Brian has been a dependable contact at the company for nine years. His talents will readily transfer elsewhere but his departure signals more than his own situation. He continued, "I would like to share a note that Jason Huang, the current but outbound president, wrote to some of our owners recently."
"
Jason elaborated, "On a personal note, I will be stepping down as president of Icon Aircraft. Our incoming president, Lily Hu, brings over 17 years of executive leadership experience and a proven track record of success. She will be supported by our exceptional leadership team, including Jason Courtney, Vice President of Production, and Noah Collins, Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Service."
Icon has been significantly owned by Chinese investors for several years but operations remained in North America with facilities in California and Mexico.
A move to China may come with benefits such as robotic and other advanced hardware. China has developed immensely in this regard but Icon's timing may bring political challenges.
If China becomes the main manufacturing site for Icon with U.S. operations handling marketing, deliveries, maintenance and other customer services, the company may run into new tariffs proposed by incoming U.S. president Donald Trump. This could significantly increase the cost of an A5 LSA seaplane. Already one of the costliest LSA in the fleet, this wouldn't help. And in mid-2025, here comes a new wave of competition: Mosaic LSA with higher capabilities. New president Lily Hu may be busy in the years ahead.
After proceedings were initiated with the responsible district court in Meiningen, Germany on Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024, the court appointed lawyer Marcello Di Stefano as provisional insolvency administrator.
According to an initial assessment, Di Stefano wrote, "After Flight Design general aviation GmbH filed for insolvency… [we see] good restructuring opportunities for one of the world market leaders in the construction of light aircraft." He added, "The company's order situation is good and the products have a very good reputation on the international market, and the outstanding debts are manageable."
Icon Informs Customers Longtime Icon PR guy Brian Manning wrote recently. He informed me he would leaving Icon at the end of this year, adding, “I’ve experienced all the ups and downs of a startup aircraft company over the years, and I’m very proud of the accomplishments along the way. I’m still yet to meet anybody who’s been up in the A5 who came away disappointed in the experience. It’s an incredible airplane that’s been a passion project for so many talented people over the years.” Brian has been a dependable contact at the company for nine years. His talents will readily transfer elsewhere but his departure signals more than his own situation. He continued, “I would like to share a note that Jason Huang, the current but outbound president, wrote to some of our owners recently.” “Icon Aircraft will be transitioning a portion of its manufacturing to a new, state-of-the-art facility in China,” wrote Jason Huang.
Short take
Finally, we will learn the answers to many questions.
Of course, all this is expected as Trump takes office next month. With his push to eliminate 10 regulations for every new one, federal rule makers may exercise added caution so as not to get in trouble with the new boss — and I don't mean yet another new FAA administrator… I mean POTUS.
The following chart was assembled by longtime industry leader Paul Hamilton, proprietor of the 
You can build it or they can build it. A kit is available faster for obvious reasons. Fully factory-built models have a lengthy waiting list attesting to the loyalty the company has built over the decades. Presently, fully-assembled models are limited to LSA weights (1,320 pounds on wheels) but the airframe is already capable of 1,800 pounds. As soon as the flag drops on Mosaic, expect the manufacturer to make this available at the higher weight, again as Michele tells us in the interview.
I recommend you go right to the video. If you want even more detail, a second video goes into more depth about S-21 Outbound shortly after it was released. Below are a few additional observations…
A nosewheel Outbound is welcome because generations of pilots have received their instruction in a tricycle airplane and that's all most have ever flown. Many pilots have heard stories about ground loops causing damage and hurting pride so most stick to the familiar and more-forgiving tricycle undercarriage. Lighter aircraft are less challenging to handle on conventional (tailwheel) gear but for many, it's simply too big a leap. So, at Sun ‘n Fun 2019, the company brought Outbound in tricycle gear. Despite what many might have expected, the configuration looks good and was warmly received.
The nose wheel doesn’t affect handling or performance; “it flies the same as the tail dragger,” said Randy Schlitter when introducing the new configuration.
