Dan Johnson, Author at ByDanJohnson.com

More Cool Stuff at Europe’s Aero 2013

By Dan Johnson || April 25, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

FK 51 70% Mustang drew crowds

Look closely. Can you see the rivets dimpling this Mustang replica's skin? Actually, you can't. (see next photos) The gap you see will be covered as soon as possible; the show deadline prevented doing so in time.

Looking at the upper wing, FK 51's rivets sure appear real. But as the yet-unmounted part shows, this is all fake ... a truly excellent fake.

German Gyro showed their Matto gyrocopter with a first-of-its kind emergency parachute system integrated into a wider than usual rotor mast.

Photo Galleries — Thanks to my good friend and LAMA Europe collaborator, Jan Fridrich, I offer this link to his many photos of Aero 2013. Photo legends are written in Czech language so few Yankees will be able to read them. As the old saying goes, "A picture is worth a thousand words" so Jan's photo review is worth hundreds of thousands. Enjoy and I'll add more in the days ahead. Meanwhile Thanks, Jan! • Aero is a special show for many reasons, but one of the best is that we can view so many airplanes we never see in the USA — and fascinating designs many of them are, indeed. UltralightNews YouTube channel and I are working hard to collect lots of videos including a quick tour of many airplanes you can't buy in the USA ... yet. Super Authentic P-51 Replica — Roland Hallam, the South African boss of light aircraft producer FK Lightplanes in Poland, showed us around the dazzling FK 51 Mustang project. First some of the impact points and then a bit about the incredible detail. Currently FK 51 is powered by the Rotax 912 that climbs so many of our Light-Sport Aircraft, however, they are talking about a somewhat more powerful engine to better approximate the performance of the original Merlin engine. With retractable gear and in-fight adjustable prop, this replica will fly faster than permitted under LSA rules but they plan a fixed gear, fixed pitch prop to stay within those guidelines. It will likely also be offered as an Experimental Amateur Built model. A Rotax 912 doesn't sound like the Merlin so a loudspeaker system built into the engine cowl adds audible authenticity. A series of six exhaust stacks per side are also fake but a genuine smoke system is built in to simulate emission of the appropriate smoke during the start of the huge engine that powered the World War II airplanes. The sound coordinates with the smoke for engine start-up, running, and shut down. Cool touches indeed. Incredible Detail — Sound and smoke are great but what literally blows the minds of those examining FK 51 is absolutely amazing attention to detail. Most '51 replicas simply cannot match the original Mustang on a rivet-for-rivet basis. FK 51 does! The "FK" in FK Lightplanes might stand for "fake" in their current replica or "classic" line but the work effort is certainly real. Roland notes just shy of 100,000 fake rivets molded into the composite skin of his 70% replica Mustang, which he assures is correct in the placement of each and every last rivet or screw head. You have to see FK 51 in person to appreciate the rivet-dimpled skin all achieved in carbon fiber but the accompanying pictures will try to give you the idea. You can see fiberglass on the back of the part (photo) yet it appears for all the world as a metal skin on the exterior (carbon fiber will replace the fiberglass in in FK 51's final iteration; glass was used as they hurried the example for exhibition here at Aero). You may be able to see this astonishing entry at AirVenture this year. If so, I bet you'll be as amazed as were Aero attendees. Parachute In Mast — The last item in today's post is a surprising entry of a gyroplane ... but it isn't about the aircraft, called Matto. Instead, my focus is on a first-of-its-kind emergency airframe parachute that is packed into a larger-than usual rotor mast. That's why our photo does not even show the aircraft. The company reported, "The mandatory rescue system in three-axis airplanes [required by German rules] ... does not need to be used in gyroplanes." They added that German authorities did not see it as possible to offer an engineering solution for gyrocopters to have a parachute but German Gyro boss Otto Strauss and his team believed differently. "In a proprietary solution, the parachute is stowed in the central pole of the rotor," said the company. A new rotor head with special roller bearings and an inner diameter of about 200 millimeters (just under eight inches) allows integration of the parachute and pyrotechnical device to extract the canopy above a spinning rotor. We'd like to see test videos but certainly the idea is intriguing and may be appreciated, especially given strong gyrocopter interest in Europe.

Pre-Opening Glimpses at Aero 2013 in Germany

By Dan Johnson || April 23, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Peter Funk poses besides his attention-getting modernized Bücker Jungmann 131 replica.

TL's new Stream on display at Aero 2013.

Not quite yet ... visitors will have to wait for the formal unveiling before they see all of Tecnam's new Astore.

Gyros like the Trixy Aviation 4-2 R are selling briskly and are available ready-to-fly in Europe and ... well, everywhere but America.

Excitement Amid the Chaos — If you've been to any show the day before it opens, you know what I mean by "chaos." With mere hours to go before the doors open to the public, it appears no hope exists to be ready in time. Weather in Europe — a lousy winter drags on inexorably, as it does in the northern U.S. — is preventing airplanes from arriving. Protective plastic still covers the carpets. Booth spaces, called "stands" in EuropeSpeak, are still being assembled. Everywhere you look, it seems a week's worth of work remains but Aero opens tomorrow morning as I write this. Fear not. I've seen this act before. Somehow, it gets done and no one is the wiser. As the frenetic pace quickens to a climax, I uncovered a few delights worthy of passing on before Aero truly gets under way. Here we go! Apple Event Magic? — Peter Funk (photo) may be the Steve Jobs of Aero. With German regularity, he pulls a rabbit from the top hat. Two years ago he wowed the crowd with his innovative LeMans. This year, he upped the ante, offering not one but two surprises. All ready for my camera was the FK 131, a modern replica of the 1930s Bücker Jungmann 131 biplane of the 1930s. Ten will be produced in cooperation with the father-and-son Czech company Podesva Air and perhaps no more will be made (a nearly sure way all ten will sell without having to commit more resources at present). Peter found the lightweight "A" model in an old book and passion tells the rest of the story. We'll have more on this fascinating project but the lighter-than-original reproduction will inevitably draw crowds. Meanwhile, check out more about the FK 131 on the American Bücker Pages website. Peter's other surprise is the FK 51, a composite P-51 replica that looks for all the world like metal, authentically shaped and even with fake rivets, yet made entirely of composite. Workers were still assembling the aircraft but wait until you see photos of this beauty! Gathering Stream — As Funk's Jungmann is a limited production — seemingly one of those ascendant ideas in the LSA industry — so is the TL Stream. U.S. importer of the TL brand Bill Canino says the tandem-seating Stream is intended to serve a narrower market than the Sting or Sirius from the same company. The airplane that somewhat resembles Jaro Dostal's Shark project, may do a European tour before possibly making an appearance at AirVenture. It may also entertain different engines and has some aerobatic promise. Nothing is certain yet, but the proof-of-concept up on a slim display mount looks terrific and appealing. TL is also showing a TL-3000 Sirius on amphibious floats. Astore Under Veil — In Tecnam's sprawling display space at Aero 2013, the fully aerobatic and single place Snap is prominently on display, now bearing the Italian company name. We've seen this design at Aero before plus prior and continuing import source Bill Canino (working in conjunction with Tecnam North America, said Phil Solomon) displayed Snap at AirVenture 2011. But the more mysterious part of the display is for the soon-to-be-unveiled Astore, a new Tecnam low wing entry in the LSA class. As the space is assembled we got a partial sneak peak of the aircraft helping to commemorate the company's 65th year in business. Tecnam had most of their extensive fleet assembled and appeared to be preparing for "a really, big shew" to borrow an opening line from oldtime TV host Ed Sullivan. We'll be present at Tecnam pulls back the curtain and provide a more complete look at their new model. Hot, hot, hot Gyros! — As we approach the ten-year mark since FAA first unleashed the game-changing SP/LSA rule on the aviation world, the agency still cannot make up their collective mind on how to handle Special LSA gyroplanes. Though part of the LSA panoply of aircraft types, this isolated community of rotorheads must still make do with kit-built aircraft in America. To call gyro enthusiasts who have put in time on ASTM committees preparing for SLSA gyros "frustrated" would be to dramatically understate their feeling. Meanwhile, in Europe, gyros are going great guns. One report claims more Rotax engines are bought by gryo producers than any other aircraft class. All seem to agree demand is strong and the sleek models several companies are showing endorses this position. One we looked at in an early media tour of the many halls of Aero was of the Trixy Aviation 4-2 R (photo). It would sure be interesting to see what happened if FAA ever got around to approving SLSA gyros ... but don't hold your breath rotor enthusiasts.

Excitement Amid the Chaos — If you’ve been to any show the day before it opens, you know what I mean by “chaos.” With mere hours to go before the doors open to the public, it appears no hope exists to be ready in time. Weather in Europe — a lousy winter drags on inexorably, as it does in the northern U.S. — is preventing airplanes from arriving. Protective plastic still covers the carpets. Booth spaces, called “stands” in EuropeSpeak, are still being assembled. Everywhere you look, it seems a week’s worth of work remains but Aero opens tomorrow morning as I write this. Fear not. I’ve seen this act before. Somehow, it gets done and no one is the wiser. As the frenetic pace quickens to a climax, I uncovered a few delights worthy of passing on before Aero truly gets under way. Here we go! Apple Event Magic? — Peter Funk (photo) may be the Steve Jobs of Aero.

Light Aircraft Flight Over the North Pole

By Dan Johnson || April 22, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Matevz is again flying a Pipistrel Virus SW.

Loaded with long-distance flying gear and scientific equipment, the interior of this light aircraft looks very utilitarian. The Virus SW carries devices to measure the concentration of atmospheric black carbon (soot) in the air.

Matevz Lenarcic departed on his North Pole flight on Monday April 22nd.

