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Levil Is a Story of Determination and Good Timing

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Ruben Leon poses at Levil with his first, tiny AHRS unit.

Levil Technology started out making small CNC mills, an activity that continues.

Start Wars fans can be excused for thinking this is a miniature Death Star but it is actually a calibration device.

Levil devices found a powerful ally in the Apple iPad. One LSA has been fitted with three such devices as the only instruments. Pictured is iLevil2 SW

If you ever read newspapers or watch network news, you can hardly avoid hearing about the meltdown in Venezuela following the early 2013 death of Hugo Chavez. That Cuba-emulating country was taken over by Nicolás Maduro and things deteriorated quickly. I start the story of Levil this way as I recently visited their Oviedo, Florida facility and I had to wait until proprietor Ruben Leon returned from travel. When I arrived at Levil headquarters I found he had returned to his former home, Venezuela, to vote in the elections. The elections won by the opposition served notice on the Maduro administration that his countrymen are fed up and want change. How this all relates to the business of Light-Sport Aircraft products is a tale of one man's resolve and determination. I found it fascinating and hope you will, too. After completing his education, Ruben sought work in a country where finding a good job can be a challenge. As a bright, young fellow with an education he did find work but realized this was not as fulfilling as he wanted. Over time, he ended up starting a machine shop enterprise that continued for many years ... until the arrival of Chavez in 1999. For a time, things worked for Chavez, a self-described Marxist who used oil revenues to pursue a socialist agenda, nationalizing industries and implementing social programs. However, the economy began to decay with increasing speed. As Chavez policies intervened, Ruben saw a dimming future and chose to leave his home country. Ruben still owns the machine shop in Venezuela but he turned it over to his employees. However, that shop continues to make machine parts for some of Levil's line of small CNC machines. After a stop in Miami — that gateway to so many from South American countries — Ruben and his family ended up in Oveido on the northern outskirts of Orlando, Florida. Most Americans have no real idea what it is like to leave their home country and to essentially start all over. However, like other high-achieving immigrants, Ruben is powerfully motivated and was willing to learn new skills and take the risks necessary to succeed. Ruben started his U.S.-based career building tabletop computer-controlled machine tools or mills. Levil's machines — a little larger than a home microwave — are designed for small machine shops, jewelers, educational institutions and R&D laboratories that want to fit a complete CNC system into a small space.  The machines feature servo-control technology that enables high speeds and precision when machining small parts or prototypes made of a variety of materials, including plastics, aluminum and steel. Though small in size, Levil's machines aren't limited to small volume manufacturing. For example, the company's second biggest customer in Malaysia uses their Levil machines for round-the-clock manufacturing of tiny plastic lenses. While I found the small CNC machines interesting, my focus was on his aerospace devices. Now 60 years old, Ruben's efforts have developed these twin high-tech niches. He enjoys serving as head of R&D for the two companies he launched in America. While he remains the leader of the business, Ruben's "desk" is actually a workbench crammed with works in progress. I was most impressed with his versatility and drive. When he doesn't know something, he throws himself into study and in seemingly short order, becomes expert in the endeavor. He is backed by family members who serve roles inside the company. Turning to Levil's aviation business, Ruben said, "It didn't start out as a business venture." With a partner, Ruben fabricated a homebuilt aircraft, pictures of which adorn his walls. "There were a bunch of instruments I wanted to put on an airplane I was making," started Ruben. "The instruments were expensive. I decided I could make them for a lot less money than I could buy them." Being a creative and restless entrepreneur, Ruben devised instruments that others admired and he thought to take some examples to an airshow to see how the market responded. At one of these event, he showed one of his instruments to representatives of a big aviation company. "They liked it and asked him to build one customized for their need," recalled Ruben. The helicopter company needed FAA certified instuments, a process then unknown to Ruben but, as usual, he threw himself into the effort and gained approval for what became on ongoing product. His daughter, Ananda Leon, now works the airshows with her father. Ananda grew up flying with her father and is now a private pilot herself. "We started selling aviation products in 2008," Ananda remembered. "That was the year I graduated from college, and I started working for the company." Her focus is on the software side. With the introduction of Apple's now-ubiquitous iPad, Levil's special ability with electronic gizmos opened the door to a new line of products. Today Ananda is General Manager and Chief Software Engineer of Levil Aviation. The Florida company manufactures standalone Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS) boxes that are designed to replace conventional mechanical flight instruments. The arrival of glass cockpits a few years into the LSA phenomenon followed by the iPad in 2010 provided the power to move Levil's aviation enterprise forward. The company claims to have developed the first iPad-compatible AHRS for general aviation. (Some others were in the game before, but had focused on supplying GPS signals, not digital flight instruments.) "All of your instrumentation can now be contained in a little box with a WiFi chip that sends flight data to an iPad," said Ananda. With a smartphone or tablet — Levil now serves Android as well as iOS — she added, "Basically, you can have a full panel in the palm of your hand." Levil's current line for LSA and Experimental aircraft includes the following products — Sport, iLevil2 SW, and iLevil2 AW. Here is a summary of their capabilities and other specs: Levil's hand-holdable $795 Sport provides AHRS, GPS, and a WiFi connection with an internal antenna. It offers a 12-hour battery life, a small solar panel, or external power, for example, from a USB or serial port. It weighs 5 ounces (141 grams). iLevil2 SW is an $1,195 paneltop unit that provides AHRS, GPS, weather, traffic, and a WiFi connection. It offers a 5.5-hour battery life, a small solar panel, or external power. It weighs 10 ounces (283 grams). iLevil2 AW is an $1,395 remotely mounted unit with a remote antenna that allows a full suite of avionics, including Pitot-Static data providing AHRS, GPS, weather, traffic, air data and a WiFi connection. It offers a 4-hour battery life or external power. It weighs 11 ounces (311 grams). All Levil units offer WIAM or Wireless Integrated Avionics Module. WIAM is a term invented by Levil and refers to WiFi compatibility that integrates more than one flight instrument such as AHRS, GPS, and ADS-B.

If you ever read newspapers or watch network news, you can hardly avoid hearing about the meltdown in Venezuela following the early 2013 death of Hugo Chavez. That Cuba-emulating country was taken over by Nicolás Maduro and things deteriorated quickly. I start the story of Levil this way as I recently visited their Oviedo, Florida facility and I had to wait until proprietor Ruben Leon returned from travel. When I arrived at Levil headquarters I found he had returned to his former home, Venezuela, to vote in the elections. The elections won by the opposition served notice on the Maduro administration that his countrymen are fed up and want change. How this all relates to the business of Light-Sport Aircraft products is a tale of one man’s resolve and determination. I found it fascinating and hope you will, too. After completing his education, Ruben sought work in a country where finding a good job can be a challenge.

DC Was Green Long Before It Was Trendy

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David Clark's best selling -13.4 model. Find out more here.

David Clark's DC Pro model. Get more details here.

Question: What do space suits and headsets have in common? I bet that few of you can answer that question but the answer is "David Clark." Yep, this 80-year-old company, which began business in 1935, started not with the ubiquitous green ear cup headsets but with flight suits worn by pilots of some very cutting-edge aircraft and spacecraft. David Clark Company made full-pressure suits developed for test pilots who flew the X-15 to record speeds and altitudes of Mach 6.70 and 354,200 feet. The East coast company also made Gemini space program suits including the G-4C space suit for Ed White's first U.S. space walk Full-pressure suits worn by pilots of various high-altitude aircraft such as the F-4, F-15, U-2, and SR-71 Blackbird and space shuttle crew escape suits were all produced David Clark. After all that, headsets may seem a bit mundane, although not for those who care about good cockpit communications and protecting their hearing. The start of David Clark's headset line is the H10-30, which began production in 1975, making a 40-year run for this very familiar unit. It sells for what seems a modest price of $300. No wonder it has enjoyed such a long life and continues to sell in the 21st century. One step up the product line brings us to the H10-13.4 model, the largest seller of the company's passive noise attenuation. A passive headset cancels noise by covering your ears through a combination of headset pressure, gel seals, and an ear dome that completely encompasses your ear. It lists for $351 Neither of these two models requires any power. Looking nearly identical to the -30 and -13.4 is the H10-13X, David Clark's version of active noise reduction (ANR) unit, which the company calls Electronic Noise Canceling or ENC. Some noise can sneak around the good seal provided by the -13 and -13.4 and when it does, ENC can cancel some frequencies powered by a separate power module. ENC primarily cancels low frequency noise. Aviation marketing manager, Dennis Buzzell, explained that studies showed low frequency sounds are the main contributor to pilot fatigue. Retail price of the H10-13X is $700. While more expensive than the passive line, the -13X is still much less than the superpremium models that other brands sell. Of all David Clark models the most noise suppressing model is the -13X because it employs both passive and active noise reduction design concepts. Pilots operating the loudest aircraft would likely prefer this model. Pilots who fly extended flights in quieter aircraft asked David Clark Company to make a lighter headset. When I sampled the -13X with ENC, I didn't find it heavy, but for a very long flight or when moving your head rapidly, you might notice the heft. Dennis then invited me to try the DCPro-X. It was indeed lighter weighing only seven and a half ounces (213 grams) compared to 18 ounces (510 grams) for the -13X. DCPro-X may not be as light as headsets that are basically foam ear plugs with speakers but the truly light Pro-X is more user friendly and more durable. ProX also adds wireless Bluetooth functionality so you can use it with a music player or your smartphone. The lighter DCPro-X sells for $695 with ENC, Bluetooth and a separate carry bag, making it a relative bargain in the age of modern headsets. However, it does not contribute as much in passive noise reduction so might be best used in an aircraft that is somewhat quieter. I think most Light-Sport Aircraft qualify as those — primarily the ones powered by Rotax engines — tend to make less total noise either inside or outside the cockpit. All David Clark headsets come with a five-year warranty. They are 100% made in the USA at the company's only factory, in Worcester, Massachusetts. The H10-30, H10-13.4, and H10-13X are sold only from distributors. The newest DCPro-X is sold both by dealers and directly from David Clark. Find dealers and more information or purchase the Pro-X at the company website. Hear more info and see all the products in the following video from the Flying magazine Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, shot in October 2015.

Question: What do space suits and headsets have in common? I bet that few of you can answer that question but the answer is “David Clark.” Yep, this 80-year-old company, which began business in 1935, started not with the ubiquitous green ear cup headsets but with flight suits worn by pilots of some very cutting-edge aircraft and spacecraft. David Clark Company made full-pressure suits developed for test pilots who flew the X-15 to record speeds and altitudes of Mach 6.70 and 354,200 feet. The East coast company also made Gemini space program suits including the G-4C space suit for Ed White’s first U.S. space walk Full-pressure suits worn by pilots of various high-altitude aircraft such as the F-4, F-15, U-2, and SR-71 Blackbird and space shuttle crew escape suits were all produced David Clark. After all that, headsets may seem a bit mundane, although not for those who care about good cockpit communications and protecting their hearing.

Santa Sleigh Flight Operation … Read the Manual!

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All color images from Internet; artists were not identified. My thanks to each for their creative artwork ... and Merry Christmas to all!

