April 2023 will be fantastic with not one but two great affordable aviation events: Sun ‘n Fun and Aero Friedrichshafen 2023. Until then, we have plenty to report; 2022 was a very active year. Keep clicking or tapping back here…! You can read everything on this website completely free of charge — though we appreciate your support through membership. Learn which companies lead the light aircraft sector — Tap or click the big blue button. Thanks for your visit. We genuinely appreciate those of you who have become members!
Welcome to Affordable Aviation!
April 2023 will be fantastic with not one but two great affordable aviation events: Sun 'n Fun and Aero Friedrichshafen 2023. Until then, we have plenty to report; 2022 was a very active year. Keep clicking or tapping back here…!
You can read everything on this website completely free of charge — though we appreciate your support through membership.
Learn which companies lead the light aircraft sector — Tap or click the big blue button.
Thanks for your visit. We genuinely appreciate those of you who have become members!
Sebring Expo accomplished its principal goal for the race-city airport: to put it on the aviation map in a definitive way. Led by longtime airport manager Mike Willingham, Sebring enjoyed a remarkable run and the young LSA industry benefitted greatly from their event. If you're curious about how and why Sebring called it quits, check this 
Held annually at the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (KMVN), Midwest is focused on showcasing all things light aviation. Although the event serves the LSA, Sport Pilot-eligible kit-built aircraft and 103 ultralight communities, all segments of aviation are welcome.
Indeed last year, the KR builders group held their event concurrently on the same grounds (nearby image from 2022). It makes for a nice crossover.
"Midwest Expo will feature the best of the best in the sport aircraft communities to include Light-Sport Aircraft, ultralights, kit planes, powered parachutes, powered paragliders, trikes, gyroplanes, amphibians and more," said Chris.
"Jana will be concentrating on the addition of avionics, engines, propellers, aircraft supplies and pilot gear for the shopping enjoyment of the aviation enthusiast," he added. "Forums, workshops, and keynote speakers are also being organized, and again this year demo flights will be available all day, every day for those shopping for a new aircraft."
If you live within range — people travel from all over the USA and even foreign countries — Midwest Expo offers free admission, free parking, and free camping. Based around the terminal building at KMVN, visitors will find a very popular restaurant (seriously, local residents regularly fill the place). In addition, forums are held indoors plus everyone appreciates clean, proper restrooms.
"Stay tuned as we work to spin the 2023 Expo onto our 
In North America, Skyleader is represented by Michael Tomazin using the web domain 
"Skyleader 400 is designed for recreational flying and pilot training. It is distinguished by its … sports car-inspired looks and unique gull-wing-doors canopy," said the U.S. representative. "It features a spacious interior with plenty of space for pilots and baggage (aft of the seats), and a 21-gallon fuel tank that gives the 400 a range of around 500 miles depending on engine selections and options." Larger fuel options are available.
"Skyleader 400 is manufactured in three base configurations: Basic, Training, and Club, each with the option for further customization to suit a buyer's needs, desires, and budget," said Skyleader USA. "From engine and avionics upgrades, to genuine leather upholstery and custom paint, you can make the Skyleader uniquely yours."
"Flight schools love the Skyleader 400," said Michael. "It can be a TAA (Technically Advanced Aircraft, as required for a Commercial certificate)." Originally built for flight schools, Skyleader 400 has sturdy gear. One example Michael recently examined at the factory had 7,000 hours and 20,000 "cycles" (or takeoff and landings). It returned to the factory only after a student pilot taxied into a ditch, damaging the front wheel.
Skyleader 400 follows the entire Skyleader line using Fowler-style flaps that work exceptionally hard when deployed and hide almost completely when retracted. It's an elegant system, especially so on aircraft in the lighter range, and this yields stalls that happen well below what the LSA regulations require.
Like the surprisingly affordable GP-One, Skyleader 400 can effectively use the nearly bullet-proof 80-horsepower Rotax 912 that will run nearly forever and use lower octane regular auto fuel, making it exceptionally low-cost to operate. However, as the 100-horsepower engine costs only a couple thousand more, non-flight school customers usually opt for it. Student or private owner, Skyleader 400 offers plenty of room in the cockpit, good even for a 6-foot, 3-inch tall pilot, said Michael.