Matevz Lenarcic is in the air again. Lenarcic is the daring pilot who has already flown around the world ... twice! Some pilots simply don't know when to rest on their earlier achievements. Indeed, today Matevz embarked on a solo flight over the North Pole in his specially configured light aircraft. His mission (besides an audacious long distance flight): recording black carbon readings over the Arctic. He'll cross much of Europe, pass over the North Pole, continue to Canada and return to Europe crossing the North Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland flying parallel to Lindberg's record flight from New York to Paris (map). He will capture the Arctic with aerial images and if you'd like to vicariously join his adventure, you can follow Matevz's North Pole flight. A biologist and photographer, Matevz is again flying a Pipistrel Virus SW that has won NASA's efficiency competition; the company pocketed prizes of more than one million dollars. With 4,000 hours in his logbook, Lenarcic has proved his abilities with two globe-girdling flights, one with a Pipistrel Virus SW in 2004 and one with a Sinus in 2012. "Legendary expeditions ... led to discovery of new trade routes that brought strategic and capital benefits," Lenarcic observed in a news release from Pipistrel. Modern expeditions benefit from improved research and technical instrumentation. Devices which weighed hundreds of pounds just a few years ago can now fit into fuel efficient, low cost, and nature-friendly light aircraft. Lenarcic expressed that the Arctic is an important generator of weather. Changes in polar ice can have a decisive impact on the speed and direction of ocean currents, which events can trigger globally-felt effects. Arctic expeditions are frequent; the North Polar region has been crossed on foot, on skis, with icebreakers, submarines, and aircraft. However, Matevz noted, "Light and Ultralight planes are still extremely rare in this part of the world. Despite the development of high performance ultralights no one has overflown the North Pole from one continent to another." Assuming his flight progresses as well as his prior circumnavigating attempts, he will bring light aircraft to the northern Arctic. On his flight Matevz will attempt to burn the smallest amount of fuel per distance flown. The project will attempt to show how light aircraft can be used to collect significant scientific climate data. His Pipistrel aircraft will carry a device developed by the company Aerosol, which measures the concentration of atmospheric black carbon (soot) in the air over the North Pole. Matevz reported that this has not been done before. To fulfill requirements of the North Pole flight, Pipistrel specially modified a Virus SW able to operate safely at low polar temperatures and high altitudes. Fuel consumption must remain at very low levels because some legs of the flight cover several thousand kilometers. This Virus SW can fly up to 160 knots yet slow to 43 knots. It was fitted with a wide range of avionics, navigation equipment, IFR systems, an auto-pilot, radios plus a second generator for redundancy. Bon voyage, Matevz!

Matevz Lenarcic is in the air again. Lenarcic is the daring pilot who has already flown around the world … twice! Some pilots simply don’t know when to rest on their earlier achievements. Indeed, today Matevz embarked on a solo flight over the North Pole in his specially configured light aircraft. His mission (besides an audacious long distance flight): recording black carbon readings over the Arctic. He’ll cross much of Europe, pass over the North Pole, continue to Canada and return to Europe crossing the North Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland flying parallel to Lindberg’s record flight from New York to Paris (map). He will capture the Arctic with aerial images and if you’d like to vicariously join his adventure, you can follow Matevz’s North Pole flight. A biologist and photographer, Matevz is again flying a Pipistrel Virus SW that has won NASA’s efficiency competition; the company pocketed prizes of more than one million dollars.

Bending the Air in the Dynamic SuperSTOL

By Dan Johnson || April 15, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Just reported SuperStol empty weight at 720 pounds, yielding a useful load of 600 pounds. A kit is $36,500 or quick-build at under $40,000. When ready as a SLSA, SuperSTOL is expected at about $105,000 ready to fly.

This is the look that amazes everyone (and the airplane seems to love doing so). Two-section wing slats and Fowler flaps produce a stall speed of 28 knots and launches in as little as 150 feet. Watch our current video and look for a flying update soon.

Just Aircraft's Highlander series has sold 300 kits. The SuperSTOL landing gear and slatted wing is retrofittable to earlier models.

Escapade has trigear for those not ready for a taildragger. The company has sold more than 400 kits since 2002.

By all accounts — and none to the contrary (that I personally heard) — the "new and improved" Paradise City was an out-of-the-ballpark home run hit. On the final day of Sun 'n Fun 2013, John "Lites" Leenhouts gave his closing review. He noted attendance was up somewhat on Tuesday through Thursday and down a bit on other days, but he highlighted the great success that was Paradise City, the new permanent home of the LSA Mall. The area was chock full of exhibitors, up almost double from last year. Flying went on all day long as predicted, even during the main airshow. Twice I flew in on aircraft I was evaluating while watching aerobatic aircraft twist and turn over the main runway. I know of no accidents or incidents so major kudos to the 186-person-strong volunteer staff under area chairman Dave Piper's direction. They dealt with many new changes and nearly every detail appeared to go as planned. Many aircraft provided dozens of demo flights for prospective customers and other interested parties. In his closing remarks, Lites noted more than 600 operations (a takeoff or landing) from the Paradise City runway on the day prior; it must have run into several thousand for the week. An exotic mix of airplanes was smoothly handled with rotorcraft (both gyros and light helicopters), fixed wing, trikes, and motorgliders flying at the same time, without any apparent conflicts. Powered parachutes, paragliders, genuine Part 103 ultralights, and electric powered aircraft primarily flew during the morning and evening when winds were less active. Read an independent report in the Lakeland Ledger newspaper by journalist Jeremy Maready Among the most active aircraft was the Highlander SuperSTOL from Just Aircraft. Company leader Troy Woodland kept his distinctive aircraft flying nearly all day every day and he wowed the crowd with the aircraft's extraordinary takeoffs and landings. Hitching a ride was challenging as media reporters and prospective customers clamored for an experience aboard the unusual machine. I finally got my opportunity toward the end of the week and you'll be able to go along as we strapped video cameras all over the aircraft ... two in the cockpit, one on the wing strut, and a unique view from the tailwheel looking forward. Troy and I flew (yes, while the main airshow was smoking up the sky over Sun 'n Fun's main runway) and we did seven landings, mostly at nearby South Lakeland Airpark. The aircraft leaps off the ground as its automatically deploying two-section slats move forward at liftoff angle of attack. What is truly amazing is the landings. My senses seemed to be lying to me as we approached so steeply and slowly, the sensation felt closer to that of a helicopter. As we approached the long turf runway at South Lakeland, Troy established a high rate of descent with the stick fully aft — as far back as it could go, where it remained through touchdown. I felt I could walk as fast as we were moving across the ground just before the tailwheel first touched terra firma (it isn't truly walking speed, but it is very slow, perhaps no more than 25-30 mph). The large tires and the 20-inch stroke oleo strut handled every landing without the slightest rebound. A tailwheel with its own shock absorber helps (wait until you can see all this on the video!). Meanwhile, SuperSTOL behaves cooperatively with great roll authority down to 30 mph. It showed no tendency to drop a wing; clearly the articulating slats and huge elephant ear Fowler flaps make the short chord work exceptionally hard. On each takeoff Troy pushed on full power from the 100-hp Rotax 912 and moved the joystick to the instrument panel. The tail came up very quickly thanks to large tail surfaces. At level attitude, he relaxed the joystick and pulled on a bit more than one notch of flaps (while holding in the detent button). This causes the retracted slats to move forward and off we went. After accelerating on climbout the slats retract and we cruised around the pattern at about 90 mph. Smaller tires can be fitted without losing the fantastic shock absorbing effect and you can then see about a 100 mph cruise, Troy indicated. Here's perhaps the best part of all: While SuperSTOL looks gnarly and extreme sitting on the ground, it is a complete pussycat in the air, willingly doing the pilot's bidding and exhibiting uniformly gentle flight characteristics. A hearty congratulations to Troy and his team including partner Gary Schmitt.

By all accounts — and none to the contrary (that I personally heard) — the “new and improved” Paradise City was an out-of-the-ballpark home run hit. On the final day of Sun ‘n Fun 2013, John “Lites” Leenhouts gave his closing review. He noted attendance was up somewhat on Tuesday through Thursday and down a bit on other days, but he highlighted the great success that was Paradise City, the new permanent home of the LSA Mall. The area was chock full of exhibitors, up almost double from last year. Flying went on all day long as predicted, even during the main airshow. Twice I flew in on aircraft I was evaluating while watching aerobatic aircraft twist and turn over the main runway. I know of no accidents or incidents so major kudos to the 186-person-strong volunteer staff under area chairman Dave Piper’s direction. They dealt with many new changes and nearly every detail appeared to go as planned.

Zenith Unveils Smoother, Faster CH 750 Cruzer

By Dan Johnson || April 11, 2013 2 Comments (Edit)

Zenith unveiled their newest ... CH 750 Cruzer.

Seen above is the popular, roomier CH 750 STOL, which complements the CH 701 that remains in production. Watch our CH 750 video.

At Sun 'n Fun 2013, big kit manufacturer Zenith Aircraft debuted their new CH 750 Cruzer. Is it truly something new under the Sun ('n Fun)? Zenith said, "While influenced by its well-known STOL predecessors — STOL CH 701 "Sky Jeep," CH 750, and four-seat CH 801 sport utility aircraft — the CH 750 Cruzer is an all-new design." Company president Sebastien Heintz observed that many customers do not need off-airport capability or extreme STOL (short take-off and landing) performance so his team optimized the new design for cruise and more conventional hard-surface airports while yet retaining the popular enlarged cabin features of the STOL CH 750. Zenith's new Cruzer 750 sports a brand-new airfoil with a single streamlined strut. The empennage is also new with a symmetrical stabilizer and a shortened horizontal tail span. The vertical tail features a fin and rudder replacing the traditional all-moving vertical tail design of the STOL series. Not needing big tires for rough fields, Cruzer has smaller 5.00 x 5 aircraft wheels and new wheel fairings. The instrument panel of the new design is also wider and more conventional than the STOL CH 750. The earlier model has a narrower instrument panel to improve forward visibility in extreme nose-high attitudes associated with STOL flying. Sebastien flew the new Cruzer 1,000 miles from the factory in Mexico, Missouri. The speedier '750 is powered by a UL350iS 130-hp fuel-injected engine from UL-Power. It also boasts the latest Dynon SkyView glass panel display system. The Cruzer on display at Sun 'n Fun weighs 780 pounds yielding a useful load of 540 pounds at a LSA gross weight of 1,320 pounds. The company reports cruise speed is 118 mph (103 knots), rate of climb is 1,200 fpm, and stall speed is 39 mph (34 knots). Existing firewall-forward engine packages are readily available for the Continental O-200, Rotax 912 series, Viking (Honda), Jabiru, and Corvair engines. Component kits are scheduled for delivery starting in May 2013.

At Sun ‘n Fun 2013, big kit manufacturer Zenith Aircraft debuted their new CH 750 Cruzer. Is it truly something new under the Sun (‘n Fun)? Zenith said, “While influenced by its well-known STOL predecessors — STOL CH 701 “Sky Jeep,” CH 750, and four-seat CH 801 sport utility aircraft — the CH 750 Cruzer is an all-new design.” Company president Sebastien Heintz observed that many customers do not need off-airport capability or extreme STOL (short take-off and landing) performance so his team optimized the new design for cruise and more conventional hard-surface airports while yet retaining the popular enlarged cabin features of the STOL CH 750. Zenith‘s new Cruzer 750 sports a brand-new airfoil with a single streamlined strut. The empennage is also new with a symmetrical stabilizer and a shortened horizontal tail span. The vertical tail features a fin and rudder replacing the traditional all-moving vertical tail design of the STOL series.

Pre-Sun ‘n Fun 2013 LSA News Wrap

By Dan Johnson || April 5, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Mike Zidziunas — or as everyone calls him, "Mike Z" — (seated) and student Greg Slimko pose beside a Breezer LSA.

Zhang Changyi stands on the wing of a Sting S4 LSA at his impressively large aircraft supermarket on the outskirts of Beijing. photos courtesy France 24 and The Australian.

