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Get Ready for 2010 … the Plane (not the Year)

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Tecnam has become widely known for its extensive fleet of Light-Sport Aircraft designs (meeting ASTM standards) and for their popular twin-Rotax 912 Twin model (using traditional certification). At Sun 'n Fun 2015, visitors can expect to lay eyes on the P2010 or as Tecnam usually calls it, "P Twenty Ten." I have told you that ByDanJohnson.com expects to cover Light GA Aircraft — or LSA 4.0, as my journalist pal Marino Boric christened them — in addition to our on-going coverage of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit-built aircraft, and ultralights including microlights and electric-powered aircraft. You can hardly miss the theme: "light" aircraft but the coverage is meant to be of affordable aircraft brands this website often covers — and is supported by — including all American and international producers of LSA. As you look at the photos in this article and compare them with the P2008 (bottom photo), you see the resemblance clearly. One evolved from the other. "P" refers to Pascale, specifically Professor Luigi Pascale, the 90-year-old designer of all Tecnam aircraft, a diminutive but impressive man who I am told still does the test flying of his latest and greatest. His output is marvelous. Today, Tecnam announced that the company will celebrate the first anniversary of its North American facility in Sebring, Florida with the "U.S. debut and special pricing for the P Twenty-Ten, Lycoming IO-360 powered, four-seat aircraft at Sun 'n Fun 2015." A year ago, at Sun 'n Fun 2014, Tecnam announced establishing a center in a 21,000 square foot hangar and offices at the home airport to the Sebring Affordable Aircraft Expo, the new moniker for what most of us still call the Sebring LSA Expo. "Tecnam's facility serves as showroom, training center, maintenance center, spare parts warehouse and support for the North American sales and service centers," the company said. At their space at Sun 'n Fun, expect to see P2010, the Twin, and several Tecnam LSA including the high wing P2008 (photo below) and low-wing Astore (video). Another Tecnam will be on display in the LSA Mall in Paradise City. "P Twenty-Ten is an all-new IFR high wing aircraft that uses a carbon fiber fuselage with a metal wing," Tecnam said. Deliveries have already begun to customers in Europe under an EASA standard type certificate. "The combination of carbon fiber and metal allows for an expansive cabin with three large entry doors without sacrificing the flight qualities of a metal wing." Some ready customers can take advantage of a special offer to order the Garmin G1000-equipped aircraft at substantial savings. List price for the P2010 is $379,500, but the first 10 customers to place an order at Sun 'n Fun will be eligible for a special Sebring-facility anniversary price of $345,000. Test pilot Peter Collins recently commented, "P Twenty-Ten was genuinely a real pleasure to fly and future owners will be inspired by the aircraft's combination of advanced avionics, very short field performance, exceptional useful load capability and excellent cross-country range." Tecnam's team, lead by Shannon Yeager, Director of Sales for Tecnam US, can be located at main aircraft display space MD-27 in Lakeland, FL during April 21 to 26, 2015. If you can't wait or want to get your name in line for one of the specially-price P2010s contact Tecnam US at 863-655-2400 or email Tecnam.

Tecnam has become widely known for its extensive fleet of Light-Sport Aircraft designs (meeting ASTM standards) and for their popular twin-Rotax 912 Twin model (using traditional certification). At Sun ‘n Fun 2015, visitors can expect to lay eyes on the P2010 or as Tecnam usually calls it, “P Twenty Ten.” I have told you that ByDanJohnson.com expects to cover Light GA Aircraft — or LSA 4.0, as my journalist pal Marino Boric christened them — in addition to our on-going coverage of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit-built aircraft, and ultralights including microlights and electric-powered aircraft. You can hardly miss the theme: “light” aircraft but the coverage is meant to be of affordable aircraft brands this website often covers — and is supported by — including all American and international producers of LSA. As you look at the photos in this article and compare them with the P2008 (bottom photo), you see the resemblance clearly.

A Jet You Can Actually Afford!

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all images courtesy Sonex Aircraft

Be honest with yourself. You always wanted to fly a jet, didn't you? Having your very own jet to rocket around the sky would be so cool, right? C'mon ... who wouldn't love that? The trouble is affording one of the darn things and then paying through the nose to fuel and maintain it. Well, the good folks at Sonex Aircraft have long prided themselves on (and have achieved the goal of) offering modestly priced airplane kits that the rest of us can afford. How about a jet airpane (kit) for less than many ready-to-fly LSA? Yep, Sonex says "base price" is $130,000 and while that may still be a chunk of change for many, you have to admit it is reasonably affordable as jets go. Those of you planning to attend Sun 'n Fun 2015 — and I hope that is many of you! — will be able to check out SubSonex JXS-2 Personal Jet and you can catch its first-ever airshow act. You may have seen it fly at their home field of Oshkosh but you ain't seen nothin' yet! After being absent since 2006, Sonex Aircraft is returning to Sun 'n Fun with an official exhibitor presence at the 2015 event in Lakeland, Florida. Look for the company's distinctive yellow airplanes in the North East Exhibit area, booth NE-29 where they will have an AeroVee Turbo-powered Sonex Sport Acro along with SubSonex. The Wisconsin kit manufacturer also plans several forums including one for prospective SubSonex Personal Jet owners (on Friday, April 24th). Check this link for Sonex events plus their forums at Sun 'n Fun 2015. SubSonex JSX-2 is available as a kit aircraft and the company noted the first seven customer kits were delivered in early 2015, with production slots still open for delivery by year-end. The microjet aircraft is powered by the PBS TJ-100 engine, producing 247 pounds of thrust. It features a larger cockpit, larger instrument panel, fully retractable landing gear, a BRS whole airframe emergency parachute, higher fuel capacity in a rotationally molded cross-linked polyethylene fuel cell, easily removable wings, and a more sculpted and aesthetically pleasing nose section. Sonex announced that their SubSonex Air Show, flown by renowned performer Bob Carlton, will make its worldwide debut at the 2015 Sun 'n Fun show, saying that Bob is scheduled to perform on Tuesday, April 20th and Sunday, April 26th. The company said their SubSonex air show routine will feature maneuvers previously unheard of in a jet aerobatic routine. "The SubSonex microjet is capable of speeds of 300 mph," said Bob Carlton, "and can perform all the classic aerobatics, including maneuvers like tailslides, normally considered taboo in a jet. However, it's not just about high speed. With its incredibly wide speed range, the SubSonex can turn tight and stay close so that air show spectators aren't waiting for a turnaround." Sold only as a quick-build kit, SubSonex includes almost everything required to fly with the exception of avionics and paint. Available options for the JXS-2 include MGL Avionics' iEFIS touchscreen, a Mountain High oxygen system, Aveo PowerBurst LED position and strobe lighting, heated leather upholstery, cabin heat, and a Triton TC 167 enclosed trailer modified to transport the SubSonex. Transition Training is available; contact the company for details.

Be honest with yourself. You always wanted to fly a jet, didn’t you? Having your very own jet to rocket around the sky would be so cool, right? C’mon … who wouldn’t love that? The trouble is affording one of the darn things and then paying through the nose to fuel and maintain it. Well, the good folks at Sonex Aircraft have long prided themselves on (and have achieved the goal of) offering modestly priced airplane kits that the rest of us can afford. How about a jet airpane (kit) for less than many ready-to-fly LSA? Yep, Sonex says “base price” is $130,000 and while that may still be a chunk of change for many, you have to admit it is reasonably affordable as jets go. Those of you planning to attend Sun ‘n Fun 2015 — and I hope that is many of you! — will be able to check out SubSonex JXS-2 Personal Jet and you can catch its first-ever airshow act.

Electric Flight Events to Advance State-of-the-Art

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image courtesy FlyVolt via CAFE

Eric Raymond's Sunseeker Duo seen in flight, literally covered with solar cells. Get more info about this project in our video.

A new season of airshows is about to erupt now that April has arrived. Among all the gasoline-powered aircraft that show visitors can see will be a growing collection of electric aircraft. As I often repeat, the pioneering development of electric propulsion will come first in light aircraft ... at least until batteries go through a major breakthrough in energy density, as today's best cells still weigh far too much for larger aircraft to use them effectively. First up, in mere days, is the e-flight-expo, organized in cooperation with Flying Pages, the company operated by European publisher Willi Tacke who is well known for his Directory of Leisure Aviation. Aero officials said "e-flight-expo will again be a major section at Aero Friedrichshafen 2015." They note that as in other industries such as automobiles and drones, electric power continues to gain in importance in the man-carrying aviation sector. "In order to better meet future sustainability requirements in aviation, alternative methods of propulsion are indispensable." As an alternative to conventional propulsion systems, electric propulsion aims to move away from increasingly expensive fossil fuels while also reducing environmental pollution and minimizing noise. 

"The 'e' in e-flight stands for ecological, electrical, evolutionary to promote ecological sustainability and progress in aviation," added Aero promoters. In addition to a special exhibition for the e-flight expo, Aero will present dedicated e-flight lectures. "High caliber speakers will talk about the history and development of electric flight." Immediately following Aero starts Sun 'n Fun 2015, making for a stuffed-full month for those of us that need to go to both events. Unfortunately that will exhaust my traveling for a while but otherwise I'd love to attend the CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium at the very beginning of May. On May 1st and 2nd, 2015, leading experts from around the globe will head to California — near Sonoma wine country — for the Ninth Annual CAFE Electric Aircraft Symposium or EAS IX. The gathering of electric aircraft engineers and developers represents a major aerospace scientific meeting to discuss and advance technologies pertaining to electrically powered aircraft. "The diverse, international CAFE EAS faculty of innovators and visionaries will present graduate-level lectures on the latest breakthroughs that are enabling electric aircraft of all types," said CAFE organizers. "This meeting drives the design and building of transformative new aircraft and their propulsion, energy-storage, safety and guidance systems." For those interested in attending, registration is open now but they caution seating is limited. "All of the ingredients for emission-free flight will be covered, including linkages to EV and driverless car markets, sustainability, solar and wind power, battery breakthroughs, 3D printing, civil and peaceful use of UAVs ('Sky Transit'), nanotechnology, and integration with high speed rail and hyper-loop," said CAFE. "This event will help define the future world of aviation." The list of speakers includes several known to enthusiasts of light aircraft: Baraby Wainfain, a longtime writer in Kitplanes magazine; Calin Gologan of Electra One fame; Pipistrel engineer Tine Tomazic; and, Eric Raymond, creator of the Sunseeker Duo (nearby photos) and director of Solar Flight Inc. Among the keynote presentations by an impressive collection of seasoned electric aircraft experts, topics will include: 5X battery breakthrough news from NREL, NTSB, and several universities Highly advanced new aircraft motor designs Swarming sentient and cooperative robots Regional, zero-emissions "Sky Transit" without roads or rails Affordable electric aircraft for general aviation See how fueling your ePlane can work in this video of the CAFE Electric Aircraft Charging Station:

A new season of airshows is about to erupt now that April has arrived. Among all the gasoline-powered aircraft that show visitors can see will be a growing collection of electric aircraft. As I often repeat, the pioneering development of electric propulsion will come first in light aircraft … at least until batteries go through a major breakthrough in energy density, as today’s best cells still weigh far too much for larger aircraft to use them effectively. First up, in mere days, is the e-flight-expo, organized in cooperation with Flying Pages, the company operated by European publisher Willi Tacke who is well known for his Directory of Leisure Aviation. Aero officials said “e-flight-expo will again be a major section at Aero Friedrichshafen 2015.” They note that as in other industries such as automobiles and drones, electric power continues to gain in importance in the man-carrying aviation sector.

