In a splendid professional presentation, Waco Aircraft unveiled their newest vintage-style aircraft. Well, that’s close to factual. In truth, Junkers Aircraft is its own company, but as it shares common ownership, it’s OK to group these two vintage designs together, partly as they are both 100% built-in-America designs.
In Battle Creek, Michigan a European businessman, Dieter Morszeck, has invested more than $30 million to create a modern airplane factory capable of producing such complex yet handsome designs as the Waco biplane. For 2023, that facility has a new occupant, Junkers Aircraft. Both are owned by Dieter and this man is serious about aviation.
Mr. Morszeck made his money in the luggage business. His brand, Rimowa, is known widely for its corrugated exterior, leaving an earlier Junkers aircraft built similarly to be dubbed the “flying suitcase.” This is a delicious bit of serendipity because now his former luggage business can be expressed in an airplane… one that draws people’s attention wherever it shows up.
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Fantasy or Fantastic? Futuristic Retro? Junkers Introduces Distinctive A50 Junior
Talk about being ahead of its time, Junkers’ A50 Junior was designed to 600 kilograms / 1,320 pounds …93 years ago!
“In 1928,” said the company, “what was to become the most successful Junkers sports aircraft left our Dessau production plant for the first time: a single-engine, two-seat, low-wing aircraft with an oval fuselage cross-section and corrugated sheet metal skin. The prototype was equipped with an 80 horsepower Armstrong-Siddeley engine.
“Astonishingly, she had a take-off weight of a mere 600 kilograms, a light aircraft from the very beginning,” said Junkers.
Why am I writing about a 93-year-old aircraft? Because, “It’s back!”
Back to the Future?
“Our Junkers A50 Junior had its maiden flight in February 1929,” recalled Junkers (say: “yun-kers”).
“In that year, 69 aircraft were manufactured, [some of] which set a number of FAI world records. Various European record flights were also carried out with the A50. Famously Marga von Etzdorf was the first woman to fly from Berlin to Tokyo in 1930 with her Junior A50.
Aero Friedrichshafen Prepares to Open — Preview as Europe’s Top Show Takes Shape
Aero is open! Yesterday, after flying across the Atlantic and despite starting to run low on energy and affected by the time zone change, a small group of us eagerly took a walk through Aero’s cavernous 12 halls to get a early peek.
As I’ve observed many times, the night before, mere hours ahead of the show opening, the exhibits look chaotic. With packing boxes and parts strewn everywhere it seems impossible vendors can be ready in time. Aside from a few well-heeled organizations — those larger businesses that can pay outsiders to set up their exhibits ahead of time — most companies were scrambling furiously to be ready by opening day… which is now today.
Yet it always works, magically perhaps. Once again, late hours turned into a show by Wednesday the 19th, opening day. The show runs through Saturday the 22d. If you’re in Europe, I hope you’re coming.
It’s Almost Here! — Sun ‘n Fun 2023 Theme “The Magic of Aviation” and “The Island”
Whoo, Hoo! It’s almost showtime! April 2023 seems destined to finally overcome all the Covid baggage as attendees sign up in droves for Sun ‘n Fun.
With a delicious 10-day spacing between them — time to rest up a bit after a vigorous week — later in April comes Aero Friedrichshafen. Get ready for plenty of reporting from these two events.
Both events have new leadership in 2023. A time for changes. Fresh ideas are emerging. What can you expect at this years airshows? With Sun ‘n Fun 2023 starting in about two weeks as this is written, let’s focus on Lakeland, Florida first.
Organizers of the 49th event announced major plans for this popular airshow that kicks off the recreational flying season. My focus is on LSA, Sport Pilot kits, and ultralights. At Sun ‘n Fun, that means Paradise City, where big things are happening. You would not be wrong if you scanned this article and saw increased interest in this part of the overall Sun ‘n Fun grounds.
How’s This for Affordable? …FREE! You Could Win One of Two Premium Special LSA!
I regularly say this website follows aircraft you can afford. Whenever I write that word, I know someone will object saying that (fill-in-the-price) is too expensive. I get that. We all have a different budget and our budget can change quickly.
How about if the aircraft was essentially free? And what if you could choose between two highly-desirable models? What if the only cost to get your “lottery” ticket was to subscribe to a popular magazine?
Gee, fellow flying fans — I’d say that sounded like the bargain of 2023. It’s the most lucrative giveaway that has been unveiled in the LSA space since it began almost 20 years ago.
Thanks, Flying!