As we near Christmas time and as children around the globe await the arrival that busy flyer, Santa Claus, did you ever wonder how the big man in the red flight suit manages the effort, specifically how he preflights the sleigh and controls his "engines?" So far as we know, he only flies the reindeer-powered sleigh once a year. How do you maintain your flying skills with a single flight per year? OK, he probably flies locally around the North Pole doing touch and goes but apparently no one ever sees it happen. A better guess is that, like any good pilot, he reviews his Sleigh Pilot Operating Handbook before getting into his busy season. You didn't really think it was some magical occurrence, did you? Come on ... you're a pilot, no doubt a very good one. Would you go fly your airplane — or for that matter, your sleigh, assuming you were some rather chubby but jolly fellow with a snowy white beard — without first giving your sleigh a thorough check? Then, what about your powerplants? Do you think those reindeer are going to perform the task of delivering billions of Christmas presents without proper maintenance? I don't think so. How would you solve this problem? Well, of course, you'd refer to your Sleigh Mk II POH. Fine, I'm having a bit of fun for the Christmas holidays but a good friend at my home airport named Joe Friend (yes, that name is real) sent me a Sleigh Flight Manual and I was amused enough by it to make it a Christmas Eve post. I hope you will have some fun reading it. Officially this 1947 document — hey, the Sleigh Mk I and Mk II have been around for a long, long time — is labeled "Pilot's and Flight Engineer's Notes." First, let's review selected portions of what is available. An overall description of the Sleigh Mk II may be useful for those not used to unorthodox aircraft. INTRODUCTION: Santa Sleigh Mk II is an eight engine transport, powered by magic reindeer engines. FUEL SYSTEM: Mk II is equipped with eight fuel tanks, each connected to one engine. Particular care must be taken during refueling to guarantee equal tank filling for each engine. Not following this procedure can have catastrophic consequences including a petulant loss of engine during take-off or cruise plus weight and balance problems. AIRCRAFT CONTROL: An automatic pilot is available. Heading entry is based on detection of a ground beacon signal labeled IHBN or, "I have been nice." Before engaging the autopilot, verify all engines appear to be performing nominally. One unhappy engine can upset the flight and delay cargo delivery. ENGINE CONTROLS: Engines are voice controlled. (Voice control seems very advanced for 1947, doesn't it? One wonders if one of the reindeer's offspring was named Siri.) Having reviewed the POH general terms, you will want to carefully read certain checklists. HANDLING Pre-flight checklist Starting the engines and warming up Testing the engines and output Take-off, assuring all engines are running contentedly Climbing, staying aware of vital cargo security General Flying ... remember this an all-night flight Diving ... don't do it! Approach and landing After landing PRE-FLIGHT CHECKLIST Reindeer full Rudolph's nose pre-heating Inspect reindeer hooves Check cargo loading by Elves Pat on the back for each reindeer Give additional cookie and milk to reindeer during warming up Kiss Mrs. Claus goodbye NOTE: Particular attention should be paid to engine exhaust. Any suspect leaks can become unpleasant to the Sleigh pilot and may trigger engine shutdown. Finally before aligning the sleigh on the snow-covered runway up near the North Pole, a few more comments from the Sleigh manual should be reviewed. Remember, it's going to be a very long night covering tens of thousands of miles and involving some very short roof landings. DIVING: Engaging the Sleigh Mk II in a dive is forbidden under all circumstances. Exceeding the maneuvering speed with the cargo load of presents for millions of kids can have direct consequences on cargo wrapping and bow security. Also, remember children expect to hear reindeer's bells not a Stuka diving horn. APPROACH & LANDING: Particular attention should be paid to the landings, especially on slippery and highly angled rooftops. Weight and balance are considerably modified as the night continues and Sleigh handling can become tricky. Sideslips are never advised. No automatic landing should be attempted without reindeer identified as Rudolph performing well. For difficult take-offs additional cookies supplied to the reindeer engines can be helpful. AFTER LANDING: Immediate care must be given to the reindeer engines. Particular attention must be paid to hooves. No Elves should touch them before checking the reindeer hooves to assure temperature is below 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Joe Friend added one additional recollection: "Back in the day, FAA decided to give Santa his multi-"engine" check ride. After the briefing, hitching up the reindeer, and preflight, Santa was sitting in the sled and the FAA inspector walked up carrying a rifle. Santa asked, "What's that for?" The FAA inspector replied, "Hey, it's a check ride — I want you to remember you could lose one on takeoff." Here's hoping you have no engine-outs on Christmas Eve and wishing you and yours a warm and wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!

As we near Christmas time and as children around the globe await the arrival that busy flyer, Santa Claus, did you ever wonder how the big man in the red flight suit manages the effort, specifically how he preflights the sleigh and controls his “engines?” So far as we know, he only flies the reindeer-powered sleigh once a year. How do you maintain your flying skills with a single flight per year? OK, he probably flies locally around the North Pole doing touch and goes but apparently no one ever sees it happen. A better guess is that, like any good pilot, he reviews his Sleigh Pilot Operating Handbook before getting into his busy season. You didn’t really think it was some magical occurrence, did you? Come on … you’re a pilot, no doubt a very good one. Would you go fly your airplane — or for that matter, your sleigh, assuming you were some rather chubby but jolly fellow with a snowy white beard — without first giving your sleigh a thorough check?

Pssst! Want a Deal? How About Merlin PSA?

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Are you intrigued by an affordable yet well-performing single-seat Personal Sport Aircraft? In a time when so many claim light aircraft have simply become too expensive, one aircraft is coming to challenge that belief. Some rather grudgingly acknowledge that, yes, you can buy a low-cost aircraft but that it won't satisfy your desires ... that it will have an open cockpit, or is too slow, or uses an engine you don't know, or that it lacks the right instruments, or it will be a weight shift aircraft or a powered parachute ... or something that disqualifies it for them. Well, even our friends at Flying magazine — thanks to popular writer Pia Bergqvist, who also covered such aircraft as Quicksilver's wide-open Sport 2 SE — gave recent prominent coverage to what importer/developer Chip Erwin is doing with his Merlin PSA. Does the name Chip Erwin ring a bell? If you've followed his work, you know his ambitious background but for others it may only have a vague recollection or was perhaps merely a conversation reference. The familiarity comes from his LSA-pioneering work to develop the airplane Piper Aircraft once adopted as "their" Special LSA. Chip was the man behind the original SportCruiser that continues to do well today, thanks to steady support from U.S. Sport Aircraft, based in Texas. Today, Chip operates Aeromarine LSA based at the South Lakeland airport, just south of Sun 'n Fun. This business offers the Zigolo and the coming Merlin PSA. "[Merlin PSA] is the aircraft you did not know you were waiting for," said U.S. assembler, Chip in his common manner of turning a phrase somewhat differently. Americans will soon get a look at this handsome single seater. (Don't confuse it with Glasair's Merlin, aimed at the two seat SLSA market. Merlin PSA is an all-aluminum aircraft with a cantilevered wing, 112 mph cruise speed and ample cabin and luggage space for less than $35,000. This certainly-modest price tag includes the entire airframe kit, the engine, and a builder's assistance program in sunny Florida. Has Chip got your interest yet? Let me be up front. This is a single seat aircraft. For some that's a deal killer but I love to cite a long-repeated statistic from AOPA. Year after year, their surveys showed that the average occupancy of a general aviation aircraft was 1.6 persons. Since the large majority of these are four seat airplanes, for the average to be only 1.6 persons on board meant that these aircraft were very often flown solo. Therefore, why not a single seater? If you need to carry passengers, rent or borrow a GA or LSA aircraft and do so. Chip recently announced that his Merlin PSA is now available as a quick-build EAB (Experimental Amateur-Built) aircraft. "Merlin is a very modern design made with 3D CAD/CAM equipment, which results in a very quick and jigless matched-hole assembly. Build time is measured in days not months or years. Enjoy a couple of weeks in Florida and fly home in your new Merlin PSA." Chip added, "Merlin fits [the parameters of] LSA, which means a pilot needs only a Sport Pilot certificate and no medical required to fly the Merlin." Those who love water flying but also fret over the cost of a seaplane should consider this: "Amphibious floats are available now for less than $10,000," said Chip. Those who wish amphibian capability can own the Merlin Personal Sport Aircraft on floats for less than $50,000. By any measure that is a solid value. Merlin was first introduced at Germany's Aero show in 2009. (See our coverage of several single seaters at that event, including Merlin here.) Chip advises that tailwheel and tricycle-gear configurations are available and buyers can choose from three powerplants. "In addition to two- and four-stroke engines, a fully electric-powered Merlin is now in development. The best known of these is the Rotax 582 that has earned ASTM approval. Chip expressed a few interest points for Merlin PSA: 112-mph cruise speed All aluminum construction and cantilevered wing Amphibious floats available now "More cabin space per person than a Beechcraft King Air 200" $100,000 less than most Light Sport Aircraft "Merlin PSA and our all new 800 amphibious floats will be officially introduced at the US Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring beginning January 20th," Chip advises. All y'all come on down.

Are you intrigued by an affordable yet well-performing single-seat Personal Sport Aircraft? In a time when so many claim light aircraft have simply become too expensive, one aircraft is coming to challenge that belief. Some rather grudgingly acknowledge that, yes, you can buy a low-cost aircraft but that it won’t satisfy your desires … that it will have an open cockpit, or is too slow, or uses an engine you don’t know, or that it lacks the right instruments, or it will be a weight shift aircraft or a powered parachute … or something that disqualifies it for them. Well, even our friends at Flying magazine — thanks to popular writer Pia Bergqvist, who also covered such aircraft as Quicksilver‘s wide-open Sport 2 SE — gave recent prominent coverage to what importer/developer Chip Erwin is doing with his Merlin PSA. Does the name Chip Erwin ring a bell?

6 Questions about Third Class Medical Reform

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EAA's top e-Hotline story last week was, "The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Wednesday passed S. 571, better known as the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 (PBOR2), bringing significant third-class medical reform one big step closer to reality." This week AOPA reported PBOR2 passed the Senate and is en route to the House. This represents progress that many EAA and AOPA members sought, so smiles all around at the big member organizations. PBOR2 must still pass the House and be signed by the president. Note that this is already the second attempt — hence the "2" — as an earlier version met resistance. Concessions had to be made to advance the proposed regulation. Even if it passes the House and is signed, it will take perhaps one year for FAA rulemaking. It seems like everyone is on board. Why such a long delay? Organizations like the Airline Pilots Association have come out against this proposed law and will probably continue to speak out against it. ALPA shocked EAA by announcing their opposition while AirVenture Oshkosh was happening this year. PBOR1 was not acceptable to some politicians and had to be reworked. As EAA wrote, "A number of lawmakers made it absolutely clear that they would not support the legislation as originally introduced." FAA also appears extremely cautious about relaxing the medical requirement. Essentially the same concern held up the SP/LSA rule for years. According to EAA, PBOR2 had 70 of 100 cosponsors in the Senate. At last tally, the 435-member House had 152 cosponsors of PBOR2, or 35% making passage much less certain. Plenty of fingers are crossed in hope. OK, so the medical part had to be changed. How about the aircraft? In exchange for tightening aspects of the medical relief, the aircraft size was considerably expanded. Two people in a four seater with a max of 180 horsepower on a single-engine, fixed gear airplane led to six seats, an aircraft weighing up to 6,000 pounds and no limitation on horsepower, number of engines, or gear type. Day VFR only led to day and night VFR and IFR. Airspace use also opened from 10,000 feet max or up to 2,000 feet AGL to up to 18,000 feet. Critical LSA Question — If PBOR2 passes all barriers, will the SLSA industry be able to sell more aircraft or less aircraft? Many do not believe PBOR2 changes things significantly for newly-manufactured LSA. Does that statement surprise you? When this idea was first proposed this more than four years ago, many who wanted a reason not to buy suspended their interest in LSA ... immediately. Like the stock market, the airplane buyer market quickly factored in the possibility of third class medical reform. Potential buyers who spurned LSA then and since were probably not particularly strong candidates for a new LSA purchase anyway, so fewer LSA sales than anticipated were lost by the announcement of possible elimination of the third class medical requirement. By all means, LSA sales were lost, however, most of that damage happened years ago. The fact remains that many buyers will prefer a new, modern aircraft to an old, outdated one. Some will still choose the older ones, of course, but new is nice. Does PBOR2 mean that pilots will purchase a used Cessna 172 or Piper Cherokee instead of a new LSA? The short answer may be yes. However, to keep the purchase price much lower than a new LSA, a buyer must select something like a 20- or 30-year-old Cessna 172 and that is a quite-dated aircraft with analog instruments, higher-time engines and airframes, higher fuel consumption, plus worn interiors and faded paint. Plenty of such aircraft exist and many buyers will choose them over a new LSA but such old aircraft will not satisfy anyone seeking new technologies and efficiencies. In addition, prices of those old aircraft will increase if this law is passed. Likewise, used LSA are also on the market though most are holding their prices quite well. I have been giving a talk called "20-Plus Reasons to Buy a LSA." I list 23 good reasons to consider a LSA and none of them are the lack of need for a medical. Some buyers see this logic. So, what medical requirements apply? Pilots need a regular or special issuance third-class medical issued within the 10 years preceding the legislation's enactment. Otherwise, a one-time medical will be required. If your current regular or special issuance medical certificate expires before the new regulations take effect, you must renew it to keep flying. Pilots who develop certain medical conditions — for specific cardiac problems, mental health, or neurological conditions — will have to get a special issuance medical one time only. Pilots meeting these requirements will still need to visit their personal physician (not an aviation medical examiner) once every four years for a medical exam. Pilots must fill out a form with a short questionnaire. After the exam, both the physician and the pilot must sign the form and the pilot must make a note of the visit and keep the signed form in his or her logbook. According to EAA, this form "will include some of the items that are now part of the third-class medical exam but it will not require the doctor to make a 'pass or fail' judgment and no information about the exam needs to be provided to the FAA unless it is specifically requested." All pilots will be required to take a free online education course every two years. This will be provided by AOPA's Air Safety Institute and will cover aeromedical factors. PBOR2 rules regarding medications will not change. If you take a medication that the FAA disallows you will not be able to fly, however, because the FAA does not publish a list of disallowed medications, you should contact EAA or AOPA for advice. What about insurance companies? How do they view this? EAA wrote, "Insurance companies have not yet addressed how they will handle medical reforms and are unlikely to do so until medical reform becomes law." As movie script writers like to say, "This isn't over." Stay tuned for more.

