James Lawrence, Author at ByDanJohnson.com

Flying Club Initiative

By James Lawrence || October 15, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Could flying clubs help rekindle aviation enthusiasm in America? -- photo courtesy AOPA

Skyraider Aviation in Colorado has a thriving flight training and rental business based on the European "fun flying club" model. --photo courtesy Skyraider Aviation

AOPA during its annual Summit convention that ended October 13th announced during the event a program that makes a lot of sense: a national network of flying clubs with the aim to grow general aviation at all levels. We’ve been talking about alternatives to the modern steep cost of private flying for some time now, and have advocated owner partnerships and flying clubs as clear alternative solutions to keeping costs under control, bringing more people into flight training and pleasure flying, and for that matter keeping airplanes from getting “stiff” sitting sometimes for weeks or even months, unflown, in hangars – because surveys and studies show most recreational pilots fly an average of just 50-100 hours a year, and in seasonal regions that can mean mostly in the good weather months. I’ve written of a veteran pilot I know who flies for an airline as an instructor/examiner – he’s the guy in other words who makes sure the other airline pilots who fly you and me are in top form. Last year he flew a 1946 Piper Cub J3 that had sat in the hangar for 6 months without even an engine start. The engine quit at the worst possible time, two-thirds down the runway with insufficient altitude (65-hp engine) to turn back to the runway. My friend the airline examiner was at the controls. He miraculously (translation: with supreme skill) maneuvered around tall trees and managed to stuff that airplane into a backyard, unstrapping himself in the nick of time as the fuselage skidded into a thick, menacing tree branch, which punctured the side of the fuselage, broke his rib, and went straight through his seat back. It would have killed him if he hadn’t moved. Injuries, yes, but no fatalities. It could easily have been so much worse. The cause turned out to be a sticky valve… from sitting so long without being run. This can happen to any engine in any climate. Back to AOPA: their program looks to keep airplanes flying more often while also cutting pilot/student attrition with, as they describe it, “affordability, community, quality instruction, an entry (or re-entry) point to aviation, and a viable business model.” Clubs can be a lot of fun. Ask Chris Dillis at Skyraider Aviation, who has built his thriving LSA training/rental business around the flying club models so popular in Europe, and imported it to his native Denver, Colorado. The national goal of the new clubs network program is to have 661 to 1,000 clubs linked up within five years. AOPA’s new Center to Advance the Pilot Community will help facilitate and grow the movement. A key part of the network involves sharing information and resources. AOPA will invite all existing clubs to join the network; members will agree to a statement of values, but there will be no cost to participate. If you’d like to form a club or have yours join the network, here are some steps along the path: an AOPA Webinar Nov. 14 will lay out the program; a monthly e-newsletter will start in December; and a program manager will be hired soon. AOPA has an online flying club finder and Facebook group in place already, and has begun building the network by reaching out to 12 clubs of various sizes, to serve as “Pathfinder Clubs.” Part of the association’s intended service is to offer assistance to flying clubs, including software to reduce the administrative burden for club leaders (often volunteers), simplify the insurance process, and create reciprocity agreements so pilots can go from club to club. Check out AOPA’s site for further developments as this program gets rolling down the ramp… and consider starting a club of your own if you don’t have one nearby!

Calling All Sport Pilots

By James Lawrence || October 8, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

For my next column for Plane & Pilot magazine, and to grow a dialogue here on the blog (diablogue?), I’m putting out a call to all Light-Sport pilots across the country (and around the world!) for your input on some topics we all think about and kick around with our flying pals. Think of it as a kind of open ended survey. I’d appreciate your take on one, some or all of the questions below: whatever you’ve got time for. You can contribute here, on my Facebook page, or send your thoughts direct to a special email I’ve created at this special email address. I’ll read and compile everything you send and will include your names unless you’d rather remain anonymous. The more concise your answers the better but if it takes more words to share your POV, please feel free to go for it and I’ll do my best to cherry pick the best insights and info. This is just the beginning. I hope to do more than one of these: we’ll see how it goes. Thank you all in advance and here we go: Do you currently own or rent an LSA? Details please, i.e., are you a sole owner or in a partnership? If you rent, do you tend to rent the same LSA or a variety of models? From the same location/FBO or more than one? What licenses do you have? Details: if you have a Sport Pilot License, how many hours did it take, and did you have another license first? If you have a Sport Pilot License, what signoffs do you have (controlled airports, taildragger, float plane etc.)? Do you plan to get a higher-level (Private Pilot etc.) license? Where did you get your training? How often do you fly an LSA? Total hours/year or flights per month etc. How far do you typically travel to find an LSA dealer for service and maintenance? Is the high average cost of a new LSA preventing you from buying? Do you rent primarily because of that? What do you most like and dislike about Light Sport flight? In your opinion, what are the greatest challenges facing the industry in the five years ahead (assuming the economy recovers)? What kind of LSA flying do you most enjoy? (Long trips, around the patch, $25 burgers etc.) Do you usually fly alone or with a passenger? Have you found the Sport Pilot restrictions (10,000' max altitude, no night flying, 120 knot max level speed etc.) a significant detractor from the kind of flying you'd like to do? Wow, the more I get into this, the more I can see we're just scratching the surface. Let's start with those... and one more question: what question would you most like to have answered about LSA? Thanks, all. I'll be writing this up over the next week and will also continue to post other questions and keep these running too.

Leaf Peeper Round Up

By James Lawrence || September 28, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Do the Lucky Lindy: Fly the Big Pond in a CTLSi

Vulcan C-100: the new all-aluminum, approved SLSA from Italy

As fall colors begin to pop their chromatic yumminess on New England, it’s time to do some shotgun Light Sport factoid gathering. Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo Model Airplane Contest: Pandering shamelessly to the inner kid in all of us, as well as the kids we bring to the event, the LSA event this coming January 17-20 will hold a model airplane contest. Count me in! Five categories – age 6 and under, 7-10, 11-14, 15-18 and Adult give everybody a chance to walk away with a prize. Can I sign up in the 11-14 category or are these biological age groups? Just back from a car trip down to the friendly crew at New Garden Flying Field southwest of Philadelphia, where Airport Manager Jonathan Martin made me welcome so I could finish up the photo side of my story on the Pipistrel Alpha Trainer which runs in the next issue of Plane & Pilot magazine. Jonathan tells me the Alpha has been busier than a bear in bee country, with lots of interest and several dozens of hours monthly in flight training for the Alpha. So far, the trainer has performed admirably, and students of all ages, he says, love it.

