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Let's be fair: Electric airplanes are relatively new and they will only get better. It is not reasonable to expect them to perform equally with fossil-fuel-powered aircraft that have been developed over many decades and with billions of dollars invested to help them achieve the high state-of-the-art they possess today.
Yet what this observes once again is that batteries are the weak link in the electric propulsion chain. Energy contained in batteries is a small fraction of that contained in a similar volume or weight of gasoline. That gap is narrowing but the pace seems glacial compared to forecasts of electric enthusiasts. Battery improvements of a few percentage points per year means decades before batteries match fossil fuel in energy per pound.
Give batteries some magical breakthrough to equal fossil fuel energy and the betting will end. Electric propulsion will push out fossil engines quickly — but that day is not here now. It may be years in the future.
How long will the aircraft fly at cruise/cross-country? — Answer: "45 minutes at 18kW (reduced power) and 75 knots indicated airspeed"
How long does it typically take to charge the batteries with different chargers? — Answer: "Six hours with a 3kW charger; an hour forty with 10 kW charger; an hour and five minutes with a 14 kW; or 45 minutes with the 20 kW charger."
How heavy are the batteries and can I swap them myself? — Answer: "Each battery pack is 53 kg (117 pounds). Yes, you can remove the pack with no extra help."
What is the luggage capacity the aircraft? Answer: "There is no luggage compartment. Convenience luggage can be stored in the side pockets on the instrument panel."
Does Alpha have the tiny little motor that could? Article updated 6/22/21 —DJ That sounds like an old childhood story (“The Little Engine that Could…”) but here we are in the new millennia with electric cars, huge wind farms, vast solar collector projects, biofuels, and more. Subsidies are pouring in to electric projects around the globe. Hundreds of developers building “urban air transport” multicopters are raising millions of dollars. Will human-flown conventional aircraft join the electric parade? One company has pursued the electric dream further than most. This story is about a group in Australia that aimed to set a new world record, one of a rather different sort. In this case the team plans a “record attempt flying a Pipistrel Alpha Electro plane,” Australia and USA Pipistrel dealer Michael Coates wrote. “[The flight] will start at Parafield Airport at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday June 19, 2021.” Total distance, Michael added, will be 1,150 kilometers, which “will shatter the previous record of 750 kilometers flown in September 2020 in Germany.” This project hopes to break the previous distance by more than 50 percent.
A little over a year ago, the engine builder from Gunskirchen, Austria celebrated their 100th anniversary. 
Once we descended below 300 feet, that gusty air made final approach feel like a roller coaster ride. Woo-hoo!
I decided to keep my speed up and leave the flaps retracted to facilitate an abort if it proved too rough. I was prepared to use the majority of the long, paved runway… and I did. Yet we got down. We flew in a Van's RV-12 to which I have access and, like all RVs, the handling is superb. I was sure I would not run out of control authority.
With quite a few hours logged in AirCam, I think it could have handled the winds, but such a decision is about pilot skill and experience, not the aircraft or its controls. Phil made a prudent decision to lead his formation four more miles to St. Simons. Not only was the runway better wind-oriented but the airport area is more open with few nearby obstructions.
As the weekend unfolded, the winds died down and Jekyll proved as fetching a place as ever. I tell you what: these AirCam people know where to take their powerful birds for a good time. 
Summer is fast approaching and for much of the northern hemisphere, that means seaplane flying. For all pilots, covid fear is dissipating and summer skies beckon.
In this LSA Update…
A new enterprise bought all rights and assests from bankruptcy estate of Atol Avion Oy, which filed for bankruptcy on February 2, 2021.
Aurora, a two-seat amphibian, has been under development for nine years. Scandinavian Seaplanes forecasts serial production will start by the end of Q2 2022. A core team familiar with Atol Avion has been hired to work for company and this will enable the official transfer of the nearly finished type certification project with EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency, the Union's counterpart to FAA).
The Polish company's top-of-the-line 
Get factory 
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?
“I was very impressed with the performance of the CTLS GT with the Rotax 914 Turbo," said Flight Design test pilot Nico Stambula. "CTLS GT Turbo climbs like a rocket and easily reaches 140 knots at altitude." Stambula added that the 914 intercooled engine maintains consistent temperatures. In addition, this is a very smooth flying package."
