The final day of the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo brought good flying conditions until mid-afternoon when light precipitation returned. The good start allowed us to record two Video Pilot Reports (VPR), one on the Magnus Aircraft all-carbon-fiber Fusion 212 and the other on the fully enclosed SilverLight Aviation American Ranger AR1 gyroplane. The videos will take some time to edit but I’ll provide a quick glimpse below. One surprise arrival was Aeromarine LSA‘s Mermaid. Remember this model? This Chip Erwin creation was really the forerunner of the modern LSA seaplane category. Before Mermaid, we had Progressive Aerodyne‘s Searey and Aero Adventure‘s Aventura. Both those models have been upgraded for the time of ASTM standards compliance but early in the new millennium it was accurate to call them “ultralight seaplanes” built of gusseted aluminum structures covered with sewn Dacron surfaces.
Sebring Day 4 — 2 Video Pilot Reports, a Surprise Arrival, and a Wrap-Up Interview
An unanticipated event on Sebring's closing day was the arrival of the somewhat hidden-from-view Aeromarine LSA Mermaid LSA seaplane, the first such to win FAA acceptance as a SLSA.
Gone Flying …for You!
Our VPRs have proven popular with some approaching a million views and several with hundreds of thousands of views.With the Sebring Expo in the background over jet jockey demo pilot Shannon Diaz's head, we begin our hourlong VPR.
Going home for the night, SilverLight could park three or four of its AR1 gyroplanes in a single T-hangar revealing another benefit to this type of LSA.
All smiles aboard AR1 is your faithful author with demo pilot extraordinaire Greg Spicola in the instructor's seat.