MVP Traveling to Europe and Touring USA

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Find additional MVP details in this earlier article.

all images courtesy MVP.aero

With training in software and a background as an entrepreneur, MVP.aero president Darrell Lynds (R) also had years of experience with the Searey LSA amphibian. Son Mike Lynds is an A&P and accomplished builder handling digital marketing.

In the first decade of Light-Sport Aircraft we saw a new model emerge nearly every month; some months brought more than one model. SLSA approvals reached 136 aircraft, most of them land-based aircraft (our SLSA list describes each type). To general aviation pilots used to a genuinely new aircraft model once a decade or so, this LSA development outpouring was phenomenal. Cirrus SR20 was certified 17 years ago in 1998; how many other all-new GA models can you name since? By 2015, the torrid pace has slowed for various reasons and now we see more incremental changes on Light-Sport Aircraft, by which I mean new engines, interior changes, new avionics or other features, and so forth. This is much like in the GA world and I see nothing wrong with that, but it is less inspiring than a constant flow of brand-new concepts. Rushing into this all-new-design gap like a tsunami filling a Pacific atoll are LSA seaplanes. Most storied among them is the A5 but Icon Aircraft has competitors hot on their tail. One of the most versatile of these is MVP, in fact, "Versatile" is literally its middle name. Since seeing is believing, we have two solutions for you. One is that MVP is going on tour. The progressive company is going to Boeing Field in Seattle over April 24 and 25, 2015 and to the Palo Alto airport in Silicon Valley May 1 & 2. The company is also traveling across the Atlantic. MVP.aero (yep, that's the company name) built a static mockup display that is a full size replica of the MVP Model 3 aircraft. "Many of the mockup hull parts and interior cockpit parts are made from the same molds as the upcoming flying prototype," said company officials. They say — and our video shows — the mockup gives you a very close feel as to the dimensions of the aircraft, its cockpit, and the seating. Even the side catwalks — which can be used to move from cockpit to engine or tail while powered down on the water — are functional. "You are welcome to come and hear about MVP," said MVP.aero. European pilots traveling to Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany can look for MVP representatives in the exhibit building's Foyer East entry hall, space 03B over April 15-18, 2015. [Update March 30] At Aero, the company will have video and information but they are not shipping their mockup. MVP is a feature laden aircraft, yet many readers may wonder how that's possible given that Icon went to FAA seeking additional weight so they could deliver all the desirable qualities airshow visitors saw on their mockups. How does MVP.aero handle the same matter? "Putting more features (and weight) on an already weight-restricted airplane literally required a paradigm shift from traditional thinking," said MVP.aero. "This different approach is the key to understanding how we are going to achieve the goals set for the MVP." As observed by company design engineer Mike Van Staagen — the same man who led the Cirrus Vision jet development for several years — "MVP is not an amphibious airplane that has a number of new features added to it. Instead, it is a highly integrated collection of features, pieces, and parts that [join] to become an airplane." Mike's work with the earlier Cirrus SR-series and later the single engine jet project gave him a strong background in doing things differently. Van Staagen is backed by an impressive team that company founder Darrell Lynds carefully recruited over the recent years. This brain trust put much thought into their MVP. According to company reps, "MVP's most compelling feature is that it transforms into a versatile floating platform." The canopy hinges up and back freeing the nose of the MVP to resemble the front of a familiar bass fishing boat. The design is clever though; even with the canopy open MVP's engine can operate so as to continue to shore, dock, or the next fishing spot. In the canopy-retracted configuration a passenger can step up onto the forward deck to assist in docking or beaching. MVP's Instrument panel also retracts to allow more maneuvering room and to protect avionics from water damage. Four folding panels that MVP.aero calls the "origami deck" can be deployed in two halves to fully cover the seats of the cockpit, enabling a completely flat floor from the bow to the back of the baggage compartment. "This amazingly big surface on a relatively little airplane is large enough for two people to stretch out and sleep," said Lynds. "Deploying a custom-fitted tent and inflating air mattresses makes spending the night a delight." MVP's on-the-water manually folding wings are another interesting design creation. "Taxi up close to the marina, shut down the engine, fold the wings, and propel MVP towards a slip using an on-board trolling motor," suggests MVP.aero. "Integrated within the bilge is a useful bow thruster to help make docking a breeze." Flanking both sides of the MVP are nose-to-tail catwalks that enable movement around the MVP. Done on the water to preflight the engine or inspect the tail and wing control surfaces, MVP.aero said the design is stable enough that both occupants can be on one side without upsetting the seaplane. The airplane has such unusual features, I recommend this brand-new video to see more:

In the first decade of Light-Sport Aircraft we saw a new model emerge nearly every month; some months brought more than one model. SLSA approvals reached 136 aircraft, most of them land-based aircraft (our SLSA list describes each type). To general aviation pilots used to a genuinely new aircraft model once a decade or so, this LSA development outpouring was phenomenal. Cirrus SR20 was certified 17 years ago in 1998; how many other all-new GA models can you name since? By 2015, the torrid pace has slowed for various reasons and now we see more incremental changes on Light-Sport Aircraft, by which I mean new engines, interior changes, new avionics or other features, and so forth. This is much like in the GA world and I see nothing wrong with that, but it is less inspiring than a constant flow of brand-new concepts. Rushing into this all-new-design gap like a tsunami filling a Pacific atoll are LSA seaplanes.

Exploring LSA 4.0 … & Other Tecnam Developments

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Tecnam had a strong year last year with reasonable sales of Light-Sport Aircraft plus larger, certified airplanes into the U.S. market. Around the world, according to the report released by GAMA and confirmed personally by Managing Director Paolo Pascale, Tecnam shipped nearly 200 airplanes in 2014. While ByDanJohnson.com readers are focused on recreational aircraft primarily from LSA and light kit manufacturers, more of these companies are joining Tecnam by preparing to offer what my journalist friend Marino Boric has dubbed "LSA 4.0," meaning four seat LSA-type aircraft. I am keenly aware that regulars to this website are focused on Light-Sport, light kit aircraft, ultralights — generally, aircraft flown primarily for fun. However, an entire new legacy is being written as producers of those aircraft types are charging ahead into LSA 4.0 aircraft. Since these new aircraft are from brand names well known to me, I intend to cover what I will call "Light GA" as well. Tecnam is leading this charge with the 2006-era Tecnam Twin that uses two Rotax 912 engines, but they have since gained regulatory approval for their single engine four seater, P2010. (Tecnam models indicate the year the design was initiated.) The company is also going further upscale with a design seating eleven and they are joined by other LSA builders in this goal but we will delve into that story later. Recently Tecnam reported, "P2006T Twin has successfully achieved certification to enable it to carry passengers for hire." Twin is a four seater, not the larger P2012 Traveler, but they know it is certainly capable of hauling paying passengers (photo). "[We] will promote P2006T Twin for charter and air-taxi usage." The first Tecnam P2006T Certificate for Passenger Transportation is operated by Russia-based Chelavia. Established in 2003, ChelAvia currently operates nearly 100 Tecnam aircraft and is actively engaged in training commercial pilots for some Russian airlines.

Khalid Al Khater Thani (L), of Aviation Home with Sheik Thani Al-Thani are the proud owners of the first Middle East-based Tecnam P2010. photo courtesy of Tecnam

The Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation authorized Chelavia to use its fleet of Tecnam P2006T Twins for commercial activities. This approval enabled Chelavia to add the P2006T to its Air Operator's Certificate to enable it to offer the aircraft for both passenger and airfreight operations. In single engine work, Tecnam has also gained approval for its four seat P2010 and recently delivered the first one to a customer. Registered as A7-TBA, the new P2010 joins a range of Tecnam aircraft already in service with Aviation Home, Tecnam's dealer for both the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Other Tecnam models operated by Aviation Home include Astore, P2006T Twin, plus a number of P2002JFs. Tecnam refers to the four seater as "P Twenty Ten." The sleek aircraft which looks like a big brother to their very similar P2008 LSA model, joins a carbon fiber fuselage with metal wings, stabilator, and rudder (just like P2008). The new aircraft won certification under Europe's EASA CS-23 program that is recognized by FAA for reciprocal Part 23 approval. Tecnam USA said American pilots will be able to examine a P2010 at U.S. airshows in 2015. However, working on their Twin and P2010 is apparently not enough to keep everyone busy at Tecnam, so they have another fascinating project, this one with NASA in America and involving — get this! — 18 motors! That gives new meaning to the multi-engine rating. Tecnam's P2006 Twin airframe was selected by NASA for an 18-motor experimental project. Here is some of the out-of-the-box thinking that speculates that an aircraft fitted with a long string of small electric motors can theoretically perform well. NASA loves its abbreviations and trick phrases so the program is called LEAPtech with LEAP standing for Leading Edge Asynchronous Technology. The aim is reported as being "developing safer, more energy efficient, lower operating cost and greener General Aviation aircraft." NASA will fit an experimental 31-foot aircraft wing with 18 electric motors placed along the leading edge onto a Tecnam P2006T aircraft frame (photos). The electric motors are powered by lithium iron phosphate batteries. American companies ESAero and Joby Aviation will manufacture and integrate wing and motors on the P2006T airframe. Tecnam said, "Researchers hope to fly the modified Tecnam P2006T piloted X-plane within the next couple years."

Tecnam had a strong year last year with reasonable sales of Light-Sport Aircraft plus larger, certified airplanes into the U.S. market. Around the world, according to the report released by GAMA and confirmed personally by Managing Director Paolo Pascale, Tecnam shipped nearly 200 airplanes in 2014. While ByDanJohnson.com readers are focused on recreational aircraft primarily from LSA and light kit manufacturers, more of these companies are joining Tecnam by preparing to offer what my journalist friend Marino Boric has dubbed “LSA 4.0,” meaning four seat LSA-type aircraft. I am keenly aware that regulars to this website are focused on Light-Sport, light kit aircraft, ultralights — generally, aircraft flown primarily for fun. However, an entire new legacy is being written as producers of those aircraft types are charging ahead into LSA 4.0 aircraft. Since these new aircraft are from brand names well known to me, I intend to cover what I will call “Light GA” as well.

Icon Reported Scheduling First 20 A5s for Delivery

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Icon technicians are photographed building one of the A5 prototypes seen flying in the image above. This work has taken place at the company's Tehachapie facilities.

Icon's Vacaville, California factory is portrayed in this artist rendering.