Outbound can be powered by a 100 horsepower Rotax 912 that works brilliantly. Or, buyers can choose Continental's Titan X340 with 180 horsepower. Randy reports climb with the bigger engine is impressive (850 to 1,500 fpm) but fuel usage rises noticeably (from 5.5 to 7 gph). Takeoff is also fast with the big engine: just over 300 feet to leave the runway and just under 400 to land …in skilled hands, of course. However, interestingly the company quoted essentially the same launch and landing values for the Rotax 912, which is considerably lighter. A few of Titan's horses must be employed to lift its extra weight.
With the tricycle gear, you can have robust but smaller tires or you can opt for the tricycle version of bush gear. Doing so gives greater prop clearance as the video below identifies. Nearly all buyers are choosing the tundra option, Michele said. Outbound kits can go either way, taildragger or tri-gear. As Michele informs us, the main gear leg is the same on both aircraft. Company officials indicated it takes about four hours to swap out the hardware but the airframe is built to accommodate either configuration.
When shopping for a light aircraft, it's hard to beat a homegrown American company. Have it your way and go enjoy one of the best flying (and most popular) aircraft in the LSA fleet.
Created by widely-known European designer Marek Ivanov beginning with 3D images at the beginning of 2021, Dingo rapidly took form and was put through test flights by Jan Jilek. The new creation entered production only two years later, in summer of 2023. Marek has lead development of several aircraft that show his great range. About Dingo he said, "My long-time dream was to build something like Hovey Whing Ding because I like it, but a little bigger so I can fly it." It's here in America now.
"No Americans had seen Dingo before," said Rick Bennett, one of two partners in the U.S. import business. "They flipped out over the design. We experienced strong attention."
Knowing they were launching a new design in the giant U.S, market, 
Those who want to hold the cost to the minimum — "$25-27,000 is a reasonable estimate for most buyers," Rick estimated) — should plan on 300 hours of build time. However, no special jigs are needed as match-hole assembly assures accurate joining of components. Such sophisticated kits are now common in larger kit aircraft but not on a flying machine selling for such a modest price.
Bluff can legally deliver a fully-built aircraft because Dingo easily fits the parameters of Part 103 ultralights. As you see in the factory specs below, Future Vehicles can deliver an aircraft weighing only 210 pounds, a rather amazing 44 pounds under Part 103's limits. Americans fitting Dingo with a more powerful engine and high quality paint will weigh more but Rick and David both emphasized that it is easily possible to stay within Part 103 meaning no pilot medical is required nor are N-numbers.
The engine Rick and David like best is the Thor 260 Polini producing 36 horsepower. This much juice means spirited performance for Dingo even with the largest pilot the design can accommodate at 240 pounds. Since the seat is bolted to the aircraft, ballast is needed for the heaviest pilots, with the weight placed aft. If you are as light as David (160 pounds), you'll need ballast up front instead. Rick weighs 180 pounds; he made no mention of ballast. Polini is a popular choice for the lightest aircraft and boasts dual starting — hand-pull or electric — plus a centrifugal clutch yields an easier and smoother start.
Rick and David use a two-place Quicksilver for intro flights as a way to assure pilots can handle the very light Dingo. Rick indicated that even though Dingo offers responsive handling, he believes it is more stable than a Quicksilver. Since Quicks are widely known for docile performance, that is a substantial claim.
American pilots used to a huge variety of aircraft choices additionally asked about features such as brakes, floats, folding wings, and tricycle gear. Future Vehicles is evaluating all these options, however, that 254-pound Part 103 empty weight will limit how much a buyer can add.
A legal Part 103 ultralight for the mid-$20,000s has the potential to generate plenty of interest.
Sure, if you need to travel or carry a bunch of gear, or if you must be enclosed for comfort, you'll need to look beyond Dingo. However, for weekend fun or simply a 45-minute flight at the end of your workday, this sweet, affordable flying machine might be just the ticket.
From our friends at Kitplanes magazine (part of Firecrown, as is ByDanJohnson.com), here's much of what you want to know about Dingo in only 90 seconds.
https://youtu.be/vCE7n1wz3_M?si=SsgKIPbUOW6CEDSw
Since we are about to enter the holiday season, here's a fun Christmas video from Future Vehicles showing Santa going aloft using something more realistic than a flock of flying reindeer.
https://youtu.be/fv1k_QLjwpg?si=qKj8wjc_LUGWsND1
For many years I've written about this sector and names like Searey, Seamax, and Aventura (all in nearby image) have long been the leading brands. Now the first two are in financial trouble and the last has decamped to Brazil from Florida. Whatever is going on, Vickers Wave may represent a breath of fresh air.