EAA’s top e-Hotline story last week was, “The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Wednesday passed S. 571, better known as the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2 (PBOR2), bringing significant third-class medical reform one big step closer to reality.” This week AOPA reported PBOR2 passed the Senate and is en route to the House. This represents progress that many EAA and AOPA members sought, so smiles all around at the big member organizations. PBOR2 must still pass the House and be signed by the president. Note that this is already the second attempt — hence the “2” — as an earlier version met resistance. Concessions had to be made to advance the proposed regulation. Even if it passes the House and is signed, it will take perhaps one year for FAA rulemaking. It seems like everyone is on board. Why such a long delay? Organizations like the Airline Pilots Association have come out against this proposed law and will probably continue to speak out against it.

Tecnam — Firing On Multiple Cylinders

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After more than a decade of LSA, one airframe manufacturer stands head and shoulders above all other in what I call the "light aircraft space." That term gets stretched far and wide with this update on Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam ... simply "Tecnam" to most folks. If Tecnam was a person, I'd call him restless and tireless. Does he sleep? I think not. Are any flying machines not possible for this design dynamo? I see no limits to his ambitions. So prolific is this Italian aviation powerhouse that I will blend several news items into one story. Tecnam is a large team, an entire factory full of hard-working people, and representatives of all sorts scattered across several countries. At the core of this engine of production (33 models and variations) is Luigi Pascale, the 92-year-old patriarch of Team Tecnam with management by nephew, Paolo Pascale. Paolo is the visible face of Tecnam at airshows, standing literally head and shoulders over most of his competitors. By comparison Professor Luigi is tiny but this man still leads design of all Tecnam models and, I'm told, does some of the first flights in his creations. One word repeats in my mind: impressive! Earlier the Italian manufacturer reported earning EASA (Europe's FAA) certification for their handsome four seater called P2010. In mid-December 2015, Tecnam announced Type Certification from FAA. "P Twenty Ten is the first new single engine, high wing, four-seat aircraft from Tecnam that brings together an all-carbon-fiber fuselage with a metal wing and stabilator," said Tecnam. Establishment of the Tecnam U.S. customer delivery center, assembly facility, and American headquarters at the Sebring Regional Airport in Florida helped to a nationwide sales and customer support network. That and a policy of required only 10% down payment with no balance until the aircraft was in the USA and ready for delivery "resulted in a major upswing in deliveries of Tecnam aircraft in North America," indicated Tecnam. Although it has been in existence since 1948, most American buyers were introduced to the Tecnam brand through their fleet of Light-Sport Aircraft. Beside the U.S., Tecnam has delivered airplanes to 65 countries. The company's lower cost two seat aircraft share the 10%/90% payment plan and also benefit from an ample stock of replacement parts housed at the company's Sebring facility. Rotax's engine series have long been able to use mogas, avgas, or any combination thereof. Not only is this versatile but it can lower cost of operation, a key watchpoint for flight school operators that tend to log many hours on their machines. Rotax is said to run cleanest on automobile fuel. All Tecnam LSA use the Rotax brand of engines but with their P2010 model Tecnam demonstrated their commitment to a "greener" future by confirming EASA approved use of automobile gas for all Tecnam P2010 airplanes. "Mogas fuel ensures Tecnam P2010 flyers will benefit from more cost effective operations and produce significantly lead free emissions," the company reported. Selection of Lycoming IO-360M1A to power their P2010 four-seater was mainly a result of its ability to burn alternative fuels other than avgas. "All Tecnam two and four seat, single and twin engines aircraft, are now able to operate with environment friendly fuels, especially mogas, containing up to 2,000 times less lead than 100LL," boasted Tecnam. Lycoming Engines was equally enthusiastic. "In achieving [EASA approval], Tecnam's P2010 became the first known OEM fixed-wing aircraft fully approved by the manufacturer to use each and every fuel listed in our SI1070 Approved Fuels document," said Michael Kraft, Senior VP and General Manager of Lycoming Engines. Tecnam Managing Director Paolo Pascale confirmed the benefits: "This provides the consumer with a great number of fuel options on the aircraft, and especially unleaded options which are not only better for the environment, but better for the engine." Tecnam still isn't done and Professor Luigi has rested yet. P2012 Traveller is the company's eleven-seat next generation piston engine twin, designed to comply with both FAR part 23 and EASA CS-23 and to ensure operators benefit from very low operating and maintenance costs in particular. Recently, launch customer, commuter airline operator Cape Air conducted an on-site joint production development meeting at Tecnam's Capua, Italy assembly facility. An encouraged Cape Air president Linda Markham (photo) said, "We look forward to continuing our collaboration. P2012 Traveller serial number 003 is now complete with its twin Lycoming TEO 540-C1A engines fitted. The largest Tecnam is undergoing extensive testing of its fuselage, wing and empennages. P2012 Traveller will first do service as a passenger airplane, Tecnam said, but it was designed for multiple roles including "Hydro, VIP, cargo shipping, parachuting, and medevac services." Since it is not wise to take your eye off Tecnam for too long we will keep reporting the latest developments.

After more than a decade of LSA, one airframe manufacturer stands head and shoulders above all other in what I call the “light aircraft space.” That term gets stretched far and wide with this update on Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam … simply “Tecnam” to most folks. If Tecnam was a person, I’d call him restless and tireless. Does he sleep? I think not. Are any flying machines not possible for this design dynamo? I see no limits to his ambitions. So prolific is this Italian aviation powerhouse that I will blend several news items into one story. Tecnam is a large team, an entire factory full of hard-working people, and representatives of all sorts scattered across several countries. At the core of this engine of production (33 models and variations) is Luigi Pascale, the 92-year-old patriarch of Team Tecnam with management by nephew, Paolo Pascale. Paolo is the visible face of Tecnam at airshows, standing literally head and shoulders over most of his competitors.

American Exports: LSA Like Just’s SuperSTOL

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images by Jean-Marie Urlacher, courtesy Just Aircraft

Go aloft in SuperSTOL with our video cameras providing a first-person view.

If you've read a newspaper or watched TV in the last couple decades, you might think America only imports stuff, mostly from China. Of course, that is ridiculously simplistic and just plain wrong but constant repetition of incorrect news may eventually convince people that it is the truth. At one time, it seemed all Light-Sport Aircraft also came from overseas. Indeed, in the earliest days of Light-Sport Aircraft, rules in Europe allowed fully-built aircraft that were very similar so those producers could more quickly enter the new sector. In 2005 and 2006, more than two-thirds of all LSA were imported. While imports remain a strong and important supply of worthy aircraft, an increasing number are now produced in the USA. American companies have caught up and are now arguably pulling ahead. This is true in the innovation of design, in production of ready-to-fly SLSA and in the kit market where American companies were always the strongest and have remained so. Many other countries don't even allow kits but some do. Just Aircraft recently announced that they received authorization from England's Civil Aviation Authority to market their very popular SuperSTOL kits in the United Kingdom. This is apparently only a beachhead, with Just saying they are "taking the first step in establishing a global dealer network." Go, Just Aircraft! The Walhalla, South Carolina company is seeking additional dealers in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. Most countries will require local approval by aviation authorities, but since Just has made it through the challenging process in England, they can reasonably expect other nations will be able to move forward more quickly. Many smaller countries with smaller aviation organizations — often called their CAA — focus on air transport and merely adapt rules they see coming from nations like USA or England. Over its lifespan, Just has produced more than 600 aircraft kits for construction and operation in North America. Of the 600, nearly 200 sales have been for the SuperSTOL, their newest and most versatile design, reported the company. "We will continue to market factory direct in North America, but wish to have factory representatives in the other continents." Just Aircraft has achieved SLSA status for their Highlander model that preceded SuperSTOL, but has yet to take that step for the SuperSTOL model. The two are very similar but FAA actions over the last couple years suggests that Just would have to go through all the steps again. With kit sales brisk and with customers interested in spending less, the regulatory burden may not be worth the effort and expense. SuperSTOL boasts takeoff and landing requirements of little more than 50 feet. "When fitted with 29-inch tundra tires, SuperSTOL can land in just about any kind of field, a clearing in the woods, riverbeds, or shorelines," said Just. "To enhance the slow flight characteristics of the SuperSTOL, the wings are fitted with slats, Fowler flaps, spoilers and vortex generators, allowing for an airplane that virtually will not stall with power applied." If the versatility that comes with the giant tires is still not enough, Just Aircraft can now provide floats and skis as options for the two-seat, high wing, tube and fabric aircraft. One of the big attractions of kit-built aircraft is a lower price but those tackling the project will also gain from acquiring an intimate knowledge of their flying machine unlike what an owner gets when he or she buys fly-away models. Still, the project is a big one and not every one is ready. So, to address this concern, organizations like Big Sky Aviation will help you in their Builder Assist Center. Get the background and details in the following video.

If you’ve read a newspaper or watched TV in the last couple decades, you might think America only imports stuff, mostly from China. Of course, that is ridiculously simplistic and just plain wrong but constant repetition of incorrect news may eventually convince people that it is the truth. At one time, it seemed all Light-Sport Aircraft also came from overseas. Indeed, in the earliest days of Light-Sport Aircraft, rules in Europe allowed fully-built aircraft that were very similar so those producers could more quickly enter the new sector. In 2005 and 2006, more than two-thirds of all LSA were imported. While imports remain a strong and important supply of worthy aircraft, an increasing number are now produced in the USA. American companies have caught up and are now arguably pulling ahead. This is true in the innovation of design, in production of ready-to-fly SLSA and in the kit market where American companies were always the strongest and have remained so.