CORRECTION 4/10/13 — Due to a misinterpretation of Just Aircraft's recent news release I must update an earlier report. The company did indeed take its 300th order but it was for all versions of the Highlander model, not just the SuperSTOL. At Sun 'n Fun 2013, company leader Troy Woodland confirmed very strong interest in the STOL model and expects around 60 orders in the first year since it was introduced. The big plus of my conversation with Troy is an impending flight in the remarkable-flying SuperSTOL, which I will report as soon as possible. Amazing SuperSTOL! — We've got a few news items as we head to Sun 'n Fun where lots more will emerge. One of the big pre-show items was news from kit and SLSA producer Just Aircraft who reported the number 300 order for its Highlander. On a visit en route to Oshkosh last summer we stopped to visit the company and saw the SuperSTOL design taking final form. That's only eight months ago and Just Aircraft has since reported keen interest. With its two-section, slatted wing, the Highlander can cruise at 110 mph, land at 32 mph and take off or rollout in only 150 feet (and we've seen them prove it). Landing gear with long strut shocks can handle aggressive landings off-airport. Combined with large Fowler flaps SuperSTOL can be flown at extremely high angles of attack permitting it to land in very small or inclined clearings. We were quite impressed with both the factory and this new airplane but clearly it flipped a switch for plenty of others, too. The Walhalla, South Carolina company reported steadily selling three kits a month last summer and that's a healthy performance in the midst of an economic downturn (or pretty much anytime for that matter) but their SuperSTOL has substantially increased business activity since our visit. In an interesting sidebar, the company notes that all existing Highlanders can be retrofitted with the new folding SuperSTOL wing. The Highlander SuperSTOL can be configured as a taildragger or nosewheel aircraft (though why you'd want the latter is beyond me). Check out more details in this video but hearty congratulations to Just Aircraft for their inspirational work! Beringer Upgrades Wheels & Brakes — You may not know the brand but Beringer is a formidable producer in Europe. Their specialty is wheels and brakes (image). "Beringer announced a new two-piece lightweight six-inch main wheel and brake assembly for LSA and other very light aircraft, featuring greater strength, lighter weight, and longer brake-pad life than ever," said company president, Gilbert Beringer. The new wheel assembly is 6.3 ounces lighter than even the lightweight three-piece Beringer predecessor; and its static load is increased, for aircraft rated up to 1,870 pounds. Brake pad life projection has been upgraded to 1,500 cycles, for further savings in cost and downtime. The SL wheel assembly is available now at $598 plus shipping. Email their U.S. agent for more info or call 708-667-7891. Cushy Seats for CubCrafters — CubCrafters announced availability of new Oregon Aero seat cushion systems for their LSA models: Carbon Cub SS, Sport Cub S2 and Carbon Cub EX. CubCrafters said the new cushions are an entirely new design from Oregon Aero, intended exclusively for CubCrafters' LSA models. Oregon Aero COO, Tony Erickson, said, "These new systems embody the sum of our substantial experience of maximizing pilot and passenger comfort. The design shifts the hips, pelvis and back into proper position while the visco-elastic foam distributes weight evenly and eliminates hot spots." Customers can order cushions in black leather or fabric. Buyers of new LSA aircraft may select the new seats as an option and current owners may upgrade their front seat by returning it to CubCrafters. They can purchase aft seat cushion upgrades separately. Phil Lockwood Explains Everything Rotax — Phil Lockwood's Rotax Aircraft Engine Forums are some the best attended talks at major airshows. At Sun 'n Fun 2013, visitors can hear Phil Lockwood speak about the Rotax two-stroke engine on Wednesday, April 10th, 2013 at 10:00 AM to 11:15. The forum will be held in the new Paradise City area on the southeast of Sun 'n Fun. Phil will inform listeners about fuels, specifically about the use of 100 LL avgas or ethanol mogas plus he will cover which oil products have proven well in company evaluations. The next day, Thursday, April 11th from 10:00 to 11:15 , he'll discuss the Rotax 9-series of four-stroke engine on also in Paradise City. In the second talk Phil will present the comparison test his company has been running on an AirCam where they installed a carburetor 912 ULS on one side and a fuel-injected Rotax 912 iS on the other. No one else has this info. Lockwood Aircraft Supply said it is the number one Rotax service center in North America. Mike Z is "The Man" — Lots of LSA folks have come to know Mike Z one of three ways: He's the Breezer importer; he was given the honorary title of "Ambassador" for his efforts to bring pilots to the Bahamas on several occasions; and, more recently, Mike Z moved his operation from Plant City to Lakeland Linder airport. In fact, he operates his aircraft sales and service business plus a very active flight school right on the campus of Sun 'n Fun, occupying one of the organization's hangars. His most recent accomplishment? He earned Inspection Authorization privleges. Many other top mechanics also have this credential, but Mike's path is unique. He started with his Light Sport Repairmen-Maintenance rating, and then proceeded to get his A&P license, the first to do so from the LSA ranks, he reported. Now in another first, his full mechanical title is LSRM A&P IA. (Thank God FAA loves to abbreviate everything.) Congratulations, Mike Z! China Starts to Embrace LSA — A Chinese aircraft dealership operated by Zhang Changyi opened recently in a cluster of buildings surrounded by farmland on the edge of the capital of Beijing, offering several Light-Sport Aircraft including the Sting and Pipistrel models. It was reported, "Zhang hopes to profit from the growing ranks of wealthy Chinese aspiring to own private aircraft." He may be onto something even while the government slowly decides how to open the airspace. "We've sold three aircraft in the last four days," he said during a visit when he showed reporters a warehouse filled with gliders, LSA, and helicopters. Apparently, it is a target rich environment despite very modest airplane ownership at present. State media reported only 150 such aircraft registered in 2011, despite an estimated one million millionaires as a result of the nation's economic boom. Zhang said his customers can fly inside a 2.5-mile area surrounding the airport — run by a Beijing flying club — at heights of up to 500 meters (1,650 feet), thanks to an agreement with the local Air Force base. While we welcome Chinese aviators to the ranks, the report ought to make you thankful you live in a free country.

CORRECTION 4/10/13 — Due to a misinterpretation of Just Aircraft’s recent news release I must update an earlier report. The company did indeed take its 300th order but it was for all versions of the Highlander model, not just the SuperSTOL. At Sun ‘n Fun 2013, company leader Troy Woodland confirmed very strong interest in the STOL model and expects around 60 orders in the first year since it was introduced. The big plus of my conversation with Troy is an impending flight in the remarkable-flying SuperSTOL, which I will report as soon as possible. Amazing SuperSTOL! — We’ve got a few news items as we head to Sun ‘n Fun where lots more will emerge. One of the big pre-show items was news from kit and SLSA producer Just Aircraft who reported the number 300 order for its Highlander. On a visit en route to Oshkosh last summer we stopped to visit the company and saw the SuperSTOL design taking final form.

Pilot Demographics for LSA Enthusiasts?

By Dan Johnson || April 5, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Thanks to a credible survey effort at Sebring 2013, we have some demographic information that is difficult to obtain. We also found out how Sebring Expo's 20,000 LSA enthusiast attendees felt about the event. On Friday and Saturday, TouchPoll South Florida used six iPad stations to survey 540 respondents, a sample size yielding a 95% confidence factor. TouchPoll reported that only fully completed surveys were used to collect data on 25 questions, which they said took three minutes to complete. The starting question will surprise few with 74% of respondents between the ages of 42 and 71; the biggest single decadelong age group was 62-71 years of age at 32%, again not particularly surprising. However, one unexpected fact was that nearly 23% of respondents were female (perhaps attending with a male but nonetheless willing to participate in the survey). Another revelation was that the largest single income group was $50,000 and under at about 21% although 46% reported incomes north of $100,000. A third of respondents filled in the middle ground of income. Those with university bachelors degrees or better composed 52% of the total. How surveyed people found out about Sebring was all over the map with the largest component (38%) being returning visitors. First time visitors mostly credited good, old reliable word-of-mouth. Those motivated by websites and trade publications accounted for a fifth each. Now, here's a surprise: first-year attendees numbered the biggest group, an impressive 40% with those in their second or third year at another third. So, of nine Sebring shows, 73% are relatively new to the event. Only 6% have been attending since the first years. Two-thirds came by themselves or with one other person, though 28% were in a group of 3-5 persons. Most planned a one day stay (67%) so they didn't require overnight accommodations. More than 91% came to Sebring without any children 18 years or under, a clear message about how well aviation is reaching out to youth. An aviation-active state, Florida understandably dominated at 65%. While 35% came from other states around the U.S. — and including 6% international visitors — Sebring is rather clearly a regional show so other events like the Midwest LSA Expo and the Rocky Mountain LSA Expo can help serve other regions. An important question relates to the number of pilots among those surveyed and the answer is 67%. Of those, Private Pilots were 65%, Commercial 23% and more than 20% hold a Sport Pilot Certificate. Those presently owning an airplane was also substantial at 67%. Some 12% planned to come and buy. Extrapolating that to total attendance, we're talking well over 2,000 potential aircraft buyers. No wonder the LSA industry flocks to this show. Those coming to look at accessory items they want to buy accounted for 38%, or more than 7,000 potential buyers. By the way, 82% of those attending are not in the aviation business; 29% are retired. How did respondents like Sebring Expo 2013? Very well, I'd say, with 41% calling it "Excellent" (the top rating), and 49% calling it "Good," for a 90% positive evaluation. Only 3% found it just "Fair." The choices were five levels plus "Too early to tell." Many left comments that will help the Sebring Airport Authority and leaders like Jana Filip further improve the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo as it plans the 10th Annual event for 2014. Thanks to Sebring for providing this useful information. For more on Expo and to see news and other items of interest all year long, go to the Sebring Expo website.

Thanks to a credible survey effort at Sebring 2013, we have some demographic information that is difficult to obtain. We also found out how Sebring Expo’s 20,000 LSA enthusiast attendees felt about the event. On Friday and Saturday, TouchPoll South Florida used six iPad stations to survey 540 respondents, a sample size yielding a 95% confidence factor. TouchPoll reported that only fully completed surveys were used to collect data on 25 questions, which they said took three minutes to complete. The starting question will surprise few with 74% of respondents between the ages of 42 and 71; the biggest single decadelong age group was 62-71 years of age at 32%, again not particularly surprising. However, one unexpected fact was that nearly 23% of respondents were female (perhaps attending with a male but nonetheless willing to participate in the survey). Another revelation was that the largest single income group was $50,000 and under at about 21% although 46% reported incomes north of $100,000.

Electric Avenue Widens; Evektor Motorplane Flies

By Dan Johnson || April 3, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Typically tidy is the electric installation by Evektor engineers. The electric motor is nearly the smallest component.