When I was a young pilot — quite a long time ago — one of the first aviation magazines I ever read was Flying. You could buy it on any newsstand. With a 96-year history, anyone getting involved in flying ended up reading Flying magazine.
Aero 2022 Bonanza — Huge Aircraft Review from Europe’s Best Airshow
This year, 2022, saw a return to all the great airshows we have come to know and love. One of my all-time favorites and my #1 pick in Europe is Aero Friedrichshafen.
I already provided three articles — (1) turbines, (2) six innovations, and (3) Aero success — covering what I found to be highlights of Aero 2022 that I thought you would like best.
Now, thanks to encouragement from Marino Boric — a Europe-based, highly-knowledgeable professional journalist — I want to provide what longtime radio broadcaster Paul Harvey used to call “…the rest of the story.”
What follows is Marino’s few-paragraphs-each review of no less than 21 airplanes, 4 electric projects, and 6 combustion engines. You will not find this depth of reporting anywhere else in the USA.
Folks, this article is much longer than our usual articles (by 6X).
Aero Friedrichshafen 2022: Europe’s Aviation Hibernation Ended with a “Great Success!”
Our concluding report from Europe’s most interesting airshow (certainly for those interested in affordable aviation) speaks to the challenges for big event organizers in the restrictive atmosphere of Covid mandates.
As recently as seven weeks before the show was to open (about as close to the show as I dared to wait to make airline and hotel reservations), Aero Friedrichshafen 2022 was not allowed to open. Yes, literally with only a few weeks to go, Roland Bosch and his team did not even know if the event would be permitted. Their anxiety level must have been off the charts.
U.S. shows, such as Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture, missed only the 2020 events for each. That was bad enough. One week of Sun ‘n Fun provides a large share of the organization’s total annual budget. Missing one show was very expensive. Missing two in a row had the potential to drown the enterprise in expenses.
Modern Horten Wing Aircraft Excitement as Aero 2019 Approaches
Something old. Something new. Hang glider pilots I know are very familiar with Horten designs, a form of validation for modern hang gliders …flying wings, aircraft with no tail or fuselage structures. Yet many pilots don’t know Horton and have only a sketchy understand of flying wing stability.
World War II History
As the second great war progressed, Germany sought more advantage as fanatical government leaders pursued their ambitions. The war was dragging on and they needed better war equipment.
In 1943, Reichsmarschall Göring issued a request for design proposals to produce a bomber that was capable of carrying a 1,000 kilogram (2,200 pound) load over 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) at 1,000 kilometers per hour (620 mph) — the so-called “3×1000 project.” Conventional German bombers could reach Allied command centers in Great Britain, but were suffering devastating losses from Allied fighters.
At the time, no aircraft could meet these goals. Junkers turbojet engines could provide the required speed but had excessive fuel consumption.
Zenith’s CH 701 Kit is Sport Pilot-Ready
Every Light Sport & Ultralight Flying magazine reader has probably heard of off-road vehicles. How about an “off-airport” flying machine? You may not have used the term but you probably know one of the candidates: Zenith Aircraft’s highly functional CH 701.
No one calls the CH 701 the most handsome aircraft in the fleet. That title may be better reserved for sleek carbon fiber jobs. But as a practical aircraft appealing to ultralight enthusiasts, the Chris Heintz design with a 20-year history is head of its class. While the design has not changed much in those two decades, the kit has changed quite a bit to make the builder’s effort easier.
The designs of engineer Chris Heintz have been around a long time, beginning with his early Zipper ultralight-like aircraft. A prolific and versatile creator, his aircraft models have put nearly 3,000 builders in the air. The low-wing CH 601 series is the most popular at better than 60% of all Zenith models followed by more than 700 CH 701’s now flying around the world.
Catching Up With The Legend
American Legend, makers of the popular fun flivver Legend Cub SLSA and Texas Sport kit version, aren’t letting any bad-economy moss grow under their Cub-yellow tennies. *** First, the top-selling American LSA maker received ASTM certification and has completed versions available as we speak for its Amphibious Float Cub. *** The web-footed little bear is based on a lightweight version of the Cub. Baumann Floats makes the water gear. *** A couple of FloatCub’s advantages over other Cubs and seaplanes are the both-side doors for ease of docking, and an electric starter – no more shaky dockside hand-propping ops! *** Cost complete is $159,000. *** Next, Legend’s “Cash For Junkers” rebate program is still going strong. The company kicks back $4,500 after purchase of a new Cub or kit. To get the rebate, just trade-in your old moth-eaten bird, flying or not.