According to a report in the North Bay (San Francisco) Business Journal, Icon will build its first 20 A5 LSA seaplanes before the end of 2015. Certainly in the LSA space, this can best be described as "much-anticipated event." At an annual meeting of the Solano Economic Development Corporation, the Business Journal reported, guest speaker Kirk Hawkins of Icon provided an update on the production of the A5. "The first Icon Aircraft production planes are currently undergoing flight verification testing, and 20 of our A5 aircraft are scheduled to roll off the Vacaville production floor in 2015," the Journal quoted. They added that Hawkins said production will follow the completion of construction at the facility in August, 2015. Earlier the California company reported taking more than 1,250 aircraft deposits, which they said represents nearly $300 million in backlog. "By comparison, Tesla Motors had approximately $100 million in order backlog just prior to its production start," Hawkins noted to the business development group. More recently a man told me that he had placed an order and was given number 1526 though he could not confirm how the numbering started or advanced. Regardless of the actual order count, Icon has earned bragging rights as the LSA company taking the most orders of any company in the Light-Sport space. Even Cessna didn't quite hit 1,000 Skycatcher orders and that project fizzled before production reached 300 units. For another number comparison (as reported in our 2014 LSA market share report), GAMA has stated that total single engine production worldwide was 986 aircraft in 2014. "We want to scale our solution, not scale problems that may be found along the way," Hawkins said, as reported by the Business Journal. "That is why we're starting production with only 20 aircraft this year, rising to an estimated 400 deliveries in 2016 and eventually up to approximately 1,000 aircraft annually in the future, as we establish global awareness and a brand presence in the marketplace." Hawkins told the business development meeting attendees that he sees a "deep and pervasive global interest. Some 30 percent of our customers today are outside the U.S., and there is an aviation gold rush in China equal to that in the States." Hawkins told the group that Icon presently has 100 employees but that the company expects to ramp up to 500 within the next year and a half. In return for incentives offered by the community, job creation is an activity locals will follow very closely. Several times I have visited Icon at their headquarters Los Angeles. In 2008 I toured their research and development and initial production facilities in Tehachapi, California. Now, the Journal reported, "In the third quarter of this year, all these functions will be consolidated in Vacaville when [plant] construction activities are completed." Along with many others, I wish Icon well at starting deliveries of this highly anticipated aircraft. I'm sure we will be hearing more as AirVenture approaches. They company has made the Oshkosh event their primary contact point.

According to a report in the North Bay (San Francisco) Business Journal, Icon will build its first 20 A5 LSA seaplanes before the end of 2015. Certainly in the LSA space, this can best be described as “much-anticipated event.” At an annual meeting of the Solano Economic Development Corporation, the Business Journal reported, guest speaker Kirk Hawkins of Icon provided an update on the production of the A5. “The first Icon Aircraft production planes are currently undergoing flight verification testing, and 20 of our A5 aircraft are scheduled to roll off the Vacaville production floor in 2015,” the Journal quoted. They added that Hawkins said production will follow the completion of construction at the facility in August, 2015. Earlier the California company reported taking more than 1,250 aircraft deposits, which they said represents nearly $300 million in backlog. “By comparison, Tesla Motors had approximately $100 million in order backlog just prior to its production start,” Hawkins noted to the business development group.

Just Aircraft SuperSTOL “Stretched”

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Just Aircraft's SuperSTOL Stretch XL blasts off the ground during test flying.

When propelled by a UL Power 520 engine, SuperSTOL Stretch XL can climb 3,000 feet per minute!

SuperSTOL has been impressing pilots since its debut. photo by Wayne Whitley; Stretch XL photos courtesy of Just Aircraft

Boeing does it. Why not Just Aircraft? Of course, a stretched Boeing only transports more people somewhere. The experience is not more fun ... maybe less so. Flying in a Just airplane will put a huge grin on your face and now it is a lot more likely to do so. Having experienced SuperSTOL with 100 horsepower, I can't wait to get a shot at one with (trumpets blare here) 180 horsepower. Hoo-Rah! "To accommodate larger engines," the company announced, "we introduce our new SuperSTOL Stretch XL." By adding an extra two feet to the aft section of the fuselage and six inches up front, the SuperSTOL Stretch XL can now accommodate the new UL Power 520 engine series or Lycoming's O-320 engine series that outputs 150-160 hp. A plain old — but still exciting — SuperSTOL is powered by the 100 horsepower Rotax 912 which weighs approximately 165 pounds, with accessories, or the 115 hp Rotax 914, weighing 175 pounds. UL Power's six-cylinder 520 model weighs 255 pounds and the Lycoming O-320 is 315 pounds. Such a significant weight and power increase required Just Aircraft designers to lengthen SuperSTOL into the "Stretch" model. The new model allows installation of other engine types weighing up to 315 pounds the company said. "Appropriate engine mounts and redesigned cowlings will accompany the SuperSTOL Stretch XL kits." After completing phase one flight testing Harrison Smith said, "This is one of the first aircraft in the world with a UL Power 520 engine, rated at 180 horsepower." He reported an increase in the rate of climb and cruise speeds. The additional length in SuperSTOL Stretch XL provides handling similar to a high horsepower Super Cub, indicated Just Aircraft. "What's really nice is that the UL Power 520 can burn automobile gas with up to 15 percent ethanol," Harrison noted. He also observed that the UL Power engine has six cylinders that "virtually eliminates vibration." (See UL Power video.) With an extra two and a half feet the SuperSTOL Stretch XL is now 21.5 feet long. Rate of climb with the UL 520 is an astounding 3,000 fpm. Just said the potent new model will cruise 109 mph (95 knots) at 2600 rpm and its landing speed is in the low 30s. Rollout with the UL 520 is 75 feet. If you are like me you will want to examine the SuperSTOL Stretch XL and you can do so at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In where the company will publicly debut their newest creation. Sun 'n Fun runs April 20-26, 2015. Even with a major boost in power, SuperSTOL is not meant to be a speedster. You want fast? You are lucky; you have many other choices. Just's SuperSTOL delivers a particular kind of flying pleasure: fast takeoffs, thrilling climbs, and the shortest, softest landing you can imagine. You literally have to experience this aerial phenomenon to truly grasp its capabilities. Our video helps explain the configuration and convey the feeling. Speed is not the only objective for pilots even while it may be a passion for many. A recent survey of AOPA members reported in the big association's eBrief news aggregator reported answers to the question, "How far do you fly on a typical flight?" The answers appear below and suggest most pilots (61%) could be mighty happy tooling around in Just Aircraft's SuperSTOL. (Sign up for eBrief.) "[I commonly fly] 50 to 100 miles" — 36% "Around the pattern or local area" — 25% "101 to 250 miles" — 23% "More than 250 miles" — 16%

Boeing does it. Why not Just Aircraft? Of course, a stretched Boeing only transports more people somewhere. The experience is not more fun … maybe less so. Flying in a Just airplane will put a huge grin on your face and now it is a lot more likely to do so. Having experienced SuperSTOL with 100 horsepower, I can’t wait to get a shot at one with (trumpets blare here) 180 horsepower. Hoo-Rah! “To accommodate larger engines,” the company announced, “we introduce our new SuperSTOL Stretch XL.” By adding an extra two feet to the aft section of the fuselage and six inches up front, the SuperSTOL Stretch XL can now accommodate the new UL Power 520 engine series or Lycoming’s O-320 engine series that outputs 150-160 hp. A plain old — but still exciting — SuperSTOL is powered by the 100 horsepower Rotax 912 which weighs approximately 165 pounds, with accessories, or the 115 hp Rotax 914, weighing 175 pounds.

World Aircraft Features Modest Prices

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Would you buy a used aircraft from this man? Well, you ought to at least read his article.

Spirit is one of four models offered by World Aircraft Company.

This article was updated on March 24, 2015 after communication with the company. World Aircraft Company is an international collaboration between a former Canadian, Eric Giles and Colombia-based designer Max Tedesco. The two teamed up following Eric's successful run with Skykits. Eric relocated to impressive new facilities in Paris, Tennessee (complete with a mockup of the Eiffel Tower) where he began manufacturing aircraft created by Max. The result is a series of airplanes including Spirit, Vision (video), Surveyor, and Freedom (in development). The airplanes have numerous design features that demonstrate Max's long experience at this sort of thing, for example, an easy-to-maintain panel. Most are fully enclosed but enthusiasts of open cockpit flying might enjoy Surveyor. ByDanJohnson.com is a website significantly about aircraft you can afford — even our domain name will eventually become AffordableAircraft.com — so it stands to reason that we care about airplanes you can actually, well, you know ... afford. Consider this: World Aircraft Company sells a ready-to-fly Spirit for just $87,995. Of course, prices change over time; please check with WAC to see the current figure. Now despite that very reasonable base price, you may prefer to bulk it up with some accessories or features you don't feel you can live without; that's your decision. Yet manufacturer Eric and designer Max can sell you a well-flying airplane built right here in the USA, powered by the reliable Rotax 912 for less than ninety grand. By my calculation that is a quite good bargain in 2015. You can go check all the details at WAC's page about pricing.

This article was updated on March 24, 2015 after communication with the company. World Aircraft Company is an international collaboration between a former Canadian, Eric Giles and Colombia-based designer Max Tedesco. The two teamed up following Eric’s successful run with Skykits. Eric relocated to impressive new facilities in Paris, Tennessee (complete with a mockup of the Eiffel Tower) where he began manufacturing aircraft created by Max. The result is a series of airplanes including Spirit, Vision (video), Surveyor, and Freedom (in development). The airplanes have numerous design features that demonstrate Max’s long experience at this sort of thing, for example, an easy-to-maintain panel. Most are fully enclosed but enthusiasts of open cockpit flying might enjoy Surveyor. ByDanJohnson.com is a website significantly about aircraft you can afford — even our domain name will eventually become AffordableAircraft.com — so it stands to reason that we care about airplanes you can actually, well, you know … afford.

LSA Market Shares — Fleet and Calendar 2014

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Image of Searey in flight by Searey Canada.