The first CTLS GT will be shipped to an owner in South Africa, which has both high temperatures and high elevations. Flight Design believes the new model "should be just great for operating in those more challenging conditions."
With the addition of the Rotax 914T option, the long-running CTLS extends its range again. Various models are available as a European 600 kilogram (European) Ultralight, an ASTM-compliant Special LSA, or as an EASA-certified aircraft. Models are available with the Rotax 912, the 912iS and now as a turbocharged performer as the CTLS GT 914T.
Someone was bound to ask why engineers didn't use the newest 141-horsepower Rotax 915 iS, so I queried the company on this question.
Since the start of Light-Sport Aircraft, Flight Design has been represented in America by Tom Peghiny, proprietor of 
Don't feel too conspicuous. It's happening to me, too, along with nearly everyone else. [
ScaleWings reported, "Aircraft serial number #001 took off at 11:37 am into a light cloudy sky." The all-important first flight went without problems.
"Chief Test Pilot Jirko 'Jiri' Hybler praised the balanced and highly maneuverable handling of the aircraft, managing crosswinds of more than 10 knots with superior control," continued ScaleWings. "Within the first flight hours all systems were checked to prove their functionality."
The company reported test flights included cycling up and down of the all-electrically-driven landing gear. First flight went exactly to plan and 35 minutes later, the aircraft landed safely.
"This first flight of the serial aircraft configuration of the SW-51 Mustang is an important milestone for our team," ScaleWings said.
The SW-51 aircraft program was launched in 2013, followed by a successful first flight of a “proof of concept” prototype just one year later in 2014. Since then ScaleWings has been working on both production processes for the aircraft and preparing the company's production site in Krosno, Poland.
The ScaleWings SW-51 Mustang is a true-to-scale high performance replica modeled precisely upon the original North American P-51 Mustang aircraft dimension but fully built from carbon fiber.
No question, SW-51 deserves the closest possible examination. This is an amazing construction.
SW-51 is an intricate eye-catcher featuring more than 100,000 details such as simulated rivets, screws, fabric and more that were meticulously handcrafted into the manufacturing molds. Even when you physically touch them, rivets and screw heads feel real. They're not; it's a marvelous illusion.
Schoeller's unique treatment combines with a high quality chrome-like finish, allowing SW-51 to almost-identically mirror the original's aluminum appeal. Without a doubt, this is an unprecedented execution beyond anything I've ever seen.
The aircraft is designed for up to 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds) gross weight, while it is currently being flown in a category limited to 600 kilograms (1,320 pounds) in accordance with prevailing European standards. The numbers show SW-51 could fit nicely into FAA's proposed Light Personal Aircraft but it could also stay a Light-Sport Aircraft. A fixed gear, fixed pitch prop version has been in discussion for some time.
With first flight in its logbook, ScaleWings said, "We will produce and deliver 5 aircraft in 2021 and 12 aircraft in 2022."
SW-51's configuration features a 
"SW-51 Mustang costs less than 10% to acquire, less than 1% to maintain and it burns less than 15% of the fuel of an original North American P-51 Mustang aircraft. That's a big savings but this is not an inexpensive kit.
Look out, Icon A5! Here comes Wave and it should be quite exciting.
Designer Paul Vickers (see video interview below) has a history in boat-hull design. This history forms a logical path to a LSA seaplane with its boat hull and water control features. Paul employed that experience but has widened his history to encompass a flying boat, the Wave.
From the images that accompany this article, you may see a artist's sense of style, an engineer's focus on efficiency, and a creator's close attention to detail. I think these fresh photos convey those qualities quite well.
In one image you notice the Rotax 915iS hiding inside its shapely engine nacelle.
Over the years, Wave has evaluated different engines. At one time, they contemplated 
First flight is ahead — though this is one of those nailing-jello-to-a-wall stories. First flight is something a designer never wishes to rush. Yet after all the time spent working on this design, the desire to see Wave go aloft must be tremendous — not even considering what pressure those waiting for the design may be exerting.
