As I departed DeLand airport on Saturday at the close of Aero Showcase 2022, I recalled multiple conversations with attendees regarding the airplanes on display. Over and over I was asked if one of the displayed aircraft could benefit from a higher weight under Mosaic rules. The short answer, I told them, is yes. A good many LSA were initially designed and subsequently tested to higher weights than the 1,320 pounds permitted under present FAA rules. What will happen to these 1,320-pound LSA when higher weight Mosaic LSA come out, some asked? Will these current LSA become obsolete? I believe they will not, because any LSA you buy today will work just as well under Mosaic. It may not carry as much or have some other attribute, but neither will current LSA cost more as will larger and better equipped Mosaic LSA. However, many — perhaps a third, maybe half — of all LSA on the market today have actually been constructed and tested to carry somewhat higher weights.
Aero Showcase — Day Two: Was This the First Mosaic LSA Show?
The "New" GA?
In 1956, the Cessna 172 was introduced with a base price of just $8,995. The government's CPI (that many believe understates true dollar inflation) says that today, that $9,000 would be around $100,000. Yet a Cessna 172 sells for $400,000 base price. It's a better airplane in various ways (e.g., better panel instruments) but the basic airframe has hardly changed.Montaer's MC01 is one of the LSA that could quickly declare to a higher weight once Mosaic passes. Many other LSA have similar possibilities.
S u c c e s s ! Measured by Aircraft Sales
By the end of this two-day event (on Friday and Saturday), a few of us estimated about ten aircraft were sold.Planning a Repeat — Not only did organizers feel good about the first-year event, measured by attendee count and airplane sales (the adjacent Gin Mill restaurant reported being "slammed"), the Aero Affinity / Aero Showcase team are already thinking about next year… possibly in January. Shalom Confessor — the Montaer partner in Aero Affinity — said the team would review how this year went, correct errors and repeat successes as they plan for another Aero Showcase next fall. Yet since several asked about DeLand putting on a January event (when Florida is brimming with snowbirds and tourists), the organizing team will ponder this as they review how to improve their inaugural effort.
ARTICLE LINKS:
- Magnus Aircraft in the USA, represented by The Aviator Family
- Article about the aerobatic aspect of Magnus Fusion 212
- Aero Affinity, representing Magnus, Montaer, Aero Adventure, Seamax, and BOT
- Video about Mosaic (from September 2022) featuring many questions and answers