Lightplane Flying Over North Korea

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment (Edit)

Here's something you simply never hear about ... lightplanes in North Korea and flying one above the country. My LAMA Europe associate and friend Jan Fridrich alerted me to the existence of a handsome light aircraft allegedly developed and built in that isolated country. I don't know what your thoughts are about North Korea. Our government officials, media, and other critics have related stories of terrible human abuse by the ruling elite. I have no doubt this is indeed a repressive regime and I certainly don't condone coercion. However, neither do I have any first-hand information about the country; I only know what I can see and read elsewhere. Yet like most of you, I love airplanes and I enjoy viewing especially attractive airplanes. The one in the nearby images qualifies and according to those who have visited — and evidently gone aloft in it — this is a North Korean-designed aircraft. About the machine, Jan said, "The plane looks like combination of [the Italian] Pioneer with [Germany's] Fascination and [Slovak's] Dynamic." However, this is a four seater, unlike those European LSA-like designs. Singapore-based photographer Aram Pan publishes a website featuring photography of North Korea. He reports spending several years creating photos and video of the isolated, secretive nation. Aram also offers tours of the country and his latest feat is arranging what he calls "the first foreigners to fly over Pyongyang in a North Korea-built light airplane." A PetaPixel article on Aram's work contains a 15-minute YouTube video of his pioneering aerial photo shoot. The airborne scenes depict the nation's largest city, which looks comparable to any other national capital. "We work together to ... push the limits of what can be achieved in North Korea," Mr. Pan told the PetaPixel website. "We work with the local officials to constantly make our requests known. Since 2013, I have been allowed to do things not previously possible and have opened up the avenues for new media possibilities." PetaPixel said that Aram shot the world's first collection of 360-degree virtual tours back in 2013 and the first state-sanctioned GoPro footage in 2014. Starting last year, Aram began petitioning the North Korean government for permission to shoot aerial photos and videos over Pyongyang, the capital city. In November 2015, the country launched the first helicopter joyrides in which picture-taking was allowed. Pan was personally invited by North Korean officials to take an exclusive ride on a one-of-a-kind locally-made light plane, reported PetaPixel. The aircraft is not named or described anywhere and I could uncover no more about it. Another article shows an image of Kim Jung Un near what appears to be a Cessna, but no reference could be found of the airplane pictured in this article. If any ByDanJohnson.com visitors know more about this mystery aircraft, please advise me and I'll update this article. For now, at least we have some evidence of lightplane flying in North Korea. All images here and more to be seen at the article link above are by Aram Pan. You can see some wonderful "spherical" photos of the inside of a Russian Ilyushin Il-1 on his website. I've been seeing some of this kind of imagery in Wall Street Journal (they make spherical videos which are quite interesting to observe on a mobile device as you can actually spin around and see all around you in every direction). Aram's spherical still photos are excellent quality. For the more adventurous among you, he is offering a tour to North Korea in April 2106. I have no idea if Americans are welcome on this tour but for those who may wish to inquire, you can visit his website for more details. The cost is surprisingly modest. Aram has already visited North Korea eight times. On his website shows, Mr. Pan wrote, "Using photography as an outreach for peace and understanding, I have come to realize that all it takes is a wide smile and an outstretched arm to change the way people react and treat you." I like his positive approach. If you're a social media fan, you can visit Mr. Pan's Facebook page for more info and images. I may be getting on some government list, having done an article about a Light-Sport Aircraft built in Iran and now a story about flying in North Korea. However, I think more knowledge of aviation around the world is a good thing.

Here’s something you simply never hear about … lightplanes in North Korea and flying one above the country. My LAMA Europe associate and friend Jan Fridrich alerted me to the existence of a handsome light aircraft allegedly developed and built in that isolated country. I don’t know what your thoughts are about North Korea. Our government officials, media, and other critics have related stories of terrible human abuse by the ruling elite. I have no doubt this is indeed a repressive regime and I certainly don’t condone coercion. However, neither do I have any first-hand information about the country; I only know what I can see and read elsewhere. Yet like most of you, I love airplanes and I enjoy viewing especially attractive airplanes. The one in the nearby images qualifies and according to those who have visited — and evidently gone aloft in it — this is a North Korean-designed aircraft.

Glowfly Update; Clever Name—Clever Project

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What's in a name? I like Glowfly, as a sort of double entendre. It could suggest "Go fly," or it might refer to glow as in the spark employed to start a turbine engine. Yup, in case you didn't see our earlier article by Dave Unwin, the newly renamed Glowfly is a jet-powered sailplane that uses electric-powered main wheel propulsion to assist. How's that for — as my favorite British comedy troupe, Monty Python, used to say — "something completely different?" Formerly called GloW (which nearly everyone was sure to misspell; certainly your smarty-pants smartphone would never get the capitalization right), Glowfly is moving along smartly. Here's an update the folks at ProAirport sent along. "The first public reveal — Project Glow becomes Glowfly," glowed the ProAirport team. In the last weekend of November at the Flyer Live show, ProAirport said, "We were overwhelmed by the number of visitors to the ProAirsport stand.  It was truly fantastic to meet and talk to all these extremely interested people who had made a beeline for us after hearing and reading all about Project Glow [the project's earlier name]."  They reported that many interested pilots specifically came to see Glowfly live, as the show name suggests. "We were very proud to have Glowfly on display and showcase our unique hybrid product in all its glory." Unique is an often abused word that is properly deployed in this case. I know of no project quite like Glowfly. Everybody wanted to know when ProAirport forecasts Glowfly will fly. "Of course, that's what we are focused on right now," they said. The team reports finishing the flight control installations, refining the ergonomics of the dual motor control systems, among "all the little jobs to finish." Roger Hurley, CEO of ProAirsport noted, "We've received continuously high quality press coverage over the past year with many positive articles." Nonetheless, they report still-surprised faces when pilots discover the hybrid propulsion that combines a compact turbine and useful electric assist (nearby photo). "We certainly raised eyebrows ... in a positive way, we have to add," said Roger. "Glowfly is official! Serial number 001 now has flight insurance and a UK civil registration G-CIUR which we will apply to the fuselage and wing shortly." (I'll bet the unceasing British plane spotters will be all over that one ... but those peculiar Brits' are a whole other story.) For the Flyer Live show we added some color flashes and the sharp eyed amongst [readers] will notice we removed the landing gear doors so visitors could get a better look at our e-drive." ProAirport also showcased a trial version of what will become their glass panel. Current pricing is about $66,000 (converted from £43,950). That may not strike all readers as a low price but compared to any other self-launching motorglider, it is quite a good value, especially for one that can be flown without much regulatory hassle. ProAirsport was established in June 2014. The company said that it "exists to build innovative light aircraft in deregulated or lightly regulated environments, worldwide." Glowfly applies high performance glider design principles to a microlight aircraft to create a high performance hybrid microlight and a moderately performing self-launching sailplane, one many more soaring-interested buyers may be able to afford. "Glowfly is all about simplicity, operational convenience, self-sufficiency and lower cost," they said. That description certainly applies to most of what we cover here on ByDanJohnson.com. Check the ProAirport website to keep up with activities before our next report. If you simply cannot contain yourself, send email to Roger Hurley or Liz Mayne. "I am now officially the Project GloW Test Pilot," wrote Dave Unwin, who is a well-known and very experienced aviation journalist. "We're hoping I'll make the maiden flight soon, but with such a unique aircraft we're not rushing and are taking things one step at a time." He promised to ... "let you know how it goes."

What’s in a name? I like Glowfly, as a sort of double entendre. It could suggest “Go fly,” or it might refer to glow as in the spark employed to start a turbine engine. Yup, in case you didn’t see our earlier article by Dave Unwin, the newly renamed Glowfly is a jet-powered sailplane that uses electric-powered main wheel propulsion to assist. How’s that for — as my favorite British comedy troupe, Monty Python, used to say — “something completely different?” Formerly called GloW (which nearly everyone was sure to misspell; certainly your smarty-pants smartphone would never get the capitalization right), Glowfly is moving along smartly. Here’s an update the folks at ProAirport sent along. “The first public reveal — Project Glow becomes Glowfly,” glowed the ProAirport team. In the last weekend of November at the Flyer Live show, ProAirport said, “We were overwhelmed by the number of visitors to the ProAirsport stand.  It was truly fantastic to meet and talk to all these extremely interested people who had made a beeline for us after hearing and reading all about Project Glow [the project’s earlier name].”  They reported that many interested pilots specifically came to see Glowfly live, as the show name suggests.

What Will 15 Days and $15,000 Get You?

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This website focuses on the affordable end of aviation. However, "affordable" is a relative term. I've written about Icon's A5, which may set the bar highest among Light-Sport Aircraft at around $247,000 for a well-equipped LSA seaplane. (See our Video Pilot Report.) If you had the money would you buy an A5 or a Cessna 172 Skyhawk for around $400,000. You probably have a response but then, the question is rhetorical because most readers likely don't have a quarter-million to do drop on a LSA, no matter how magnificent it may be. I've also written about the $16,000 (or so) fully-built Aerolite 103. Some think that's a wonderful deal on a very nice single seat airplane. Yet at least one person wrote on my Dan Johnson Media / Affordable Aviation Facebook page that even Aerolite is too expensive. Fair enough. We all have different budgets. Some people can buy an $800,000 single engine Cirrus. For others five grand is closer to what they want to spend. Aviation enthusiasts are all kinds of people. However, with the average price of a new car around $33,000 these days (according to Kelly Bluebook), $15,000 for an airworthy motorglider seems to represent a mighty fine value. Recently Aeromarine LSA's Chip Erwin told me about such an aircraft delivered to South American to customer, Marco Peter. Let's jet down to Lima Peru and visit the project. Nearby images show the Zigolo going together and taking flight over Peru. "Zigolo was built from a kit in only 15 days in the basement garage of the owner Marco Peter," said Chip. The finished aircraft was then transported to a small desert airstrip just south of Lima for the test flight. "The mission was to finish the Zigolo build, test fly, and show Marco how to fly all in the short term of Nov 3 to 23, 2015. That's just 20 days less two Sunday afternoons off to watch the Packers," said Chip. He hails from Florida these days, but grew up in Wisconsin and those Packer loyalties run deep and last long. Even with time out for football, Chip reported, "This mission was accomplished with a day to spare." First test flights were made by Chip with Marco making several flights in his new ultralight motorglider afterward but all in the short window of time. For another perspective on how Zigolo flies, read this evaluation by famous British journalist text pilot, Dave Unwin. The mission proved the Part 103-capable Zigolo can be built as quickly as advertised. What Chip didn't mention was the bargain price of the machine. As we told you at its first U.S. appearance — see the second half of this article — Zigolo is another three axis bargain. Sold as "almost ready to fly" for less than $16,000, you can save even more by assembling the lightweight airplane in less than 100 hours for a mere $14,500 (though prices change over time so check with Aeromarine LSA for the newest pricing but read on ...). Through Chip's tireless efforts Zigolo also introduced versatility. Zigolo can also be purchased to fly with pure electric power and even that package will be available ready-to-fly for less than $20,000. Hear more about the eZigolo in this video "The electric Zigolo is now in flight testing," said Chip. "Clean, smooth, reliable, and quiet electric flight is coming soon!" Visit Aeromarine LSA to follow developments and read the latest news on their electric-powered aircraft. Marco's Zigolo was a gas-powered edition. "Zigolo is a Part 103 ultralight that doubles as an inexpensive motorglider," explained Chip. "Marco's friend Alex flew Zigolo on the nearby ridge and saw 600 FPM climb with the engine at idle. Prices for the Zigolo start at only $12,000 engine & propeller included! Total cost of the paint was $20! We used a high-quality exterior latex paint with UV protection." So, 15 days and $15,000 can put you in the sky. Is it for you? Check out this video:

This website focuses on the affordable end of aviation. However, “affordable” is a relative term. I’ve written about Icon’s A5, which may set the bar highest among Light-Sport Aircraft at around $247,000 for a well-equipped LSA seaplane. (See our Video Pilot Report.) If you had the money would you buy an A5 or a Cessna 172 Skyhawk for around $400,000. You probably have a response but then, the question is rhetorical because most readers likely don’t have a quarter-million to do drop on a LSA, no matter how magnificent it may be. I’ve also written about the $16,000 (or so) fully-built Aerolite 103. Some think that’s a wonderful deal on a very nice single seat airplane. Yet at least one person wrote on my Dan Johnson Media / Affordable Aviation Facebook page that even Aerolite is too expensive. Fair enough. We all have different budgets.