Paul and his Vickers team have worked hard, not only to make a dashing design but creating one that is easier to build. Vickers reports their total part count is a fraction of Icon's for the A5, which should translate into quicker, easier, surer building and that in turn may help the New Zealand company keep their prices well below A5's. Wave is composed of around 400 parts where Vickers said 1,800 or more parts is more common. Each part adds a material and labor cost.
In another photo, you can see a door leaning up against the hangar wall. Reportedly, Wave will use an aft-sliding door to enter a rather spacious compartment.
Wave also planned to use a novel arrangement of main gear — called "CrossOver" gear — such that it could handle the expected duties without needing to be retracted. Until the company gets first flight in their logbook, they're concentrating on the essentials so it's too early for confirmation of specific features.
Despite the uncertainties, Paul Vickers planned the design so meticulously that the first flight aircraft looks highly finished and not the sort of roughed-out prototype that often flies as a "proof-of-concept." If Paul achieves what I think he might with this impressive aircraft, the POC first-flight example might end up being very similar to the production aircraft that will follow.
Here in early summer 2021, new information was discovered that shines additional light on what is ahead.
I am privileged to have recent information in which I have very high confidence.
While we do not know everything yet — neither does FAA itself — we are getting a clearer picture. Nonetheless, you should remember this is a proposal still in deliberation. It is not a completed regulation. We will know definitely what FAA recommends only when the NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) is released. My best guess for that is EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 …about one year in the future. The final rule, after assessing all comments, is not expected until the end of 2023.
LAMA, represented by myself and Roy Beisswenger, had numerous fruitful discussions with FAA. We went to many meetings and made several trips to FAA headquarters in Washington, DC. In most of these meetings we found FAA people interested to advance LSA in the aviation world and interested to hear what changes we wanted. LAMA was satisfied with those discussions and, indeed, FAA incorporated into the proposal every LAMA request. All LAMA's "asks" are captioned in 
Lots of other avenues are available. For example, EAA has an endowment from the late-aviation philanthropist James Ray that allows the Oshkosh organization to give scholarships for around 100 pilots per year. LAMA is working with EAA right now to add more scholarships; these will be specific to Sport Pilot and must occur in Light-Sport Aircraft. EAA chapters around the country can participate.
Regarding youth coming into aviation, my earlier work shows key numbers. Here's part of what I wrote…
Setting up the LSA Mall takes some extra hands, so LAMA has used various great volunteers over the years. One young fellow joined us a few years back. His name is Jatniel Acevedo and he is the subject of this article, but not because he's a volunteer, helpful as that has been.
I was introduced to Jat by my wife, Randee Laskewitz, who is essential in the operation of the LSA Mall. We've worked together on the Mall for a decade and a half but I have to give credit where it belongs. As I zoom around the grounds collecting great airplane content for you readers, Randee and the volunteers hold down the fort. Jat is a valuable member of the team.
Randee and I have observed him for several years and have come to be very impressed with him and his aviation-oriented family. The video will provide more detail about this lifelong experience in aviation.
Jatniel attends the 
We continue with further coverage from the first major airshow in almost two years… THANKS to 
Counting all types, the "alternative aircraft" sector may account for a quarter or more of all LSA sales. Alternative aircraft have attributes that drive customer inquiries: better affordability and unique flying qualities.
Not interested in alternative aircraft? That's hardly surprising as most American pilots were trained in conventional, three-axis, tractor-engined aircraft, usually with a control wheel and rudder pedals. Most of those pilots will stick with a familiar configuration and therefore the LSA market caters to that large pilot community. Others yearn for something different or something more affordable.
Powrachute Powerhouse
While the idea may have been invented many years ago in the USA, Europeans adopted the type in the 2000s and took the idea further. They also worked out flight characteristics to make these contemporary machines easier to fly. My experience with them (see this 
Those older American gyroplanes — think: Bensen Gyrocopter — were nearly all single seaters. Maybe that was best then, when stability was different than today. Then I discovered the VX1 at the Midwest LSA Expo. Hmmm, a modern gyroplane with all the present-day knowledge but in single seat form. Intriguing. It doesn't look like other modern gyros and the video below will explain.