An "engine" is a machine distinguished from an electric, spring-driven, or hydraulic motor by its use of a fuel, by which most mean gasoline or diesel fuel. An electric powerplant is often referred to as a motor to make it distinct although "motor" is defined as a device that converts any form of energy into mechanical output, which would include engines. Without fretting over the definition, Evektor flew their new "motorplane" (my word) recently and this post presents our view of this accomplishment. We've reported several electric aircraft projects, for example, Yuneec's Spyder and their larger e430 mentioned in my full-length article on electric aircraft. We've also covered Randall Fishman's ULS (which will be on display in the LSA Mall at Sun 'n Fun) and several others. To read all our 37 articles of coverage, type "electric aircraft" in the Full-text Search box on our Search page. However, one thing we have not seen is a fairly stock Light-Sport Aircraft adapted to electric power ... until EPOS. Evektor EPOS stands for "Electric POwered Small aircraft" and the design made its first flight from the Kunovice airport in the Czech Republic on March 28, 2013 flown by factory pilot, Radek Surý. He made two flights that day, one of ten minutes and another of 30 minutes. Evektor reported that EPOS is powered by a Rotex RE X90-7 50-kW electric motor, equivalent to a 68 horsepower combustion engine. (Rotex is not affiliated with Rotax Aircraft Engines.) "I perceive a close parallel with the automotive industry. In that field, electromobility also struggles for its place on the market, which it deserves, but in doing so it must overcome a number of technical problems. I am convinced that the range of potential electric driven sport aircraft is very wide," said the manager of the EPOS project, Martin Dr|tička. "Now we have to pass through the period of tests and improvement of technical parameters which will enable us to achieve our goal: a fully operational sport aircraft powered by an electric motor," said Evektor Managing Director, Václav Zajíc. The company added that the experimental operation of the SportStar EPOS was done in cooperation with the Czech Light Aircraft Association. Evektor said the objective is to develop an aircraft which can be used both by private customers, as well as flight schools as a suitable aircraft for initial pilot training. The EPOS project is made possible through financial support of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. People attending Aero Friedrichshafen in Germany from April 24-27, 2013 will be able to see EPOS on display. The first flight video appears below. To read all our 37 articles of coverage on ByDanJohnson.com type "electric aircraft" in the Full-text Search box on our Search page.

An “engine” is a machine distinguished from an electric, spring-driven, or hydraulic motor by its use of a fuel, by which most mean gasoline or diesel fuel. An electric powerplant is often referred to as a motor to make it distinct although “motor” is defined as a device that converts any form of energy into mechanical output, which would include engines. Without fretting over the definition, Evektor flew their new “motorplane” (my word) recently and this post presents our view of this accomplishment. We’ve reported several electric aircraft projects, for example, Yuneec’s Spyder and their larger e430 mentioned in my full-length article on electric aircraft. We’ve also covered Randall Fishman’s ULS (which will be on display in the LSA Mall at Sun ‘n Fun) and several others. To read all our 37 articles of coverage, type “electric aircraft” in the Full-text Search box on our Search page.

Garmin Team X on a LSA Development Tear

By Dan Johnson || March 29, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Better prices and better features from avionics leader Garmin.

Team X is a dedicated group of pilot and airplane builders working separately at Garmin to create new gear for LSA and Amateur Built aircraft. Read about each team member.

Lighter weight and lower cost make autopilots more approachable for LSA and light aircraft.

Next month, in April 2013, the Light-Sport Aircraft industry celebrates an anniversary. It will be the eighth year since the first Special LSA approval was granted by an FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative in 2005. Evektor's Sportstar was first, followed hours later by the Flight Design CT and then an amazing outpouring of innovation now stretching to 131 SLSA models approved. That's better than four brand new aircraft every quarter for 32 straight quarters; worldwide aviation's never seen anything like it. Most of the early brand names in the industry were new, at least to Americans. Yet along the way, some famous aviation names joined the party. We've seen entries from Piper, Cirrus, Cessna, Lycoming, Sensenich, and Wipaire Floats plus the major member organizations embraced Light-Sport in their own way. One multibillion dollar company to serve the sport and recreation community has been Garmin. Much more than an aviation powerhouse, Garmin makes products for automobiles, boats, and more. Recently, they stepped up their game even further by forming "Team X," a small group of Garmin engineers working apart from the rest of the avionics staff. Garmin says these guys "understand what it's like to scrimp and save for the right radio, and what it's like to place the last rivet in a wing." Their mission: to create new products specifically for the LSA and Amateur Built communities. In the tradition of electronic devices that remarkably get better and less expensive at the same time, Garmin recently lowered prices on their G3X series. Get more info on that here. Garmin's digital skunk works just introduced a bevy of products you might love. "These new products are designed by our dedicated experimental engineering team, many of whom are pilots and homebuilders," said Garmin vice president of aviation sales and marketing, Carl Wolf. "We're bringing unprecedented technology and capability to the amateur-built and Light Sport aircraft market at a remarkably affordable price." To the one, two, or three screen G3X, Garmin now adds an integrated autopilot. Although LSA enthusiasts may not have envisioned such systems eight years ago, prices have come way down and many LSA have embraced them. Weight also came down, evidenced by Garmin's 1.4 pound GSA 28 "smart" autopilot servo. The servo shows its intelligence when it "automatically trims the aircraft to constantly keep it in trim." Team X also introduced the GMC 305 autopilot control panel, a dedicated autopilot user interface that delivers airspeed hold among other features. A two-axis autopilot will be available in May for $1,500 and the control panel is $750. Icon has been promoting Angle of Attack indicators their slick A5 seaplane. Dynon added this to their SkyView and now Garmin has a new Air Data/Attitude/Heading Reference System (ADAHRS) that supports AoA functions to "provide accurate, real-time measurement of wing performance and stall margin indication to the pilot both audibly and visually." To get AoA functions you need a new pitot tube to support that capability but it's only $199. Of course, Garmin is all over the ADS-B services of free weather and traffic and you can learn more about all the new Team X products at the company's new LSA webpage, which has "a wealth of information including product features, hardware, pricing, photos, videos, manuals, software updates, FAQs and more."

Building a Quicksilver Wing — In “Fast Time”

By Dan Johnson || March 28, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Boeing's gigantic assembly plant in Arlington, Washington. The 747 building (not pictured) is a cavernous clear-span structure.

Quicksilver's Sport 2S in flight. photo by James Lawrence

Quicksilver kits can be built in well under 100 hours, much faster by someone with experience, thanks to some of the kit industry's finest assembly manuals. photo by James Lawrence

I once saw Boeing employees racing around furiously to build an entire 747 in just seven minutes. Pretty amazing, huh? I'll bet you didn't know they were so efficient. OK, fine ... spoil my fun by telling me that is baloney and simply a "Hollywood effect." Yes, the truth is, all I refer to is a video watched by every visitor to the Washington State 747 assembly building (by the way, not far from the Arlington airshow every July and a most worthwhile visit). I thought the professionally produced video was terribly cool, as was a tour of Boeing's astoundingly-enormous building ... so immense that several 747s could be assembled at once in a clear-span structure. So, how about the same idea down here in the world of airplane the rest of us can buy and fly ... at least after we build the airplane? I was recently sent such a video from the new owners of Quicksilver Aeronautics. The short — less than three minute — video shows a small team of Quicksilver folks building a Quicksilver Sport 2S wing in preparation for their testing as the company moves from selling kits to offering fully built Special Light-Sport Aircraft. The company will hold a press conference at Sun 'n Fun in a couple weeks and will update reporters on their progress to this goal. After shipping an amazing 15,000 kits over the years (twice as many as Van's Aircraft!), two SLSA models will be their first fully-built offerings since the Primary Category GT500 in the early 1990s. For those decrying the high cost of SLSA, here comes one everyman can afford though no pricing been announced by the Southern California company. In the following fast-time video, you see lots of fun things: builders referring to the manual (for which Quicksilver has long gotten high marks), measuring carefully before mounting parts, taking the process step-by-step as the sun can be seen moving across the floor. Slow motion films are fun but so is something like this. If you're anything like me, you should find the video below very enjoyable. Thanks to Quicksilver Aeronautics and engineer/budding film producer, Inés Hernández for sending the video along. Of course, it's also available to YouTube website fans. You can see lots more about Quicksilver Aeronautics products on their redesigned website. (Note that this is not a professional video and the company promised more and better in the future.)

I once saw Boeing employees racing around furiously to build an entire 747 in just seven minutes. Pretty amazing, huh? I’ll bet you didn’t know they were so efficient. OK, fine … spoil my fun by telling me that is baloney and simply a “Hollywood effect.” Yes, the truth is, all I refer to is a video watched by every visitor to the Washington State 747 assembly building (by the way, not far from the Arlington airshow every July and a most worthwhile visit). I thought the professionally produced video was terribly cool, as was a tour of Boeing’s astoundingly-enormous building … so immense that several 747s could be assembled at once in a clear-span structure. So, how about the same idea down here in the world of airplane the rest of us can buy and fly … at least after we build the airplane? I was recently sent such a video from the new owners of Quicksilver Aeronautics.

Garmin’s Radios Add Technology to Cockpits

By Dan Johnson || March 25, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

An oldie but goodie favorite, the SL30 with communications and navigation capabilities. Both SL30 or SL40 transmitted with 8 watts of power; Garmin boosted this by 25% with the new radio line.

A replacement for the widely sold SL40 is the new GTR series with several new features pilots will love.

Garmin's GNC series replaces the SL30 having nav and comm functions plus added transmit power; the GTR series also offers 10 watts.

Perhaps the most used LSA radio is this SL40.

Technology and radios seem to be obvious partners, don't they? In the old days of a few round dials to help a pilot operate his flying machine, the comm radio was perhaps the highest technology to enter the cockpit. Radios continued to improve over the years but much of the innovation was seen in the faceplate or occurred in transceiver functions. We did get digital readouts and flip-flop frequency change options, but otherwise radio have seemed rather static ... frozen in time, while GPS, moving maps, EFISs, EMSs, PFDs, MFDs, and more swept past with wave after wave of innovation. Compared to Dynon's SkyView or Garmin's 796, radios were looking long in the tooth. Thanks to recent announcements from top LSA radio supplier, Garmin, the radio product line is changing. The ubiquitous SL30 and SL40 that kept Sport Pilots talking to control towers have been favorite panel friends to many a Sport Pilot. The good news for those attached to their beloved SL40, according to Garmin handheld and Experimental line manager Tim Casey, is that they won't be discontinued for at least another 6-8 months. Still, old gives way to the new. The GTR is the SL40 replacement being a communications radio while the GNC replaces the SL30 with comm and nav functions. Besides the name, what else is new? For one, a power boost comes with the new GTR and GNC models. From the 8 watts of the SL30 and SL40, the new radios have 10 watts bringing increased range, or for extra money, 16 watts though the latter is aimed primarily at high altitude flight. For European buyers, the new radios can offer 8.33 kHz spacing (at additional cost; see below) while U.S. pilots can stick with 25 kHz spacing as FAA has no present plans to divide further. The bigger deal to me is where new technology adds to nav/comm functions. Garmin says the new ideas "have never been seen before in stand-alone comm or nav/comm radios." With the GTR and GNC, a unique frequency database makes it easy to find frequencies for an airport or facility by entering the location name or station ID. If you tune manually, a reverse-lookup function will automatically provide the navaid or airport identifier. Pilots can also find the nearest airport, area control center, flight service station, or weather frequencies. Even better, both new radios automatically store your 20 most recently used frequencies. Best of all, the new radios will store up to 15 most-used frequencies such as the pilot's home airport or other frequently visited destinations. Thanks for listening, Garmin; many pilots will love this last feature. Garmin's GTR 225 with 10 watts of transmit power and 25 kHz frequency spacing retails for $1,995. Should you need 8.33 kHz spacing, add $1,000. For those who may want navigation and VOR/ILS glideslope functions, the GNC 255A also has 10 watts of transmit power and includes 8.33 kHz spacing for $4,495. I suspect most LSA owners used to the trusty SL40 will go for the GTR 225. If you don't order with your new LSA, lots of vendors also sell the entire Garmin line. For more info on Garmin's sport line, click to the company's new experimental/LSA website.