Financing The Long Haul

By James Lawrence || August 21, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

The beautiful, flashy, futuristic Lisa Akoya -- at nearly $400,000, and currently its maker is in bankruptcy before ever earning ASTM certification.

Terrafugia's Transition is another of several well-promoted LSA that has yet to come to market after years of development.

This has been a tough semi-decade for people in the Light Sport industry with big ideas. And for people everywhere with this kind of thinking: ”Hey, let’s throw a few million bucks at this mega-concept and see if it changes the world!” *** Cessna’s Skycatcher endured a couple non-recoverable spins and parachute deployments in its intensive test program en route to earning SLSA certification. The process delayed deliveries by a couple years and no doubt the setbacks cost the aviation giant an uncomfortable percentage of its initial 1,000 pre-orders (Cessna has never divulged just how many orders it lost). *** Not long after the LSA category was made official in 2004, Icon Aircraft writ its name in stars across the promotional universe with one after another high-profile, flashy presentations at major air shows. Its beautiful, all-composite A5 amphibian also garnered a lot of pre-order support from a new customer base dazzled by the A5's heavily-pitched fun-in-sun, jet-ski-like utility and ease of operation. But the sleek aircraft has yet to earn certification, is seeking a greater weight allowance from FAA than the standard 1430 pounds for water-worthy LSA, and will not make it into production until late 2012, as reported in an AOPA article by journalist, Al Marsh. *** Meanwhile the Terrafugia Transition Roadable Aircraft has endured one major design revision and a final retail price climb rate that would put any airplane’s actual climb rate to shame. The company has also struggled to bring the flying car to market and has not yet earned ASTM certification, though it is in Phase 2 of flight testing and hopes to earn that cert soon. Delivery is set for next year at the earliest, says Terrafugia, and along the way the price has breached the quarter million dollar mark and could like Akoya end up costing more than $300,000. *** Even longstanding kitmaker Progressive Aerodyne, which has delivered several hundred of its popular SeaRey kits over the years, has been trumpeting an SLSA version of the tube/fabric/composite amphibian funship for a few years now, but has encountered protracted delays of its own route to ASTM certification. You would expect the SeaRey at least would have been a slam dunk. *** And now the latest to join the Frustrated Dreams Dept.: the Lisa Akoya, yet another amphibian LSA that debuted in the U.S. this year with a big, showy, expensive presence at the Oshkosh Airventure event. I just wrote a blurb on it a couple weeks ago for Plane & Pilot magazine's upcoming "Oshkosh Roundup" article, in which we highlight new products and developments in General Aviation. *** The “luxury amphibian” with sexy hydrofoil wings on its futuristic hull is luxurious alright: it’s priced at $390,000 (or $350K or $370K depending on which source you read). Like the Icon A5, the Akoya is sleek, stylish, and downright gorgeous. *** There’s only one problem: the new company just declared bankruptcy! *** Lisa acknowledged that its investors were unable to secure sufficient financing to keep the project going forward at its current pace. The company says customers who have made deposits shouldn’t worry: their money is safe. Fundraising is active while the company endures a “six-month phase of observation” to discern, it seems, whether there’s really a market out there for a $0.4 million two-seat, 120-knot max speed amphibious airplane. One tag line I saw online said Lisa was declaring bankruptcy so it could secure financing. Now there’s a spin worthy of Presidential politics! ”Hey, let’s declare bankruptcy, that’ll drive ‘em to our showroom door!” *** Initially Lisa had hoped to deliver its first Akoya in Europe next year and in the U.S. in 2014. No word on where that expectation will land in the ensuing six-month cooling off period the company now finds itself entering. *** Okay. Is it just me? Or does it seem the old paradigm of gobbling up huge amounts of Other’s People’s Money in pursuit of aviation mega-success is, especially these days, a demonstrably, catastrophically outmoded get-rich-quick way of doing business? I’m not saying don’t dream. I’m saying, dream responsibly. It’s easy to get drunk on the power of our ideas. And drunk visionaries do not usually advance the march of civilization. *** Maybe it’s time that big thinkers like Vern Raeburn (Eclipse Very Light Jet) et. al., these folks with, yes, often truly great ideas, nonetheless get off this program of feeling the need for investment capital speed and the compulsion to throw millions into promotion for virtual products that ultimately struggle for years before production, if they ever make it to production, and frustrate and often disappoint customers all through the nerve-wracking process. *** Why can’t we find a 21st Century way to do what we used to do: create prosperity and customer loyalty by living within our means, growing as the market for our products allows us to grow, and living life — not as if its purpose was to make a huge killing, change the face of aviation, then retire at 40 to go buy an island somewhere, but, — as if contributing worthwhile, quality-made, useful and desirable products that earned their place in the market was in fact a damn good way to live, and indeed a respectable goal to aspire to in the first place? *** I’m thinking of companies like Pipistrel, American Legend, CubCrafters, Flight Design, and a few more. You know, all those folks who built a quality aircraft, then a business model that included responsible promotion along with a budget that would allow them to produce and refine the product, then expanded as they were able to do so. *** Just sayin'...

VP-X Electronic Circuit Breaker meets EFIS

By James Lawrence || August 20, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Garmin G-3X panel with VPX electrical system status

Diagram shows how VP-X electronic circuit breaker interfaces with switches and EFIS panels

Vertical Power has a cool line of electronic circuit breakers that make it easy to monitor the status of your electrical system. *** With so many LSA going to glass cockpits, having general and specific information about the state of your electrics displayed right on your EFIS screen is crucial to safe flight. *** The company’s VP-X Sport and VP-X Pro modules now work with many popular EFIS display panels. Most recent to jump on board is the popular Dynon SkyView 7" and 10" EFIS display panel systems, which Dynon's Robert Hamilton expects to be fully integrated by the end of this year. *** Both VP-X units will also display with other popular panels from AFS, GRT, MGL and Garmin G3X. *** The concept is simple and powerful: to allow monitoring of the overall health of electrical systems, view and control the status of individual circuits, and respond to circuit faults. *** In the SkyView setup, the VP-X pilot display appears as a window along with the Engine Monitor, Primary Flight Display and GPS Moving Map. Trim and flap positions also display.The core engine of all Vertical Power modules is its patented electronic circuit breaker (ECB) technology. *** ECBs not only detect circuit faults, but can do other “smart” things like detect and notify of a burned-out nav or landing light or disable the starter circuit when the engine is running. The VP-X Pro provides more than 30 power circuits, plenty for even the most loaded LSA. *** One dramatic difference from conventional systems is how much less electrical wiring is needed, reducing weight, complexity and number of possible failure points. *** Other cool features include automatic landing light wig-wag, pilot and co-pilot trim control, electric flap control with intermediate flap stops (and flap control backup in case of flap switch failure), trim and flap position display, over-voltage protection, alternator control and lots more. Experimental kit builders have driven this powerful technology so far but SLSA manufacturers are beginning to incorporate them into their airplanes.

