One bone of contention among LSA sellers is that legacy flight schools — the sort that typically uses Cessna or Piper trainers — sometimes disregard LSA as trainer aircraft. “They’re built too lightly.” “The nose wheels are too weak.” “My mechanic doesn’t know the Rotax engine.” Some may have even more creative excuses.
I’ve interviewed many producers that are frustrated with this outdated response. Several have cited specific aircraft that have done flight school duty for thousands of hours and tens of thousands of landings.
Yet the ill-informed attitude of such school operators has not stopped sellers from trying. One such dogged entrepreneur is Michael Coates, the Australia-based largest dealer for Slovenian LSA producer, Pipistrel.
“After months and months of evaluation, writing proposals, flight tests and endless emails,” Michael wrote, “I am very proud to announce our single biggest order into the USA flight training market.”
He referenced an order for 15 Pipistrel Alpha Trainer aircraft with instrumentation configured for IFR training (photo) ordered for delivery to San Bernardino, California.
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Pipistrel’s Alpha Light Aircraft “Plugs In” at New Charge Station; Fuel by Electrons
Article Updated: 9/18/17 (see below)
Electric airplanes continue to catch the headlines… but don’t impact the market much (yet). That may be changing.
You rarely see advertising for Pipistrel, the Eastern European builder of several very sleek Light-Sport Aircraft. The company feels they generate interesting-enough news that media organizations will cover their accomplishments. As this and other articles prove, perhaps they’re right although most publications depend on advertiser support to allow them to provide coverage.
An example of how Pipistrel seduces the aviation press is with an announcement proclaiming their partnership with ride-sharing giant, Uber …specifically about that tech company’s aerial ambitions. At the recent Uber Elevate Summit in Dallas, Texas, “Uber signed a partnership with Pipistrel aircraft producer for large-scale deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs).” Pipistrel said initial vehicles [will] be used in a flight demonstration by 2020.
“Pipistrel is the only company in the world that builds and sells electric aircraft today … they are a valued partner in making Uber’s VTOL network a reality,” said Mark Moore, Director of Engineering for Aviation.
LSA Videos – Alphabetical
Pipistrel — Alpha Trainer (0712)
At AirVenture 2012, we got the chance to speak with Tine Tomascik, one of the expert design team from Pipistrel. Tine provides us with the company’s thoughts about their newly-introduced trainer the Alpha, which was warmly embraced by visitors to their Oshkosh exhibit. Pipistrel is already active selling this sweetly-priced Light-Sport Aircraft in other countries. Watch and hear why.
Pipistrel — Alpha Trainer (0912)
MIDWEST LSA EXPO 2012 — One of our series of many short videos from the fall show, this one is one of the newest in the LSA fleet. This is Pipistrel’s Alpha Trainer and it has already seen market success in the USA and around the world, thanks significantly to its excellent price: $85,000 (in 2012 and before expenses like shipping and FAA registration). Simple, yes, but Alpha has all a recreational pilot might want.
Pipistrel’s New Alpha Trainer Announced
The company I’ve been writing a lot about lately keeps finding more things for me to talk about. When I was in Slovenia last month, Pipistrel‘s movers and shakers told me on the QT to be ready for a major announcement soon. *** And here it is: just officially announced this morning, introducing the Alpha Trainer, a purpose-built version of the company’s winning Virus SW (Short Wing) cruiser. Designed for the flight school market, it carries an introductory price that should raise a few eyebrows: $83,000 just about everything, including delivery, shipping to the US, FAA fees etc. *** Yep, I’d call that news. *** Rand Vollmer of SALSA Aviation, a U.S. Pipistrel dealer, tipped me off this morning about the official release. Pipistrel makes elegant, fun-flying, functional aircraft and the Alpha (200 were recently ordered by the Indian government) should prove to be no exception.
News Bits — Sun ‘n Fun 50th Birthday, Hexa Draws Big Media to Lakeland, VREF & LSA
To start off your new workweek, here are fresh light aviation news bits from last week.
Not all aviation news items justify a whole article but that doesn’t mean these accomplishments should be ignored. Here are three such items. Each exerts an influence on the future of flying.
Let’s get the newsday started…
Whoo Hoo!
Sun ‘n Fun Turns 50!
Keen to celebrate their 50th anniversary, Sun ‘n Fun sent out a special invitation that may be of great interest to fly-in campers.
Sun ‘n Fun e-blasted, “6 Things To Do When You Land at Sun ‘n Fun 2024!” The half-century-old event runs April 9 to 14, 2024 in Lakeland, Florida.
After you park your airplane and find your camping spot for the week, head on over to The Island.
Check in at the Pilot Welcome Center brought to you by Phillips 66.
Visit the Island Country Store and stock up on your basic necessities.
Follow the Leader: Zenith Aircraft Demonstrates Cruise Power; Celebrates 30 Years!
For years, one company has led the fleet of light aircraft. Regular readers of this website already know who it is: Zenith Aircraft. The company may be at the back of the alphabet but they are first in deliveries*.
This particular year, however, the company based in Mexico, Missouri celebrates its 30th anniversary. Beginning in 1992, Sebastien Heintz has paired popular designs with hard work to build his company to occupy the number one slot as seen in our Tableau Public page. In fact, the race to the number one spot is not particularly close. Sebastien is joined in the effort by longtime associate Roger Dubbert, a modest number of employees, and a large and growing flock of very happy customers.
In the light aircraft space, including both LSA and Sport Pilot kits**, it’s a fairly even contest between fully-built aircraft (around half of which are imported) and kit-built aircraft.
Announcing: Launch of the Part 103 List, a One-of-a-Kind Resource in Affordable Aviation
To welcome a brand new year in affordable aviation, I am pleased to announce the launch of our Part 103 List. This new list presents 89 Part 103 entries for models built by 57 manufacturers.
[UPDATE 1/18/22 — We made the 103 List even better with the “Model column now leading to info right here on ByDanJohnson.com, when available. Other article changes are shown in red text. —DJ]
Too many people believe this is a minor sector with “no fixed wing aircraft that qualify.” They’re wrong; we have 38 fixed wing producers alone. Some others among the general aviation pilot population thought that Part 103 ultralights had disappeared completely. They could not be more wrong.
Not only are plenty of Part 103 ultralights being produced, they come in many diverse shapes and plenty of them are being sold.
Clearly, it’s about time a list like this one got published to put the record straight!
Part 103 Ultralight List
Welcome to our newest feature — Launched in January 2022 (Upgraded 1/18/22)
Part 103 Ultralight Vehicles are a special category within the FAA regulations. For one, they are not called “aircraft” as that helped detour around burdensome regulations for FAA approved aircraft. Instead, FAA called them “vehicles.”
The rule that brought 103 Ultralights into recognition was written in 1982 and has never been changed. It is the simplest, least intrusive FAA regulation available, so brief that it can be printed on the front and back of a single sheet of paper.
Why Is Part 103 So Great?
Part 103 Ultralight Vehicles are specially privileged. How are they special?
They do not need any FAA (N-number) registration.
They need no pilot certificate of any kind.
Therefore, no aviation medical is required to fly one.
The manufacturer can build a 103 ultralight ready-to-fly or in kit form so long as it meets the explanations offered in AC-103-7 — the official guidance for FAA field officers to use in evaluating if a flying machine qualifies as a 103 ultralight.
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