Technology and radios seem to be obvious partners, don’t they? In the old days of a few round dials to help a pilot operate his flying machine, the comm radio was perhaps the highest technology to enter the cockpit. Radios continued to improve over the years but much of the innovation was seen in the faceplate or occurred in transceiver functions. We did get digital readouts and flip-flop frequency change options, but otherwise radio have seemed rather static … frozen in time, while GPS, moving maps, EFISs, EMSs, PFDs, MFDs, and more swept past with wave after wave of innovation. Compared to Dynon’s SkyView or Garmin’s 796, radios were looking long in the tooth. Thanks to recent announcements from top LSA radio supplier, Garmin, the radio product line is changing. The ubiquitous SL30 and SL40 that kept Sport Pilots talking to control towers have been favorite panel friends to many a Sport Pilot.

Tecnam to Debut New Low-Wing LSA

By Dan Johnson || March 20, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Tecnam teases with this artsy black and white image of the Astore's nose cowl. The new LSA will be unveiled at Aero 2013.

The low wing Sierra has more FAA registrations than any other Tecnam Light-Sport model.

Astore may look similar to this Sierra but we'll have to wait for its European debut to get the whole story.

Tecnam announced that it will reveal their "Astore" next generation Light Sport Aircraft at Aero Friedrichshafen 2013 in Germany on April 24th. "Astore is an all-new, two-seat, low-wing airplane that offers superlative performance," wrote company officials. The Italian company celebrates its 65th year in 2013 and saw fit to name the new model accordingly. "What could be more fitting in this special anniversary year than for Professor Luigi Pascale, Tecnam's legendary head of aircraft design, to name his new creation in honor of his first production aircraft, the P48 Astore." Tecnam has a tradition of naming models for the year the design was introduced. Tecnam said their new Astore "affords the pilot the smoothest and most pleasurable flight with innovations such as an Apple iPad® mini supplied with each aircraft as standard." They'll use a Levil G mini WiFi connection to supply information for the smaller Apple tablet so it can act as the Astore's Primary Flight Display. Compatible third party applications suited to the iPad® mini will give the inexpensive tablet novel and ever-evolving capabilities. Tecnam reported that they will pre-install a dedicated app useful to compute the actual weight and balance and provide checklists specific to Astore. The iPad® mini will also include all Pilot Operating Handbook sections. Designers created "a new ergonomically designed interior allowing for enhanced all round visibility, controls and switches that can be easily reached, and the use of softer materials affording a more comfortable flight." To power the Astore, Tecnam will let customers choose the carbureted Rotax 912ULS, the newer fuel-injected 912iS, or a turbocharged Rotax 914 engine. "We have built our reputation at Tecnam on producing airplanes that offer outstanding value, beauty, and efficiency," said Paolo Pascale, Tecnam's Managing Director. Astore joins a fleet of LSA aircraft including the Echo in several variations, Eaglet, Bravo, P2008, and the also low wing Sierra (nearby photos). Although all have sold well in the USA, the all metal Sierra has more FAA registrations than any other single model, so it would appear Professor Luigi and Director Paolo Pascale are appealing to those who prefer this style of construction. LSA fans will get their first chance to see Astore and to get more information at Aero. The show runs Wednesday April 24th to Saturday 27th and ByDanJohnson.com will be sure to update this article after viewing the new model.

Tecnam announced that it will reveal their “Astore” next generation Light Sport Aircraft at Aero Friedrichshafen 2013 in Germany on April 24th. “Astore is an all-new, two-seat, low-wing airplane that offers superlative performance,” wrote company officials. The Italian company celebrates its 65th year in 2013 and saw fit to name the new model accordingly. “What could be more fitting in this special anniversary year than for Professor Luigi Pascale, Tecnam’s legendary head of aircraft design, to name his new creation in honor of his first production aircraft, the P48 Astore.” Tecnam has a tradition of naming models for the year the design was introduced. Tecnam said their new Astore “affords the pilot the smoothest and most pleasurable flight with innovations such as an Apple iPad® mini supplied with each aircraft as standard.” They’ll use a Levil G mini WiFi connection to supply information for the smaller Apple tablet so it can act as the Astore’s Primary Flight Display.

March 2013 LSA News Wrap

By Dan Johnson || March 12, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Sam Aircraft Sam LS

Fredo X-1 (top) and Storm Rally

Terry Raber's Aerolite 103, now from U-Fly-It

SportCruiser / PS-28 Cruiser representative Matthew Harvey (second from right) poses with the UAE CAA's Ismaeil Mohammed Al Balooshi, executive director of aviation safety affairs; Captain Khalid Humaid Al Ali, director of licensing; and Hisham Abdulla Hablail, Inspector-MROS. photo courtesy Arabian Aerospace Online

James Weibe's latest Part 103

A Moller SkyCar for every garage?

Paradise City's new layout was designed by architect and Sportair USA owner, Bill Canino.

Several news items in our March 2013 LSA News Wrap and we'll get to it ... right after this: We're thrilled to tell you that — for the second month in a row — ByDanJohnson.com achieved another record. Despite fewer days, February substantially exceeded January's Unique Visitors, reaching another all-time traffic mark. Last year was amazing and 2013 is even better. THANKS so much for your regular visits and welcome to our new readers! Sam LS Flies — Pilots love new developments, so aviation media outlets jumped all over the first flight of Thierry Zibi's Sam LS. The retro-looking, all-metal Light-Sport candidate (it has not yet gone through the Special LSA process and will initially be sold as a kit) attracted plenty of attention at the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo where the company bought a premium position just inside the main gate. By Sun 'n Fun in less than one month, Thierry will hit another benchmark as the aircraft flies for the public. Doing test pilot chores in Canada, Raphaël Langumier performed straight and level flight, 30-degree banks, and reported a max level speed of 127 mph (110 knots). First kits may ship by late summer 2013 at $39,000 with a ready-to-fly model priced at $135,000 following later. Look for Thierry and Sam at Sun 'n Fun. Meanwhile check our video. LSA Projects Arrive in Florida — No less than three LSA companies have recently struck deals with Florida airports winning the support of local government officials anxious to provide jobs. • Renegade LSA, producer of the Falcon and a key figure in the development of a LSA-oriented Lycoming O-233 engine, moved into a 70,000 square foot facility at the St. Lucie Airport. Proprietor Doc' Bailey said, "We're here, we brought everything down from Missouri." According to WPTV Online in early March, Renegade "will hire 75 and commit $1.7 million in capital improvements in Fort Pierce." Ever busy, Bailey also announced plans to assemble a LSA-version of the venerable Pitts Special biplane. • Next, a company called Italico is planning big things at the Kissimmee, Florida airport where a reported 55 jobs are waiting. Here's one of two Italian companies aiming at U.S. production. The European company EuroALA tried production in Malaysia but is now focused on building the Alfredo di Cesare JetFox design reborn as the Fredo X-1 in the USA. Promoter Sonny Buoncervello attended Sebring 2013; his experience helped create interest from local government officials in Kissimmee. • Then we have Phil McCoy and his plans to recreate the Italian Storm company at the Bartow, Florida airport. His Light Sport America company plans to manufacture and sell four Storm Aircraft models: the all-composite Storm Rally, the Rally Amphibious, the all-metal Century, and the Century Conventional. Price are forecast to range from $99,000 to $117,000. Light Sport American also plans to produce several Storm kits, including the Fury, Fury RG, and 400. Reporting the story, the Lakeland Ledger's headline read: "Maker of Sport Aircraft Moving to Bartow Airport, Hopes to Employ 125 by 2016." • So that's 75 workers at Renegade, 55 at Italico, and 125 at Light Sport America for a total of 255 jobs. I hope it works out but given such great promises while unemployment remains high, no wonder several other Florida airports are also pursing LSA companies. Aerolite Moves to Florida — Clearly, Florida has appeal proved by yet another design moving south. Terry Raber's charming Aerolite 103 is now going to call Deland, Florida home. In 2012, Terry decided to pursue non-aviation business interests. After contacting U-Fly-It owner Dennis Carley a deal was struck resulting in relocation of the Aerolite production facility. Dennis earned a Grand Champion and other awards for his craftsmanship; he's built more than 100 ultralight and experimental aircraft over the past 20 years. Aerolite 103 distinguishes itself through a remarkably low price ($16,500 RTF) for a surprisingly well equipped, full featured Part 103 ultralight, which itself means no pilot license of any kind, no N-numbers, and no medical ... all for well under the average price of a new car. I can attest to Aerolite's fine flying qualities and long proven design. Catch our video on this fun, inexpensive aircraft. UAE Embraces LSA & ASTM — Adding to countries like USA, Australia, Columbia, Brazil, the EU plus other countries, Light-Sport Aircraft that meet ASTM standards got a boost when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) directed their CAA officials to develop regulations to open their skies to Light-Sport Aircraft. Reported by Arabian Aerospace Online, "Globally, [UAE's] CAA joins only a few authorities providing regulation for the LSA sector." The ePublication also reported that Czech Sport Aircraft spent the last day of the show demonstrating the PS-28 Cruiser to senior GCAA officials. PS-28 appears to be what Americans know as the SportCruiser. One of the solid promises of the SP/LSA concept involves using industry-written ASTM standards to gain acceptance from regulatory authorities the world over. All those who have labored long on these standards can feel satisfaction from the growing international acceptance. Belite Updates — The ever-inventive James Weibe is promoting his latest work on a Belite ultralight aircraft with a "strong running, reliable four stroke engine." He reports the powerplant, a half-VW with dual ignition supplied by Scott Casler at Hummel Engines, uses just 1.7 gph of 91 octane MoGas or 100LL. James says this is an engine "proven in aircraft use for many years, weighs 88 pounds, has dual ignition, and develops 45 horsepower." He adds that the engine can be built from a kit, purchased fully assembled, or scratch built from VW parts." • James also refers to his shiny, new and "beautifully engineered aluminum airframe" that has "a flying weight of 278 pounds including parachute." The realized weight reduction finally allows the four stroke engine in an aircraft ... 'er, ultralight vehicle, that can make Part 103's tight limitations. If you're intrigued by this Part 103 entry from a fellow who's pursued it with zeal, read lots more detail in his blog. Moller SkyCar 200 LSA — Perennial pie-in-the-sky TV-Jetson-car developer Moller International claims a new investor in this announcement on the NASDAQ website, "[A new joint venture will] jointly produce numerous models of its vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The venture will initially invest $80 million of a planned $480 million investment with the objective of producing a variety of VTOL aircraft by 2014. Production will include the Skycar® 200 LS, Skycar® 400, Skycar® 600 and Neuera| aircraft."" The reason I paid attention to the article was that one of the models, Skycar® 200 LS, is referred to as a Light-Sport Aircraft version. You can follow Moller International under the stock symbol MLER. The company has long pursued their unique VTOL designs though creating a actual market has eluded them. Especially as Moller always promoted multiple engines on its other designs, it would take some clever engineering to have the single engine allowed on LSA power four ducted fan thrusters. ADS-B Devices You Don't Panel-Mount — Soon I'll gain experience with a loaner Garmin GDL 39 to see weather and traffic on a Garmin 796. I've come to love the 796 and its many capabilities. However, now that I've become spoiled with ADS-B services (of free weather and traffic info) on Dynon's SkyView, I wanted to compare those features on the 796 as well. Look for a report on this after we get the GDL 39 and the 796 communicating to one another. • Well known for their high-end car audio systems Dual Electronics announced its XGPS170 ADS-B receiver last summer and are now moving into production, said Greg Lukins, VP of new business development and an airplane enthusiast. Paired to smartphones and tablets, XGPS170 delivers data wirelessly through Bluetooth technology; it can simultaneously serve two devices. The small units rests on a non-skid pad on a cockpit glare shield. A built-in rechargeable battery can power the unit for up to five hours. I'm in line for a loaner Dual as well; more on it later. Both Dual and Garmin ADS-B panel-top devices list for $799. Paradise City Update — Good news for the Sun 'n Fun airshow. A potential disaster was averted in the FAA's implementation of sequestration budget cuts. The Lakeland Linder control tower will be staffed during the event due to behind-the-scenes negotiation but following the event, questions remain. • In related news the revised and upgraded Paradise City display area is experiencing brisk space sales. All spaces south of the new road are sold and only a few spaces remain to the north of new Doolittle Road. A major draw is the relocated LSA Mall and the chance to fly demo flights all day even during the main airshow. Rotax BRP has also agreed to sponsor 6-seater golf carts that will run to/from the main gate to the LSA Mall. The carts will also be used to ferry demo flight customers from all over the grounds to Paradise City. It's great to see the resurgence to an area once admired for its charm and high flight activity. Videos and More Videos — As Sun 'n Fun approaches, we're planning many more videos for your viewing entertainment and information. Lots of you tell us you like the videos we do with YouTube sensation UltralightNews (more than 6 million views!) and we're happy to provide more. Yet listen to this fact: with nearly 250 videos already posted on ByDanJohnson.com, we offer the equivalent in viewing time of more than 20 full-length motion picture films ... all for free. Enjoy!