Birds of a Composite Feather…

By James Lawrence || August 8, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

The long-awaited Icon A5 inks a manufacturing deal with Cirrus

The 15-year-old Cirrus composite four-seater has been a consistent market leader

Top General Aviation manufacturer *** Cirrus Aircraft, which makes the Cirrus line of four-seat, all-composite aircraft, just announced it’s partnering with another composite company, one that’s had its share of delays in getting to market: Icon Aircraft. *** The Icon A5, a sleek, highly-promoted amphibian SLSA, has gathered several hundred orders although the company, formed in 2005, is still in development testing. Its latest production estimate is another year off. *** Cirrus said it expects to add up to 60 jobs at its Grand Forks, N.D., plant as it manufactures a large portion of the A5. *** ICON says it sought the partnership with Cirrus “because of its reputation for quality composite airframes in its SR-20 and SR-22 planes.” *** For its part, Cirrus, which originally planned to rebadge and market a sleek, European-built SLSA of its own back in the beginning of the Light Sport era (2004), says the partnership will give it a horse in the new category. *** The A5′s components will be made alongside Cirrus components in Grand Forks. Final assembly of the A5 will take place at ICON’s plant in Tehachapi, Calif., which is ironically a capital for soaring flight, in the mountains an hour north of Los Angeles. *** Cirrus has struggled in recent years with the downturn in the economy – that’s reportedly why it dropped its own SLSA project a few years ago- but the recent infusion of $100 million in capital from the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. to advance the Cirrus Vision SF-50 V-tailed light jet project has brightened the company’s outlook.

Skycatcher To Move To Primary Aircraft Category!

By James Lawrence || August 1, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Leaving LSA for the greener (and roomier) skies of the Primary Aircraft category.

Edit: There was some confusion after I first posted this a few days before Oshkosh, so I hope this addendum clears things up: *** First Piper, now Cessna…wow, didn’t see this coming. I’m referring to Piper leaving the LSA field after dropping the PiperSport a couple years back. Similarly, Cessna will no longer list the Skycatcher in the LSA category, but…and here’s where there was some misunderstanding, although I do say this in the text below…the aircraft will continue to be produced at its current specs and will still be legal to fly by Sport Pilots. *** —– *** Even though I’m not arriving in Oshkosh until Friday, this newsflash hot off the wire can’t wait. I just picked this up from the Wichita Eagle. In brief, it says: *** Cessna just announced they’ll move the C-162 Skycatcher into the Primary Aircraft category. It will no longer be a Light Sport Aircraft . This on the heels of news that the Wichita-based aviation giant had pulled it’s European marketing and EASA CS-LSA certification efforts because of the cost and complexity above and beyond certifying to the U.S. Light Sport category. (edit: someone at Oshkosh told me that cost is around $300,000!) *** The company said switching to Primary Aircraft will aid in the certification process with countries worldwide, which certainly includes Europe’s EASA CS-LSA standards, which you can think of as FAA Airworthiness Lite, or looked at another way, LSA Heavy. *** Cessna was quick to add that the Skycatcher will still be flyable by pilots with a sport pilot license. It also reported it is already at work with FAA on the Primary designation. That process includes a Type Certificate and a Production Certificate. *** The Wichita Eagle ended its piece by saying this: ”The joint Cessna/FAA team included requirements from EASA CS-LSA into the program which will allow the Skycatcher to be accepted into Europe through a simpler validation effort, following FAA approval.” *** On the face of it, it looks to be a marketing move. Let’s look a bit deeper: *** The official FAA language for the Primary Aircraft Category, effective as of Dec. 31, 1992, describes it this way: *** “A primary category aircraft is of simple design and is intended exclusively for pleasure and personal use. A primary category aircraft (airplanes, gliders, rotorcraft, manned free balloons, etc.) may be unpowered or powered by a single, naturally aspirated engine, with a 61 knot or less stall speed limitation for airplanes and a 6-pound per square foot main rotor disc loading limitation for rotorcraft. A primary category aircraft may have a maximum certificated weight of no more than 2,700 pounds, a maximum seating capacity of four, and an unpressurized cabin. *** Although a primary category aircraft may be available for rental and flight instruction under certain conditions, the carrying of persons or property for hire is prohibited.” *** It’s no secret by now that the Skycatcher was hamstrung by the 1320 lb. full gross limitation of the Light Sport category. I’ve talked with flight schools and owners who have lamented that the empty weight blossoms well beyond 850 lbs. with just standard equipment aboard.Canadian Owners and Pilots Association called out two years ago on its blog, “Fill up the tanks (144 lbs) and this particular 162 will carry 311 lbs of people and baggage, or most likely 304 lbs with some oil in the engine. Compare this to my old Cessna 150, with its empty weight of 1065 lbs, which would carry 408 lbs of people and cargo with full fuel. It is hard not to conclude that the 162 is not really much of a two-seater.” *** Lou Mancuso of Mid Island Air, a 66-year FBO and flight school on Long Island, NY, recently told me he had bought three Skycatchers…but canceled the remaining two orders after flying with the first one, “strictly because of payload. It’s a wonderful airplane: a strong, great flying plane, it just weighs too much. 865 lbs.empty weight with no payload restricts how heavy your passenger can be and how much fuel you can carry. *** “We flew it in our school and with 400 lbs. of pilot weight – me and a 190 lb. pilot, not abnormal passenger weights at all – the onboard Garmin computer said our total fuel load to keep from going over gross was…11 gallons! With the reserve I recommend of 7 gallons, that means we had just 4 gallons for our mission fuel…less than 1 hour! *** “Some other LSA have the same problem: planes that weigh in excess of 850 lbs., they’re really toys because you can’t go any place in them. I’ve owned some LSA that, when flown at gross weight, couldn’t get above 9000 feet. The Bristell, the only LSA in my current training fleet, climbed at gross to 13,000′ and had more room. It’s empty weight is 100 lbs. less, and in an LSA, that means a lot more performance. You want that capability sometimes to get up above clouds or the haze layer, so having a plane that weighs 750 as opposed to 850 and higher is a big deal.” *** Of course, he’s talking about Private Pilot or higher rated pilots when he talks about flying at 13,000 ‘ — the legal altitude for Sport Pilots is 10,000′ — but the point is well taken. If you’re getting rocked and socked at 7,000′ and it’s likely smooth at 9,500′, you’d like to be able to pop up there as quickly as possible…or just get there! *** Anyway, back to the Skycatcher: clearly the move to Primary Aircraft will give the C-162 a lot more room for flight with full tanks and two normal size people aboard, which won’t hurt their sales and should help reduce the bailouts from their current committed customers. What remains to be seen is how much more weight, if we can speculate for a moment at least, the aircraft might safely carry without degrading load limit safety factor appreciably. Certainly another 100 lbs. or so of fuel won’t drastically affect those numbers…and will deliver the Skycatcher to a much broader and happier envelope of flying customers than its current capabilities allow. *** ***