Lightweight Autopilot from TruTrak & Levil

By Dan Johnson || 5 Comments (Edit)

In 2004, when the SP/LSA regulation was announced, who would have forecast that on light aircraft, autopilots would be a common feature. Such gear seemed fanciful as autopilots were costly, rather heavy, a maintenance hassle ... and besides, weren't you supposed to "hand fly" a light aircraft so you could truly enjoy flight? Is punching a button to take over the flying chores what we wanted to do? In nearly a dozen years since FAA's reg established aviation's newest and fastest-growing sector, autopilots have become common. Much as I love hand flying, winging about the sky, if I am traveling somewhere and especially if I really need to pay sharp attention to radio work and staying precisely on course — for example, to avoid hot MOAs or Class B airspace — an autopilot can be a mighty handy feature. What used to be way expensive and heavy has changed dramatically and one company had a lot to do with that change: TruTrak. Founded in 1999 by Jim Younkin and Chuck Bilbe, the Arkansas company hired Andrew Barker as TruTrak's first employee in September 2000. Zap forward 15 years and today, Andrew is owner of the company, which has sold more than 10,000 autopilots. An innovator in the experimental and Light-Sport Aircraft autopilot market, TruTrak Flight Systems introduced the first digital autopilot (Digiflight). TruTrak autopilots are installed in a wide variety of experimental aircraft, for example, the autopilot in Virgin Atlantic's Global Flyer and this year's Solar Impulse. Catch up to this point with this video. Eco is a fresh 2015 approach to two-axis autopilots (pitch and bank). Conventional systems involve heavier servos that need more care in installation and maintenance. Eco uses different method that cuts weight by 60 percent. Prices are also refreshing. For a short time, a special introductory price of $999 is available but the planned regular price is only $1,200. At either cost Eco is affordable on many aircraft in the Light-Sport and light kit aircraft space. However, Andrew is a clever fellow and imagined something more after he struck up a conversation with Ruben Leon of Levil Aviation. Eco now offers a new concept created by TruTrak and Levil. Rather than using a standard autopilot servo which connects to the primary aircraft controls, Eco attaches as a secondary servo tab on the control surface (much like a trim tab). Eco also uses very lightweight, high quality, high velocity, metal gear, waterproof, miniature servos. "Using commercially available servos, we can reduce the cost of an autopilot system significantly," said Andrew. "The tabs are also sized such that at maximum deflection, should a servo fail or 'runaway,' the forces can easily be over-ridden by the pilot." A nearby photo shows an example of a servo tab. The tab pictured is 10 inches long and four inches wide. Production servo tabs will weigh approximately three ounces. Andrew hastened to add credit to his development associate Levil Aviation saying, "The all new Eco autopilot was created in cooperation with Levil Technologies." If TruTrak already had something of a corner on the light aircraft autopilot market, why was Levil valuable? Because Eco can do more than merely serve as an autopilot. Beside being an affordable, simple, two-axis autopilot Eco has an added function called Automatic Envelope Protection (AEP). AEP allows the pilot to set a safe bank angle and pitch angle of his or her choosing. When armed, AEP will use the TruTrak autopilot to monitor the angles. "If any exceed the preset limits," Andrew said, "the autopilot will apply pressure to the controls and move the aircraft back inside the envelope." Dynon's SkyView and other EFIS products, when combined with an autopilot, can offer a straight and level button and that's great. Angle of attack gauges can tell you when you move outside desirable ranges but they don't alter the controls. AEP does more and it does so using input from a Levil device providing AHRS (Attitude Heading Reference System) data. "The things that we are able to do in the aircraft using such small and light-weight servo tabs are just amazing," said Andrew. "AEP is a wonderful safety feature and the way it works in this system is just incredible." As Levil boss Ruben educated me, autopilots take two approaches. One is called a rate gyro (what TruTrak's Digiflight and most autopilots use) and the other is a position or attitude gyro. For Automatic Envelope Protection to work, it needs to know more. Built directly into the Eco unit, Levil provides an attitude signal to a level of precision the rate gyro alone can't match. Both rate gyros (that will remain part of TruTrak's line) and position gyros depend on software algorithms but the Levil position method offer a higher level of precision needed in such parameters as bank angle and pitch attitude. Sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, and pressure transducers make autopilots work. Levil AHRS software completes the picture allowing TruTrak's new AEP. "For us this was a joint partnership," Andrew said, confirmed by Ruben. Both companies are pleased about the collaboration and hinted more might come from their association. In a future article, I will tell you more about Levil, which is located a modest drive from my home airport here in Florida. If you'd like to hear directly from the experts on how Eco and AEP work, watch our new video — shot at AirVenture Oshkosh just after the new device was introduced.

In 2004, when the SP/LSA regulation was announced, who would have forecast that on light aircraft, autopilots would be a common feature. Such gear seemed fanciful as autopilots were costly, rather heavy, a maintenance hassle … and besides, weren’t you supposed to “hand fly” a light aircraft so you could truly enjoy flight? Is punching a button to take over the flying chores what we wanted to do? In nearly a dozen years since FAA’s reg established aviation’s newest and fastest-growing sector, autopilots have become common. Much as I love hand flying, winging about the sky, if I am traveling somewhere and especially if I really need to pay sharp attention to radio work and staying precisely on course — for example, to avoid hot MOAs or Class B airspace — an autopilot can be a mighty handy feature. What used to be way expensive and heavy has changed dramatically and one company had a lot to do with that change: TruTrak.

FAA’s Billion-Dollar Problem (Hint: Drones)

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Amazon's newest drone is part quadcopter, part "conventional" airplane with this prop thrusting most of the flight to your back yard.

Loading the package (autonomously) at the fulfillment center ...

... flying en route via more conventional means (Amazon said this an actual in-flight image, not a simulated one) |

... and dropping off your package in your backyard, apparently at a target you'd put out (see video).

I realize that for some readers I may be swimming upstream when I write about drones (or UAVs or RPVs, or whatever). First, many of you simply don't care; your passion is for manned flight and I completely understand. Second, some of you see real danger to your manned flying due to a growing drone population. Those who guess the future think more than a million units will be sold this holiday season. Third, we have the matter of privacy. Probably like you, I don't like the idea of some government agency or even a snoopy neighbor being able to peer into my yard against my preference. This article presents a somewhat different, somewhat nuanced view of drone development and the reasons are financial, which may not be how you've seen this issue. Consider that FAA is — compared to most aviation businesses — an absolutely enormous organization. It has an annual budget of more than $15 billion and around 50,000 employees. Very few private airplane makers are bigger. Boeing is, as is Airbus. After that, it drops fast. Cessna's parent Textron is smaller as is Gulfstream. The vast majority of airframe builders are much, much smaller companies. The point is that compared to more than 95% of all aviation businesses, FAA is a massive behemoth funded by the American taxpayer. Of course, I know FAA accomplishes many worthy tasks but many feel the regulations they issue interfere as much as help. Many question if those thousands of pages of regulation truly advance safety, the agency's prime goal. Into this picture now come some truly mammoth entities. These are private businesses that have many tens of billions in annual sales and the sheer heft to afford armies of lobbyists and lawyers to advance their corporate mission. I don't portray this as a good thing; in fact, it contributes to cronyism ... where government gets cozy with the largest businesses. Nonetheless, when organizations the size of Google or Amazon want to bend FAA their direction, they have the might to achieve far more than your favorite airplane manufacturer. In the Washington Post today, a story appeared about Amazon's latest drone design. Part quadcopter and part airplane it has a range of 15 miles, the company claims. They also say it "part of a growing family of drones." Expect to see lots more about the company's plans to deliver packages to you via drone. This is not mere speculation or a means to get media attention (though it certainly does that, too). As with Internet delivery, the so-called "last mile" is the costliest, referring to delivering services or products from a distribution center to your home. So for Amazon, it may truly make sense to bring products to you via drone. Their effort to develop the right flying machine is an ongoing juggernaut that is not likely to stop. As you may have read, FAA has established a new office to guide drone regulation. I imagine that office will be on the regular beat of Amazon's lobbyist battalion. In that future, unlike with hundreds of tiny aviation enterprises, FAA will be greeted by people who have deep pockets that even FAA cannot match. Is this going to change the game of drones? You bet! Their pressure will cause FAA to pay plenty of attention to Amazon and the giant online retailer may achieve many of their goals due to the amount of horsepower they can apply. Your average drone-operating entrepreneur may have to meet a growing list of regs and compliance demands. Those demands can easily be met by Amazon, which can staff a compliance department, but will pose a major impediment for very small businesses. Online journalist Mary Grady at AVweb included a letter from Tony Dziepak who wrote, "I would register my drone prior to flying it above 200 feet AGL. [However,] I think it is clear from U.S. v. Causby (1946) that the FAA has no authority to regulate "the immediate reaches of the enveloping atmosphere" of my property, which in the Causby case is at least 83 feet AGL. Just as my driveway is not part of the federal highway system, the airspace above my property, at least to my treetops, is not part of the NAS." I think Tony makes a good point. Is the air above his yard his to control or FAA's? My longtime friend and fellow publisher Ben Sclair weighed in the wisdom of drone registration. Being a witty guy he makes a lot of sense when he questions if mere registration can make drone operations safer. You can read his piece here. Alternatively, you can read a non-aviation viewpoint on FAA registration of drones from one of my favorite alternative sources, Reason Magazine here. As Reason reported, when the Academy of Model Aeronautics (which is represented on the new drone registration task force) examined the FAA data in September 2015, it found that only 3.5% of the agency's 764 recorded incidents were genuine near misses between drones and manned aircraft. Most of the "incidents" were nothing more than sightings. In any event, AMA reported, "... the most serious incidents in the FAA data — including all actual  crashes — involved government military drones, not civilian ones." I offer all the preceding as food for thought so you can come to your own opinions about drones. I plan to keep flying mine with the aim of providing you with better content but I'll be darned careful around any manned aircraft. For the record, here and here are my two earlier articles on drones. It is not my mission to promote Amazon (though I admit being a regular customer). I merely wish to show their vision of a drone-drenched future. Here's their YouTube promo video ...

I realize that for some readers I may be swimming upstream when I write about drones (or UAVs or RPVs, or whatever). First, many of you simply don’t care; your passion is for manned flight and I completely understand. Second, some of you see real danger to your manned flying due to a growing drone population. Those who guess the future think more than a million units will be sold this holiday season. Third, we have the matter of privacy. Probably like you, I don’t like the idea of some government agency or even a snoopy neighbor being able to peer into my yard against my preference. This article presents a somewhat different, somewhat nuanced view of drone development and the reasons are financial, which may not be how you’ve seen this issue. Consider that FAA is — compared to most aviation businesses — an absolutely enormous organization. It has an annual budget of more than $15 billion and around 50,000 employees.