Lots of buyers want a second seat for a friend or their spouse yet more often than not aircraft are flown solo. A single seat aircraft has some advantages and the pilot can merely enjoy him or herself without have to assure their passenger is comfortable. Single seaters can also cost less partly because they don't need as much engine.
Combine these attributes with some of the finest, beautifully-accented machine work you'll ever see and Gyro Technic truly has something in their VX1. Finally, the Minnesota company is rare in that it also makes its own rotor blades and can supply other producers.
Levil Aviation greatly empowered the role of tablets in the cockpit today by pioneering the first iPad-compatible wireless avionics suite in 2009. Today's 
Duc Prop Success Story
Of course, he is a sales and service outlet for Duc Hélices. Manufacturing occurs in Frontenas, France. According to Gaetan, the French enterprise is humming at its still-new 
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Then, he described a plan to go slowly at a return to manufacturing the vintage aircraft as a Special, fully-built LSA. Another bravo, including for taking the time to get it right. Readers should understand getting semi-tractor trailer loads of inventory, tooling, jigs and more will take some time to get set up properly.
It was 14 years ago on the EAA Sport Pilot Tour, not long after the first emergence of Light-Sport Aircraft, when 
Early LSA enthusiasts knew this aircraft as the Jhilivan (or Kappa) KP-5. It was 
Once up on the wing, you can simply stand on the floor in front of the seat and sit down. Unlike its predecessor from Kappa, Skyleader 600 has both seats side-by-side; KP-5 had a slimmer cockpit width and staggered the right seat aft a few inches to give more room and a wider view. While the current configuration is more commonplace and will probably please more buyers, I rather liked the staggered seating; it gave the pilot in command great visibility out both sides.
Another nice bit of engineering is the far-extending Fowler-style flaps (nearby photo). This flap construction is more complicated than simple hinged flaps but the Fowler design allows lots more airflow making the surface much more effective. When the flaps extend, the elevator trim automatically adjusts to reduce pitch changes when deploying the large flaps. Of course, this level of sophistication is more costly than simpler constructions.
Evolution Aircraft enjoyed a banner year in 2020, despite all the covid anxiety.
It turns out that open-cockpit trike flying was embraced by many last year and Larry noted that the enthusiasm is continuing into 2021. This husband-and-wife team appears set to have another good year in 2021. Contratulations to Amy in particular and Evolution more broadly.
Just today, I learned that 
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—The 
—The much-beloved Rotax 503 will not be returning to the market. The Austrian company discontinued the popular two-stroke engine years ago, meaning many who still want one must search among used engines. The good news: many have only a few hundred (or less) hours on them; a good used engine is both a bargain and a worthy powerplant for your light aircraft kit. Now, though, a very similar engine is coming from Russia, of all places. It's called the 
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Before longtime proprietor John Williams began producing his own design, he manufactured components and sub-asssemblies for another hot ultralight of the day, 
To make harder-working wings, John did something rather unusual at the time. He built a cantilevered wing with conventional aluminum structure. The result: that single place aircraft worked great with a 20-foot wing span. When I flew it, the wings seemed so short that I felt I could reach out with my arms and almost touch the tips.
John also noted that the tauter wing structure made the aircraft more responsive in handling. Tornado could and still can do loops and rolls with ease …in experienced hands, of course. I don't want to encourage anyone to do aerobatics without proper instruction.
Titan went further on their website. "Combined with Titan Aircraft's renowned reputation for high quality products, superior aircraft performance, and outstanding customer support, Tornado is sure to provide the pilot and kit builder a very pleasurable experience and a fantastic resale value."
Obviously, Team Titan is proud of their achievement and, in support of those claims, more than 800 are flying, John reported at Sun 'n Fun 2021.
"I do spend more time with our T-51 these days but every time I take someone up in Tornado, I always get out with a smile on my face." As he said the words, his smile broaded with the memory.
"Our kit has an estimated build time of 150-300 hours and includes all required materials, components, and fasteners," said John. Kits do not include engine, propeller, and instruments leaving that to customer preferences. "Our completion rate is around 90% because the build is fairly quick and easy — and because customers are motivated to get flying," John added.