Oshkosh Saturday

By James Lawrence || July 29, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

The large Pipistrel display near Air Show Central makes it clear: this major LSA Slovenian company has come to play, and play big.

The Pipistrel SW (Short Wing) has been flying with the brand-new Rotax 912 iS fuel-injected engine that made such a big spash at Sun 'n Fun,

Designer and visionary thinker Tine Tomazic, left, and U.S. (and Australian) importer and latest Raspet Award winner Michael Coates

Another look at the Sky Arrow. The rear seat is raised for superb visibility for both instructor and pilot.

There's even a little prop on the front that you give a spin to start the simulator program!

Check this out: a six-screen Piper Cub motion simulator from Redbird.

The Pipistrel Virus SW with Rotax 912 iS fuel injected engine.

Photographing Dan Johnson caught in the act of photographing a new LSA

Pipistrel in particular seems to be riding the crest of ever-growing reputation. It’s new Alpha Trainer, which I’m scheduled to fly tomorrow morning, lucky me (I’m the first US journalist I think to have the privilege), is already selling and selling well, with at least a couple checks changing hands at the show earlier in the week and another sold by Rand Vollmer, the Southeast Pipistrel go-to guy, today, the $83,000 ($89,000 with shipping from Slovenia and U.S. set up and other costs factored in) is staged to make a big play for individuals and flight schools who are ready for an aircraft that is truly cheap to fly (2 gph in training takeoff/landing circuits, 3-3.5 gph at 107 knot cruise…and all this on an 80 hp Rotax 912!) and representative of a progressive, brilliant design team that promises more exciting developments in years to come. *** Exciting as in the Panthera 4-seat Ferrari-like cruiser that is currently in development for 2013 delivery as a certificated airplane in Europe…2015-6 in the U.S *** Pipistrel is a bold, imaginative company of forward thinkers like company founder Ivo Boscarol, award-winning engineers like project leader Tine Tomazic and savvy marketers like U.S. importer Michael Coates and hard-working, professional dealers like Rand Vollmer. I love this company, I have no reservations about saying it. When I think of Pipistrel and the aircraft it has already produced, not to mention some still-secret electric-powered aircraft in the pipeline, I smell the future of aviation. *** The paradigm has shifted, and visionary companies like Pipistrel will lead it. *** Time to sack out. Even a breezy day in Wisconsin summer heat takes it out of you. Enjoy the pix. More tomorrow on the Alpha. *** A brand new Sky Arrow from new owner Magnaghia was on display in the Hansen booth near the LSA Mall. This 20-year-old design is ASTM-approved and a popular tandem trainer with the Able Flight program for physically challenged student pilots that’s thriving at Purdue University.

Oshkosh Refreshed

By James Lawrence || July 28, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Todd Ellefson of Quicksilver talks about the company's move into LSA

There's no place like Oshkosh

Just put in my first day at the show, only doing 3 days this year, plus a layover day to pick up any after-show-convenient flight reports. *** Todd Ellefson, Will Escutia and Daniel Perez and the new owners of Quicksilver, the venerable ultralight company, announced it will pursue ASTM conformation certification for two of its time-proven models, the GT-500 and Sport 2S, as S-LSA and E-LSA. Quicksilver has sold more than 15,000 aircraft over the years, and has one of the most beautiful, slam-dunk, bolt-together kits you’ve ever seen. I built several in the early 1980′s: absolutely impeccable, easy-build kits. *** The FAA verification process has already begun toward offering models as Experimentally Amateur Built kits as well, which will allow two-seat former Ultralight category Quicksilver models that were phased out when the Light Sport Aircraft category came into being to have a home again. *** Although a good percent of the many, many Piper Cubs have gone home, there is still a distinct marigold presence of dozens of the classic bird that brought civilian flying almost singlehandedly to the nation back in the ’30s and ’40s. *** I had the pleasure of speaking to several Cub owners for an article I’ll be doing to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the wonderful Cub. Great folks one and all. *** Randall Fishman, that intrepid electric-powered aircraft entrepreneur, debuted a new electric-powered Ultralight motorglider, the ElectraFlyer ULS. I spent a good hour plus talking with Randall and will share more as time and sleep needs allow. Herewith a few pictures and comments: *** Capable of one or two hours of sustained flight; a beautiful, twin-boom, all-carbon fiber composite airframe; 20 hp equivalent electric motor in pusher configuration; 24:1 glide ratio; lands less than 24 mph stall; built and tested to +4-2G utility load in Czech Republic; steerable nosewheel; flaperons; dive brakes; takes off in 250 feet or less; sink rate middle 200 fpm range. *** And it’s in production now with 90 day delivery, available also with gasoline power. The production prototype I saw is just slightly on the rough side, but mostly little cosmetic touches still need polishing off. Randall, if he can get production out of his overseas airframe builders, could have a winner on his hands: a viable electric aircraft, not a vaporwing, and for $59,000. I wish him luck. He ran up the engine. The carbon fiber prop sets up a nice fluttering sound, like a fan, when sitting still but Randall says when moving it’s quiet. I thought it was quiet just running up on the ground! *** The beautiful, slightly dihedral, compound-tapered wing is evocative of the Phoenix S-LSA motorglider. Keep your eyes on this one, it may end up being the first electric airplane that’s really for sale in America.

Skycatcher To Be Primary Aircraft: LSA No Longer!

By James Lawrence || July 24, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Leaving LSA for the greener (and roomier) skies of the Primary Aircraft category.