Flying Sling 4 … Airman’s Medical Update

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As I've indicated many times in the last couple years, this website seeks to deliver news and video about Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, ultralights, and light GA aircraft. The latter refers to four seat (and larger) aircraft created by the same companies that make LSA or kits. Specifically, I do not plan much on Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, Diamond, and other legacy brands as every magazine already examines these every month. Instead, I plan to cover emerging models from companies that established their brand in the LSA space: Tecnam, Flight Design, Pipistrel, Evektor, Van's and The Airplane Factory. These six manufacturers are presently in the four seat game either with ready-to-fly aircraft or four seat kits. More are expected to follow. At Copperstate 2015, I finally got a chance to fly the Sling 4 from The Airplane Factory, which I had been anticipating since enjoying the Sling LSA. The South African company has a rich history in light aircraft, with principal Mike Blyth flying weight shift trikes all over the world, including several epic journeys. He certainly "gets" all manner of light aircraft and sought to make a four seater, which, of course, he also flew around the world. Such voyages a something of a habit for Mike. Sling 4 uses Rotax power, in this case the turbo-charged 914 model. (I'll bet they start using the 135-horsepower 915 when it becomes available. I witnessed Mike paying close attention when the new powerplant was announced at Oshkosh 2015.) Like the two seat Sling LSA, Sling 4 is all-metal excepting some composite elements. Except for the second row of seats (see last photo), Sling 4 looks much like the Sling LSA. I'd call that a very good thing as the LSA model is a comfortable machine. Different from Sling LSA that uses a sliding canopy, Sling 4 has a couple upward-hinging doors that allow easy enough entry though you must first climb up on the wing. I didn't get in the rear but TAFer Jordan Denitz made it look easy enough. Naturally, as TAF-USA entrepreneur Matt Litnaitzky also represents the MGL Avionics line (also from South Africa), Sling 4 uses these fine instruments and radios. Sling 4 featured twin large EFIS screens. Unlike Sling LSA, for which we did a full Video Pilot Report that you'll see before too long, I did not do a full review of Sling 4. However, my 20-minute experience with it suggested I could really come to like the airplane. It flew very nicely and offers the extra space some covet. Useful load is significant even with — and partly because of — the small-ish Rotax engine. Sling 4 felt a bit heavier, which of course it is, but it exhibited the same wonderful handling I'd enjoyed on Sling LSA. Perhaps best of all for those trying to not break their budget, Sling 4 is quite modestly priced, barely into six figures. Naturally, you'll have to build this model but the TAF boys say it is a reasonable project. Since you need a medical to fly a four seater like Sling 4, you may want to know more about the effort to move beyond the Third Class Medical. EAA states, "Third-class medical reform is closer than ever before, but it's a complex issue ..." "Almost anyone who has held a regular or special issuance third-class medical certificate within the 10 years preceding the date the legislation is enacted will never again need to visit an aviation medical examiner (AME). If you've never held a third-class medical certificate, you will need to get a medical certificate. If your regular or special issuance medical certificate lapsed more than 10 years before the legislation is enacted, you will need to get a medical certificate. And if you develop certain cardiac, neurological, or psychological conditions, you will need a one-time-only special issuance medical." The legislation is by no means a done deal. "A number of lawmakers made it absolutely clear that they would not support legislation that completely eliminated the third-class medical," clarified EAA. "The compromises Sen. Inhofe arrived at represent the very best deal possible for pilots while winning sufficient support in Congress to keep the legislation alive." Even if it passes in the Senate and the House and gets the president's signature, FAA then enters into rule making and a minimum of a year will pass before you can use the proposed new privileges. The initiative's cosponsor, AOPA, wrote, "Both chambers must pass the bill and reconcile any differences before it can go the president for his signature." The big member organization added, "The original language of the Pilot's Bill of Rights 2 did not have enough support in the Senate. It was not going to pass or move forward in its original form." Being completely honest, AOPA noted, "Even with all the progress, there's still work to do. Few things move forward quickly in Congress." To get all the info EAA (and AOPA) offers, visit this FAQ link.

As I’ve indicated many times in the last couple years, this website seeks to deliver news and video about Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, ultralights, and light GA aircraft. The latter refers to four seat (and larger) aircraft created by the same companies that make LSA or kits. Specifically, I do not plan much on Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, Diamond, and other legacy brands as every magazine already examines these every month. Instead, I plan to cover emerging models from companies that established their brand in the LSA space: Tecnam, Flight Design, Pipistrel, Evektor, Van’s and The Airplane Factory. These six manufacturers are presently in the four seat game either with ready-to-fly aircraft or four seat kits. More are expected to follow. At Copperstate 2015, I finally got a chance to fly the Sling 4 from The Airplane Factory, which I had been anticipating since enjoying the Sling LSA.

Aerolite 120 Launches in Britain and Ireland

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Aerolite 103 from U-Fly-It has been on a tear for the last couple years, producing at capacity and stretching to produce even more for 2016. Some of those very attractively priced aircraft — way under $20,000 ready-to-fly! ... take that, sluggish economy! — are headed off on the longest trip of their lives. The DeLand, Florida company has been shipping units to Europe where their German-based European distributor operates. So much for too-costly airplanes. Aerolite 103 (and a few other well-priced examples from light aircraft producers) proves an airplane doesn't have to be costly to deliver a good time. The German Aerolite 120 is somewhat costlier to account for shipping, German certification expense, etc. "British pilots have embraced Aerolite 120," said German distributor Vierwerk Aviation. "Aerolite's proper design, very good quality, and meticulous workmanship in every detail have been praised and recognized by everyone." Aerolite 120 is the European-approved version of America's Aerolite 103. The 120 designation refers to the German 120-kilogram (264-pound) class that is remarkably similar to FAA's Part 103. Vierwerk and their United Kingom (including Ireland) distributor Kairos Aviation, said "Kiwi" (referring to its distinctive green color) was a real eye-catcher and was presented at the LAA Rally event called Sywell 2015. Aerolite 120 was tested to assure compliance with the strict German LTF-L/UL regulations, and falls well within the criteria for the UK deregulated category called SSDR (Single Seat DeRegulated). The first example sold in the UK is G-OLAS (the British version of an "N-number" registration), which was exhibited by Kairos at the recent Light Aircraft Association (LAA) Rally 2015 at Sywell. You can read a detailed report on the experience of first UK Aerolite 120 owner Stephen Oliver in the November 2015 issue of LAA's Light Aviation and relates the impressions of someone coming to the very light Aerolite from heavier aircraft and some readers may find this instructive. It is a very straightforward description with something of a surprise ending. Some of Stephen's comments from the article are selected below. "For a very light aircraft (only 120 kilograms (264 pounds) and a MTOW of 250 kilograms (550 pounds), the Aerolite 120 carries little momentum, so she responds rapidly to control inputs and airspeed bleeds off very quickly; consequently, you have to keep the power on to some extent right through to the flare." I don't find that to be the case, but I have plenty of light aircraft experience, unlike Stephen. "[On takeoff] I applied full power from the Polini Thor 200 Evo air-cooled engine, which had easily started first time, every time, and I steadily climbed flapless out of the airfield, heading north over Pitsford. Best rate of climb is 41 knots (47 mph), which gives 1.6 meter per second (320 fpm) [of climb]; that's pretty much with full power at over 7200 rpm, [while] keeping a close eye on the temperatures. "With so little weight, even with me on board, there's little momentum to slow its response to control inputs; it all makes for a lively experience. The stall is quite benign at 35 knots (39 mph) clean." Much more detail appears in Stephen's full-length report found at the link above. Also, you can watch a video below for the first flight of Aerolite 120 in England.

Aerolite 103 from U-Fly-It has been on a tear for the last couple years, producing at capacity and stretching to produce even more for 2016. Some of those very attractively priced aircraft — way under $20,000 ready-to-fly! … take that, sluggish economy! — are headed off on the longest trip of their lives. The DeLand, Florida company has been shipping units to Europe where their German-based European distributor operates. So much for too-costly airplanes. Aerolite 103 (and a few other well-priced examples from light aircraft producers) proves an airplane doesn’t have to be costly to deliver a good time. The German Aerolite 120 is somewhat costlier to account for shipping, German certification expense, etc. “British pilots have embraced Aerolite 120,” said German distributor Vierwerk Aviation. “Aerolite’s proper design, very good quality, and meticulous workmanship in every detail have been praised and recognized by everyone.” Aerolite 120 is the European-approved version of America’s Aerolite 103.

Two LSA Manufacturers Score Overseas

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American readers of ByDanJohnson.com may be surprised to hear that more than a third of all visitors are from outside the United States. In a related fact, America has more pilots than any other country (very roughly half of the world aviator population) but more light aircraft are sold in other country by a ratio of around 10:1. These figures are fuzzy for a number of reasons but the point is that for LSA, the world is their market. That statement is further proven by two recent successes. Evektor reported it successfully passed the audit of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for production at the company's Kunovice, Czech Republic plant. "CAAC's audit team inspected the production facilities of Evektor-Aerotechnik focused on quality assurance, engineering and manufacturing, and quality inspections of fixed wing light sport aircraft," said Evektor. This Czech company — the first to obtain FAA acceptance back in 2005 — was able to prove compliance with CAAC requirements for Light-Sport Aircraft, meaning Evektor is fully authorized by the CAAC for deliveries of SportStar SL aircraft to the Chinese market. While not required by Evektor's U.S. representatives, it represents further bragging rights about the design and its manufacturing processes. "The Quality Management System audited by the CAAC of China [in concert] with the FAA and the European EASA Part 21 Design & Production Organization Approvals represents the continuous compliance of Evektor's Quality Management System with the highest general aviation quality standards and is the basis for the high quality of Evektor's aircraft," stated Jaromír Matu|ka, Quality Manager of Evektor-Aerotechnik. Slovenian LSA builder Pipistrel claimed to have signed the largest single-point contract for delivery of 194 of their Virus SW models to the Indian Armed Forces. The model will be called SW80 Garud for use by the Indian military. Garud is a bird from Hindu mythology. Pipistrel reportedly beat ten other competitors for the contract. The Garuds will be used to train cadets of India's Air Force, Navy and National Cadet Corps spread across 100 locations in the country. Deliveries are to begin in eight months with the contract specifying that Pipistrel must deliver all 194 aircraft within 30 months of the first. Upon learning of their victory, Team Pipistrel must have celebrated enthusiastically but nearly 200 aircraft over two and a half years is a serious order, especially as the contract stipulates spare engines, ground support equipment and tools, 10 years of product support, plus training for aircrew, instructors, and technical staff. Garud aircraft will be powered by the 80 horsepower version of the Rotax 912 engine, which Pipistrel claims will provide a cruise speed of 133 knots with fuel consumption of only 3.6 gallons per hour. To achieve such speed and fuel economy infers an in-flight adjustable pitch prop. Garud is to be built for operation from semi-prepared surfaces and will include a ballistic parachute rescue system, digital avionics, energy-absorbing seats and a Kevlar-reinforced cockpit. After two years of intense negotiation, some experts see challenges. One wrote, "Doing business with the Indian government, with all their red tape, bureaucracy and corruption makes for tough duty." Penalties for non-compliance may be substantial and our expert noted, "The Indian government will find areas of non-compliance. Further, he supposed Pipistrel had to cut their margins to earn the contract. Finally, "A contract for six or seven aircraft per month may soak up their production for other markets." Congratulations to Evektor and Pipistrel for these accomplishments!

American readers of ByDanJohnson.com may be surprised to hear that more than a third of all visitors are from outside the United States. In a related fact, America has more pilots than any other country (very roughly half of the world aviator population) but more light aircraft are sold in other country by a ratio of around 10:1. These figures are fuzzy for a number of reasons but the point is that for LSA, the world is their market. That statement is further proven by two recent successes. Evektor reported it successfully passed the audit of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for production at the company’s Kunovice, Czech Republic plant. “CAAC’s audit team inspected the production facilities of Evektor-Aerotechnik focused on quality assurance, engineering and manufacturing, and quality inspections of fixed wing light sport aircraft,” said Evektor. This Czech company — the first to obtain FAA acceptance back in 2005 — was able to prove compliance with CAAC requirements for Light-Sport Aircraft, meaning Evektor is fully authorized by the CAAC for deliveries of SportStar SL aircraft to the Chinese market.

DeLand Airport to Host Air Race March 12

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SPAR organizer, Doc' Bailey

Our title was the headline for a news article in the my hometown Daytona Beach News-Journal newspaper recently. That's rather unusual. Anytime Light-Sport Aircraft make the local headlines — and not due to an accident, that has to be a good thing. Let me set the stage ... Daytona Beach is a major race venue with the Daytona 500 commonly ranked as one of the top auto races in the world. It draws huge numbers of people. Estimates say 250,000 people attend the '500 inside the track with a vast number tailgating outside. For comparison, seating at even the biggest football games is less than half that count. Whatever the actual numbers, a great many people come to Daytona to enjoy auto racing. An even larger event in Daytona is Bike Week. According to Wikipedia, "Approximately 500,000 people make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event." This number is almost equal to all the pilots in the USA. As reported by Daytona's News-Journal, "The inaugural Sport Pylon Air Races event is set for DeLand Municipal Airport on March 12, the final Saturday of the 75th annual Bike Week motorcycle rally that runs March 4-13, 2016." The newspaper report continued ... "We hope to capitalize on all the people and national media already here," said Christopher 'Doc' Bailey, the air race's organizer. "Right now we are piggybacking on Bike Week for the first event, but we want to make this a winter series across the country that starts and ends in Volusia County." Can SPAR attract some of that immense audience? Only time will tell but nearby air racing certainly has a chance. The idea has been some time in the making with an earlier report stating that entrepreneur Bailey hoped to launch SPAR in 2013. Doc' is persistent, though, and this air race for the light aircraft crowd may be nearing reality. According to the News-Journal reporter the inaugural SPAR event runs from 10 AM to 5 PM and will feature timed heats of Light-Sport airplanes flying at 120 knots through a twisting and turning course of pylons — also referred to as "gates." More than a dozen pilots from throughout the country are expected to compete in the event which will feature races in different categories of LSA. The newspaper reported FAA is allowing spectators at the air race event to sit about 500 feet from the course, which will be 70 feet above the airport's runways. "This makes our event much more fun and interactive than sitting a mile away with binoculars," Doc' said. FAA officials are expected to visit DeLand in the next 60 days to inform airport officials what preparations and actions the federal agency will require for the event. The air races will not stop most other airport activities but will "inconvenience" some, said John Eiff, who manages DeLand Municipal Airport. The inaugural SPAR will also feature food and drink vendors, aircraft displays, skydiving and short-takeoff-and-landing aircraft demonstrations, the newspaper article continued. Post-event activities are also being planned. Tickets will be $25 per person and $20 for a couple. Children age 12 and under, and military veterans with an identification card, will be admitted free, Bailey said. "[SPAR] will also help highlight the Sport Aircraft Village [a LSA business area planned for] DeLand Municipal Airport and the city's outreach to attract the sport plane industry, as was done when making DeLand a leading skydiving and parachute industry center," said Nick Conte Jr., executive director of the DeLand Area Chamber of Commerce.