In articles last fall and this spring, I gave overviews of the entire LSA seaplane market (
"A frequently asked question I receive is, 'What is taking so long?'," begins Paul Vickers. "Given the scale and complexity of a project like this, it’s worth explaining some of the key challenges we’ve faced and the strategies we’ve employed to address them."
"The process of developing an aircraft like the Wave has spanned nearly 15 years (2009) — approximately one-third of my life," Paul continued. "The path to this stage has been characterized by sustained focus and incremental progress."
Recalling his early days, Paul wrote, "For the first three to four years, I was the only person dedicated full-time to the Wave, working six to seven days a week." He was focused on ensuring the structural and aerodynamic integrity of the aircraft. Flight testing (
New Zealand’s strict regulatory environment presented an additional set of challenges. The down-under country's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), similar to the FAA, requires LSA manufacturers to meet General Aviation manufacturing standards. "Consequently," Paul continued, "our company must adhere to rigorous standards and navigate various certification obstacles, including following stringent test pilot requirements."
"Our approach from the beginning has been to construct the prototype with production tooling, molds, and processes," clarified Paul. "This approach aims to reduce variability in future production stages, though it requires significant up-front investment in research and development, creating production-ready tooling, and composite-structure molds. Many manufacturers prioritize design at the expense of manufacturability, but we have chosen to focus on both, with an emphasis on building production efficiencies from the outset."
Composite materials, particularly carbon fiber, pose additional complexity due to their variability. Unlike aluminium, for which structural properties and specifications are standardized and readily available, carbon fiber varies depending on the manufacturer. Each type of carbon fabric has unique characteristics based on the material’s weave, the machinery used in its production, and the proprietary resins applied by the supplier. When we receive the carbon fiber, further factors — such as the composition of the mold, oven types and curing cycles, and vacuum application techniques — affect the final product’s structural properties.
Each composite assembly undergoes rigorous testing. "We produce hundreds of test samples (coupons) in various weights and configurations, which are sent to certified labs," began Paul. "These samples are then tested across a range of environmental conditions, including standard daily temperatures, elevated temperatures, hot and wet conditions, and extreme cold. This testing yields 'material allowables' which guide the design and size of components to ensure compliance with our structural requirements. We repeat these tests with various adhesives to validate bonding integrity under similar environmental stresses."
"This technical and regulatory rigor provides a snapshot of what’s involved in bringing a greenfield aircraft design to life," Paul continued. "In addition to fundamental requirements, we have introduced unique features, such as automatic wing-folding, anti-flip landing gear, and water thrusters. Integrating these innovations on an amphibious aircraft, while staying within the weight constraints of the LSA category (
When may first deliveries happen?
"We have developed new manufacturing techniques that lower cost, increase strength, and save weight, all helping us achieve the incredible useful load."
But what if a longtime producer of Light-Sport Aircraft entered the space? What if the aircraft looked like a helicopter but one you could fly without the steep learning curve? What if it offered 45 minutes of flight with a 15-minute reserve?
The earliest entries had short flight times, 15-20 minutes. Most of them cost too much. For example, Opener's Blackfly (now called Helix) was first promoted at the cost of a "luxury SUV," perhaps meaning $80,000 at the time. It has since more than doubled in price.
Look at the nearby renderings. A prototype is flying now in tethered radio-controlled flight. Two more development aircraft will follow in preparation for the coming Mosaic regulation. Galen said they expect to fit in as a helicopter or powered-lift aircraft; both categories are included in the proposed new rule.
Going this regulatory route means Velocitor does not have to meet Part 103's restrictive rules. This allows a strong fuselage with enough battery energy to give you a reasonable flight time. It also means the aircraft can be recharged with a single plug. Batteries don't have to be swapped out as on other entries.
Eight motors on four booms offers safety redundancy; other models use up to 18 motors with a battery for each.
Velocitor's empty weight is about 500 pounds but it has four times more battery energy than other entries.
