is a shot taken by a small quad copter (photo inset) with its wide angle lens. Such tiny flying machines are surely part of our future and seeing things below is part of their mission (for better or worse). My LAMA Europe associate and friend, Jan Fridrich, asked a vendor to shoot the image you see, which would not have been possible by any means other than a hydraulic lift.
Jeppesen’s VFR App Is Developing Rapidly
For most of the years I have been flying, we (in the USA) had NOAA aviation charts and Jeppesen Sanderson charts. Other companies supplied maps and charts as well, but NOAA and Jepp dominated. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration aeronautical charts were published by NOAA’s National Ocean Service until publication was taken over by FAA in October 2000, coincidentally the same year Jeppesen was acquired by Boeing. NOAA charts were cheaper but a large measure of pilots felt Jepp charts were superior. For many years Jeppesen has served four market segments: airlines, business aviation, general aviation, and the military. The Colorado-based enterprise is celebrating its 80th anniversary since Varney Airlines pilot Elrey Jeppesen made the first aeronautical charts to navigate in flight in 1934. For more on the company’s long history, see Wikipedia’s entry.
Jepp charts were king for decades until the digital revolution disrupted many things in life … from cameras and taking photos to electronic communications to widespread GPS use to HD television, and much more.
Surprise Star of the Show at Aero?
It depended on whom you asked. As in the United States some were skeptical at Aero. “Oh, this will go nowhere.” “No one is interested” “We tried this and it didn’t work.” Maybe these naysayers are right, but the activity at one booth (or “stand” as they prefer in Europe) seemed to powerfully counteract that doubt. The stand was the Hirth exhibit which featured a variety of aircraft using the German powerplant. The one and only American aircraft example in the Hirth exhibit — indeed, perhaps the only light aircraft at Aero that was Made in the USA — was the Aerolite 103, or as it has been renamed here, Aerolite 120. Why the different name and why the strong interest? To clarify, by strong I mean an airplane sometimes so surrounded by attendees that you could not even get close. As further proof, Aerolite 120 was written up by several publications during the four days of Aero and also garnered television coverage.
First Impressions at the 2014 Aero Friedrichshafen
From the outdoor event at Sun ‘n Fun we jetted across the Atlantic to go indoors for Europe’s amazing air “fair” (as they prefer in Europe versus “airshow”). Aero always manages to please and this year was no exception. My only objection was the very tight timing with Sun ‘n Fun, which left us packing up furiously on Sunday, gathering new clothes on Monday, and racing to the airport for a flight to Munich, Germany followed by some hours of driving after a night with no sleep. My wife Randee and I arrived at Aero 2014 by noon on opening day. Whew!
Both shows are must-go events in my coverage of Light-Sport, light kits, and ultralights. Next year will be even harder with Aero immediately preceding Sun ‘n Fun. Still, that’s a year away and I am pleased to be in Friedrichshafen, Germany for this excellent event.
Good Weather Smiles on Sun ‘n Fun … Sales Logged
The weather, big crowds, safe flying and airshow speed, action, and thunder combined to make Sun ‘n Fun 2014 one to remember. As reported in AVweb, top man John “Lites” Leenhouts was quoted, “We’re up 20 percent overall, as of Saturday night, over our average for the last 12 years.” As proof of crowds that seemed to grow to a crescendo, multiple long lines of people buying entry passes on Saturday caused ticket sellers to run completely out of Saturday one-day arm bands. They had to start using Friday arm bands to get everyone in who wanted to enter. Acts like the Blue Angels, “Fat Albert” — the Blue Angels C-130 Hercules support aircraft that did its own high-banking act — and a F-22 Raptor captured attention. When we drove off the grounds Sunday evening as airshows are normally winding down, we witnessed literally hundreds of people clustered outside the gates to watch the airshow.
Rotax Announced 912iS Sport & Headquarters Fly-In
At Sun ‘n Fun 2014, Rotax Aircraft Engine manager Christian Mundigler noted the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the four cylinder 9-series engine family including 80-horsepower 912 UL, 100-horsepower 912 ULS, 115-horsepower turbocharged 914, and fuel injected 912 iS. In further celebration he also announced the worldwide introduction of the new 912 iS Sport. “The new model delivers an improved takeoff performance that results in a better climb rate and shorter takeoff run even if the aircraft is equipped with a fixed pitch propeller,” said Christian. He proudly stated the marketing line: “Stronger. Faster. Higher.” Using a redesigned aluminum airbox atop the 912 iS unveiled two years ago, air intake is improved to boost engine torque. Visible differences are slight compared to last year’s 912 iS but the new airbox stands 27 millimeters (1.06 inch) compared to the lower profile plastic airbox manufactured over the last two years.
Tecnam Announces Astore and Ups Its U.S. Game
By their reported numbers Tecnam lays claim to be the largest producer of very light aircraft. I use that term versus Light-Sport Aircraft as the Italian manufacturer is not the leading LSA seller yet their sales figures support the company being the world’s largest for LSA-type aircraft. For at least the last couple years, Tecnam has reported sales numbers in the 200 per year range. I have no way to independently verify that volume but it’s clear they are a success story. Tecnam’s website states, “With over 3,500 Tecnam airplanes operating around the world today, Tecnam customers and operators are supported by a global network of over 60 dealers and 100 Tecnam Service Centers.” They boast a wide range models, including Eaglet, P2008, the aerobatic Snap, the newly introduced (to Americans) Astore, and their Twin. In addition to the Astore unveiling Tecnam announced a major news development and several noteworthy initiatives for the U.S.