Our title was the headline for a news article in the my hometown Daytona Beach News-Journal newspaper recently. That’s rather unusual. Anytime Light-Sport Aircraft make the local headlines — and not due to an accident, that has to be a good thing. Let me set the stage … Daytona Beach is a major race venue with the Daytona 500 commonly ranked as one of the top auto races in the world. It draws huge numbers of people. Estimates say 250,000 people attend the ‘500 inside the track with a vast number tailgating outside. For comparison, seating at even the biggest football games is less than half that count. Whatever the actual numbers, a great many people come to Daytona to enjoy auto racing. An even larger event in Daytona is Bike Week. According to Wikipedia, “Approximately 500,000 people make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event.” This number is almost equal to all the pilots in the USA.

Rans’ S-6 Evolves; Remains a Great Bargain

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all photos courtesy Rans, Inc.

With my good friends over at General Aviation News, I recently published an article about Light-Sport Aircraft available for less than $96,000. While that is still a good chunk of change, it is far less than the top-tier LSA that can run $150,000 to more than $200,000. Yet brand-new, fully-built LSA don't have to be so costly. You can read the article at this link.• The four aircraft I picked for my article are not the only well-priced choices in the Special LSA world. They happened to be four airplanes I had flown recently but I did mention at the end that buyers have even more choices in SLSA that were good values, some down below $50,000 ... although those choices will not be carbon fiber speedsters with full glass panels and autopilots. Keep this in mind: When the SP/LSA regulation first came out in 2004, plenty of potential buyers expected prices in the $50,000 to 60,000 range. Of course, those numbers never included dual screen digital instruments, autopilots, airframe parachutes, leather interiors, or state-of-the-art, fuel-injected engines. Even so, given the effects of inflation, $60,000 in 2004 is the same value as $76,000 in late 2015. Therefore, some of my choices in the article referenced above do indeed sell for the price once expected. "I saw a great article by you about SLSA planes [available for] well under $100,000," wrote Rans CEO, Randy Schlitter. "I would like to let you know we now have a nice plane on the market for only $79,000. It is our venerable S-6ES [the kit version] called the S-6ELS [the fully built version]." "If you check out our specifications and price list, you will find it comes with a very nice panel and the very reliable 80 horsepower Rotax," Randy added. "Many pilots are fans of the S-6 Coyote II and for this price in ready-to-fly form it rivals the amount of dollars kit builders are spending for parts in a box." "S-6ELS also has one of the highest payloads LSA on the market," he added. Indeed, based on a full fuel load of 18 gallons, S-6ELS has a 537 pound allowance for people and luggage, enough for 30 pounds of gear and two 253 pound occupants. "We are currently building the 2016 version" Randy continued. "It now includes an updated interior, similar to the S-20LS, and we have dropped the sailcloth laced-up covering for conventional dope and fabric." He also noted that S-6ELS is available in tricycle gear or as a tailwheel plane. Click this link to see a PDF page showing all specifications for the S-6. How well equipped is a $79,000 S-6ELS? Rans says their base price is for a "deluxe analog day VFR" aircraft with radio, intercom, GPS, transponder, three-inch airspeed indicator, altimeter, vertical speed indicator, compass, ELT, and the 80 horsepower Rotax 912UL engine with two-blade Warp Drive prop. For many buyers that could be all you need and would allow you to fly cross country with ease. However, many pilots like to personalize their airplane or want more goodies, so pick from the following: Lighting Package — $2,500 ...includes nav, strobe, position, instrument and taxi/landing lights Canopy Cover — $500 Tru-Trak auto pilot (only available with analog panel) — $5,000 ADS-B — $900 Passenger elevator trim — $500 Headrests — $200 Gear leg fairings — $800 Aft baggage (30-pound capacity) — $1,000 Taildragger, including gear leg fairings and 6X800 tires, with 8-inch tailwheel — $2,000 Canopy cover — $500 Rotax 912ULS (100 horsepower) with 3-blade Whirl Wind prop — $3,500 Those of you know or have talked to Randy at an airshow might imagine the friendly grin on his face when he added, "We are hoping to be a leader in value and are planning even more exciting combinations of price-busting planes for the LSA market from both existing and designs under development." Years ago, Randy used to show up at every Sun 'n Fun event with a new model, earning him such fawning comments as "airplane-of-the-month-club designer." A prolific creator of more than 20 distinct aircraft — while simultaneously operating a bicycle manufacturing business (since sold) — Schlitter remains an essential person to watch. With more than 4,000 aircraft in the Rans fleet in countries around the world, Rans is one of America's leading producers of both kit aircraft and ready-to-fly models. • While the GA News editor since corrected the article in its online form (sign up for free), I originally wrote the Aeroprakt A-22 sold for $88,500. That was information from a previous distributor and the new representative Dennis Long clarified that the current base price is $68,500, or about $80,000 with a good number of options.

With my good friends over at General Aviation News, I recently published an article about Light-Sport Aircraft available for less than $96,000. While that is still a good chunk of change, it is far less than the top-tier LSA that can run $150,000 to more than $200,000. Yet brand-new, fully-built LSA don’t have to be so costly. You can read the article at this link.• The four aircraft I picked for my article are not the only well-priced choices in the Special LSA world. They happened to be four airplanes I had flown recently but I did mention at the end that buyers have even more choices in SLSA that were good values, some down below $50,000 … although those choices will not be carbon fiber speedsters with full glass panels and autopilots. Keep this in mind: When the SP/LSA regulation first came out in 2004, plenty of potential buyers expected prices in the $50,000 to 60,000 range.

Open Air Pilots of the World … UNITE!

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Around the world, starting early for many like this Louisiana paraglider, pilots joined the virtual flying called World Ultralight Fly-In or WUFI. It went so well a 2016 event is planned.

Pilot and WUFI participant Doug Smith showed the true colors of a fellow ultralight enthusiast.

Participating aircraft owners got into the WUFI event in various ways; this gyro pilot put the logo and slogan on the underside of his flying machine.

In this fetching image WUFI participant Dave Kukura flies his stealthy black Beaver in a low pass. All WUFI '15 pilots got a handsome certificate like the one shown for principal organizer Paul Lindamood.

After many years in aviation and being a regular on the (trade) airshow circuit, I know one thing: it is darn hard to start a new event. So when The World Ultralight Fly-In announced its ambitious run at a Guinness Book world record, I thought it was a very fun idea but probably quite hard to assemble. That was before key promoter Paul Lindamood began putting out what seemed hourly updates to the group's Facebook page. The power of social media is unveiled for serious events such as Arab Spring or whimsical photo flash mobs. In our world of recreational aviation, WUFI '15 proves the new media is also very useful. Good for Paul and the WUFI gang of open air pilots. My tongue-in-cheek title notwithstanding — I am definitely not a Marx enthusiast — WUFI surely qualifies as the project that put more open-air (and other) ultralights or ultralight-types in the air on one day, all around the world. To see where they all launched, see the map below. "One Day. One Sky. Be a part of it." That was the slogan and invitation from the Dayton Ultralights WUFI. With the drumbeat of social media encouragement and with the second, ambitious goal of entering the Guinness Book of Records ... how did they do? According to main man Paul, "The final numbers to date (a few days into November 2015), 900 virtual pins were located on the map, with a pin being pilots who previewed their location on the world map showing their intent to fly, weather permitting." This significant population hailed from 46 countries. "What a great way for pilots to come together all over the world to share their love of aviation," said Doug Smith (painted face photo). The organized effort has also done great things for membership in the group known as Magnificent Men and their Flying Machines (abbreviated as MagMen). As this article posted, main man Paul said the group had grown to nearly 2,000 members. Clearly the idea has been motivating. Organizers say the first World Ultralight Fly-in was picked up by numerous TV news stations, publications, and online resources. Anecdotal stories include these: "We had guy from Mexico who wanted to fly WUFI so bad he flew to his wedding rather than miss it! Another guy flew four different categories of light aircraft (paramotor, tandem paramotor, skydive, and sailplane) during WUFI day on October 10." Tim Heylbut, an avid flyer from Australia said, "This has been (and is) the greatest action taken towards uniting ultralight pilots around the globe." But what about that record book attempt? "We are still counting actual certificated 2015 flyers for Guinness — it's over 532 and we're not done." They are presently verifying each one, as required. "We had an amazing start, but what we are finding is a real enthusiasm across the world for a sense of community among these pilots." Paul explained that the idea was to have an event for the grassroots types of machines. Such machines can't as easily attend venues like Oshkosh due to speed, range, and weather limitations. "However, they can share the same sky on the same day," exclaimed Paul! "We're finding that language, location and political barriers all but disappear within the smiles of this unique brotherhood of flyers ... and the sisters as well. "The Guinness response is still pending," Paul said. "It goes very slowly and we can't do much but wait. They say on their website they get 1,000 entries a week." As they prepare for a second effort next year, Paul stated, "We are developing a world wide team of WUFI 'captains' — individuals who will recruit from their individual countries — plus WUFI experts in all primary segments of recreational, open air aircraft from powered parachutes to weight shift trikes to gyro, to airplanes and beyond." The group plans to execute an even more comprehensive WUFI 2016. For the successful 2015 event, Paul wrote, "Thanks to all the WUFI captains!" He listed Marc Carofano, USA east — Thomas Fleming, USA south — Rafael Cortés, Puerto Rico — Yf Yen, Malaysia — Michel Mahler, France — J'm Smith Lobo, China — John Bullpin, UK — Paul Escott, Australia — Adolfo Bikkesba, South America — Jacqueline Costa, Portugal — Tobie Lépine, Canada — plus representatives in Indonesia and Wales." More "captains" will follow. Indeed, being a good promoter, Paul and his Ohio-based group are already soliciting for more leaders and participants for WUFI 2016. Co-creators, Bill Esker and Paul Lindamood from the USA with Koen Van de Kerckhove from Belgium were extremely gratified by the exceptional turnout and enormous amount of support worldwide. The event spanned virtually every category of recreational aircraft imaginable, with pilots as varied as the countries they represented. Kerckhove said, "The goal of the flying event was to show that grassroots, open air aviation is alive, attainable and affordable." He added, "It is also a love and a bond that bridges all geographical boundaries. We look forward to the 2016 event and expect a tremendous increase in the participants.

After many years in aviation and being a regular on the (trade) airshow circuit, I know one thing: it is darn hard to start a new event. So when The World Ultralight Fly-In announced its ambitious run at a Guinness Book world record, I thought it was a very fun idea but probably quite hard to assemble. That was before key promoter Paul Lindamood began putting out what seemed hourly updates to the group’s Facebook page. The power of social media is unveiled for serious events such as Arab Spring or whimsical photo flash mobs. In our world of recreational aviation, WUFI ’15 proves the new media is also very useful. Good for Paul and the WUFI gang of open air pilots. My tongue-in-cheek title notwithstanding — I am definitely not a Marx enthusiast — WUFI surely qualifies as the project that put more open-air (and other) ultralights or ultralight-types in the air on one day, all around the world.