With headquarters in Eisenach, Germany, the company's primary production facility is now located in Sumperk, Czech Republic. For years, the Western European producer has been building aircraft in Kherson, Ukraine. Given daily news coverage, every American knows by now Ukraine has been in defense mode following the Russian invasion almost three years ago. After the situation became completely unworkable — Kherson was an early area to be bombed, then occupied by Russian troops — the company quietly removed tooling, inventory, raw materials, and even some workers to less hazardous facilities in the nearby Czech Republic.
"We have recently moved production of the CT-series — including CTLSi and CT Super (nearby image), which continue to be popular worldwide — to our new partners in Kazakhstan. This allows us to focus more on the F2 at Sumperk,” said Daniel.
If you can't recall where Kazakhstan is, don't fret. Such remote fabrication has been used by Boeing and Airbus for many years. The parent company in Germany is permitted to sublet work to off-site facilities so long as they maintain control of the design and conduct regular oversight of production and quality control. After many years of doing exactly that in Ukraine, Flight Design is well equipped to pursue building its CT-series in Kazakhstan, Central Asia.
Based in the Czech Republic, Atec is lead by Petr Volejník, company owner, general and production manager, designer, and test pilot.
"Our special, maneuverable, and quite fast Atec 212 Solo is a non-certified, experimental single-seater airplane designed for experienced sports pilots," the factory states. "This small and enjoyable aircraft is a rarity of its category," they added, one the manufacturer claims can "bring an adrenaline satisfaction" to those excited by its performance.
"This one can hit 140 knots," said Todd, though he described a few minor changes to keep it in the current LSA speed limit of 120 knots. With these changes it can be flown by a Sport Pilot using a drivers license in lieu of an aviation medical.
The panel can be equipped with a complete set of standard flight and engine monitoring instruments including modern flat screen avionics. Solo 212's upholstered pilot seat is supported by ergonomically-shaped PU foam.
Solo's elevator is controlled by pushrods and can be electrically trimmed. The rudder is controlled by stainless steel wire cable.
The major airshows have changed, too. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh was formally just "Oshkosh," unless you live in Oshkosh, in which case it's merely "EAA." In Lakeland, Florida, Sun 'n Fun Aerospace Expo is widely known simply as "Sun 'n Fun." Few pilots will use the longer title.
Nonetheless, "I counted 32 exhibitors that arrived for the show," said airport manager Chris Collins. He also noted a few other statistics. "Just over 600 aircraft operations were conducted (see FlightAware graph) — a new record!"
In other comparisons, Chris noted, "We sold 733 gallons of mo-gas — up 67% from 440 gallons in 2023, another new record!" He also identified that 118 transient visitors arrived in their own aircraft. That number does not include airplanes in exhibits.
MAX partner, Jana Filip excitedly noted, "We had great weather, all three days! Zero rain. Aircraft were flying all day long, every day!" That is indeed the magic for attendees looking to check out an aircraft they hope to purchase.
"It was a most exciting year for Midwest Aviation Expo," continue Jana. "With a name change, formerly Midwest LSA Expo, now Midwest Aviation Expo — hence 'MAX' — the operation functioned seamlessly."
Since I've long stressed the value of demo flying, let's make a comparison. At Sun 'n Fun, LSA and Sport Pilot kit aircraft suppliers can fly from the Paradise City turf runway with great ease. They do exactly that, with many demo flights taken. One downside is that so many are operating from that runway that it can become congested and pilots must watch a wide variety of traffic very closely.
At AirVenture, the Fun Fly Zone airstrip is also busy but even less accommodating of demo flights partly due to an awkward approach to landing. EAA has longer-term plans to completely alter this. While that will be most welcome, it will take time and then every vendor starts again to pick the right location for their display.
Conversely, MAX offers the #1 easiest place to demo fly that I have ever seen. During the event, the airport "belongs" to the light aircraft crowd. The runways are wide and long. Congestion is never a problem. If you plan well, you could take several demo flights — most vendors have a schedule and you should get on them if you want to get the most out of your visit.