As spring approaches and with major airshows like Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany and Sun 'n Fun in Florida about to trigger a new season of recreational flying, it is time for an annual update of Light-Sport Aircraft market shares. Our well-known "fleet" chart appears nearby; this table refers to all Special LSA registered with FAA in the United States since the first aircraft was accepted by FAA almost ten years ago (on April 5, 2005). We again post our Calendar 2014 tally that shows the success only in that year as a means of drawing attention to those brands and models performing the best in the last twelve months. We remind you that these charts use as their source the FAA registration (N-number) database, that is then carefully studied and corrected to make the most reliable report possible. However, two points: (1) this report will still have some errors as the database on which we rely has some faulty information ... though we believe this to be modest and, as noted, we correct it where we can; and, (2) aircraft registrations are not likely to be perfectly in sync with company records of sales for a variety of reasons. Other organizations ask companies to report deliveries and this, too, can have weaknesses, but we stand by our chart and the text report as the most factual details we can locate. It is also worth noting that we only attempt to tally the Top-20 for ranking yet we draw your attention to the "All Other Producers" category that, by itself, represents the largest segment at 15.7% or about one in six aircraft. Further, we repeat the chart notes that these figures are only fixed-wing airplanes, which leaves out weight shift, powered parachutes, gliders, gyroplanes, and other worthy categories. We wish to include them but the information has proven too unreliable so in the interest of the most accuracy we can report, we regretfully omit these interesting aircraft. As you can see from the nearby Calendar Year 2014 Report, CubCrafters again lead the field. They have done well for several years, however, the most notable movement of the year was from worldwide kit airplane manufacturer, Van's Aircraft who works with Synergy Air to build ready-to-fly RV-12s. Seemingly overnight, Van's appeared on our fleet chart and rocketed up to the #13 spot. Given the Van's RV-series popularity and the existence of a large number of RV-12 kits, it seems clear Van's will overtake several other producers in the years ahead and rise to near the top of the chart. More on that below. Another up and comer, not even on last year's fleet chart, is Progressive Aerodyne's Seayrey amphibian SLSA. Over many years this company has delivered more than 600 kit versions of its amphib. They won FAA audit approval to make SLSA models in late 2013 and went right to work filling demand. They've also won Chinese TDA approval and may break into that market, which many expect to explode. Clearly, Searey is leading the charge on LSA seaplanes even while some other interesting designs go through design and production exercises. Regular top players such as Flight Design, Tecnam, Aerotrek, American Legend, Czech Sport Aircraft, and Pipistrel — some of the top and best-established brands — also fared well in 2014. Yet another appearing for the first time is Quicksilver Aeronautics. They won FAA audit approval to sell SLSA versions of their immensely popular kit aircraft in late 2014 and notched up their first Special LSA sales. The company can boast more than 15,000 kit aircraft flying. A couple other honorable mentions go to Bristell (BRM Aero), which though new, is seeing good interest; Sling, which is rising and has a four seater kit to offer as well; and deluxe motorglider Phoenix. Their numbers were not big but these companies are ones to watch, we believe. Others holding up their brands include Evektor with its sleeker Harmony, Aeroprakt, and Jabiru (the last went through a manufacturing evolution and can offer even better pricing). As we show an image of the handsome Van's RV-12, we want to bring your attention to the small print alongside the Van's rank. This company, known for their kit-making prowess — with more than 9,000 delivered and flying — has registered 314 kit versions of RV-12 for a total impact of 364 aircraft. Were we to combine these, they would vault to second place, ready to challenge longtime leader Flight Design for the largest LSA fleet in the country. You may also note that our chart this year, for the first time, incorporates a number for "identifiable" kits, either as Experimental LSA (ELSA) or Experimental Amateur Built (EAB) models. The figure we felt we could correctly identify amounted to 797 airplanes (again ... no weight shift, powered parachutes, or gyros), which represent an additional 29%. If we could gather reliable details on the WS, PPC, and gyro fleet, we might add another 25% or so. Based on the greater EAB community in the USA, kit LSA aircraft may begin to add significant numbers and if we can tally them accurately we will continue to reference them. As we consider Searey's strong performance in 2014, we again note that this is a company that cut its teeth with kit production. Over 600 have been sold and more than 500 are reportedly flying. Searey kit owners make a very strong and closeknit group of seaplane pilots with one of the largest amphibious populations anywhere. As most readers will know, we can expect several other interesting seaplanes in the years ahead, from companies like Icon, MVP, and Vickers plus others. We are also aware of several other landplane LSA designs in the works and then will come electric aircraft (assuming FAA can find a way to invite these aircraft into the LSA fleet, which unfortunately is far from certain at this time). Yet all we present above is only the American market. The USA may be the largest single market but the rest of the world invites comparison to the famous 80/20 rule. The USA has roughly 20% of all recreational aircraft but other countries are excellent markets for lower-cost, fuel efficient, and modern airplanes. When we add them all, using powerplant production as a measuring stick, we believe the total market for light aircraft exceeded 3,000 airplanes in 2014. With GAMA reporting 986 single engine piston general aviation aircraft for the same year, it is clear the light aircraft segment is substantially larger and for these aircraft, we believe the global future is bright.

As spring approaches and with major airshows like Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany and Sun ‘n Fun in Florida about to trigger a new season of recreational flying, it is time for an annual update of Light-Sport Aircraft market shares. Our well-known “fleet” chart appears nearby; this table refers to all Special LSA registered with FAA in the United States since the first aircraft was accepted by FAA almost ten years ago (on April 5, 2005). We again post our Calendar 2014 tally that shows the success only in that year as a means of drawing attention to those brands and models performing the best in the last twelve months. We remind you that these charts use as their source the FAA registration (N-number) database, that is then carefully studied and corrected to make the most reliable report possible. However, two points: (1) this report will still have some errors as the database on which we rely has some faulty information … though we believe this to be modest and, as noted, we correct it where we can; and, (2) aircraft registrations are not likely to be perfectly in sync with company records of sales for a variety of reasons.

LSA at Embry Riddle Training Aircraft Symposium

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Meeting of the minds ... National Training Aircraft Symposium at Embry Riddle.

Tecnam presented their P2008 and Twin to university flight school administrators from around the USA.

Leading kit aircraft manufacturer and now SLSA producer, Van's Aircraft showed their RV-12 as a trainer schools can consider.

Piedmont Airlines has an attractive offer for employees who want airline flying jobs. Piedmont's parent is US Airways, which merged with American Airlines.

Yesterday, filling my role as President of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, I joined Tecnam and Van's Aircraft as a group of about 100 collegiate educators met in their annual NTAS or National Training Aircraft Symposium. This annual gathering assembled an impressive group of academics who manage flight training for their university students. It was a day of presentations with a special focus on the ADS-B Out mandate from FAA. For university flight programs operating dozens to hundreds of airplanes each, equipping their certified airplanes represents a major cost. Additionally, maintenance shops qualified to handle this cannot handle a large number of installations if owners wait until the deadline is near. It is estimated that an average of 34 hours of labor is needed per airplane. AEA estimates 105-166,000 U.S. aircraft still need to be equipped in the next five years. It can be done, they said, but not if many owners wait to the last minute to start. Besides the central ADS-B issue, main NTAS organizer Peter Morton had as one goal the task of opening the eyes and minds of flight program leaders to the idea of Light-Sport Aircraft. We of the LSA community are grateful for his focus. So, how did that go? At the end of the first day, following presentations from Cessna, Piper, Diamond, Cirrus, and Sporty's (which has a refurbished 172 project), Tecnam and Van's also got a chance to speak to their capabilities and offerings. During a free-exchange session at the end, it did not look promising for LSA use. These big flight school operations have serious matters to consider before they try Light-Sport: cost and the investment cycles of larger organization (they don't simply buy new aircraft on a whim); fitting a new aircraft into a fleet usually composed of many of the same airplanes; simulator integration (important as about a third of training is now done using sims); plus the attitude of students' parents and what they think of Johnny or Susie learning to fly in a brand of airplane the parents don't know. These are real concerns, so how might LSA providers enter the club? Interesting to me, the answer came when Morton pushed a bit harder. After frank and honest discussions, the result was that if LSA manufacturers could provide an airplane and assistance for a period of time, several flight schools attending NTAS would give them a try. I considered this a breakthrough that made the couple-day event worthwhile. I recognize that such an undertaking is no small matter for a LSA builder. Having to supply an airplane, to move it around, and having a well-qualified person employed to present the airplane with that individual's travel expense can be a rather large investment. However, the payoff is that a successful effort could result in multiple orders and a new potentially long-lasting customer. Only a few of the larger LSA companies can tackle this but they and the university flight school operations could benefit. Main meeting organizer Peter Morton wrote before the event started, "...[hearing about LSA] may be a useful wake up call for the educators, some of whom may have a prejudice that the way they have done things before is the way of the future. However, what is different now from the past is the capability and experience of the LSAs [and] the fact that new rules require between 700 and 1,200 hours of 'practice flying' for the portion of flight students who are not able to get a job being paid for instructing or other flying. Therefore, the contribution to reduced student costs for the education from LSAs in the early part of the curriculum and the [expense of] 'practice flying' is much more significant than it was before the new rules." The presentation I gave and those from Tecnam's Shannon Yeager and Van's Aircraft's Wally Anderson spoke pointedly to the lower acquisition and operation cost of LSA plus the ability of manufacturers to be more nimble in making changes to their airplanes to better suit the collegiate flight training environment. Only time will tell if the effort will have a payoff, but it was great of Morton, NTAS, and Embry Riddle to let the LSA companies have a shot at the business. I also wish to credit the incumbent GA suppliers for maintaining a professional attitude about new competitors. Overall, the experience was worthwhile and educational. Thinking about students needing to build time to capture airline or other pro pilot jobs, Piedmont Airlines recently made an offer to employees that sounds inviting. The Salisbury, Maryland company will pay qualified employees to build pilot flight hours. Employees who are pilots can seek to build time for flight crew positions and Piedmont will reimburse accepted participants up to $130 per flight hour for up to 300 hours. That's a $39,000 commitment to each such Piedmont employee and shows the interest airlines have in developing the next batch of First Officers. For the offer, an employee would need to commit to fly as a Piedmont pilot one year for every 100 hours of reimbursed flight time. Piedmont has a number of Embraer regional jets on order. The company partners with American Airlines and noted, "An employee who begins flight training at Piedmont today could be flying for American Airlines in five to seven years. There's no faster pathway." Reflecting on the NTAS group and the thousands of university students they train, the future seems bright for tomorrow's airline pilots.

Yesterday, filling my role as President of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, I joined Tecnam and Van’s Aircraft as a group of about 100 collegiate educators met in their annual NTAS or National Training Aircraft Symposium. This annual gathering assembled an impressive group of academics who manage flight training for their university students. It was a day of presentations with a special focus on the ADS-B Out mandate from FAA. For university flight programs operating dozens to hundreds of airplanes each, equipping their certified airplanes represents a major cost. Additionally, maintenance shops qualified to handle this cannot handle a large number of installations if owners wait until the deadline is near. It is estimated that an average of 34 hours of labor is needed per airplane. AEA estimates 105-166,000 U.S. aircraft still need to be equipped in the next five years. It can be done, they said, but not if many owners wait to the last minute to start.

To ADS-B Out or Not to -B — AoAs on LSA

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The red arrow points to the Angle of Attack indicator on a Dynon SkyView screen. ••• This runway view is kind of fun. That's the look Shuttle astronauts might have seen. On the right days, NASA permits a low-elevation pass down the famed runway though without a touchdown. Not many pilots will ever see this view.