First Piper, now Cessna…wow, didn’t see this coming. *** Even though I’m not arriving in Oshkosh until Friday, this newsflash hot off the wire can’t wait. I just picked this up from the Wichita Eagle. In brief, it says: *** Cessna just announced they’ll move the C-162 Skycatcher into the Primary Aircraft category. It will no longer be a Light Sport Aircraft . This on the heels of news that the Wichita-based aviation giant had pulled it’s European marketing and EASA CS-LSA certification efforts because of the cost and complexity above and beyond certifying to the U.S. Light Sport category. *** The company said switching to Primary Aircraft will aid in the certification process with countries worldwide, which certainly includes Europe’s EASA CS-LSA standards, which you can think of as FAA Airworthiness Lite, or looked at another way, LSA Heavy. *** Cessna was quick to add that the Skycatcher will still be flyable by pilots with a sport pilot license. It also reported it is already at work with FAA on the Primary designation. That process includes a Type Certificate and a Production Certificate. *** The Wichita Eagle ended its piece by saying this: ”The joint Cessna/FAA team included requirements from EASA CS-LSA into the program which will allow the Skycatcher to be accepted into Europe through a simpler validation effort, following FAA approval.” *** On the face of it, it looks to be a marketing move. Let’s look a bit deeper: *** The official FAA language for the Primary Aircraft Category, effective as of Dec. 31, 1992, describes it this way: *** “A primary category aircraft is of simple design and is intended exclusively for pleasure and personal use. A primary category aircraft (airplanes, gliders, rotorcraft, manned free balloons, etc.) may be unpowered or powered by a single, naturally aspirated engine, with a 61 knot or less stall speed limitation for airplanes and a 6-pound per square foot main rotor disc loading limitation for rotorcraft. A primary category aircraft may have a maximum certificated weight of no more than 2,700 pounds, a maximum seating capacity of four, and an unpressurized cabin. *** Although a primary category aircraft may be available for rental and flight instruction under certain conditions, the carrying of persons or property for hire is prohibited.” *** It’s no secret by now that the Skycatcher was hamstrung by the 1320 lb. full gross limitation of the Light Sport category. I’ve talked with flight schools and owners who have lamented that the empty weight blossoms well beyond 850 lbs. with just standard equipment aboard.Canadian Owners and Pilots Association called out two years ago on its blog, “Fill up the tanks (144 lbs) and this particular 162 will carry 311 lbs of people and baggage, or most likely 304 lbs with some oil in the engine. Compare this to my old Cessna 150, with its empty weight of 1065 lbs, which would carry 408 lbs of people and cargo with full fuel. It is hard not to conclude that the 162 is not really much of a two-seater.” *** Lou Mancuso of Mid Island Air, a 66-year FBO and flight school on Long Island, NY, recently told me he had bought three Skycatchers…but canceled the remaining two orders after flying with the first one, “strictly because of payload. It’s a wonderful airplane: a strong, great flying plane, it just weighs too much. 865 lbs.empty weight with no payload restricts how heavy your passenger can be and how much fuel you can carry. *** “We flew it in our school and with 400 lbs. of pilot weight – me and a 190 lb. pilot, not abnormal passenger weights at all – the onboard Garmin computer said our total fuel load to keep from going over gross was…11 gallons! With the reserve I recommend of 7 gallons, that means we had just 4 gallons for our mission fuel…less than 1 hour! *** “Some other LSA have the same problem: planes that weigh in excess of 850 lbs., they’re really toys because you can’t go any place in them. I’ve owned some LSA that, when flown at gross weight, couldn’t get above 9000 feet. The Bristell, the only LSA in my current training fleet, climbed at gross to 13,000′ and had more room. It’s empty weight is 100 lbs. less, and in an LSA, that means a lot more performance. You want that capability sometimes to get up above clouds or the haze layer, so having a plane that weighs 750 as opposed to 850 and higher is a big deal.” *** Of course, he’s talking about Private Pilot or higher rated pilots when he says flying at 13,000 ‘, but the point is well taken. If you’re getting rocked and socked at 7,000′ and it’s likely smooth at 9,500′, you’d like to be able to pop up there as quickly as possible…or just get there! *** Anyway, back to the Skycatcher: clearly the move to Primary Aircraft will give the C-162 a lot more room for flight with full tanks and two normal size people aboard, which won’t hurt their sales and should help reduce the bailouts from their current committed customers. What remains to be seen is how much more weight, if we can speculate for a moment at least, the aircraft will safely carry without compromising load limit safety factor too much. Certainly another 100 lbs. or so of fuel won’t drastically affect those numbers…and will deliver the Skycatcher to a much broader and happier envelope of flying possibilities than its current realities. ***

New HUD for LSA

By James Lawrence || July 19, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

HUD displays let you keep eyes outside without missing critical readouts.

“Situational Awareness” is one of those phrases you hear a lot when aviation safety is the topic… and when isn’t aviation safety the topic in a cockpit? *** New on the market is a device to allow pilots to keep their eyes on the skies… while also having instrument readouts right in their field of view. *** HUD, or Heads-Up Display, a military technology that allows pilots to get all the info they need without having to scan the instrument panel so often, is here for the small aircraft screen. Milan, Italy-based PAT Avionics is the maker of the new G-HULP. *** HUD displays let you keep eyes outside without missing critical readouts *** Marco Mille, Chief Technology Officer for PAT, says this about it: “After three years of research and development, (HUD) technology is finally available to make experimental and light sport aircraft pilots safer.” *** The G-HULP allows pilots to easily monitor readouts such as air speed, altitude and course data, while looking forward, since the information is projected on a transparent glass display right above the instrument panel in the pilot’s direct forward view. There’s no more taking your eyes away to the panel in a critical or workload-intensive moment. *** A laser projector system makes it all work. There are currently two versions: G-HULP Stand Alone (approx. $5,500) and G-HULP for Dynon SkyView (approx. $5,000). G-Hulp, says Mille, is also “fully customizable”. *** To find out more, check out the website linked above or if you’re going to Oshkosh next week, the device will have its debut at the PAT Avionics booth, space #4128 in the Exhibit Building D. *** Download the Sporty’s Oshkosh info app if you’ve got a smartphone, it’ll help you find it, and that space, a lot easier.

iFly 720 GPS Raises the GPS bar

By James Lawrence || July 12, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