Several news items in our March 2013 LSA News Wrap and we’ll get to it … right after this: We’re thrilled to tell you that — for the second month in a row — ByDanJohnson.com achieved another record. Despite fewer days, February substantially exceeded January’s Unique Visitors, reaching another all-time traffic mark. Last year was amazing and 2013 is even better. THANKS so much for your regular visits and welcome to our new readers! Sam LS Flies — Pilots love new developments, so aviation media outlets jumped all over the first flight of Thierry Zibi’s Sam LS. The retro-looking, all-metal Light-Sport candidate (it has not yet gone through the Special LSA process and will initially be sold as a kit) attracted plenty of attention at the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo where the company bought a premium position just inside the main gate. By Sun ‘n Fun in less than one month, Thierry will hit another benchmark as the aircraft flies for the public.

Seaplane Tsunami — Water-Borne Flying Fun

By Dan Johnson || February 22, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

SLSA Seaplane: Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey

SLSA Seaplane: AirMax SeaMax (top); and SLSA Candidate: Edra Aeronautica Super Petrel LS

SLSA Seaplanes: Triton Mermaid (top); and Colyaer Freedom

Seaplane Kit: (clockwise from top left) Aero Adventure Aventura II; International models: Dornier S-Ray 007; Microleve Corsario; and Atol Amphib ... the last is undergoing a complete design update in late 2013.

International models: Helmut Rind FlyWhale; and Ramphos Flying Boat

SLSA Candidates: Icon A5 (top); and Lisa Akoya

Inernational Model: WQS Seagle (top); and Electric-powered model: Equator Excursion

Part 103 Seaplanes: Bailey Connie (top); and FlyNano

Once upon a time, in the early days of Light-Sport Aircraft, way back in 2006 and 2007, new LSA models were being introduced at the torrid pace of two, three, even four per month. Aviation had no prior design outpouring to compare. The rate of development had to slow — such a pace is not sustainable — and it did. Yet the young industry continued on to the astonishing sum of 131 models and it ain't over yet. Meanwhile, though, a new tsunami is building within the LSA sector. I've written about a wave a new seaplanes and as summer 2013 approaches, a tour of the many choices may help guide interest of seaplane enthusiasts. Current Seaplanes (distinguished from float-equipped land planes *) include FAA-accepted SLSA models: Mermaid, SeaMax, SeaRey, and Freedom. At present all are being offered and have some measure of U.S. representation. •• SeaMax has a few examples flying in America and a new American representative while SeaRey has a large fleet of more than 500 built from kits. SeaRey manufacturer Progressive Aerodyne, which celebrated 20 years in business, is now embarking to build ready-to-fly models fulfilling pent-up demand. Mermaid is again being manufactured in China under the new brand name Triton but under the management and direction of Chip Erwin, the design's original developer. Freedom has new representation and will be based at the Lakeland airport, the home of Sun 'n Fun. All except Mermaid should be available at that airshow. Current Flying Kit Models that are operating in the Experimental classification include: Aventura, Super Petrel LS, Dornier's S-Ray 007, the Finnish Atol Amphibian, Brazil's Microleve Corsario, the composite pusher WQS Seagle (though this company appears to have dropped off the 'Net), and the weight shift Ramphos Flying Boat (though this model which entered into an early China connection has apparently gone dark). •• Of these, the American Aventura from Aero Adventures has new ownership. The company is well established in Florida and new management is providing new energy. In addition to the two seat Aventura II, new boss Alex Rolinski plans to reintroduce the Part 103-capable Aventura I. Aventura models are expected to be on display at Sun 'n Fun. Super Petrel LS will also attend Sun 'n Fun. Built by Edra Aeronautica and with U.S. representation, Super Petrel is expected to achieve SLSA status as ASTM standards are also accepted in its home country of Brazil. The designer, Rodrigo Scoda, will be piloting for demonstration flights. I judge the three other models remain in the unlikely category for American sales anytime soon ... but you never know in the always-changing world of Light-Sport and kit aircraft Sport Pilots may fly. Announced and Promoted Models in planning represent some of the most impressive developments among light seaplanes including: Icon's A5, Lisa's Akoya (see "Update" below about company officials' work to secure funding), the made-for-electric-power Equator Excursion, Europe's FlyWhale. Regretfully, none are expected at Sun 'n Fun. •• Of these four high-end products, Icon is the only one nearing production. The company is well known, has generated a reported 1,050 delivery position orders and has entered into production agreements with Cirrus Design, manufacturer of the SR20, SR22, and VisionJet general aviation aircraft. Icon has been several years in development and only exhibits aircraft at the AirVenture Oshkosh event, however, it appears well funded and a limited number of aircraft are expected to fill the first orders later this year. Icon has requested a weight increase exemption with FAA but no announcements have been issued on this request. Part 103 Seaplanes ... Yes, the original ultralight vehicles remain alive and well 30 years after FAA created the category. Two place ultralights were merged into the Light-Sport sector as "converted ELSA," but the single place models continue on as once conceived. We even found entries in the Part 103 class of genuine ultralight seaplanes including: Europe's FlyNano and the "flying float" Connie. The latter is a fascinating design that uses a single float from a heavier aircraft as its hull but it was never put into active production. The former continues development though flight trials have not begun at this writing. FlyNano was originally announced for electric power. An ultralight seaplane was allowed extra weight so can have an empty weight of 304 pounds or 328 with an airframe parachute. Models in Development include: at least three more aircraft that I promised not to leak before their producers announced them. In two of the three cases I have seen extensive work to the goal; one is limited to a verbal presentation. Of the serious efforts one is extraordinarily versatile and will even take on the Icon A5 development for sheer panache. Additionally, the marketing may be as clever as the design. More as it becomes public knowledge. All together, then, light aircraft fans have a rather amazing 20 seaplanes to excite them and that's without even considering many models of floatplanes. I'm nearly certain to have missed even more. The history of seaplanes of all sizes is nothing short of phenomenal but focusing only on modern two-place light seaplanes, we still have an impressive list. •• From 20 models we've identified here, nine are viable products you can consider buying. A few more are only questionable for their American representation. Only three or four appear to be stalled projects, itself a fairly remarkable statement. You have to love what FAA set in motion with an industry-led certification scheme because arguably its most noticeable success is a massive proliferation of products. No wonder the Type Certified manufacturers have pushed for — and are getting — some of this same flexibility. Pilots ... celebrate your many flying choices! UPDATE 2/23/13 — Our friends at AvWeb have uncovered more about the Lisa Akoya seaplane, with an article speaking to yet another Chinese acquisition of an airplane company. It appears the shapely Akoya will join the party in China, a country that has recently absorbed companies like Continental, Cirrus, and others. According to French and Chinese online sources, production will remain in France. Read the original AvWeb article. * A seaplane is generally defined as an aircraft with a boat hull — colloquially a "flying boat" — where a floatplane is a wheeled aircraft fitted with straight, non-amphibious or amphibious floats.

