If you’ve ever shopped for a used sport plane you’ve probably noticed there are almost always a number of Flight Design CT series LSAs up for sale. This shouldn’t be surprising since Flight Design was an early player in our segment of aviation, and in the past two-plus decades the company has sold more than 400 CTs in the U.S. alone.
The planes have proven popular, in part, due to their speed (for an LSA), having a cabin wider than a Cessna 172 and their generous payloads. This article is an introduction to the various CT models, their flight characteristics, and advice for a pre-buy inspection and ownership.
Development
The first CT was produced in Germany by a company that began with hang gliders and paragliders in the 1980s and ultralights in the early 1990s. Now part of LIFT Air Gmbh, Flight Design has faced financial woes over the years, having gone into receivership, and then challenges caused by the war in Ukraine where the aircraft were being built.
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FlyCool Air Conditioning — in Flight Design CTLS
We’ve seen AMT’s FlyCool light weight, low power draw air conditioning system before in other Light-Sport Aircraft but it had not yet been done in the CTLS. Now US Aviation in Texas has made it happen. They brought the hardware to Sun ‘n Fun and quickly made an installation which we got to experience. Come hear how it was done and how it works. In warm climates the FlyCool system can be a big benefit.
Redesigned Flight Design CTLS
All photos by EAA Chief Photographer, Jim Koepnick
This article appears on ByDanJohnson.com thanks to permission granted by EAA and the willingness of author, Ed Downs. I’ve had the pleasure to fly with many expert pilots but the very best aircraft checkout I’ve ever received came from Ed. He’s a good pilot, that’s a given. But he is also very adept at giving you a solid expectation of what to expect. I think you’ll agree after you read this article. –Dan Johnson *** Note this article is presented without charge.
Are LSA Growing Up?
New special light-sport aircraft (SLSA) enter the
market on an almost weekly basis. Many of the
early SLSA entrants were makeovers of existing
European advanced ultralight designs or adapted
versions of post-World War II training airplanes.
Flight Design USA has now introduced the CTLS,
defined as a second-generation S-LSA from the
German-based Flight Design GmbH. Is this new
S-LSA better than the first CTs sold?
Flight Design CT2K
A Bold Yet Efficient Euro-Designed Light-Sport Aircraft
Flightstar imports the CT2K in anticipation of the light-sport aircraft rule.
As FAA’s proposed light-sport aircraft
rule looms ever closer, one
of the first aircraft that will likely
fit the field and be recognized by American
pilots is Germany’s CT. For the U.S.
market, and with a nod to the new millennium,
producer Flight Designs has
renamed the model as the CT2K.
“CT” stands for Composite Twoseater.
It is certainly not alone in being
“white, glass, and built overseas,” a
theme that emerged at EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh 2002. But the design was a
leader in the move from tube-and-rag
ultralights to the modern microlights of
Europe. And it distinguishes itself in a
number of ways that we’ll explore in
this review.
My experiences flying the CT on two
occasions were both with Europeanbased
check pilots. The most recent
opportunity was with Allistair Wilson,
formerly a major with the Royal Irish
Regiment in Northern Ireland.
Flight Design Increases F2 Production — Moves CT-Series
As we Floridians prepare to face Hurricane Milton starting later today, I’m pleased to give an update on one of our leading companies in the LSA space. I refer to Flight Design, which gained fame for the enviable success of its CT-series aircraft (CT2K, CTSW, CTLS, CTLSi, CT Super). In the United States, more of these models fly as LSA than aircraft from any other brand.
In the USA, importing Flight Design aircraft is now handled by Airtime Aviation, a leader in its own right. For two decades, Airtime has been the nation’s #1 seller of Light-Sport Aircraft, delivering to American pilots a large percentage of those hundreds of CT-series aircraft. Importing was previously handled by Flight Design USA; regional dealers also contributed to enlarging the CT fleet in this country. The German designer has enjoyed good success in numerous countries.
In addition to those many sales, Flight Design has long been a leader among western producers moving into Eastern Europe to take advantage of skilled technical workers and engineers.