OK, it's the weekend so indulge my sense of playfulness with the somewhat inexplicable headline above. Even though I've written about ADS-B Out before (article) and have covered Angle of Attack indicators on LSA (article), FAA feels the issue needs more attention. Some of the motivation for extra effort is FAA's 2020 deadline for all aircraft operating in the airspace system — meaning under ATC supervision in segments of controlled airspace, though not necessarily in the vast chunks of uncontrolled airspace around the country. It has been reported in various aviation media that all the maintenance shops in the country no longer have sufficient time remaining to install this equipment in every aircraft even if owners currently possess the hardware ... which they do not. I will not seek to verify that problem but in the LSA space, this is a relative non-event, in my humble opinion. Let me explain why. Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) is the FAA NextGen answer to current methods used by ATC (Air Traffic Control). The idea is progressive in that technology is now capable of performing certain functions that are presently done by an army of well-paid, well-pensioned, and well-benefitted FAA personnel; translation — those services cost a lot. Plus, technology might actually do a better job. I know when I fly behind my Dynon SkyView screen that reports traffic, I commonly see traffic first on screen and subsequently in the flesh, or the aluminum or composite. My recent article in General Aviation News and their online outlet "The Pulse" brought a number of comments from folks, some of whom worried about drones (or RPAs, UAVs, UASs, or whatever you choose to call them) and the possibility of having one of them go splat on your windscreen or helmet faceplate. For better or ill, that's bound to happen sooner or later anyway, but technology — both on drones and on your manned aircraft — may help it to (hopefully!) be an extreme rarity. So, maybe FAA is right to beat the drum on ADS-B Out uptake in LSA and light kit aircraft. FAA's man in the Small Aircraft Directorate, Terry Chasteen, wrote, "I am in the process of sending ... email and attachments to all active airplane and glider SLSA manufacturers." While the agency wants to "continuously improve light-sport aircraft (LSA) safety," they also note in their letter to manufacturers that, "SLSA have been operating in the United States' National Airspace System (NAS) for over ten years with an expected level of safety." FAA continued saying that accident reviews, "... consistently indicate a leading occurrence category of SLSA fatal accidents to be loss of control (LOC) in flight" and they believe this can be improved by the addition of AoA systems. On a recent flight, my LSA copilot and I observed the AoA indicator that can be found on our Dynon SkyView instrument (photo below). I see how it can help but it's just one more tool in the arsenal that every pilot needs to fly safely. FAA is advising (not mandating) AoA indicators saying, "... installation of an angle of attack (AoA) system may also aid in preventing LOC accidents in SLSA." The agency is insistent about ADS-B, however. FAA reminded LSA manufacturers of their rule and wrote, "This means that each affected SLSA must have a path forward for the initial installation and airworthiness approvals of ADS-B "Out" equipment." While AoA may be easy and already prevalent in the better-equipped LSA, ADS-B will take some expenditure, but as noted in the earlier article, this need not be particularly burdensome nor costly. The best news is that while certified aircraft owners may have to shell out much bigger bucks, LSA producers and their customers should spend as little as $1,000 to gain the benefits of both AoAs and ADS-B Out. That's yet another of the great things about LSA and light kits; a lower regulatory hurdle saves real dollars for pilots while gaining all the benefits such as free traffic and in-flight weather. If any producers are still behind the times in adapting these technologies and want more input on FAA suggestions or requirements, they can contact Aircraft Program Manager, Terry Chasteen at 816-329-4147 or email him. Please note the contact methods above are intended for manufacturer use. Customers or owners should go through their suppliers or Terry's phone line may become very congested. He's a pleasant and easy-going fellow; don't force him to spend the rest of his career on the phone or email.

OK, it’s the weekend so indulge my sense of playfulness with the somewhat inexplicable headline above. Even though I’ve written about ADS-B Out before (article) and have covered Angle of Attack indicators on LSA (article), FAA feels the issue needs more attention. Some of the motivation for extra effort is FAA’s 2020 deadline for all aircraft operating in the airspace system — meaning under ATC supervision in segments of controlled airspace, though not necessarily in the vast chunks of uncontrolled airspace around the country. It has been reported in various aviation media that all the maintenance shops in the country no longer have sufficient time remaining to install this equipment in every aircraft even if owners currently possess the hardware … which they do not. I will not seek to verify that problem but in the LSA space, this is a relative non-event, in my humble opinion.

Aero Adventure Update … Continuing Upward

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Does the LSA and light kit aircraft world seem somewhat obsessed with seaplanes? Certainly, it appears where a good bit of the most innovative thinking is occurring. However, to observe that is to focus only on the newest designs, the most innovative of which have yet to hit the market and may be years away. For pilots who want to fly today, Aero Adventure is one of those companies you should keep in mind. Besides the available-today quality, the DeLand, Florida-based company has a seaplane the rest of us can afford. Can you believe average kit prices in the mid-$50,000s and starting below $49,000? Even if you have not sought out this company with a long history, the brand may seem familiar and that sense may bring a recent memory of another sort. Yes, it was an Aventura that probably stalled, claiming the lives of two Aero Adventure team members at Sebring 2015. Such a severe event deals a body blow to a small company. Yet owner Alex Rolinski reported that the team has reassessed and regrouped and are forging ahead ... certainly as their departed associates would have preferred. "It made quite an impact on all of us," said Alex. "You can't plan for that sort of thing. You don't imagine, 'What could go wrong and cause such an accident?'" Following the tragedy, Alex R, his operations manager Alex Gutierrez, and their associates, rolled up their sleeves even higher and dove into their work. Work can be good therapy. "Over the last year we completely redid the assembly manual," said Alex Rolinski. He reported that all drawings have made the transition to Solid Works, a high end computer-aided design program that provides engineers — builders also benefit — with scalable drawings that can be examined in fine detail to assure better fit and finish of completed kits. "Our kit build process is better than it's ever been," Alex said, using construction of sub-assemblies that build upon one another. He noted that even though the Aventura and its preceding models — date back to the Buccaneer — kit instructions today are a major improvement from those from earlier producers of these designs. "We fixed many flaws in the early designs and their assembly instructions." Alex also stated that all the redesign and Solid Works efforts were done in conformance with ASTM standards for Special Light-Sport Aircraft. "We may do a SLSA version one day," Alex said, and meeting ASTM standards now will prove very helpful to that goal. It can also assure buyers of the kit-built present-day versions. Aero Adventure promotes the Suzuki AM-1300 and the 117-horsepower AM-1500 engines from AeroMomentum (see more about this engine in our video with supplier Mark Kettering). Full kits with all airframe components, engine, and basic engine instruments provided through an EIS start at $48,700 in early 2015; please contact the company for exact figures when you may be interested. "Typical owner-customized models run $55-56,000," added Rolinski. The company is working on a configurator for their website to help prospective customers price exactly what they want. Alex reported that 166 airplanes are flying under the Aventura model name. In 2014, the company delivered a dozen kits and said interest is growing. When I asked about all variations in the airplane, dating back to the earliest Buccaneers, Alex believes around 1,000 kits have been completed, although he observed prior company records were not as complete as he'd prefer. An Aventura kit seaplane can do real duty. For example, Ms. Tanille DeLair has flown her Aventura — which she named "Juliette" — more than a thousand hours. A Florida resident, she has often flown her seaplane to and from New York and helped her boyfriend obtain his Sport Pilot certificate in her Aventura. They've made several flights over to the Bahamas. Her airplane uses the Rotax 912 and can achieve lift off from water in just six seconds. By any measure, that's a terrific performance.

Does the LSA and light kit aircraft world seem somewhat obsessed with seaplanes? Certainly, it appears where a good bit of the most innovative thinking is occurring. However, to observe that is to focus only on the newest designs, the most innovative of which have yet to hit the market and may be years away. For pilots who want to fly today, Aero Adventure is one of those companies you should keep in mind. Besides the available-today quality, the DeLand, Florida-based company has a seaplane the rest of us can afford. Can you believe average kit prices in the mid-$50,000s and starting below $49,000? Even if you have not sought out this company with a long history, the brand may seem familiar and that sense may bring a recent memory of another sort. Yes, it was an Aventura that probably stalled, claiming the lives of two Aero Adventure team members at Sebring 2015.

Searey Announces Financing … Riding the Wave

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While some beautiful looking LSA seaplanes have captured lots of attention — here I am thinking of Icon's vigorously promoted A5, the unusually capable MVP, the highly innovative Wave, and Finland's ATOL ... all of which have some fascinating features — all but one of these share one feature: you can't get one yet. ATOL is preparing to deliver but A5, MVP, and Wave are all still works in progress. It takes time to develop a new aircraft but today if you want a ready-to-fly seaplane in the USA, you have basically three choices: SeaMax, Super Petrel LS, and Searey. Of those, Super Petrel has airplanes in stock in the USA and ready for delivery. Searey stands along in my view as an LSA seaplane you can buy today and receive in a reasonable timeframe. It is also the only American-made LSA seaplane you can get today. It is available as a kit (more than 600 sold and more than 500 flying) and that gives the company a strong, reliable track record for those considering purchase. It is also, along with Super Petrel, very reasonably priced. What's reasonable? Well, a new price in the mid-$150,000 range is considered a good value by many seaplane owners. If that sounds like a lot to some readers, you should check the cost of other fixed wing, three-axis seaplanes ... some are breathtakingly more expensive. Weight shift floatplane choices and some simpler float-equipped aircraft also have good price points. However, if you are still thinking you'd prefer one of these boat-hulled flying machines that offer choices of land or water operation, $150,000 may seem an insurmountable barrier. Progressive Aerodyne has sought out a solution and recently secured a financing program for their Searey models. "We are excited to announce the availability of financing for Searey Elite and Searey Searey Sport SLSA aircraft," announced Progressive Aerodyne. The central Florida manufacturer has partnered with NAFCO, an affiliate of Pilot Bank, to provide loans amounting to 85% of the value of a Searey for a period of up to 20 years for qualified applicants. Progressive Aerodyne reports that NAFCO has been approving and servicing general aviation loans for over 20 years. "We are excited about the partnership," said Progressive Aerodyne. "Make your dream of owning a Searey a reality today." Progressive Aerodyne did not break out specific numbers of such a loan. That information could vary considerably depending on numerous factors. However, just for the sake of illustration, here's a back-of-the-napkin estimate: Assuming a price of $150,000 (contact the factory an exact quote), an 85% loan means borrowing $127,500. Let's also assume a full 20-year loan period and assume a 7% interest rate. That means a buyer would put down $22,500 at the start and have payments of $989 per month. As with buying a house, you'll pay a good deal in interest over the loan period but, due to inflation, the value of money will be less in 20 years. So the payments, in theory, should be easier to make toward the end of the loan. A well-maintained Searey should easily last 20 years and for most owners, even the Rotax engine will likely still have time left before overhaul in such a loan period. However you feel about borrowing to own your airplane, Progressive Aerodyne and NAFCO are offering a way to have a brand-new ready to fly LSA seaplane in the near future for $22,500 and a thousand dollars a month. That certainly puts such an aircraft within reach of many more buyers.

While some beautiful looking LSA seaplanes have captured lots of attention — here I am thinking of Icon’s vigorously promoted A5, the unusually capable MVP, the highly innovative Wave, and Finland’s ATOL … all of which have some fascinating features — all but one of these share one feature: you can’t get one yet. ATOL is preparing to deliver but A5, MVP, and Wave are all still works in progress. It takes time to develop a new aircraft but today if you want a ready-to-fly seaplane in the USA, you have basically three choices: SeaMax, Super Petrel LS, and Searey. Of those, Super Petrel has airplanes in stock in the USA and ready for delivery. Searey stands along in my view as an LSA seaplane you can buy today and receive in a reasonable timeframe.

LSA Mall at Sun ‘n Fun 2015

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This photo of Dave Piper surrounded by some of his volunteer staff was taken by my video partner, publisher of the Light Sport and Ultralight Flyer YouTube channel. Please see this link to an article on Dave.