I just wrote up a piece for the Tech Talk Dept. of Plane & Pilot on the *** iFly 720 GPS, a really amazing, super-affordable, Air Gizmo-dockable unit that’s got more features than Carter had pills (that’s a reference for older readers). *** Here’s my lead from that article, out in the next issue : *** “If you could buy a sunlight-readable, multi-featured, portable moving-map GPS for VFR and IFR flight, with an excellent automobile GPS, that also played your music, audio and video files and connected to the internet via WiFi, would you think $749 was a good price for that unit? *** Two years ago I stumbled across a new avionics company: Adventure Pilot. Headed up by two super-bright, hard-working guys — Walter Boyd and Shane Woodson — their first effort was a feature-rich, Everyman’s “supplemental” (not FAA-certified) navigational GPS, the iFly 700. It was a runaway success at $500 (comprehensive annual subscription package: $69. With full IFR: $109).” *** Price tag is $750. For those with small-panel LSA, or ultralights with limited mounting turf, this is worth checking out. *** You can wait to read the article, or check out the video here. It’s an amazing unit. I bought the 700 unit and loved it. I’ve upgraded to the 720 and really love it. The car GPS alone is great. ***

Terrific Oshkosh Airventure 2012 App from Sporty’s

By James Lawrence || July 7, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Main Screen of Sporty's Airventure App

Lots of maps for finding your way around

For all you smartphone and iPad users, here’s a great guide to Oshkosh from *** Sporty’s Pilot Shop. You can read all the details here, and I’m posting a couple of my own screens. *** There’s lots to like, because anybody who’s been to the Big Show (it’ll be my 32nd year this year) knows it’s totally overwhelming trying to figure out where to go to see what and figure out when, etc. *** There are several main-screen menus: *** Get Here for pilots flying into the show, with arrival procedures to follow for how to best get to your destination (Seaplane Base, parking at Wittman Field) along with NO TAMs and lots moreSchedules of daily airshow performers (they can change from day to day), Forums, Workshops, Evening Events and Daily Highlights, as well as a My Schedule for saving your own custom “to do” listFacilities which gives detailed maps of the entire grounds as well as exhibit hangar maps with individual booth numbers, which you can use to track down companies you want to visit with the menu tab…Exhibitors: This page has a complete list of every exhibitor on the field, alphabetically listed and with each company’s booth number in hypertext. Just touch the number and you’ll go right to the map of the area its in, with its booth highlighted with a red pin! Can’t beat that: Sporty’s provided a valuable service for showgoers, if you’ve got a smartphone, I urge you to download this app, it’s really useful, well thought out, and a snap to navigate…and it’ll save you miles of walking, trust me. I used it last year and it saved me hours of aimless wandering, because Oshkosh is nothing if not all over the map!

Sling Shot at the U.S. Market

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Catching up from the road after 3 weeks (1 day to go) in Hamburg, Germany on family business and a laptop double-meltdown (don’t ask). *** The Sling is a South African LSA that made a splash in 2009 with a ‘round-the-world flight just received its official S-LSA Airworthiness certificate, making it #125 on the official list.The Airplane Factory in Johannesburg, and more than 60 have been delivered worldwide. Developed in 2006, and with more than 100 orders total to date, the company is hoping the Sling will compete successfully in the crowded U.S. market. *** The staff is made up of 75 full timers — no garage band airplane company here — and produces five ready-to-fly Slings per month, and even more in kit form. *** For the U.S. market, the Sling will also be offered in kit form, either as an E-LSA or Experimental Amateur-Built. *** The Airplane Factory of Torrance, CA will wrangle the U.S. distribution, marketing and support for the Sling and plans to stimulate community-based aviation enthusiasm and participation with “innovative” flight training (not sure what that means yet) and a flying club, which is a business model increasingly used across the country and done right, brings a real win-win philosophy to LSA flying.This first Sling, the newly registered N511NG, is based at Torrance Airport (KTOA) and will fly to Oshkosh this summer and be on display in Booth #305. Stop by and check out this latest all-metal, stylish sliding-canopy addition to the ever-expanding LSA universe. It’s a fun company with a seasoned product and deserves a close look.

Three LSA now EASA-legal

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Evektor SportStar RTC photo courtesy Evektor

Flight Design CTLS

American-made Rans S-7 Courier

Czech Sport Aircraft PS-28 photo courtesy airlines.net

* REVISED June 21: Missing text at end replaced. * *** Some big news developing recently regarding the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) certification of the first three light sport aircraft in its new category designed to legitimize ASTM-certified LSA. *** The new category is called EASA CS-LSA. We’ve talked about it before, see below, but this is a significant step forward and here are some of the highlights. *** The three planes are names we’re all familiar with: the Flight Design CTLS-ELA, Czech Sport Aircraft PS-28 Cruiser (which is known here as the Sportruiser and was, for a year, the Piper Sport), and Evektor’s SportStar RTC (stands for Restricted Type Certificate). The Cruiser was the first to be awarded the cert, with the CTLS-ELA coming right after. Both were heralded at the recent Aero convention in Europe, while the SportStar was announced a few days ago. *** As in the U.S., aircraft certified in the European LSA category must have a max of two seats and 1,320 lbs. all-up weight. *** The newly adopted EASA category accepts the ASTM standard but adds a few wrinkles, (translation: higher certification costs for makers) including requirements for greater scrutiny over design, production and requirement of a type certificate, (technically EASA calls these DOA, POA and TC). Simply put, they make for a Part 23-style addition beyond the ASTM spec, which boils down to higher prices for manufacturers, which will be passed on to buyers of course. *** Still, as I’ve noted in previous blogs, it does mean American producers, should they wish to jump through the additional EASA hoops, will now be able to sell SLSA in Europe, something that was not allowed before. *** Another benefit to both manufacturers and customers: under the EASA CS-LSA category, the RTC (Restricted Type Certificate) will allow broader use of light sport aircraft, including charter and other commercial enterprises, along with flight training of course. For companies, dealers and flight schools seeking ways to maximize the earning potential of LSA purchases, that’s a real step up. *** In a side note, recently Cessna put a halt to European sales, saying the European LSA rules are too costly. Cessna has several hundred Skycatchers still slated for delivery worldwide, and the Wichita aviation giant has been climbing the registered aircraft charts the last year as it has dramatically ramped up production and shipping of the aircraft it announced many years ago but which was delayed for some time by design problems that required reworking and testing. *** Cessna says it may get back to selling in Europe if it can crunch the financial/regulatory constellation favorably. The Skycatcher got a big bump in price several months back. It’s now listed at $149,000. *** Reprising in brief my post of about a year ago:a *** EASA’s CS-LSA stands for Certification Specifiction for Light-Sport Aircraft. *** American makers have been at a disadvantage in that they couldn’t sell in Europe. By now having an accepted EASA equivalent to the ASTM-certified LSA-category, if (and it’s a big if for smaller manufacturers) they can strap on the additional costs of qualifying for the European market, they’ll be more competitive, since two out of three LSA on the U.S. market come from overseas, which has made it tougher for Yankee birds to find a home with a zip code. *** Working against everybody, makers and dealers alike here at home, has been the high Dollar/Euro exchange rate. It’s dropped in recent weeks to $1.25 per €1: it was $1.41 last year. *** And as I wrote last year here, perhaps the biggest impact of EASA CS-LSA on American companies would be the effective discount to European buyers of American LSA…although that’s been knocked in the head too by EASA’s protracted process of adopting the standard. *** The difference could be decisive in making a sale, to whit: a $141,000 American LSA would have cost €100,000 in Europe a year ago. At the current exchange rate, that same European buyer is now looking at €112,136: an increase of more than €12,000 for, among other factors, EASA to be able to say it didn’t just follow lock step and adopt the perfectly workable and proven ASTM standard. Institutions, governments et al don’t like to be thought of as copy cats, apparently. *** Thus the potential competitive advantage for American manufacturers has been notably reduced. *** And meanwhile, back at the U.S. ranch, European-made LSA might very well also drop in price, once distributor inventories are depleted and new orders come in, which would only increase competition on the home front. *** What a headache to be in the aviation business, eh? *** But the takeaway good news has to be that the worldwide market and regulatory framework is maturing and finding a consensus of sorts. Governments and financiers will always have fun yanking us back and forth, but at least there’s a bit more opportunity for airplanes to be sold everywhere, and that’s good for everybody in the industry, one would hope.