MAX "concentrates, encourages, and rewards for demonstrations flights during the three-day sport aviation event," observed Jana. "Our new motto is, 'Fly it! Buy it!'. And they did…"
"To encourage the promotion of demonstration flights," Jana continued, "the Midwest Aviation Expo hosts daily Dance Cards for the Daily Demo Derby." Event organizers started encouraging exhibitors to book their demo flights during AirVenture as MAX follows only five weeks later. Clearly, they followed the advice and filled their slots for 2024.
Does the Daily Demo Derby work? With that kind of airport encouragement, you bet it does. Vendors compete vigorously. It's a triple win: customers get aloft in aircraft of interest; vendors qualify more potential customers and get to show off their flying machines; the airport gets lots of activity (graph).
That leads to the final magic. Organizers reported 16 sales were made over three days and my regular surveying of aircraft sales at events suggests at least an equal number could follow in a few months afterward.
By any measure MAX has become a solid success. The aircraft sales put wide smiles on the faces of pilots and that's a value that's hard to beat.
Finally, in a way to show the maturity of MAX, they already have a lead sponsor for the 2025 event. The team from RT Aviation will take that honor. It was provided for this year's event by Daniela and Jeremy Knoll (nearby image) in their new enterprise of Rotax Service Center, 
The French entry cannot qualify as a Part 103 but I find it surprising this super lightweight machine is a two seater and can be electric-powered. It is not available in the USA at this time but the brand once had a strong American presence. I owned one of their light trikes myself a couple decades back. Here's a 
"North Wing has completed many months of design refinement and flight tests," the company stated recently. "We are thrilled to get the new SkyMax trike into production. Very light weight, very portable, and very affordable." SkyMax breaks down in four minutes (once you become familiar with the steps) and the whole thing packs into a bag. Try that with your composite LSA.
"This very light trike uses a unique combination of components that keep the SkyMax strong and durable," said North Wing, "yet SkyMax is very light weight, which makes for great soaring performance. You can easily attach this trike to your hang glider, and the trike and engine quickly folds down to a very convenient size that is very portable and easy to transport."
SkyMax is built with aircraft aluminum construction and aircraft hardware. Rear landing gear is pultruded fiberglass and steel. The mast (on which the wing is mounted) and forward limit tube are airfoil-shaped aluminum. Main gear tires are 10 inches allowing touchdown on unimproved areas, and the front tire uses a friction brake.
"After take-off and safe climb, the rear landing gear can be retracted by stepping on the left-pedal to release a gear-lock and then pulling the retract cord to raise the gear and reduce your drag profile for better performance. This is easily seen in a video found using the link below.
SkyMax has a 1.5 gallon fuel tank, powering your flight for 1.5 to 2 hours. With engines ranging from 22 to 27 horsepower, fuel usage is miserly. Fortunately the cost to purchase is also very reasonable.
A SkyMax Nanolight Soaring Trike starts at $10,990, complete though you can add accessories or different engine choices. Even then it qualifies as a significant bargain. A $5,000 deposit secures your order, with the balance due before shipping. Buyers can upgrade to an EOS RV4 150-cubic centimeter, 25.7-horsepower engine for an additional $350. Add a fiberglass nose cone with fabric fairing for an additional $550. You're still under $12,000 before shipping and in this day and age, that's a value purchase.
Explore this affordable aircraft further on North Wing's 
"However, there are several compromises that demand the clarification for the users to make the best choice," they offered. "There are two distinct sources of electrical technology: one that is supplied by battery and the other by an alternative source. Although, thanks to the fuel cells, the second one is on the rise, today it remains experimental due to complications related to hydrogen supply."
"At La Mouette, we’ve decided to wait for the hydrogen supply chain to mature before offering this technology to interested parties. In the meantime, due to proven battery technology, there are different solutions guided by the right balance of autonomy, weight, cost, and power."
"To date, we can offer five different motors with power output of 12, 16, 20, 32, and
50 kilowatts." (For reference, 1 kilowatt = 1.34 horsepower.) "For the same takeoff weight, every one of these engines will consume approximately the same amount of energy. Thus, a 12 kilowatt engine propelling a 190 kilogram (419 pound) Samson will consume as much energy as a 32 kilowatt engine propelling the same weight Samson. On the other hand if the pilot suddenly needs more energy, the 12 kilowatt engine would be limited to that 16 horsepower, whereas a 32 kilowatt motor (43 horsepower) could provide more thrust though it will consume more stored energy."