We are less than two months away from Sun 'n Fun 2015 where once again the LSA Mall will be a central part of the fascinating area called Paradise City. Here is where thousands of visitors to the large season-starting event can see a flock of Light-Sport Aircraft and light kit aircraft. Prospective customers for these airplanes can also take a demonstration flight, right on the show grounds of Sun 'n Fun. See any vendor to inquire about demo flight availability. At this 41st running of the popular event in Lakeland, Florida, LAMA, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association is pleased to again showcase the newest sector in aviation. Visitors can enjoy the third year of the completely redesigned Paradise City, formerly known to enthusiasts as the Ultralight or Lightplane Area. Transformed in 2013 with an entirely new layout that brings visitors closer than ever to a wide variety of aircraft, Paradise City is particularly popular as you can get intimately close to the runway where a wide variety of flying machines will take off and land almost all day long (except during certain parts of the main airshow in the mid-afternoon). The LSA Mall is made available thanks to manufacturers and their willingness to reveal their aircraft in wingtip-to-wingtip convenience, to volunteers in the LAMA tent at the center of the LSA Mall and with very special thanks to support from Aviators Hot Line, publisher of the Light Aviation Edition and organizer of the Show Center display. Also for the third year, Rotax Aircraft Engines has again confirmed their support for a special transportation system that can whisk demo flight customers and others from the main "core area" of Sun 'n Fun to Paradise City with a stop at the Rotax main display. Come ride the Paradise City Xpress! Rotax BRP sponsors these golf carts to make it easy for pilots wanting to access a demo flight in a Rotax-powered aircraft. Many of these airplane companies exhibit in the main traffic area of Sun 'n Fun. Most of these companies — as well as those whose displays are in Paradise City — conduct their demo flights off the newly improved Paradise City runway. Rotax wants to help pilots and visitors get to those airplanes easily and conveniently. When seats are available — often! — you can catch a ride on the Paradise City Xpress, too ... assuming you can afford the price. I'm just kidding. It's a free ride. Thanks, Rotax! Paradise City visitors will be able to examine all manner of affordable airplanes ... Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit-built airplanes, rotary aircraft, electric aircraft, ultralights, powered parachutes, weight shift trikes, paragliders, and more. At LAMA's LSA Mall located outside the Show Center tent — think of an auto mall with many choices available — you can see some of the very best airplanes in the LSA fleet. While news about the LSA Mall is exciting and I look forward to helping organize it for another year, I have some very sad news to pass on while writing about Paradise City. On February 26th, 26-year Paradise City Chairman Dave Piper passed away from heart failure. Laura Vaughn, Sun 'n Fun's Director of Convention Administration wrote, "Dave had been not been feeling well and was taken to the hospital to undergo some tests and receive treatment, he went down hill very quickly and passed away last night." I spoke to Dave only a few days ago. He complained of nothing and only spoke to his excitement for another year of Sun 'n Fun and Paradise City. Dave walked in a giant's shoes; his leadership skills will be very hard to replace and no one can replace the man or his spirit. He will be terribly missed this year and in the years to come but I know he was very pleased and proud of what Paradise City has become recently. I am so privileged to have known and worked with him, a feeling I am certain was shared by his many friends and nearly 200 Paradise City volunteers. You can catch our interview with Dave in this video ...

We are less than two months away from Sun ‘n Fun 2015 where once again the LSA Mall will be a central part of the fascinating area called Paradise City. Here is where thousands of visitors to the large season-starting event can see a flock of Light-Sport Aircraft and light kit aircraft. Prospective customers for these airplanes can also take a demonstration flight, right on the show grounds of Sun ‘n Fun. See any vendor to inquire about demo flight availability. At this 41st running of the popular event in Lakeland, Florida, LAMA, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association is pleased to again showcase the newest sector in aviation. Visitors can enjoy the third year of the completely redesigned Paradise City, formerly known to enthusiasts as the Ultralight or Lightplane Area. Transformed in 2013 with an entirely new layout that brings visitors closer than ever to a wide variety of aircraft, Paradise City is particularly popular as you can get intimately close to the runway where a wide variety of flying machines will take off and land almost all day long (except during certain parts of the main airshow in the mid-afternoon).

M-Squared Aircraft a First for Sun ‘n Fun

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Amphibious float-equipped airplanes are in the wheelhouse of M-Squared Aircraft. photo courtesy M-Squared Aircraft

Ray Anderson's magnificent flying machine will soon be on display at the Florida Air Museum. See video for a full tour of this remarkable airplane.

Father and daughter go aloft to capture photos of M-Squared Aircraft's several models.

Sun 'n Fun is coming in less than two months. Surprised? Yes, we are now less than 60 days before the start of this season-opening event. The folks in Lakeland offer so much to do at their April celebration that you can barely jam it all in to a six day visit. No doubt this is why many arrive a few days early ... well, that and Florida being the Sunshine State which will be warm and pleasant from April 21-26, 2015. C'mon down. Get away from that snowy winter up north. One thing you may not have done is visit the Museum on the property. All those new airplanes and products plus a major airshow keep people outside, understandably so. However, for 2015 light aircraft enthusiasts have one more reason to plan some extra time to keep the sunburn to a minimum by spending a few hours inside. Known officially as the Florida Air Museum, FAM has quite a collection of aircraft for your review ... and no, it isn't simply a smaller version of EAA's world-class museum at Oshkosh (also worth a few hours). FAM features "Aerospace Discovery," which offers a broad display of rare and fun examples of aircraft including several one-of-a-kind designs, vintage classics and antiques, plus warbirds. However, FAM has been a bit spare in the lightest end of aviation. That will change by the time you arrive in Lakeland, Florida for Sun 'n Fun 2015. Thanks to a generous donation from Ray Anderson, a very special — indeed one-of-a-kind — "ultralight" will be added to FAM's display. Built from an original airframe from M-Squared Aircraft, here's an airplane you have to see to appreciate. Oh, heck, even then you probably won't absorb everything Ray and the M-Squared staff accomplished with help from a local university. Outstanding among its many features is the HKS powerplant. This is a fairly rare animal with the turbo-HKS 700T that produces 80 horsepower. On this light single seater, Ray said that engine helps him leap off the ground in one and a half airplane lengths, or about a 30-foot ground roll. HKS is better known for its 60-horsepower 700E model. Our video walks you around this airplane so you can get a fuller idea. It may look like a simple little single seater — and it is, in a way — but it seems Ray left out only the kitchen sink in his effort to make this gray Breese SS a very special aircraft. I am a member of FAM and encourage you to consider this as well. Here's the rates and member benefits. Now, I want to focus on the airframer behind Captain Ray's work (he's ex-military and looks the part). M-Squared Aircraft is one of the longest-running airplane producers in the LSA space. Like myself, proprietor Paul Mather far pre-dates Light-Sport Aircraft. We were both around years before this newest aviation segment even acquired the name. Logically then, Paul's M-Squared Aircraft business was early in declaring it met ASTM standards for Special Light-Sport Aircraft. You need to contact him to know the latest prices, but at one time, the lowest cost Special LSA you could buy was from his company. If you are one of the many who lament the high cost of carbon fiber, glass-panel, LSA speedsters ... well, I understand, but you ought to have a look at Paul's fun flying airplanes. I got a crack at Ray's HKS-powered Breese (wow!) but I think I've flown all the models in M-Squared's line and every one of them is a well-proven joy in the air. Like many of the light aviation segment businesses, M-Squared Aircraft is a small enterprise, described by some as a "mom-and-pop shop." As with many such businesses, some deep expertise is available but with few employees, such operations rely on friends of the business. Paul appears to have no shortage of supporters to help him make it all work well. As Paul decided to upgrade his website, he called in some of those volunteers, but got some of his best support from his daughter, >b>Summer Brown. Trained in graphics, she's good with a digital camera as the new website attests. Seen in the nearby photo, Summer went aloft with Dad in every airplane comprising the M-Squared Aircraft inventory. Check out the new website and stop by their display at Sun 'n Fun 2015. You may or may not see Paul as he spends an amazing amount of his time aloft giving demo rides. Like any other aircraft vendor he's flying those interested in purchases, but "King Paul" is a mainstay at giving flights to those who volunteer to help airshow put on their events. For airshow visitors demo flights are modestly priced and Paul Mather is one of the most expert flyers to take you up. I encourage a visit but ask soon; this guy books up fast.

Sun ‘n Fun is coming in less than two months. Surprised? Yes, we are now less than 60 days before the start of this season-opening event. The folks in Lakeland offer so much to do at their April celebration that you can barely jam it all in to a six day visit. No doubt this is why many arrive a few days early … well, that and Florida being the Sunshine State which will be warm and pleasant from April 21-26, 2015. C’mon down. Get away from that snowy winter up north. One thing you may not have done is visit the Museum on the property. All those new airplanes and products plus a major airshow keep people outside, understandably so. However, for 2015 light aircraft enthusiasts have one more reason to plan some extra time to keep the sunburn to a minimum by spending a few hours inside.

NavWorx Relieves ADS-B Out Demands for LSA

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Traffic on a screen aids the eye in finding aircraft in your vicinity. On left is a screen shot from WingX Pro. With this much traffic it's great to have electronic assistance.

NavWorx saves LSA and light kit aircraft owners a bundle compared to Type Certified aircraft.

The latest from NavWorx will become available early in March 2015.

Across aviation segments of all types, noise is becoming shrill over FAA's demand that you install Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast equipment which not only receives but sends information. The phrase is such a mouthful that everyone just says, "ADS-B Out" though that is still a mysterious abbreviation to anyone not deeply attuned to aviation instruments. Most alphabet organizations and many aviation writers have been outspoken about the challenges faced by owners of Type Certified aircraft. A chorus of lament wails about the high equipment cost (several thousand dollars) and high installation cost coupled with what is often described as an impossible situation. According to many experts, the number of aircraft needing ADS-B Out equipment is so great that maintenance centers no longer have time to install the equipment before the deadline. Well, that is a troubling TC-aircraft dilemma but LSA and light kit aircraft owners recently got relief from the onerous requirement. FAA indicated that EAB homebuilt aircraft and LSA do not need to use TSO (Technical Standard Order) gear. "Non-TSO" means a piece of equipment is not certified, however, one company sells devices that are nearly identical except that they do not not have the FAA TSO approval. Why is this good for you? The TSO NavWorx box is already the most economical option for GA aircraft owners, with their ADS600-B unit priced at $2,399 before installation. Yet now LSA owners can meet FAA mandate for less than 30% of that price! Sometimes it is good to be an LSA or light EAB owner, right? Yep, for only $699 you can install the same hardware components as Type Certified aircraft must install while saving $1,700 (or even more compared to equipment from other providers). This is a crystal-clear indication of the cost of certification. Take a component and add 2.4 times the hardware expense merely to have documents (and the testing they imply) that proves it will work reliably in your TC airplane. This example is repeated throughout the LSA world, where non-certified aircraft boast an "acceptable" safety record — using FAA's preferred term for LSA safety — while featuring far lower prices. Sure, some LSA are still rather expensive but even the priciest are a fraction of their equivalent from the certified world. Most owners are still going to have to pay a qualified mechanic to install the ADS600-EXP and some knowledgeable persons suggest installation could cost as much as the $699 NavWorx box. You'll also need an antenna, which NavWorx sells for $90-500. However, the Rowlett, Texas company has another great idea, with more letters you need to learn. NavWorx also offer their PADS-B with the "P" standing for "Portable." PADS-B transmits full ADS-B Out, while receiving all traffic and weather around your aircraft. Owner Bill Moffitt said, "We took the design straight out of our TSO/STC certified ADS600-B product, miniaturized it, and created the PADS-B." As with the ADS600-EXP, PADS-B is not TSO'd. ADS-B receiver-only devices do not show all the traffic near you, said Moffitt. "FAA only sends traffic to your aircraft if you have ADS-B OUT." Users of ADS-B In equipment get traffic but it must be relayed from ground equipment or other aircraft, which is not as dependable. Moffitt said you need not compromise your safety using a receiver-only device for traffic because you can buy NavWorx PADS-B and "rest assured that the FAA is sending you traffic." Even better is that PADS-B comes with zero installation cost. "Plug it in, place it on the glare-shield, and start receiving traffic and weather instantly," said Moffitt. Additionally PADS-B will send the full dataset to your iPad or Android app. He noted, "PADS-B works with WingX, iFly, Naviator, eKneeboard, Avilution and others but it does not work with proprietary, closed applications like Garmin and ForeFlight." PADS-B is fully self-contained with no external antenna that needs to be mounted; GPS and Wifi antennae are built-in. NavWorx PADS-B sells for $999 but other than shipping that is your total cost to meet FAA's mandate. PADS-B will be available starting March 7, 2015.