"Tornado models combine friendly low-speed handling characteristics with agility and high performance," Titan observed on their website. Tornado I is designed to a +6g / -4g load limit capability at 750 pounds gross weight. With a Rotax 503 engine, cruise speed is in excess of 95 mph. The stall speed in landing configuration flying solo is 30 mph.
The Tornado SS comes with a longer & taller fuselage, a 33% larger back door, a full-sized rear seat, and has four more inches of headroom over a standard Tornado II. Most use the 
Montaer's MC01 starts with 4130 molybdenum steel tube "to provide greater safety to the crew." MC01 is skinned with an aluminum fuselage and wings. These materials are popular with American pilots who are aware they can achieve repairs almost anywhere.
MC01 is powered with the 100 horsepower 
MC01 has dual control yokes with a steerable nose wheel and dual toe brakes. Although many Sport Pilots say they prefer — or at least have adjusted to — joystick control, many pilots find control yokes preferable. No joystick option is presently available.
However, Montaer has also followed Paradise's lead by offering hand controls to accommodates pilots who want to fly but have lost the use of their legs. In fact, the very first American purchase of Montaer MC01 is going to such a pilot up near Oshkosh. I'm sure I join many others in congratulating Bruno and Montaer in making arrangements for such people to achieve their dreams of flight.
Elevator trim controls are provided on both yokes. At the base of the instrument panel pilots will find all circuit breakers and other switches. Throughout this design, you see a layout that most pilots will find familiar and comfortable. All these common controls may help pilots quickly adapt to flying Light-Sport.
Montaer has installed all leather seats, headliner and side panels (photo). The interior fit and finish will please most pilots. Both seats are fully adjustable forward and back allowing, for comfort for tall and short people. These adjustments can be made while sitting in the seat. Yet MC01's seats do more.
Again similar to Paradise models — which are no longer available in the USA — MC01 has fully-reclining seats. While the company said, "This is important for tall people to adjust the seats for more head space," it brings additional benefits. For example, if you want to camp in your MC01, the reclining seats can provide a sleeping surface. The aft cabin has sufficient of room to permit this.
Although 
The subjects of today's post from Lakeland, Florida, VL3 from JMB Aircraft plus Tarragon Aircraft — along with a handful of other designs (see this 
Of course, such high-tech construction also pushes up the price. Neither of these airplanes are in the range of what I'd call "affordable" for readers of this website. In fact Tarragon is carving out a space near the very top of where LSA are priced. In their booth, I heard staff quote numbers north of $300,000. It's a breathtaking aircraft with a breathtaking price to match.
In addition, as with VL3, Tarragon must be built and registered as an Experimental Amateur Built aircraft. As this requirement does not exist in Europe, I don't know how well configured they are to assist builders but the U.S. representatives are likely to handle that. If this aircraft interests you for purchase, you'll want to talk to the fellows repressenting it in Illinois. 
On a beautiful evening, almost 200 light aircraft businesspeople attended the DeLand Showcase annual reception. Smiles were plentiful as these vendors enjoyed a return to normalcy and an airshow routine that fuels their enterprise so they can better serve their pilot customers.
Hurray for 
Can aviation lead us back toward normal? Globally, governments have ordered their citizens to stay at home and all the rest, as you’ve heard ad naseum. Some places — Florida, as a sunshining example — is more open than others but much of civilization remains restricted. 
Yet no one can dispute that C42 — once rebadged as Cyclone for American buyers — has for many years been THE success story in Germany. This southern German company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020.
Our favorite British aerojournalist, 
Now in its "C" model configuration, C42 is one of the most successful European microlights (a category between Part 103 ultralights and LSA, but closer to the latter). Comco Ikarus has evolved the machine into a fine airplane.
In England, C42 is sold by 
Aft of the cockpit there’s a frangible cover which the BRS rocket fires through, and a very large quickly removable panel on the port side, through which the fuel quantity can be seen and a lot of the interior structure visually inspected. The rear baggage bay can hold up to 100 pounds, weight and balance allowing.