"The Lithium-Ion batteries that we currently use to power the motors come in 15.5 kilogram (34 pound) packs," La Mouette explained. "A Samson trike mounted on a 12-square-meter (128 square foot) flex wing can fly about two minutes per kilogram of battery on a single-seater and one minute per kilogram of battery weight when flown as a two-seater. A battery pack will therefore be able to fly a Samson weighing 419 pounds for 30 minutes while cruising, or 15 minutes at 595 pounds engine flying at full speed. For more powerful engines it is necessary to put more batteries to exploit the motor's full power, although this is offset by having to carry the greater battery weight.
With a 12 kilowatt engine, for single-seater flight only, La Mouette cautions, a single high-discharge battery will be sufficient but it will only get you to the first thermal (enough for a soaring pilot who would shut it down). The company also clarified that a high-density battery operates differently than a high-discharge battery.
A 20 kilowatt motor for an occasional tandem flight needs a minimum of three high-discharge batteries or four high-density batteries.
Fifteen years ago, I wrote about company founder Gerard Thevenot building the 
Fortunately, if electric propulsion isn't your goal, the French manufacturer offers a wide range of conventional gasoline engines including: Cosmos 300, Thor 303, Thor 202, Thor 130, Thor 80, Black Bull, Black Devil, Tornado 280, Aero1000, HPD 12, HPD 16, HPD 20, HPD 32. In case those choices are still not enough, the company added, "It is possible to adapt other motors on demand."
I am not reporting price for the Samson as no U.S. supplier is specified yet. If interested, contact the company using 
"We believe many reasons explain why backcountry flying has become very popular in North America," Trey elaborated. "One of the primary reasons is simply an opportunity to become a more experienced pilot. Many have also discovered the crowd-drawing STOL competitions across the country."
“We are excited to bring this extraordinary aircraft to the market here in North America. Sirius Backcountry is a result of 30 years of design excellence from TL engineers and we believe we have created a multi-functional, Mosaic-ready aircraft,” said Trey Murdaugh.
TL North America is the North American distributor of Sting, Sirius, Stream, and Sparker, offering sales and service in United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The Sirius Backcountry and Backcountry SE, along with the entire 
Instead, I refer to people who want to fly but may have challenges many of us don't face. If you had a passion for flight but you had lost the use of your legs, must you just give up?
Not if Charles Stites and Able Flight have anything to do with it. Of course, personal determination is also required.
SIU students trained in two 
Charles noted, "The handles in the center console operate the rudder and the others are for differential braking."
Today, regretfully, the Seamax company is going through some very difficult circumstances as noted in this 
Seamax (
While Seamax design Miguel Rosario admits the business part of aircraft building is not his forte, this prolific designer is one of those types who can't sit still while the bean counters sort out Seamax, Inc.
"I am still working in airplane design (and race cars)," Miguel recently wrote via email. "I just developed a new amphibian that should have a low cost."
"I want to share with you the Duck, a design specially made for a Brazilian company called Fly Fox, located in Goiania, Brazil." Miguel cautioned, "So far, the info I am sharing with you… is for your personal information." He promised to supply more details; when I hear more I'll pass it along.
Fly Fox is the manufacturer of the Fox ultralight family consisting of V4, V5, and V6 (nearby images). Miguel noted that for the last 20 years, Fly Fox has been successfully manufacturing kit-built ultralights. "In manufacturing quality and flight characteristics, these are very good aircraft," Miguel expressed.
He continued, "What I made is a 'reassembled' Fox V5, using same wings and tail, repositioning
the boom on top, installing the engine in tractor position, and adding a small composite boat hull."
"The flight test program is finished," Miguel declared, "and Fly Fox is now preparing for production."
"[In the last] year, we developed manufacturing templates, where all parts, without exception, are drilled in the same pattern. We made improvements to the aircraft, such as tanks on the wings, laminar landing gear, Celeron pulleys, lighter fairings due to improved resin quality and several other improvements. During this time, parts were manufactured for the kits, today designed in Solid Works, finished with CNC and water cutting. All tubes are made of 6061-T6 aluminum, manufactured under strict quality control."