Across aviation segments of all types, noise is becoming shrill over FAA’s demand that you install Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast equipment which not only receives but sends information. The phrase is such a mouthful that everyone just says, “ADS-B Out” though that is still a mysterious abbreviation to anyone not deeply attuned to aviation instruments. Most alphabet organizations and many aviation writers have been outspoken about the challenges faced by owners of Type Certified aircraft. A chorus of lament wails about the high equipment cost (several thousand dollars) and high installation cost coupled with what is often described as an impossible situation. According to many experts, the number of aircraft needing ADS-B Out equipment is so great that maintenance centers no longer have time to install the equipment before the deadline. Well, that is a troubling TC-aircraft dilemma but LSA and light kit aircraft owners recently got relief from the onerous requirement.

Love Them or Not, Drones Are Coming

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See our video on the DJI quadcopter at Sebring 2015.

(upper right) DJI's latest X3, carrying a three-axis stabilized camera that shoots 4K at 30 FPS (translation: very high quality video). Landing gear retracts to provide 360-degree camera angles. Most photos used in this article are courtesy of Atlanta Hobby.

Man-carrying quadcopter? -- We've seen others but Cecil Boyd of Technical Design Force in Hawaii has an idea for a partly weight shift controlled very light (Part 103?) multirotor called Quadralight. Intrigued? Contact Cecil.

The good news is that most pilots I've interviewed — with a few outspoken exceptions — think drones are fine. Some are openly enthusiastic. Indeed, major drone seller Atlanta Hobby said their most effective advertising ever was on Barnstormers, an online source frequented by pilots (the sort that fly from inside the aircraft). This article will try to cast additional light on the new drone rule, FAR Part 107, that was announced over last weekend and gained wide coverage. I contacted a subject matter expert who happens to be a longtime friend. Cliff Whitney is the fellow that first talked me into starting ByDanJohnson.com way back in 1999. Much earlier we met through a mutual interest in hang gliding and have remained friends ever since. Today, Cliff runs a multimillion dollar enterprise that sells ... well, things that fly (but with the pilot not inside). He remains an active pilot that enjoys flying several airplane types so he gets it from a pilot's perspective. We spoke for an hour just a couple days after FAA hurriedly released their NPRM news about Part 107 for UAVs. In an unusual Sunday morning press conference, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta released the details of the proposed rule. Along with these two big shots of the regulatory world, Cliff was on the conference line. As both a pilot and a UAV seller, he said, "I was shocked yet extremely pleased about the proposed rule ... FAA used common sense ... [Part 107} will encourage innovation while promoting adoption" of the regulation. Some, like Amazon — a company with ambitions about using drones to deliver packages to your doorstep — were less enamored of the rule as it excludes flight that the big online outfit will need to offer its aerial delivery service (see some of the Part 107 points below). However, even Amazon had to agree with Cliff that, "107 allows the ability to go elsewhere." "Recreational users are exempt [from 107] ... this is hard coded and cannot be changed," Cliff observed. "If hobbyists fly recklessly, they can be penalized but this is as it was before." The regulation only applies to what Cliff calls the "industrial side." That's the main aspect of his business, accounting for 70% of sales; 30% are recreational users. He added, "Part 107 will increase the industrial share because the new regulation is so accommodating." Let's look at some impact from this new reg. I asked Cliff about the size of the market. To understand it better, we need to divide it. Recreational user drones run $600-$2,000. These are some very capable UAV compared to "toys" that you can buy for $50-500. True working systems with back-up aircraft — needed because a company hiring you won't want to hear about a broken part that will take a week to fix — will cost $5,000 to $10,000. However, the latter amount can buy an aircraft delivering butter-smooth motion picture-quality video with very high resolution that can broadcast to a computer on the ground. In the recreational or higher sector Cliff believes the DJI company (top image) is the leader with an estimated 70% of the market. DJI did $130 million worth of business in 2013, $260M last year and projects $600M for 2015. Calculating from average wholesale selling prices, the overall drone industry could deliver as many as a million new UAVs this year alone. In contrast, GAMA said that 986 single engine piston aircraft were sold worldwide in 2014; LSA and LSA-types delivered approximately 3,000 units around the globe. UAVs clearly represent very big business. SHOULD PILOTS BE WORRIED? As a pilot — especially of an open cockpit ultralight or a powered paraglider — should you be worried about all this new traffic in the sky? "Such worry shows a lack of understanding," said Cliff. He explained using a humorous tale about how RC hobbyists have events where they deliberately try to run into one another, all within a 200-foot-square space. "I've seen 50 RCs fly around at low altitudes for 20 minutes without running into each other, even in a confined space ... and that's when they're trying to hit one other." He makes a good point. In my flying, while I recognize we must be vigilant to see and avoid, the skies are spacious and I very rarely see any aircraft close except near the airport. As with most FAA proposals, the agency is asking for comments and must consider every one. For example, FAA is asking if the regs should permit operations beyond line of sight, and if yes, what are appropriate limits? Amazon may be dissatisfied with the NPRM as their proposed package-delivery drones couldn't fly over populated areas. However, the regs can change to allow such use after initial experience is gained and, of course, giant companies like Amazon and Google have lobbyists that might try to influence rule writers. Balancing corporate power are powerful forces concerned with privacy. For another viewpoint, Reason Magazine wrote that Adam Thierer of the Technology Liberation Front noted on his blog that, "You can't read through these 200 pages of [FAR Part 107] regulations without getting sense that the FAA still wishes that private drones would just go away." Government drones are exempt from these rules. Right or wrong, it seems as certain as tomorrow's sunrise that drones or UAVs are going to proliferate. DRONE NPRM SUMMARY Drones must weigh less than 55 pounds Commerical operators must remain within visual line of sight of the drone They can only operate in the daylight with a least three statute miles visibility Drones must stay below 500 feet AGL and outside of Class A airspace May fly in Class B, C, and D airspace with prior permission from ATC Drone must stay 500 feet below clouds and 2,000 feet horizontally Drones cannot exceed 100 mph and must "see-and-avoid" other aircraft Drones are not allowed over people, except those involved in the flight Drone operators would have to pass an aeronautical exam and retake the test every two years • Background checks of some sort would be required for commercial drone operators Aircraft markings (N-numbers) mandated for identification purposes • You can prepare for the exam via a study guide as offered by UAV Ground School Produced before FAA's recent NPRM, this Reason.TV video gives the overall activity of flying UAVs a broader perspective. You also get a historical view of drones:

The good news is that most pilots I’ve interviewed — with a few outspoken exceptions — think drones are fine. Some are openly enthusiastic. Indeed, major drone seller Atlanta Hobby said their most effective advertising ever was on Barnstormers, an online source frequented by pilots (the sort that fly from inside the aircraft). This article will try to cast additional light on the new drone rule, FAR Part 107, that was announced over last weekend and gained wide coverage. I contacted a subject matter expert who happens to be a longtime friend. Cliff Whitney is the fellow that first talked me into starting ByDanJohnson.com way back in 1999. Much earlier we met through a mutual interest in hang gliding and have remained friends ever since. Today, Cliff runs a multimillion dollar enterprise that sells … well, things that fly (but with the pilot not inside). He remains an active pilot that enjoys flying several airplane types so he gets it from a pilot’s perspective.

Rui Xiang RX1E … Certified Electric Two-Seater

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All over the world, electric airplanes are getting remarkable amounts of attention, deservedly so as an exciting development to match work in cars and other vehicles. These days, while drones (also called UAVs, UASs, or RPVs) are made in various countries, a lot of the development comes from China ... so why be surprised to hear of a positive development in a Chinese human-occupied aircraft? Is it the first "certified" electric? Well, "certified" is a term that can be challenging to define as the word means different things in different countries. For example, we've already produced a video covering the American-designed, Chinese-developed eSpyder from Yuneec. It won German approval in 2013. My flying experience on eSpyder is documented in this article. You can also read a more encompassing electric aircraft review article from 2011, though with the rapid pace of development such articles become dated rather quickly. eSpyder developer Yuneec has also worked extensively on their e430, a two-seat, motorglider-like, pure-electric aircraft. Perhaps that was China's first electric two seater but now consider the Rui Xiang RX1E, a high-wing, side-by-side two-place aircraft. As does Yuneec's e430, RX1E uses high wing cantilever construction and long slender wings. According to Cafe Foundation — the group that closely monitors electric aircraft developments and hosts professional symposia — RX1E has been "designed by the Liaoning General Aviation Institute while Shenyang Aircraft Manufacturing [of Cessna Skycatcher fame] manufactures the aircraft under the Rui Xiang General name." Cafe Foundation gathered some of their facts from China News Service. Cafe continued their report writing that RX1E is "...made of carbon fiber composite material, uses a 10 kilowatt-hour lithium battery [that is] enough for a 40-minute flight. Charging takes one-and-a-half hours and restores enough energy to make a 40-minute flight, all for about 5 yuan (80 cents). Cafe credited Xinhua News Agency, which reported "a maximum cruising speed of up to 150 kilometers per hour (93 mph or 80 knots), and the ability to climb to 3,000 meters (10,800 feet) at a maximum takeoff weight of 480 kilograms (1,056 pounds)." RX1E is said to have a takeoff distance of 290 meters (930 feet), and a landing distance (probably over a barrier) of 560 meters (1,792 feet). Power is supplied by a 30 kW (40 hp) Sineton electric motor. Contrarily, Cafe notes, Yuneec employs a company-produced powerplant; they are famous for powerplant developments driven by their huge success in radio control models. My source of the certification news offered to ask company officials for more details and when I have more I will update this article. Last fall our good friend Mary Grady writing for AVweb reported that RX1E "production is expected to begin in the first half of 2015, according to China Daily. The plant will be capable of producing up to 100 airplanes per year." AVweb's report continued quoting Yang Fengtian of Shenyang Aerospace University, "The plant will be capable of manufacturing up to 100 airplanes per year within three years," said Yang. Drawing from other sources, the AVweb article stated, "The aircraft will fly about 90 minutes on a full charge," at a cost of about one dollar. "Cruising speed is about 86 knots. The price is expected to be about $163,000."