Flight Design Introduces CTLS GT with Rotax 914 Turbo Power
Recently I interacted with a reader, someone considering a light aircraft for purchase. He inquired about the ability of ultralights or Light-Sport Aircraft to cope with high density altitude. He raised valid and worthy points but showed a certain lack of knowledge about the capabilities of light aircraft. (We are working on a more detailed article on this subject.)
Here’s the simple response: light aircraft with modern (read: powerful and efficient) engines tend to perform admirably well in high elevations, higher heat, and high humidity. If you fly almost any of these aircraft in high density conditions you already know they perform sprightly.
In contrast, I logged hundreds of Cessna 150 hours from my days as a flight instructor, and — with a similar amount of power as most LSA but also quite a few more pounds — that aircraft definitely does not perform as energetically.
So, a higher power-to-weight ratio is good, but do limits exist?
Virtual Press Conference — Flight Design Has a Fresh News on CT2020, F2, & More
As everyone on the planet knows by now, aviation has nary an airshow in sight. Even AirVenture Oshkosh — still planned at this writing — is hedging their bets amid the uncertainty, saying they will make additional decisions in the weeks ahead. Most of us who love (and rely on) these aviation events certainly hope OSH’20 can go on as planned. It will be wonderful to get back into a familiar routine.
Meanwhile, I have been producing more content here on ByDanJohnson.com so everyone sheltering-in-place can at least fantasy fly their favorite flying machine. I will also continue with the “Virtual Aero” or “Virtual Sun ‘n Fun” articles. In fact, next up after this one will be a post about new aircraft you would have seen in Lakeland, Florida in May …before Sun ‘n Fun regretfully* called it off until 2021.
One company, Flight Design ga, offered a “virtual press conference.” The company said, “As all airshows are postponed, we chose this way to inform you regarding the current developments at Flight Design.
Charging Back into the Lead — Flight Design ga’s F2 and F2e Light-Sport Aircraft (Gasoline or Electric)
Once upon a time in the then-new world of Light-Sport Aircraft Flight Design lead the pack for airplanes delivered and registered. That #1 ranking lasted for a decade.
Then came a pause in the juggernaut that is Flight Design, a German company with a popular design. The company’s expenses outran their revenues and a major restructuring was forced upon them by the German legal system. This was 2015 but at Aero Friedrichshafen 2019, the company was looking strong. Their prominent space in Aero’s huge gymnasium-sized exhibit halls was filled with interesting machines, including the distinctive Horten flying wing.
All these today operate under the parent name, Lift, which also acquired the Rotorvox deluxe gyroplane.
Attracting a lot of attention was their brand-new F-series. Displayed as the first aircraft visitors saw, F2 is an evolved version of the company’s successful CT-series, which remains in active manufacturing.
Twin Accomplishments for Flight Design and their CT series of Light-Sport Aircraft
As a new season of flying is upon us (even while northern pilots may still be still shoveling snow), one company continues their vigorous comeback. Flight Design announced completion of a new product and is offering a second. Based on the same CT-based airframe, the two are notably different.
CT Super Sport Injection
The German developer of the CT series is now planning to offer the CT Super Sport Injection in North America. CT Super Sport is the popular model sold in Europe with a cruising speed of 120 knots, VNE of 146 knots, useful load of more than 600 pounds (272 kilograms), and an affordable price.
“This variation will now be reintroduced to the Americas,” reported Tom Peghiny, President of Flight Design USA. “We have sold versions of the CTLS since its introduction in 2008 and wanted to bring back a lighter model primarily for the U.S.
Update: Flight Design and its Popular CTLS Light-Sport Aircraft
After more than a year, a resolution was reached for the airplane that topped the charts in the LSA space since Day One. Although Flight Design’s CT-series was eclipsed in 2016 by CubCrafters (by a very slim margin), the aircraft remains well regarded and its many adherents are no doubt breathing a sigh of relief that the “reorganization” (what Americans might call a bankruptcy) has been resolved. All good!
(Read more about this reorganization here.)
During EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017, longtime Flight Design USA representative Tom Peghiny sent news about the new owner of the brand. The crush of airshow activity let others beat us to this news, however, we will use our long history with this company to provide a more detailed report.
That Was Then
Flight Design, the German company that makes the CTLS, has been through the wringer in recent years with a series of reversals no one could have anticipated.
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