"Fox V5 Super Neo is an ultralight built side by side for the pilot who wants the "open cockpit feel." [With] the strength and safety of the Fox line, and with its docile controls, low stall speed and configuration of an aircraft with unsurpassed flight quality, V5 Super Neo will certainly be the choice for the adventurous aviator."
Sure, Sun 'n Fun, Aero Friedrichshafen, and AirVenture Oshkosh are far larger… and that's the problem. Size does matter but not always the way you think.
At these wonderfully huge events, you have so much to see and so many people to talk to that you cannot get to everyone. When you do end up in the front of a waiting line to talk to a vendor, you may have be quick as many others are waiting and the vendor wants to serve all the customers he or she can. The sheer size of these events also means literally miles of walking on some days. I don't even want to mention the lines of plastic portapottys baking in the sun. Whew!
Instead, come relax in Mt. Vernon (KMVN), now the longest-running light aviation-focused event in the country. Yep, this is their 16th year, making it the grandaddy of such events.
Comfortably after Oshkosh, on September 5-6-7, 2024, Midwest Aviation Expo is a calm and thoroughly enjoyable gathering. They've selected this date carefully and weather has usually been excellent. The area around the airport is wide open, very accommodating of demo flights.
"Several Sponsorships and Partnerships are in place and some 9-10 new Exhibitors are registered," said lead organizer Jana Filip. Vendors commonly return year after year; see articles below. "Chris Collins will be going to Oshkosh to promote the event."
Rebadged for 2024, 
I know, I know… if you are a vendor, you're so busy about now that stopping work to tell your story is often not a priority. I get it.
Yet in a mere five minutes of downtime, you could inform us generally of what you are preparing so we can try to check out your project at the big Wisconsin show.
Short story:
"Buy an aircraft manufacturer with a certified product and also selling in the Light-Sport Aircraft class for, what? …£100 million? Try again and aim low: just over £12m ($15.3 million)," wrote Flyer staff.
The UK magazine reported that was the winning bid for the assets of Icon but continue reading.
"£134m ($170m) worth of debt was written off during the bankruptcy case for Icon Aircraft when it came before Judge Craig Goldblatt in Delaware last week," wrote Flyer.
Earlier, a Chinese buyer was going to absorb the prior debt while paying slightly less for the company. The supposed Chinese buyer never explained how they would earn such a large amount to cover that debt service.
"The 
Dürkopp Adler Group describes itself as "a global innovation and technology leader in the field of industrial sewing. We develop, produce and sell high-quality sewing machines and equipment."
ByDanJohnson.com readers will 
Flyer reported the opposition
“They alleged that the majority shareholder, Shanghai Pudong Science and Technology Investment Co. Ltd., which has been the controlling equity holder of Icon since 2017, seized control of the management, operated the company as its own property, and systematically dismantled it to expropriate Icon’s intellectual property to China.
"In other words," Flyer summarized, "Icon has been bought for a song from its main shareholder, writing off its debts in the process and ending up with the intellectual property of the aircraft producer. The Delaware court is due to approve – or not – the deal this week."
Law360 (paywall)
Dunnellon is in Marion County, not Ocala but the close proximity helps both. Under airport manager (and pilot) Mike Grawe's leadership through the last six years, X35 has become a thriving facility with energetic new businesses sprouting up.
What may be most important is the presence of new, younger businessmen entering affordable aviation. People like me with decades of experience fill a useful role but we're like disappearing airline captains. We'll be moving on and entry-level aviation needs fresh blood. X35 put out the welcome mat… and it's working.
Randy has taken over an existing operation, is preserving the originator's names 
These two new businesses join the veterans at X35 adding to the success Mike Grawe has been building.