All over the world, electric airplanes are getting remarkable amounts of attention, deservedly so as an exciting development to match work in cars and other vehicles. These days, while drones (also called UAVs, UASs, or RPVs) are made in various countries, a lot of the development comes from China … so why be surprised to hear of a positive development in a Chinese human-occupied aircraft? Is it the first “certified” electric? Well, “certified” is a term that can be challenging to define as the word means different things in different countries. For example, we’ve already produced a video covering the American-designed, Chinese-developed eSpyder from Yuneec. It won German approval in 2013. My flying experience on eSpyder is documented in this article. You can also read a more encompassing electric aircraft review article from 2011, though with the rapid pace of development such articles become dated rather quickly.

Rotax Awards Free 912 Engine to Flight School

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The updated Rotax 912 iS Sport. photo courtesy Rotax BRP

Madiba Bay School of Flight uses The Airplane Factory Sling models, which are nearly always equipped with MGL Avionics. Both have representation in the U.S.

One year ago Rotax announced a contest to award a brand-new 912 engine to the flight school that achieved the first time between overhaul (TBO) of 2,000 hours on a Rotax 912 iS model that the engine builder had just released. Upon reaching the goal, the flight school had to prove the hours by sending a copy of the logbook to their local distributor and then return the used engine to Rotax BRP in Austria. At the end of January 2015, Rotax announced they had donated a copy of their newest Rotax 912 iS Sport engine to Madiba Bay School of Flight located in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. "Madiba Bay achieved the first time between overhauls (TBO) of 2,000 hours on their Sling 2 equipped with a Rotax 912 iS engine," said representatives of the big Austrian engine manufacturer. Flight school owner Gerhard Van Eeden said, "We are pleased to be the winner of a brand-new Rotax 912 iS Sport engine. Our school flies a minimum of 400 hours monthly, a good reason why we decided to participate in this ROTAX contest as we were convinced we could win." The contest started in February 2014. At the rate Madiba Bay racks up hours on their Sling aircraft, they were well positioned to win a powerplant that retails for well over $20,000. The school reported 400 hours per month using several airplanes and they managed to log 2,000 on at least one in less than a year. Not bad! "It's impressive to see how obviously professional Madiba Bay School is in operating its flight school to accumulate 2,000 hours in such a short time," said Thomas Uhr, Vice President BRP-Powertrain and General Manager BRP-Powertrain GmbH & Co KG. "And, of course, it makes me proud our Rotax 912 iS Sport was a hassle-free partner for many new pilots and it will now provide valuable information to our continuous R&D efforts, delivering the best aircraft engine in its class." Rotax believe that flight schools benefit using the Rotax 912 iS Sport thanks to "easier operation, longer flight range and lower operating costs. The new engine delivers 38% to 70% better fuel efficiency than comparable competitive engines," added Uhr. "For flight schools, the Rotax 912 iS Sport engine is economically extremely valuable considering that a cost-intensive part for flight schools is the vast quantity of fuel [they use]." So, that's it. The contest is over, right? Nope! They are doing it again. "Rotax BRP will continue last year's flight school contest and will donate a brand new Rotax 912 iS Sport to the flight school that achieves the first TBO of 2,000 hours on their Rotax 912 iS engine," the company stated in an early February news release. The procedure is similar to the 2014 contest: Flight schools must register with an authorized Rotax distributor or with the person in charge of the point of sales in its area. The school must inform the distributor when 500, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 flight hour points are reached using the Rotax 912 iS engine. After reaching 2,000 hours, the school sends their logbook to their distributor, which is to inform Rotax BRP, afterwards shipping the engine to Rotax. BRP will then donate a new Rotax 912 iS Sport engine in return, and the school saves a bundle on either overhaul of their old engine or buying a new one. Madiba Bay is not allowed to participate in the contest again. "With more than 170,000 aircraft engines sold in almost 40 years, Rotax dominates the Light-Sport and microlight aircraft industry offering more than 200 points of sale," stated the company. "Rotax BRP supports customers worldwide and supplies Rotax aircraft engines to more than 80% of all aircraft manufacturers in its segment." Madiba Bay School of Flight uses The Airplane Factory (TAF) Sling aircraft in their active flight school. So, besides Rotax enjoying strong support for their engines, TAF also earns credit for their aircraft holding up to duty that is often said to be one of the most demanding. Students don't learn without making mistakes so hard landings happen. The traditional U.S. flight school community has been somewhat slow to embrace LSA because some allege that LSA are too lightly built. Indeed LSA weigh more than 300 pounds less than popular trainers like Cessna's long-discontinued 150 and 152 models. However, experiences such as Madiba Bay with their Sling fleet and many other Light-Sport models with thousands of training hours logged are proof that in the hands of quality flight school operators these fuel-efficient aircraft can be great instructional aircraft. Video reports and articles like the following unveil the durability of LSA in flight training environments: Kitfox (video); Allegro; Europe-based Remos; and, this general article.

One year ago Rotax announced a contest to award a brand-new 912 engine to the flight school that achieved the first time between overhaul (TBO) of 2,000 hours on a Rotax 912 iS model that the engine builder had just released. Upon reaching the goal, the flight school had to prove the hours by sending a copy of the logbook to their local distributor and then return the used engine to Rotax BRP in Austria. At the end of January 2015, Rotax announced they had donated a copy of their newest Rotax 912 iS Sport engine to Madiba Bay School of Flight located in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. “Madiba Bay achieved the first time between overhauls (TBO) of 2,000 hours on their Sling 2 equipped with a Rotax 912 iS engine,” said representatives of the big Austrian engine manufacturer. Flight school owner Gerhard Van Eeden said, “We are pleased to be the winner of a brand-new Rotax 912 iS Sport engine.

iPad Invades the Cockpit … Again

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BD-17 and Levil photos by Joseph F. Marszal

FlyPad mounts can accommodate several Apple products with more to follow.

Levil units power the iPad in the BD-17 to offer excellent capability.

If you are not an iPad user — like I am along with millions of others including a significant number of pilots — perhaps you just don't care about iPads in the cockpit. This isn't an Apple ad; they hardly need any more promotion. Yet iPads in the cockpit can do some great work for a much lower cost than anyone would have imagined less than five years ago (iPad was introduced in fall 2010). Unless you have ignored the news since 2010, you are surely aware iPads can run slick apps like Garmin Pilot or Jeppesen's Mobile FliteDeck VFR, WingX Pro, Foreflight, FlyQ, and several others. Most of these are very useful products and even with data subscriptions they don't cost much. However, they all share one problem ... a rather big one. Simply, cockpits weren't designed around the new technology. You have to hold an iPad. Of course, several companies have made mounts of various types, some of which hang out from the instrument panel and swivel about like a wall-mounted TV so you can poke and prod them while flying. I've sampled a couple of these mounts and they are a bit, well ... flexible. When you touch them, especially in turbulent air, they can jiggle around and defy you to hit that tiny, little virtual button you want to select. While those mounts are superior to hand holding, they could be better. Fortunately, one already is better. Consider FlyPad mounts. While this is currently more logical for homebuilders who design their own instrument panel layout as seen in the nearby BD-17 photo, a Special LSA manufacturer could easily incorporate the mount system. A short video at the end of this article makes the installation look straightforward. After the panel install is complete, "...your device can be inserted and locked securely into place in seconds," said developer Crew Feighery, "and will look as if it were meant to be there from the time your aircraft left the factory floor (or your garage)." Digital screens are widely available in many variations. Indeed, some great installations are made by Dynon, Garmin, and MGL, among others. Yet Crew makes an interesting observation. "Glass cockpits are missing the huge selection of apps available for the Apple products," he said. "With one screen you can choose between a moving map application, terrain avoidance, flight planning software, or even entertainment for your passenger." Crew goes on to note that you can, "...replicate all the typical functions of a expensive Primary Flight Display." Enthusiastically, he continues, "The perfect cockpit includes one full size iPad Air for your Primary Flight Display, a iPad Mini for navigation, a iPod Touch or iPhone for your backup artificial horizon, and an extra full size iPad Air to entertain your passenger while you navigate to your destination." OK, you may not want to add that many Apple devices but the installation in the BD-17 at Sebring showed how clean and tidy it can be. Plus, as the image shows and the video below highlights, popping the iPad in or out is super simple. Apple iPad comes with a GPS receiver but for the fullest use of the panel-mounted tablet, you'll need a device like a Dual unit (160 SkyPro or XGPS 170) that works via Bluetooth or one of several Levil devices. The former are portable and small while the latter are a bit more techy and use a combination of cables and wireless to offer greater capabilities. Some Levil units can be paired with units like NavWorx's ADS-600B or Zaon's XRX to meet FAA's mandates for ADS-B Out. ADS-B Out compliance will add considerably to your cost. When employing an appropriate Levil device roll, pitch, magnetic heading, rate of turn, inclination, and G-meter data are available on your iPad (or Android, though the latter tablets will not fit in the FlyPad mount). A Levil unit can deliver wirelessly to as many as 10 connected devices. Dual units also serve more than one device. Some Levil units integrate solar panels that can recharge the batteries over time or extend the eight-hour battery life to 12 hours on bright, sunny days. Team BD neatly incorporated FlyPad and Levil in their Sebring 2015 display airplane and I heard from a few folks that this caught their attention. The FlyPad mounts run $179 to $229. One very clever and useful option is the Steam Gauge Cutout letting you install analog gauges mounted right in the panel under the iPad (photo above). Depending on mount chosen kit builders can mount 1-4 traditional gauges. Should your tablet go dark, Crew said, "...you can simply pop it out and reference the traditional gauges." Nice! This one-minute video shows you how FlyPad mounts, demounts, and functions:

If you are not an iPad user — like I am along with millions of others including a significant number of pilots — perhaps you just don’t care about iPads in the cockpit. This isn’t an Apple ad; they hardly need any more promotion. Yet iPads in the cockpit can do some great work for a much lower cost than anyone would have imagined less than five years ago (iPad was introduced in fall 2010). Unless you have ignored the news since 2010, you are surely aware iPads can run slick apps like Garmin Pilot or Jeppesen’s Mobile FliteDeck VFR, WingX Pro, Foreflight, FlyQ, and several others. Most of these are very useful products and even with data subscriptions they don’t cost much. However, they all share one problem … a rather big one. Simply, cockpits weren’t designed around the new technology. You have to hold an iPad. Of course, several companies have made mounts of various types, some of which hang out from the instrument panel and swivel about like a wall-mounted TV so you can poke and prod them while flying.

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