Long, Lovely Wings … Even Longer Flight

By Dan Johnson || February 16, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

I think Phoenix is one the loveliest aircraft in the LSA fleet. Of course, I have a rather large bias as I'm a soaring enthusiast and this is one fine soaring machine in the SLSA fleet, able to compete fairly with a pure glider. I'm also a fan of importer Jim Lee, a modest, soft spoken man with a deep honesty streak. He's also a world-renown soaring champion. Yet what just catches my eye again and again are the long, lovely, shapely, slippery wings of Phoenix, which lead me to present the photos you see with this article. These views came from Jim's long flight from his home base not far from mine in Melbourne, Florida to Bogota, Columbia. That meant a long water crossing from Key West to the Mexican coast, then south to Belize and on around to his destination (see route map). Jim wrote a blog of this entire experience featuring many photos and I'll bet most pilots would like to read it. You may never attempt such a long flight over such demanding terrain — immense stretches of water, tall mountains, and dense forests — but you can fly vicariously with Jim through his portrayal. You may not think of yourself as a soaring pilot so perhaps a SLSA like Phoenix does not initially appeal to you even while you cannot deny its beauty and the efficiency of its design plus a cockpit comfortable enough for such a long voyage. However, plenty of others see Phoenix's capability. Importer Phoenix Air USA came in tied for an impressive sixth among all SLSA for registrations in 2012. For a specialty, niche aircraft, that is a great credit to both the aircraft and Jim's gentle but persuasive selling methods. His success means that if you want one, you'll need to plan on a wait. It won't take anywhere near as long as a new Ferrari, but you'll have to be patient. The good news is the reward at the other end puts big smiles on the faces of new owners. During the wait, Jim is lauded for providing information about the process from the Czech builder. Interested in more info about the aircraft used for this long flight? Here are some teasers: • glide 32:1 • power cruise 115 knots • stall 38 knots • useful load 612 pounds • range 900 nm (power on). For those unfamiliar with glide angle performance, get this: Phoenix can glide, engine off, for more than 30 miles from only 5,000 feet above the surface. For its base price buyers receive wing extensions that give Phoenix two distinct (yet pleasant) personalities. Via the two wing configurations, a 49 foot motorglider wing reduces to just 36 feet with the insertion of different wing outer sections. When luxuriously outfitted with an EFIS, autopilot, airframe parachute, radios, and transponder, Phoenix is one of the higher priced Light-Sport Aircraft but compared to "full-sized" motorgliders Phoenix's price tag is actually modest. You can read more in this earlier article or this one or watch our video. You can also read fellow blogger Jim Lawrence's view (with this disclaimer: like me, Jim is a soaring enthusiast so we are both quite taken with Phoenix). Even if you are not excited by flying engine off, keep in mind Phoenix's great performance in glide and its superb efficiency combined with surprising speed. For the 2,211 nautical mile delivery flight to Bogota, Phoenix flew 20.6 hours for an average speed of 110 knots. Sweet!

I think Phoenix is one the loveliest aircraft in the LSA fleet. Of course, I have a rather large bias as I’m a soaring enthusiast and this is one fine soaring machine in the SLSA fleet, able to compete fairly with a pure glider. I’m also a fan of importer Jim Lee, a modest, soft spoken man with a deep honesty streak. He’s also a world-renown soaring champion. Yet what just catches my eye again and again are the long, lovely, shapely, slippery wings of Phoenix, which lead me to present the photos you see with this article. These views came from Jim’s long flight from his home base not far from mine in Melbourne, Florida to Bogota, Columbia. That meant a long water crossing from Key West to the Mexican coast, then south to Belize and on around to his destination (see route map). Jim wrote a blog of this entire experience featuring many photos and I’ll bet most pilots would like to read it.

LSA Market Share … the Rest of the Story

By Dan Johnson || February 14, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

A CubCrafters climbs out fast.

A Destiny powered parachute flies over a scenic covered bridge.

Van's RV-12 has registered more than 200 aircraft.

Zenith's CH-750 is a popular kit.

Sonex supplies "Sport Pilot Eligible" Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft.

Converted so-called "fat ultralights" (two-seaters) count several thousand examples.

We recorded very strong interest in our recent market share article. Traffic spiked to double in the days since our report was posted (and that was from record levels). It would appear the LSA segment is hardly in "critical condition" despite what some may think. Today, the LAMA board of directors had its monthly teleconference and some interesting thoughts were expressed. Here we present a summary of how those discussions relate to LSA market share. First, since 2009 we observed the number of newly registered Special LSA Airplanes have been 20-25% of all single engine piston (SEP) GA airplanes deliveries. For 2012, SLSA Airplane deliveries were 259 to 790 GA's SEP airplanes, meaning Light-Sport represents 32.8% of GA deliveries or 24.7% of all airplanes. However, that is only part of the story. In addition, you ought to consider the impact of Experimental, that is, kit-built LSA (ELSA) plus "alternative" aircraft such as weight shift, powered parachute, and gliders/motorgliders. Historically over the eight year life of Light-Sport Aircraft, these latter non-Airplane LSA account for a significant share approaching one-sixth to one-fifth, which based on the 2012 numbers, would add 40-50 more new aircraft registered. Our familiar chart does not include them as they are notoriously difficult to identify in FAA's database for a variety of reasons. Despite those challenges, these aircraft are ASTM-compliant, are finding customers, and most importantly, are getting pilots up in the air. Ignoring them is to leave out a deserving segment of aviation. Indeed, they account for 28 of 131 SLSA models on our SLSA List. Another category we have not listed is ELSA, for example, RV-12s, which board director Phil Lockwood believes are primarily built as ELSA rather than Experimental Amateur-Built (EAB). An advantage, beyond no need for an aviation medical, is the opportunity to have someone else partly or fully build their ELSA kit ... legally. Perhaps more important is the fine Van's reputation for handling and performance and the joy flying them brings to their owners. The first and only RV-12 SLSA was registered in July 2009. In the three and a half years since, 203 RV-12 kits have been registered for an average of 58 per year. More ELSA — following development of an ASTM-compliant SLSA — are registered under the company names Zenith Aircraft, Aircraft Manufacturing & Development, M-Squared, Rans, CGS Aviation, and Skykits. Other Experimentals appear under the brand Pipistrel, which now owns several models with SLSA approval. Adding these to Van's accounts for 572 additional LSA Airplanes. Averaging over seven and three quarters years since the first LSA were approved, this amounts to 74 aircraft a year. If we take the previously announced 259 SLSA Airplanes in 2012 and add the ELSA average of 74 and then the 40-50 non-Airplane SLSA, we arrive at 373-383. Presuming this analysis to be correct, this means all LSA represent 47-48% of the 790 GA SEPs or 32-33% of all single engine piston aircraft registered or delivered in 2012. Note that we are not including Experimental Amateur Built (EAB) kits such as those from Sonex or other companies which can be flown by someone possessing a Sport Pilot certificate. To be "Sport Pilot eligible"*, they must meet the weight, speed, and other parameters of the LSA rule but they are not technically Light-Sport Aircraft according to their Airworthiness Certificates. Unlike EABs, ELSA are required to be bolt-for-bolt, identical copies of the originally-accepted SLSA so they fully comply to ASTM standards at the time of winning their Airworthiness Certificate. Once certificated, ELSA owners may do their own maintenance and can make modifications, though most probably see little change. LAMA's board of directors feel it is important to portray the total size of the LSA market and the above facts attempt to do so. Yet in truth, the LSA numbers we report above might still be low noted board director Tom Peghiny. When safety data is presented FAA commonly refers to more than 8,000 LSA, a far larger number than the 2,500 or so SLSA Airplanes we often list ... which number grows to more than 3,500 when including the non-Airplane SLSA and ELSA discussed above. When you add all these segments you arrive a number that is more accurate regarding Sport Pilot eligible aircraft and LAMA's board believes this to be a further refutation of those who opine that the Light-Sport segment is not performing well. Remember, all this occurred in less than eight years! LSA deliver fun to their owners, jobs to those in the industry, profits to their producers and commercial users, and worldwide potential. LSA also use less fuel, make less noise, offer the latest in technology, are roomy, attractive, cross-country capable aircraft that are sleek, shiny, and smell new. They also have a safety record FAA regularly calls "acceptable." What's not to like? * Sport Pilot eligible is a phrase coined by EAA's Ron Wagner to describe aircraft not certificated as Light-Sport Aircraft which can be flown by someone holding a Sport Pilot certificate.

2012 LSA Market Shares — Cubs & Surprises

By Dan Johnson || February 9, 2013 3 Comments (Edit)

Our annual review of LSA Market Share brings our updated fleet chart and a second chart showing prior-year registrations. While sales of new SLSA remains below par, the market appears to be experiencing spotty but regular recovery from earlier low points. The first half the year foretold a better recovery but the last half of the year stalled somewhat. Regardless, based on traffic to this website, LSA interest is higher than ever. For January 2013, ByDanJohnson.com set all-time records in Unique Visitors and all other measuring criteria Thank you for your support! 2012 Market Share report — Nearby, we present our standard market share numbers. Our original chart remains consistent, illustrating the "installed base," or "fleet size." Because we know many of you seek recent-year information we are repeating the Calendar Year chart that debuted last year.

For the second year in a row Cessna lead in 2012 with an impressive 94 registrations though this is down 30% from 134 in 2011. While Cessna looked to set a new record with 76 registrations (152 annualized) in the first half of 2012, their pace slowed sharply in the second half, adding only 23, perhaps a result of their announcement about switching to Primary Category as a means of entering the European market. The Wichita giant is singlehandedly restarting Primary Category with the first such application in nearly 20 years, a decision that may inspire other companies to go this route.

Perhaps the most noteworthy story in 2012 registrations is an even better performance by CubCrafters. The Washington State company added 48 new registrations, up 33% from 36 in 2011. Company marketing boss John Whitish reported 52 SLSA sales, which prompts us to ask that you read the notice at the end of this article. Congratulations to CubCrafters, clearly a company to keep watching.

A remarkably steady climber is Aerotrek, which took the #3 slot for 2012 registrations, a notable improvement from their #5 spot in 2011. Despite some reports that all SLSA are expensive, Aerotrek has a very attractive price point and an impressively built, folding wing aircraft available in tailwheel or trigear. Aerotrek consistently replies to our listings, with the goal of making our FAA registrations report more precise. This happens, for example, when sales occur to Canada with no N-number assigned or when a SLSA drops down to ELSA perhaps as the owner wants to make design changes (which is allowed as is owner maintenance). Other companies also see differences explained by deregistration, accidents that remove the aircraft from the registry, or simple errors in data entry after a sale. Regardless of the variables in counting registrations versus sales, bravo to Aerotrek! Based on their faithful feedback we have been able to improve our accuracy.

Other top guns in 2012 include perennial leaders like Flight Design, which remains convincingly atop the overall fleet and added 11 more registrations during the year and American Legend which revived from a sluggish 2011 to add 11 SLSA in 2012. SportCruiser importer US Sport Aircraft fulfilled the last of the PiperSport orders and rewrote their distributor agreement with Czech Sport Aircraft; they added another 10 SLSA in 2012. In a pleasant but unexpected turn, importer Phoenix Air USA added an impressive 10 SLSA registrations of their extremely lovely motorglider. Congratulations to all these leaders.

A member of the exclusive Over-100 Club listing only eight SLSA producers is Tecnam. The Italian company showed renewed vigor logging six registrations in the second half of the year. They also successfully completed an FAA audit in Italy. Among their five SLSA models, four are high-wing models yet their low wing Sierra has 51 units flying in America, more than any other Tecnam model. Another European producer with facilities in Italy is Pipistrel, which overcame regulatory hurdles in mid-year and has begun delivering SLSA to Americans. They also logged six in the last half of the year. Both Tecnam and Pipistrel report active sales outside the USA.