Central-northwestern Florida and its fancy equestrian ranches exist alongside a vibrant 
OK, let's come back to Earth… or water perhaps …or either. Aero Adventure continues to fly as it has for three decades (though management has changed at least three times over the period). For a tiny fraction of $13.5 million, much less $170 million, Aero Adventure has built a line of aircraft, including kit versions and an SLSA version. They've also offered the 
The U.S. operation of Aero Affinity ranges widely through the light aircraft space and has entered somewhat larger aviation, no doubt a good direction to be going as we contemplate Mosaic LSA that require new expertise for equipment like retractable gear, adjustable props, alternate propulsion systems, and more. Last year Alex took factory training by 
As to affordability
To hold prices from soaring even higher, this move by Aero Adventure makes economic sense. I'd bet they can also add new sales from South America.
Regardless of price questions, Aero Adventure appears to be one of the steadiest producers in the LSA seaplane sector along with Scoda Aeronautica and their 
How much investment has this California company attracted? Numbers I've been quoted vary enormously but all estimates run into many millions of dollars. If these guesses are even close to accurate, Icon has generated more investment funding than nearly any LSA producer. Only one outstrips them. That was a reported $200 million sale of Pipistrel to Textron, owner of Cessna and other aviation brands. I hope the aerospace conglomerate got all they hoped for because that is a super-premium valuation for any LSA company, even one as tech-savvy as Pipistrel.
Icon has performed reasonably well in recent years (
Yicai reported on May 22, 2024 that "shares of stock in Shang Gong Group soared to the exchange-imposed limit after the Chinese sewing machine maker and logistics service provider said that it will invest $13.5 million to buy insolvent US light airplane maker Icon Aircraft and take on its debt."
Yicai reported, "Shang Gong set up a subsidiary in the US as a stalking horse bidder to negotiate an asset purchase agreement with Icon Aircraft." The Shanghai-based stock company said that funds would be used "to acquire selected assets from the Vacaville, California-based company and its three affiliated firms." The "affiliated" firms were not identified and the news source did not respond to an email inquiry.
"As the assets will be sold by auction, Shang Gong will bid against any other competitors and the actual transaction cost may be higher than the current offer price," Yicai continued.
This picture gets more convoluted.
"Icon Aircraft, whose main production base is in Mexico and which employs 313 people, is owned by a shareholder of Shang Gong called Shanghai Puke Feiren," Yicai reported. The shareholder is an investment company with a diverse portfolio.
In our exchange, Tai and I agreed that the idea of eVTOLs may be technically achievable now, at least to some range of operation, but public acceptance of this aircraft development may still take years.
Meanwhile… Icon and its sleek A5 will continue in operation, the company has assured. Other sources I consulted were dubious about the $13.5 million investment being enough to rescue Icon, given the weight of servicing all prior investments. Only in time will we know for sure.
Americans who own an A5 aircraft are in no jeopardy, Icon assures. Sales and service will continue.
James came to aviation from the computer business, where the pace isn't fast — it's furious! Over the years Dave and I covered James and his output, we'd make a new video at every airshow, it seemed, as he had moved on from the last design to the next. That's what they do in the world of computers but it made pilots' heads spin.
It also probably slowed sales because, as with computers, why buy this airplane when the next one will be even better?
James founded Belite and began with ideas about carbon fiber tube airframes. It was a marvelous, modern, even exotic idea but it was quite unorthodox for most builders. Plus, in those days, carbon fiber was expensive and a Part 103 aircraft needed to be affordable.
James went on to variations on the theme changing so frequently that he produced few or none of the development models. While he may not have sold large numbers, his fast progress kept the curiosity of pilots sky high. He regularly drew crowds at events.
A caffein-stimulated fury of designs finally seemed to settle down when 
The pair is at an early stage of the development in this project. SkyKicker's website is in process. However, given a design that has already proven itself, and adding the high level of energy Nick and Charlotte are bringing to the task, I doubt it will be long before Chipper becomes a product on the market.
Until their business is fully established, you can contact them by 
The episode discussed how an Alaska pilot had repaired his aircraft after a bear attacked it and clawed the fabric covering in several places (see simulated bear claw). The pilot made repairs with — you guessed it! — duct tape, and flew home successfully.
To test this pilot's claim in their characteristic manner, the Myth Busters team got one of James' airplanes and covered every cloth surface using duct tape (genuine image, not Photoshopped). James successfully flew it for them, though "not very long and not very high."
The show generated so much interest that Belite's website crashed for a few hours.