Flynano Makes First Flight!

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

This is pretty cool, I have to say: a flying…what, waterbike? Winged pontoon? Powered box kite? Here’s the home page for *** Flynano: and doesn’t this supremely giddy pilot in the illustration remind you of U2′s Bono? Hmmm…backer? Person of Interest? Is Lindsay Lohan going to buy one? Stay tuned… *** A year ago, I wrote about these enterprising and clever folks behind the Flynano project. They made a (cue: drum roll) big splash at Europe’s 2011 Aero show when they introduced the mockup. Frankly, I confess to a tad of private skepticism: it looked like a long shot to ever fly, let alone actually come to market. That’s why I try to curb my public expressions of criticism: it’s so easy to be proven wrong. *** I was concerned that although the boxwing concept — a joined upper/lower wing, tailless design — has been proven, (and even marketed in Europe as the Sunny Boxwing, see video at bottom), the Flynano could easily have been just another blue-sky, briefly-ballyhooed project, like so many that have come down the pike (do the name Moeller Aircar ring a familiar note?) *** Yet how cool indeed ‘twould be if this easy-fly skimmer-bug of a recreational aircraft that only operates from the water could actually fly? *** Now I must confess I’m wearing egg — or lake water — on my face, because Flynano has indeed flown…under electric power yet…and the developers say they hope to bring it to market as an ultralight-style aircraft by the end of the year. Congrats to all at Flynano! *** Here’s the vid: *** *** I won’t hold my breath expecting Flynano to be in production by year’s end — production predictions are almost universally wildly optimistic (except in the case of LSA maker Pipistrel, which seems to revel in the satisfaction of keeping its promises) — but after watching the video on the website linked above, it does at least seem to be airworthy. How airworthy remains to be seen but it could turn out to be a fun ride game changer for the aquatic thrill seekers among us. *** My one casual viewing of the video did raise some questions: the short-coupled boxwing aerodynamics do seem to induce some pretty pitch-sensitive oscillations. Deft piloting may be required here, which would require a training version of Flynano. And the bottom wing so close to the water on a very, very flat and undisturbed water surface seems to relegate the craft to lake or broad-river flying…on light-wind days. Doesn’t look like it would be suited for ocean or even mild-wave operations. *** Yet there are placid bodies of water big and small just about everywhere in the world. All, though, are subject to wind waves, which can come up in a hurry. And since the Flynano is not an amphib — it’s meant for water only — it seems likely this will be a vehicle people would use like they use jet skis, for close-to-water zipping around to wow the girls and guys on the beach and so on. *** Flynano could turn out to be a budget-challenged pilot’s Icon A5. By the way, big news looms on the horizon about the long-awaited A5, which just recently demonstrated for FAA its impressive stall resistance capabilities. I’m sworn to secrecy but soon as the story pops, I’ll post here. *** But it’s an intriguing little critter for sure. I’ll hope to be disavowed of my reservations as they progress because it looks like it could be a whale (porpoise?) of a lot of fun to fly. Latest projected price is €32.000, or just over $40K. *** Meanwhile, here are a couple videos of the Sunny Boxwing, an ultralight that was built in Germany throughout the 90′s. It demonstrates the nimble, fun-flying, (and highly stall-resistant) features of the boxwing concept. *** *** This is the European certified version. *** *** And this is the original, low-rez promo (filmed in the 90s) from the designer that has some pretty flying footage. For an old ultralighter and LSA pilot like m’self, it looks like a lot of fun.

Dump The Flight Medical?

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

Will flight medicals as we know them for at least some GA aircraft soon be a thing of the past?

LSA like this FK12 Comet can be flown by a Sport Pilot, with only a driver's license rather than an FAA flight medical.

Although we Sport Pilots only have to self-certify (and have a driver’s license) to legally fly Light Sport Aircraft, *** the success of the self-certification “medical” has no doubt factored into AOPA and EAA’s joint proposal to FAA to expand the concept to include Private Pilots. *** To add your comments to the FAA page about such a medical exemption, go here…the end of the comment period is near, so if you have a take on this topic, let it fly.

Catching up with Renegade and the Lycoming 233

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

The fabulous FK-12 Comet. is being outfitted with an aerobatic Lycoming 233 engine

Renegade's FK12 Comet and its new Lycoming mill

The Lycoming 233 LSA in a Renegade Falcon

The all-composite Renegade Falcon

Camo and combat and races, oh my!

The SeaMax amphib is getting a Lycoming 233 soon too!