Unfortunately, one former high flyer, Remos, lost its U.S representative and has become very quiet though earlier this year, their CEO said they had recovered from the previous CEO's high-spending ways. We are watching a few companies not on our fleet chart. One new entry to the SLSA scene is Bristell, in a new partnership with fractional ownership provider, AAP. They join some other companies that have not been active long enough to get on the fleet chart, but nonetheless deserve attention. These companies include World Aircraft Co., which is bringing all production to their Paris, Tennessee facility. Breezer is now established on the Sun 'n Fun campus and more is expected from them. Sky Arrow producer Magnaghi has new life and may resurge. Aero's AT-4 (formerly known as Gobosh) is back with new representation. Just Aircraft got rave reviews on their SuperSTOL model and this mostly kit company is enjoying a solid run of business something like 100% kit producers Zenith Aircraft and Sonex. While mentioning kit builders (not on our SLSA list), we must include Van's Aircraft, which has seen registration of 203 RV-12 kits.

We are also watching the pulse on seaplanes lead this year by Progressive Aerodyne, which earned SLSA approval even as FAA increased their oversight via highly detailed audits. Congratulations to the SeaRey team for this significant accomplishment. This brief look at the LSA market is not complete. One observation is that the "All other producers" category is now the largest percentage, indicating small producers continue to develop sales. Some companies not reflected in our Top-20 and Top-10 charts may emerge into these lists in the future. Others that have been in the Top-20 but which are no longer producing new aircraft were omitted. However, all SLSA models are covered in our SPLOG reports and you may also examine our Featured Aircraft (right column of most pages) for more exciting Light-Sport Aircraft and other aircraft Sport Pilots can fly.

As I have said for years, a loud shout-out is owed to Jan Fridrich of the Czech LAA for the LSA Market Share report. Jan is also head of LAMA Europe and a tireless worker for the advancement of Light-Sport aviation. He invests many hours to analyze data for each report. Thanks, Jan, on behalf of all ByDanJohnson.com readers. During 2013, we will work to solicit comments from producers to evaluate the sales versus registration numbers. This is not an easy task and no promises are made yet the effort seems worthwhile in the pursuit of better information.

Notice: As always, we observe for you that all numbers here are derived from FAA's N-number registration database and are subject to data entry errors. Figures presented are not identical to sales recorded by the companies though over time the numbers draw closer. UPDATE 2/13/13: GAMA held a press conference today where they released their industry numbers. Get more on GAMA here, but this is where their figures relate to the Light-Sport market. Piston aircraft, singles and twins, suffered a minor drop, only 1.9% down; GAMA did list some LSA in their report but did not use them in summary tables. Turbines were up and GAMA added agricultural crop-spraying planes to their membership; many ag planes are turbine powered. Jets were down slightly more at minus 3.4%. Like the Light-Sport industry, GAMA is hoping for improvement in 2013 and they announced some interesting initiatives to this end.

Our annual review of LSA Market Share brings our updated fleet chart and a second chart showing prior-year registrations. While sales of new SLSA remains below par, the market appears to be experiencing spotty but regular recovery from earlier low points. The first half the year foretold a better recovery but the last half of the year stalled somewhat. Regardless, based on traffic to this website, LSA interest is higher than ever. For January 2013, ByDanJohnson.com set all-time records in Unique Visitors and all other measuring criteria Thank you for your support! 2012 Market Share report — Nearby, we present our standard market share numbers. Our original chart remains consistent, illustrating the “installed base,” or “fleet size.” Because we know many of you seek recent-year information we are repeating the Calendar Year chart that debuted last year. For the second year in a row Cessna lead in 2012 with an impressive 94 registrations though this is down 30% from 134 in 2011.

Keeping Your New LSA All Shiny & Clean

By Dan Johnson || February 4, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

The LSA community and the Experimental and GA community embraced Composiclean products as designed specifically for airplanes. The products are good enough to be delivered as standard equipment with every CT. Read what users say. In this photo Bob McKee cleans a SportCruiser.

Who doesn't like to ride around in a clean machine? If it's your car, you have thousands of products to choose from...and no big problem if you use the wrong stuff. But if your LSA is a composite airplane, you need the right stuff and it comes from Composiclean. When entrepreneur Ken Godin took his products to this summer's AirVenture Oshkosh, his persuasive selling ability and some superior products helped him grab the attention of aviation big shots, like aerobatic pilot Shawn Tucker and Flight Design owner, Matthias Betsch, among numerous others. *** If you react with a "Ho-hum, it's just soap" response, let me suggest you go have a look at Composiclean's testing results. I was surprised what the wrong cleaners can do to composite surfaces. Keep scrolling down. Yikes! Then research elsewhere on the Composiclean website to check out the right stuff.

Who doesn’t like to ride around in a clean machine? If it’s your car, you have thousands of products to choose from…and no big problem if you use the wrong stuff. But if your LSA is a composite airplane, you need the right stuff and it comes from Composiclean. When entrepreneur Ken Godin took his products to this summer’s AirVenture Oshkosh, his persuasive selling ability and some superior products helped him grab the attention of aviation big shots, like aerobatic pilot Shawn Tucker and Flight Design owner, Matthias Betsch, among numerous others. *** If you react with a “Ho-hum, it’s just soap” response, let me suggest you go have a look at Composiclean’s testing results. I was surprised what the wrong cleaners can do to composite surfaces. Keep scrolling down. Yikes! Then research elsewhere on the Composiclean website to check out the right stuff.

New Year Clean-Up Job; Help Your LSA Gleam

By Dan Johnson || February 4, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Aircraft Spruce is one of light aviation's largest third-party suppliers of aircraft building, repairing, or maintenance products. Spruce stocks and sells Composiclean's line. Click to see a list of products with links for more info on each.

ByDanJohnson.com is dedicated to light-sport aviation and keeps a laser focus on the aircraft of this sector. Included are new developments, market share, and maintenance of Light-Sport Aircraft to name a few. In the maintenance category, at its most basic level, is keeping your bird clean and shiny. *** I'm sure some other products can also do the job, but one company has made LSA the subject of much study. I wrote about Composiclean earlier but as we prepare for a new season of flying recreational aircraft, this low-tech task deserves another look. A leading reason: you can seriously harm some aircraft finishes by cleaning them with the wrong chemicals. Don't take my word for it; Composiclean shows customer comments on their website. *** Major distributors have signed on to sell these LSA-friendly cleaning products. Lockwood Aircraft Supply has a whole area for the goods and Aircraft Spruce sells them at airshows (photos). *** If cleaning products seem ordinary, think again. Significant damage has been done to composite airplanes which were cleaned with the wrong brands. To get advice directly from the source regarding the right stuff for your pride and joy, call proprietor Ken Godin at 860-432-0067.

ByDanJohnson.com is dedicated to light-sport aviation and keeps a laser focus on the aircraft of this sector. Included are new developments, market share, and maintenance of Light-Sport Aircraft to name a few. In the maintenance category, at its most basic level, is keeping your bird clean and shiny. *** I’m sure some other products can also do the job, but one company has made LSA the subject of much study. I wrote about Composiclean earlier but as we prepare for a new season of flying recreational aircraft, this low-tech task deserves another look. A leading reason: you can seriously harm some aircraft finishes by cleaning them with the wrong chemicals. Don’t take my word for it; Composiclean shows customer comments on their website. *** Major distributors have signed on to sell these LSA-friendly cleaning products. Lockwood Aircraft Supply has a whole area for the goods and Aircraft Spruce sells them at airshows (photos).

Go Negative … or … Work Together?

By Dan Johnson || February 1, 2013 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Flying magazine has often done great reporting as in their earlier articles about FAA's oversight of the LSA sector. Graphic prepared by Flying magazine

photo by Jan Fridrich

It is true that a pilot of one type aircraft may not know much about nor (therefore) care much about another type aircraft. Ultralight pilots and turbine pilots may not seem to have much in common. Sailplane pilots and crop dusters, likewise. Powered parachute enthusiasts seem on the opposite side of the spectrum from airline pilots. Yet, regardless of our interests — or even the country in which we live — pilots as a whole are more alike than different in one critical way: we all love flying and we treasure the freedom and beauty flying can provide. So, why do some aviation groups disparage other groups? Why do fixed wing and rotary wing or powered and unpowered pilots sometimes engage in heated arguments? The reasons are many and as varied as humans are different. Fine ... we have to accept that we are different. Yet should editors and aviation leaders act more professionally? I think so. Recent aviation editorials have questioned the value and viability of Light-Sport Aircraft. Other than to create controversy to boost readership or viewership, I can't think of a good reason why one editor blasts a group ... at least without good cause. Is the LSA industry in "critical condition?" Can it be true that industry consensus standards "didn't work?" Based on what information, I have to ask? I'd like to reply to those naysayers going negative on Light-Sport. I'd specifically like to briefly focus on the safety, utility, and the future of Light-Sport. If you wish to see our response in video form, click here. SAFETY — Why do we certify aircraft? Why do companies institute quality control? Why do we have detailed documentation of manufacturing processes? All these efforts attempt to bring safety to airplane operations. Are LSA perfectly safe as a result? No. Yet FAA officials repeatedly refer to LSA safety with this word: "Acceptable." Safety can always be better but to say industry consensus standard "didn't work" is a wrongheaded value judgement, I believe. Indeed, FAA is sufficiently impressed that ASTM committee F44 formed recently to do for Type Certified aircraft what the F37 committee achieved for Light-Sport. Evidently FAA does not agree that industry consensus standards "didn't work." UTILITY — We will soon post a video about LSA being used in one of the harshest of aviation environments: flight training. We interviewed several producers who cited multiple examples of LSA with 1,500, 3,000, even 4,000 hours and more, all acquired in flight instruction. Some had 10,000 or many more landings yet they're holding up well (with good maintenance, of course). They also stated that economically, both from operation cost and purchase considerations, LSA make money for flight school operators. In other tough duty, several LSA have successfully circumnavigated the Earth. Obviously, LSA are reasonably durable and can be used to fly long distances. THE FUTURE — The first LSA came on market less than eight years ago, so it seems a bit soon to say the LSA market "will never be strong." Did the new segment solve all of aviation's growth problems? No. Will it, in time? Perhaps not, though maybe. Was that ever a realistic assumption, given that aviation has been working to solve the growth problem for decades? Meanwhile, the incredible diversity of Light-Sport are offering current pilots a broad variety of choices and have indeed brought new people to aviation. So, rather than going negative about any one class of aircraft, I urge aviation leaders to be the professionals they are and to jointly among all aviation sectors seek solutions for aviation outreach. Throwing darts at one another isn't what's needed. Aviators with an audience can — and should — do better, in my humble opinion! In the interest of fairness and balance, I invite you to read the original Flying article and make your own judgement about the editor's thoughts. Meanwhile, thanks for considering our view.