In early 2023, Tomazin reported he has six ready-to-fly airplanes on order, plus two kits — the latter offering is new since Covid. "I just ordered the first two kits in late fall 2022." One of the kits is a Skyleader 400 equipped with the fuel-miserly Rotax 912iS.
Worldwide, the company fleet is estimated at about 350 Skyleader 600s, Michael indicated. Counting all models, close to 600 of the company's airplanes are flying. "This is their 23rd year," Michael said. "They laid off nobody during Covid and they presently have many orders," he added. "If we could get all the avionics we needed, we could deliver faster."
When Skyleader / Jihlavan introduced the Skyleader 400 they called it their "mid-line model," known internally as JA-400, distinctive because of its gullwing-doors canopy construction." Skyleader 600 features an aft-sliding canopy.
"Skyleader offers the 400 in three base configurations: Basic, Training, and Club, each with the option for further customization to suit your needs, desires, and budget," explained Skyleader in Czech. "From engine and avionics upgrades, to genuine leather upholstery and custom paint, you can make the Skyleader uniquely yours."
The Czech producer said, "Kappa 77 (now Zall Jihlavan Airplanes; Skyleader) was established in 1996. It started with the production of the KP-2U aircraft called “Owl.” In 1999, the aircraft received German certification, later following with permissions in Italy, France, Poland, and the Netherlands.
Designer Antonín Píštěk also worked with Evektor — based in the same area as Jihlavan — on the five-seat VUT 100 Cobra aircraft designed for approval under conventional certification.
"The Zall Jihlavan Airplanes factory is heavily involved in aeronautical research, design and commercial manufacture," clarified the builder. "The company [built] doors for the Airbus A320 airliner and [does] other certified aviation sub-contracting."
With a solid company, interested buyers, and orders bound for the U.S., I expect aviators will see more Skyleaders at airports near them.
Here is my video interview with Michael Tomazin on Skyleader 600, recorded at Sun 'n Fun 2021 — you can also 
Most commonly, you hear "drone."
Yet "drone" is further confusing because we haven't separated crewed aircraft from uncrewed aircraft and this is a major distinction. FAA has also made this separation, so for this article, I will only speak of crewed aircraft, that is, a flying machine with a pilot using controls to direct its flight. In addition, I will also stick solely to single place aircraft that can theoretically qualify as a legitimate Part 103 ultralight vehicle.
Let me first extend a quick thanks to IEEE's Spectrum magazine for making me aware of entries I'd missed. You can 
The Spectrum article refers to 350 aircraft developments in the eVTOL field, spanning 48 countries. How many will make it to market and succeed? When will public acceptance allow executives to zip over urban congestion in their buzzing contraptions? Will FAA ever finish regulating them? All these questions are unknown.
However, if asked to bet on any near-term success, I'd guess it will be a Part 103-qualifying "recreational multicopters" because anything larger remains years away, perhaps decades. Therefore, in this article, I will only touch on some genuine 103 entries. Not all will succeed but one or two might show us the way forward.
All models featured here are single-seat aircraft that may possibly qualify for Part 103 regulations. Two of these companies, Lift Aircraft and Opener, have engaged 
Recon is compact (like all of these), only 15.5 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, and just under five feet tall. It weighs a reported 286 pounds, though more detail was not available.
"Powered by six electric motors, the carbon-blade propellers spin at 2,000 rpm and when flying it’s not very loud," claimed the company. Mick Kowitz, CEO and founder of 
"It’s easier to operate a flying ATV than you think — or, at least it was for me. That’s not a humblebrag either. It was designed so any idiot like me — who backs up into his recycling bin every time he pulls out of the driveway — can jump in and use it," wrote Tony Ho Tran for the Daily Beast. Is it a good thing that a complete newbie can get in and fly one of these?
Beyond first-time pilots, Ryse Aero aims to help the agricultural community with a lot of acreage to monitor. The U.S. start-up is working on a single-seat eVTOL vehicle that could be operated by farmers, winemakers, or park rangers with minimal training under the FAA’s Part 103 rules. No pricing has been announced at this time.