C42C's tail consists of a strut-braced tailplane and separate elevator, a slightly swept-back vertical stabilizer, which carries a broad-chord rudder and a small ventral fin tail bumper. Wings, tail, flaps and control surfaces are all covered in XLAM (a type of sturdy, dimensionally-stable fabric sailcloth) with Tanara Teflon thread (which is impervious to UV light) used for the stitching.
Less obvious changes include a significant revision of the wing structure with more use of carbon fiber. C42C's cockpit roof has been completely redesigned and the doors are now hung on redesigned hinges.
A sturdy hydro-pneumatic tricycle undercarriage offers nosewheel steering via the rudder pedals and carries 
After fastening my four-point harness, I raised the throttle into its correct position and familiarized myself with the cockpit. Throttles on both sides fold flat to aid ingress and egress.
C42C's instrument panel is large and could easily carry just about every possible permutation of instrumentation, from very basic analog to the latest 
A central column braces the instrument panel and carries push/pull plungers for the choke; cabin heat and carb heat; a transceiver and transponder; and a toggle switch for the intercom. C42C's fuel selector is located at the base of the central column by the pilot’s right leg; easy to see and reach. Large map pockets are built into the doors.
A center stick features a comfortable foam grip with buttons for electric elevator trim and a bicycle-type brake lever with integral park brake. The large handbrake-type flap lever is set into the roof, in front of a red T-handle for the BRS.
With my solo loaded weight about 200 pounds below gross, a paved runway, and a brisk headwind, I anticipated a stellar take off and climb characteristics and I was not disappointed! The prop was pitched for cruise but you’d never guess. I reached 1,000 feet above the runway before the airfield boundary.
After shooting the air-to-air photos, the camera ship departed and I took a look at C42C's general handling. All controls were nicely harmonized and authoritative. The roll rate in particular is much more sprightly than the C42A, while the stick forces felt lower than I remembered, no doubt due to the spades mounted on the ailerons. A short center stick does not provide much mechanical advantage but the spades help. Control around both pitch and yaw axes was equally effective, and keeping the slip-ball centered took only small amounts of rudder. The electric pitch trim is effective and nicely geared.
Moving onto an examination of the stick-free stability around all three axes reveals the directional stability is definitely soft to the left and neutral to the right, while spiral stability is slightly positive from the right and neutral to the left. The longitudinal stability is quite strong; a 10-knot displacement from a trimmed speed of 70 knots resulting in a long wavelength low amplitude phugoid that damped itself out after three lazy oscillations. Importantly, C42C is not divergent around any axes.
Slowing down to explore the slow speed side of the flight envelope revealed no unpleasant traits. As the speed reduced past 60 knots, I moved the flap lever to +2, which lowers the flaps to their maximum of 40° and causes a significant change in pitch trim, although this is easily trimmed out.
With full flaps and a reasonable amount of power C42C showed no desire to stall. At modest stall entry and with the nose just above the horizon, C42C mushed and wallowed while the sink rate increased. No stall warning is provided but you feel a mild aerodynamic buffet. Hold the stick on the backstop and it hunts slightly in pitch while sinking. Adequate aileron control is available post-stall.
When I used a more aggressive technique C42C stalled with a slight wing drop. At test weight, the wing drop came around 32 knots. Performing a departure stall I retracted flaps to the take-off setting of +1 (15°), opened the throttle and pitched up …and up …and up! It feels as if I’m lying on my back before the wing finally gives up and the nose falls through.
Comco Ikarus reports a glide angle of 11:1 (a Cessna 150 is about 9.5:1), while minimum sink rate is around 400 feet per minute.
As I’d anticipated, this C42 is considerably quicker than the earlier models, and because the air is as smooth as glass I was relaxed as the ASI needle slipped into the yellow arc. C42C was still accelerating at 5000 rpm. Top-of-the-green arc is 82 knots at 2,000 feet and 4800 rpm. At about four gallons per hour, you can comfortably plan for 300 nautical miles with a 30-minute reserve. That’s about 25 nautical air miles per gallon.
As I got back to base, I did a few take offs and landing, and for the first time I found the roof-mounted flap lever slightly intrusive; you’re constantly swapping hands. It’s not a big deal, but writers have to complain about something.
