Hard to believe, isn’t it? Summer is over, we’re into fall and looking at winter. Surprisingly, that means that in a couple months the sale of boats and other watercraft begins to ramp up. Marine shows are commonly scheduled for the dead of winter. If that seems odd, think of it this way: When it’s cold and ugly outside, why not think about boats and bikinis?
Being pilots, of course, we think about seaplanes.
This article focuses on two bits of good news for relative newcomers to this aviation sector, shifts to challenges facing two longtime suppliers of LSA seaplanes, and ends on a positive note. Let’s get into it…
What’s Hot?
Icon Aircraft — “We have some exciting news in the Icon world today,” started a news release from the A5 LSA seaplane producer. “Our 200th production just rolled off the assembly line!” The Vacaville, California company reported starting deliveries to customers in early 2018.
Archives for September 2023
Got Mosaic Fatigue? — Comments on FAA’s New Regulation from Two Presentations
I don’t know about you, but I can guess that Mosaic Fatigue is setting in to a lot of quarters. Some pilots have done an extraordinary job of digging into this 318-page document to distill essential parts that need to be addressed. Many pilots get exhausted just looking at the NPRM. …Me, too.
I look forward to more reporting on aircraft. Nonetheless…
Mosaic has given us an inside look at how FAA works. Many improvements resulted when industry worked in harmony with government officials. Nonetheless, careful study found areas of concern in the NPRM. Recent articles in other publications hit essentially the same points as I did in my talk (slide). Those points were partly my thinking, but I also relied on other experts to whom I had posed a variety of questions.
Still, some of the best commentary has come from non-experts, regular pilots who were concerned about a certain part of the NPRM and explored it thoroughly.
Never One to Be Humble, Hawk Ultra Air Is Looking Better Than Ever in its Fifth Decade
Named “Ultra Air,” the newest Hawk Single sounds like it might be Apple’s new laptop computer. In our analog world, Hawk Ultra Air is nearly the exact opposite… except it is a light aircraft. Many might say it’s “ultra” fun so, hey!, the model name works.
“Less is more” is also a phrase that might apply to both Hawk and Apple. Hawk Ultra Air looks lighter and slimmer by removing the fabric enclosure. Appearing lean and minimal has appeal to many consumers.
Forty one years after its splashy introduction, Hawks now number more than 2,500 aircraft, a fine accomplishment for any manufacturer but especially for one so modestly priced and significantly hand built.
Saying Hawk is “hand built” speaks to some of the work Bob Santom, and his son LB have done as they took over one segment of the Hawk lineage. They have laboriously reassembled some earlier aircraft making extensive notes and preparing for continued manufacture, but became better informed than when they started.
Mosaic, The Movie — Are You Excited?! Comment Window Is Closing; Please Act Soon!
Recreational flying fans… I don’t know about you but I’m getting pretty tired of studying Mosaic. It’s been on my mind every day since FAA issued it on July 24, 2023, just before EAA AirVenture Oshkosh started.
I’ve studied this pretty closely — thanks SO much to Roy Beisswenger for his effort to make a Study Guide. This is not an easy read but it has much we want plus a few things we question or want changed.
If you want some part changed, you have to comment. I can comment and many others have. That’s good but FAA needs a loud response. With 39 days left at posting time, 389 pilots have commented. YOUR comment is still needed.
To assure my facts were as accurate as possible, I consulted several other experts, each focused in specific areas of interest.
Linked with my own experience — serving on the ASTM committee for many years, going to visit FAA in their government offices in Washington DC (several times), and discussions with the LAMA board plus numerous other aviation leaders — the video below provides the best information I can offer at this time.
“Mosaic-Ready” Jabiru Elite Offers Luxurious Appointments and Smart Safety Features
At Midwest LSA Expo on Day Three, I interviewed two leading sellers in the LSA or Sport Pilot kit space, one imported model and one U.S. brand. They represent different approaches to the business yet each has been successful, one for 35 years and one for 40 years. These conversations were a great way to end Midwest 2023 on a high note… and on an exceptionally beautiful day.
I use the phrase “Mosaic-Ready” when talking about this Jabiru Elite because importer Scott Severen of US Sport Planes believes this company is poised and ready to be a Mosaic LSA or mLSA.
Right after I interviewed Scott, I spoke with Michelle Schlitter of Rans, who noted their S-21 Outbound, which qualifies as a SLSA today at 1,320 pounds, can quickly be “Mosaic-Ready” at 1,800 pounds at which it’s already been tested.
Other producers are also close to or at Mosaic-readiness.
Beautiful Bargain — Alto is Back, Again! Looks Great and Costs Surprisingly Little
At Midwest LSA Expo on Day Two, I gave my first Mosaic talk to a SRO room. The video turned out well so following some editing on the Q&A session that followed, I pledge to get this up next week.
My presentation was a distillation of 318 original pages into a 45-minute presentation. Some described it as “drinking out of a fire hose.”
The Q&A added another 30 minutes. Pilots in the audience helped me better understand this Mosaic monster. I hoped that would happen and I’m pleased it did.
After going through the entire document twice and multiple times for some portions, more is yet to be discovered (though I’m getting weary of studying it.)
Beyond Mosaic
After a vigorous discussion about FAA’s new rule, I was keen to get outside among the airplanes that I enjoy. In particular, I wanted to have a closer look at Direct Fly’s Alto NG.
Midwest LSA Expo — Opening Day Highlights Strong Aircraft Turnout and Lots of Demo Flying
One sure way to know if a show works is to observe vendor participation over a number of years. As this is my 14th year attending the Midwest LSA Expo, I can tell you 2023 represents a strong turnout. Companies come back year after year because it works to connect them with interested customers. Both sides end up with smiles.
In this article, I will give you a glimpse of what you can see if you can attend on Friday and Saturday. For those that cannot come, this will provide some taste of what happens in Mount Vernon, Illinois in early September. Hopefully, you can come in 2024.
Every image you see below shows that vendors did not just bring one airplane to test the market. In every case, these companies brought two, three, or even four aircraft to show. That’s very rare even at AirVenture or Sun ‘n Fun.
What this illustrates is that the Midwest LSA Expo (about an hour’s drive east of St.
Ahead of Its Time, Rainbow’s EMG — Electric Motor Glider — Proved Idea of Electric Part 103
Nine years ago, in 2014, electric aircraft were mostly experiments and the beginning was challenging. Several ill-fated projects attempted to electrically power airplanes that were inappropriate for such a powerplant. Batteries of the day had lousy power-to-weight ratios. Enough juice to lift and fly a two seater, much less a four seater, by an electric motor made for very short duration flights, measured in minutes not hours. An electric Cessna 172 project never succeeded; hardly a wonder.
Similar challenges face more than 350 air taxi start-up businesses. Sure, someday you might zip around big cities using UberAir but I think that remains years in the future. Range anxiety felt in electric cars becomes much more intense in an aircraft.
On the other hand, electric Part 103 aircraft enjoy two enormous advantages: (1) they only need to fly 30 minutes to an hour to deliver all the fun their owners have in mind; and (2) since Part 103 aircraft are the lightest in powered aviation, lifting them by electric power and batteries is far more achievable with today’s technology.