Light-Sport Aircraft … Going the Distance

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Michael Smith and son pose with the Southern Sun Searey.

Surely a very welcome sight for two aviators who need a stretch: Majuro (PKMJ) in the Marshall Islands

Yellow line is the route and red circle is where the Sling pilots were at the time. Yikes!

Similar to the Quantas flying boat, Boeing's B-314 had multiple levels, large passenger compartments, a dining room, and seat unfolded to become beds. In the nearest engine nacelle, a mechanic works on the engine in flight. Flight crew had large tables to review maps.

Among the critiques some old school pilots employ when trying to marginalize Light-Sport Aircraft is that these aircraft are not suited to flying long distances. I've reported several around the world flights (check this article and here's another) but that's hardly all the long flights. The invitation started out, "Join all of us at Progressive Aerodyne and the City of Tavares on Friday, September 11 for a presentation by Michael Smith about his epic Searey flight from Melbourne, Australia to Central Florida. Michael will give a presentation at the beautiful Tavares Pavilion on the Lake about his incredible journey." Unfortunately, I can't attend as I'll be working the Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon, Illinois that weekend. However, many readers probably cannot attend either so here's a bit of Michael's story. In the not-too-distant past, documenting a trip like his probably meant appealing to a magazine or publishing a book. Either would be challenging and by the time it was printed and distributed, it would be dated. Thank goodness for the Internet and a website called TravelPod that allowed many to follow in near real time. At the outset, Michael wrote, "The plan is to loosely follow the Qantas Empire Flying Boat route of 1938 from Sydney to London in the Searey amphibian aeroplane named 'Southern Sun.'" Of course, Quantas was a giant flying boat and the S.S. Searey is tiny plus Michael would fly solo. His blog continued, "The story of the grand flying boats on the pre-war era I found captivating. All of the research I was doing [for my flight] came together when [I visited] an excellent exhibition of the Flying Boat era in Sydney. I snapped up photos of dsplays, maps, itineraries and the like, and decided, one day, I would really like to do that." Michael notes that his Searey has "a similar range to the flying boat airliners of 1938 ... just a little less amenity and comfort." He observed, "Those planes were conceived with [ocean-crossing] ship comfort in mind, with three levels of decks, lounge chairs, even mini golf." Then he added dryly, "I lack most of those facilities ..." Unlike a record-setting dash, Michael chose to make his an enjoyable expedition, pausing in each city for a day or two "to seek out the old landing spots and hotels that were used" by the airline companies. For those of you who read his travel blog, you can find plenty of info with numerous photos chronicling his discoveries along the route. While the first legs allowed more frequent stops, departing England got serious. Admitting that unlike the airlines, "I don't have the range to do Ireland to Canada direct," Michael shows his explorer side saying, "I've always been keen to see a few islands in the North Atlantic." This comment sums up the North Atlantic crossing, "Deep down ... I was apprehensive about this flight. It was only a 575 mile leg, and while I had fueled the plane close to the gills to give me spare range, it's a long passage over some very cold water." You might think he would simply climb to the safest altitude but that's not possible Michael discovered. "Flying VFR over the Atlantic means staying out of controlled airspace, which starts at 6,000 feet, and as [I was] heading west that meant 4,500 feet." It is more important to watch winds at various levels to minimize fuel use. Having extra height to extend a glide is less meaningful over the North Atlantic. Despite his apprehension, 9.2 hours later he landing in Iceland. I recommend you read about Michael's long trip via his regular posts on TravelPod . He's quite an engaging writer and in this way you can follow his experiences. I found it a fascinating travelogue. Is Michael done with these long distance flight? It certainly does not sound like it, and after a success flying half-way around the world, who knows? Here's how he ended his 53-part travel blog, "I'm flying home with Qantas on Monday. On the whole 'what's next question,' that needs some thinking, but I do note on today's track map there is an interesting island south of Florida that Americans can't currently visit ..." I'll bet we see more from Michael. Another Very Long Flight Underway ... In a completely different attempt, we continue following the flight of a Sling LSA as it circles the globe. (See earlier article.) Flying even farther than Michael Smith and the SS Searey, these fellows have no boat hull under them as they cross two oceans. However, they have experience as TAF aircraft have now three times done a circumnavigation of the Earth. So much for LSA not flying long distances (though one of the TAF flights was their four seater, presently built as a Experimental). The U.S. Sling company wrote, "The 2015 Sling Around the World Expedition is once again underway! After a month's rest in Los Angeles, Patrick Huang of the Airplane Factory Asia was joined by Jean d'Assonville of The Airplane Factory USA, a veteran Sling circumnavigator, and the two took off from Torrance, California for Hawaii on Saturday, August 29th. "Once situated in their trusty steed — the South African registered Sling ZU-TWN — the pair made a quick fuel stop in San Luis Obispo, CA (KSBP) and then began the non-stop flight to Hawaii. They originally planned for a stop in Maui, but after favorable tailwinds and a fuel burn of 4 GPH, they amended plans and flew even further to Honolulu, PHNL. Total flight time was around 21.5 hours and fuel used was 102 gallons. "After a check of the weather they determined it would be best to make a quick turn around and were back in the air the very next day. They took off from Honolulu at 7:38 Pacific time on Monday, August 31st and began the long journey to Majuro (PKMJ) in the Marshall Islands. They were in constant communication with TAF's team in both the USA and South Africa, who navigated them around a few Pacific Ocean storms (image). Some favorable tailwinds were seen initially and after 19.5 hours and over 2,000 nautical miles, they landed on the beautiful coral atoll of Majuro." The Sling trip is underway as this is written but, as with Michael Smith's voyage, you can follow the pair en route. This blog link describes the trip. Or go to TAF USA's Facebook page.

Among the critiques some old school pilots employ when trying to marginalize Light-Sport Aircraft is that these aircraft are not suited to flying long distances. I’ve reported several around the world flights (check this article and here’s another) but that’s hardly all the long flights. The invitation started out, “Join all of us at Progressive Aerodyne and the City of Tavares on Friday, September 11 for a presentation by Michael Smith about his epic Searey flight from Melbourne, Australia to Central Florida. Michael will give a presentation at the beautiful Tavares Pavilion on the Lake about his incredible journey.” Unfortunately, I can’t attend as I’ll be working the Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon, Illinois that weekend. However, many readers probably cannot attend either so here’s a bit of Michael’s story. In the not-too-distant past, documenting a trip like his probably meant appealing to a magazine or publishing a book.

Aircraft of Copperstate 2015 Continued (Part 2)

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Copperstate 2015 crowds were good on Friday and Saturday as shown by a throng examining this Scoda Aeronautics Super Petrel LS seaplane.

Kitfox's new STi model with John McBean and Dan preparing to go aloft for a Video Pilot Report.

Sling LSA was one of two The Aircraft Factory models we flew at Copperstate 2015.

Just Aircraft's SuperSTOL painted in the colors Rotax BRP uses for their fuel-injected 912 iS Sport engine.

In this Copperstate Part 2 article we resume the list of aircraft Videoman Dave and I reviewed at the show south of Phoenix, Arizona in Casa Grande. To remind you, this was the 43rd running of this show that invites all sorts of aircraft — and many dozens did fly in each day plus others did fly-over demonstrations. However, Copperstate generates a particularly strong response from manufacturers and representatives of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, and utralights. That makes it a must-go show for our team at ByDanJohnson.com and Dave's SportAviationMagazine.com YouTube channel that so many of you seem to enjoy. Like other shows, many of you approached us at the event and expressed your ongoing interest in the video content we create. We are very pleased about your loyal viewership and will continue to work hard to build our growing video library ... already at 400+ videos and moving steadily to 500 and beyond. Dave started his channel before I joined the party and his channel now offers around 1,000 videos ... lots to enjoy! KITFOX STi — Around the globe, everybody knows Kitfox. Some 6,000 kits have been sold and owner John McBean is sure of more than 4,000 flying all over the world. (Many countries don't report such things so he was estimating conservatively.) No matter the precise count, Kitfox qualifies as one of the most successful kit aircraft of all time. John and his group have also achieve Special LSA status for the Super Sport model, sometimes referred to as Series 7. Dating back nearly three decades Kitfox is a very familiar shape, but what you might not know is all the updates that have occurred over the years. While early Kitfoxes had a reputation of being very light on the controls and a bit jumpy in yaw, that's all ancient history for the models produced under John and Debra McBean's careful guidance. Yet making the aircraft more refined and more enjoyable to fly is not all the Kitfox'ers have been doing. At Copperstate I went aloft with John in the STi, which stands for "STOL inspired." With substantial changes to the wing (more chord, for example) and 29-inch tundra tires, the STi left the runway in even less distance than a typical Kitfox, which is no slouch in that department. The flight with John proved he is a consummate professional with very adept in-flight practices that show his years of experience. I believe you'll enjoy the VPR this flight created. SLING LSA and SLING 4 — From way down under in South Africa comes the Sling. Ha! That long distance is no big deal, really. This company has flown multiple models all the way around the world | not once, not twice, but three times! I guess that answers all questions about the cross country capability of this handsome design | or designs. Yep, at Copperstate, I got to fly the Sling LSA but also the Rotax 914-powered Sling 4, their kit-built four-seater entry. Sling was a bit late to the LSA party. While The Airplane Factory had been operating in South Africa and selling in other countries, The Airplane Factory USA only brought in the first Sling in 2012, SLSA #125 out of 136 so far. When it arrived, Sling displayed some very interesting lines; I especially like the angular engine cowl shape. Obviously, the designers believe the craft is very solid as they were willing to make 'round the world flight #1 almost immediately after the design was completed and built. That's confidence! Main man Mike Blythe brings tons of experience to the table and it shows. However, The Airplane Factory's presence in the USA owes a debt to Matt Litnaitzky and his team. While also tending to the build-up of MGL Avionics , Matt has calmly and steadily nurtured TAF's models now including a Sling SLSA and EAB kit in both tricycle gear and taildragger plus a roomy four seat Sling 4 kit that boasts 1,000 pounds of useful load. I got to fly both at Copperstate and we did a fourth VPR on the LSA model. Look for it when the editing chores are done. JUST SUPERSTOL — At the Flying Magazine Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, California the week before, Videoman Dave and I sharpened our focus on women in aviation. We shot four new videos about women pilots and aviation participants and we continued that at Copperstate in Casa Grande, Arizona. We didn't fly in SuperSTOL as we had already done that at Sun 'n Fun (video) with Just Aircraft designer, Troy Woodland. Instead we focused on this SuperSTOL because Hutch Hudgins was aided by wife Ann Summerton in building this example. Their five month effort on six days a week moved to even longer hours every day of the week before they needed to head back to Montana. Every step of the way, this aircraft was a husband and wife project. Sharp readers may observe that this SuperSTOL is painted in the colors Rotax uses for their fuel-injected 912 iS. A nurse by profession, Ann was no delicate flower guilted into helping her husband. With obvious pride, she threw herself into the project just like Hutch and the result is first a vastly greater familiarity with literally every part on the SuperSTOL but also a deep and genuine interest in the airplane. Now the couple will host builders of SuperSTOL at a builder assist center they are creating where folks can come assemble their kit with supervision from Hutch and Ann (when she's not helping other folks in her nursing role). More info will appear in the video that follows. We have more videos coming about women in aviation that we think you'll enjoy! Click back often.

In this Copperstate Part 2 article we resume the list of aircraft Videoman Dave and I reviewed at the show south of Phoenix, Arizona in Casa Grande. To remind you, this was the 43rd running of this show that invites all sorts of aircraft — and many dozens did fly in each day plus others did fly-over demonstrations. However, Copperstate generates a particularly strong response from manufacturers and representatives of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, and utralights. That makes it a must-go show for our team at ByDanJohnson.com and Dave’s SportAviationMagazine.com YouTube channel that so many of you seem to enjoy. Like other shows, many of you approached us at the event and expressed your ongoing interest in the video content we create. We are very pleased about your loyal viewership and will continue to work hard to build our growing video library … already at 400+ videos and moving steadily to 500 and beyond.

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