I’ve been a (budget) international jet setter the last couple months so figured it was time to update through an e-chat with *** Chris “Doc” Bailey, who’s heading up a hydra-like push at Renegade Light Sport to get the Lycoming IO-233-LSA engine in as many birds as possible. *** I’ve talked before about the many-pronged attack Doc and crew have been making to test and distribute the new 233 powerplant. A lot of folks who have always flown “conventional” aircraft engines and haven’t been won over by Rotax’s 2000 TBO and excellent safety record have been following Doc’s development work closely. *** As you can see, the Renegade Falcon, which also mounts the Lyc 233, is a real dazzler of an SLSA. It’s in production, a few have been delivered with more on the books, and recently Doc’s been outfitting the FK12 Comet biplane with the AE (aerobatic) version of the 233 powerplant (see my story on the nifty bipe with Rotax power in this issue of Plane & Pilot) . *** Without further intro, here’s the ever-voluble Doc Bailey’s enthusiastic update on all the irons Renegade has in the fire: *** “We are in the final stages of getting our Comet up and running with the new Lycoming AE IO 233 engine. We have been tasked by the Hansen brothers to install the engines in their Comet as well. We will be installing all the Lycoming Comets in the US. *** “We also are the new distributor for the Comet in the central and western United States. *** “We are pulling out all the stops on ours. It has 8″ Synthetic vision display, a smoker, Sensenich ground adjustable props (we have the first two for Lycoming ever made for production), fuel injection electronic ignition system, Vetterman cross tube exhaust system…the works… *** “We also hope to represent the SeaMax, and will put the Lycoming engine in that baby too. We plan to give ICON A5 fans a run for their money with this Lycoming-powered SLSA Amphibian that we think will take off in less than 400 feet on water. Plus we can give our clients a delivery date. *** “We’re also testing a new full FADEC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FADEC) system for the Lycoming engines and just introduced our new mock landing gear panel so students can train for retractable gear in our Falcon 141 trainer. It’s really cool... pull the gear switch down and the three lights comes on as if they were locking the gear down. Should you forget, the audio alarm goes off at 45 knots just before flare speed to remind the pilot he’s about to land with the “gear up”. *** “We plan to fly three Comets to Oshkosh this year... Our orange one will be in the Lycoming tent, along with the Falcon (it’s third straight year.) *** “Our permanent Comet (aerobatic) demo plane is getting it’s certification Monday or Tuesday. *** And we are going to start a SAR Sport Aviation-style race circuit with the Comets and Falcons competing for the Comet cup. This will be like a Red Bull race course only all the aircraft will be set up exactly alike so there is no individual performance advantage, much like an IROC event. *** “It will be the skill of the pilot that day that wins, not the superior aircraft. The other great thing is what the clients watch race on Sunday they can buy right from the factory on Monday. Also during the course of the season competitors can never fly the same plane twice. Truly it will be races set up for the best pilots, not the superior machines: two races per day per pilot, best combine times win. *** “We are looking for sponsors such as Garmin, Monster, Budweiser etc ... They will in fact own the racing aircraft. We already have Kansas NASCAR Speedway wanting to hold the first event. We think that at this point the aircraft will be weighing only 745 pounds and have an HP rating of 124 hp. *** “This truly should be a huge boost for Sport Aviation.” *** But wait folks…there’s more! *** “Then we have Tim Benham, an F 14 combat pilot, who has been one of our dealers for two years. He is an instructor for Annapolis cadets, was an instructor at *** NAS Miramar at the TOP GUN school. He’s getting our dog fighting school up and going. We will attach a laser tag system to the aircraft with small smokers. If the laser light hits, it smokes for a couple of seconds. A heavy hit smokes for about 5 seconds and with a ‘kill’ shot the smoker comes on and stays on shut off by the losing pilot. This can be done in the Comet and the Lycoming AE IO 233 Falcon as well. *** “Both are 6G (load factor) planes and this is going to be really exciting. We painted our tail dragger like a P40 and it just grew from there… *** “We will paint some aircraft like ME-109s, Japanese Zeros and of course our hero the P40. This should come to fruition by December or so. We are testing the laser systems now and outrigging the AE engines in the Falcon and Comets now.” *** Thanks for the update Doc…now get back to work! *** ***

FAA Tells LSA Industry: “Get That Paperwork Done!”

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

LAMA head and LSA subject matter expert, Dan Johnson

The *** Federal Aviation Administration just released a document about its assessment regarding the performance of the LSA industry, specifically in regard to LSA producer’s, shall we say, sub-par performance toward compliance with the ASTM airworthiness standard set out in the very definition of the Light Sport category. *** U.S. LAMA head and Light Sport industry Carnac the Great (for you older Johnny Carson Show fans) Dan Johnson was interviewed by Bloomberg news. The story summarizes what Dan says was over an hour’s worth of interview to make sure the reporter got the story right. Beyond a few media AlarmThink insertions, it was a fairly decent and accurate overview of, says Dan, what he told the writer. That’s always a welcome sign that journalism has not completely gone over to the infotainment dark side. *** You can read the piece here. *** Dan also has his own take on the FAA announcement, with some relevant links for you, (see nearby article titled: "FAA Clarifies Who Is a LSA Manufacturer"). *** The bottom line? A mini-tempest in the LSA teapot: as Dan concludes, “I believe the better companies have little cause for concern, but all producers and their importers…should review their paperwork and records carefully.” *** And to close with what I mean by “AlarmThink”, here are some semi-amusing excerpts from the Bloomberg piece: *** The headline: Sport-Plane Makers Warned By FAA To Stop Evading Rules. In fact, the industry has been “warned” about this, repeatedly, for some time now. This latest release from FAA is just an official announcement that it’s patience isn’t unlimited, that the industry needs to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s in its documentation procedures, and that it invites public comment for 90 days, as Dan notes in his blog post. *** The use of the term “crackdown” . Well, no, it’s really not. More like a “Industry folks, probably not so smart to assume we aren’t paying attention.” *** The phrase: “violating safety standards and could be shut down“. *** If it went to extremes, yes, companies could be hammered. Public safety is after all FAA’s mandate and they’d be right to shut someone down for sloppiness in any part of their manufacturing process, including repeated failure to keep track of important verifications that proper work has been done. After all, having a rogue LSA industry doesn’t help anybody. Still, this is a bit of uberdrama. *** And finally this, placed at the bottom of the article when I would think it belongs right up at the beginning: ”Most of the violations uncovered by the FAA involved a failure to keep paperwork…” *** BTW, bunches of online aviation news organ ran with this today.

Another Voice on Affordable Flying

By James Lawrence || July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment (Edit)

The BushCat (formerly the Cheetah) is a good example of a "budget" LSA. It offers a good range of LSA performance and excellent durability, yet it's base price is below $50,000.

LSA come in all shapes, sizes and costs.

Ben Sclair, who publishes General Aviation News, wrote a nicely thought out piece on the nuances of the high cost of flying, with a focus on LSA in particular. He laments the black/white thinking that permeates such discussions and makes a decent case for that time-worn truism, if you really want to do something, you’ll quit grousing and find a way to do it. *** Ben makes some worthy points, give it a look here.