Based in Australia, Alauda Aeronautics said, "[We are] building performance electric flying cars" and "racing to deliver a revolution in personal air mobility so everyone will own a flying car." On their website, information is very sparse but they quickly introduce the reader to Airspeeder, the "world's first series for electric flying cars." While their website suggests Alauda also has more orthodox goals, they appear focused on air racing vehicles. Alauda supports Airspeeder developer Mike Pearson as he forms a new league.
He wrote, "From the dawn of the age of the motor car, it has been racing that pushes innovation. We have Formula 1 to thank for the key performance and safety innovations we take for granted today." He added, "Our mission is to build the ultimate performance flying car [that] will define a new mobility revolution."
Alauda's all-electric aircraft, which is expected to have a range of 25 miles and a Part 103-compliant top speed of 63 mph, could be used for tasks such as inspecting crops and rounding up livestock, goals similar to those expressed by Ryse Aero.
So few facts are available that it is impossible to evaluate if Alauda can meet 
Jetson reported their Jetson One is "built to comply with existing FAA regulations," though they don't state which rule. We presume Part 103 as anything higher on the certification scheme is not yet ready for market. However, unlike Lift and Opener, they have not reached out to LAMA for TSC confirmation.
Whatever their long-term strategy, Jetson said this, "The entire 2022 and 2023 production is sold out, but we are accepting orders for 2024 delivery." Whoa! Sold out through this year? According to their website, this translates to 226 units ordered. Not bad before the first shipment has been made.
What will one of these machines set you back? "A down payment of $22,000 is required [at the time of ordering]. A final payment of $70,000 when your Jetson One is ready for delivery at the factory." Does $92,000 sound affordable to you?
To see what I've had to say about Jetson before, 
Distance and location are also computer controlled and that's perfect for Lift's initial plan.
You don't care how much this one costs (it would be over $300,000, they suggest) because Lift doesn't plan to sell it to you. They will rent it at one of their "vertiports." Planning several around the country, you can show up, pay the fee, sign the waiver, and take an hour's instruction before you go fly your own Hexa solo, for your first-ever multicopter flight. The aircraft will be geo-fenced to contain its lateral movement and a safety pilot will stand by to take over if you somehow manage to overwhelm the computer controls.
I'll tell you what… if Lift offers a flight near me, I'll do it. Will you?
"Traffic congestion and long commutes are two leading causes of stress and reduction in quality of life," believes Opener. "Countless hours are wasted on roads each day, idling in traffic, time that could be better spent with family and friends." Who can argue yet range anxiety and a lack of experience flying this unorthodox aircraft may hold back buyers. That's OK as it is often "early adopters" that start the trend.
"Our vehicles are intended to liberate the public from the restrictions of two-dimensional road travel by opening up a new world of untethered three-dimensional flight," said Opener. "Compact and simple, our vehicles are pioneering a new era of stress-free travel."
Do you want to commute to work in your BlackFly? If it arrives on market as promised for the price of "luxury SUV," that might mean your commuter aircraft will sell for under $100,000. If so, would you consider that affordable?
Here's 
When A5 was finally accepted by FAA as a Special LSA, the company shrewdly arranged to get on the cover and be the lead article in the same month of American aviation's top three magazines (by circulation): Flying magazine, AOPA Pilot, and EAA Sport Aviation. I've been around and observing aviation publishing for a few decades and I'd never see such a triple play before. These magazines are friendly to each other but nonetheless compete vigorously. The rarely (never?) want the same cover story as their rivals. Icon accomplished this without spending a dime advertising with the publications.
Then things started to splinter.
Getting the sophisticated aircraft into production took several years longer than anyone expected. The initial price of $139,000 ballooned 250% over a few years to more than $350,000. The company prepared a purchase contract that was so burdensome that many orders cancelled. It was later greatly scaled back.
As it continually raised money, Icon eventually became owned more by Chinese interests than all other investors. Seeing the continual flow of red ink on the books, the new owners forced changes and dismissed founder and president, Kirk Hawkins, who had led the organization through impressive — though expensive — achievements. For many months after Hawkins' departure, it was not clear who was in charge and that is never a good thing for a company… or its customers.
The company's original engineers had been convinced by Kirk to leave Scaled Composites, the celebrated Burt Rutan development company that built SpaceShipOne among many other radical designs. One by one, those engineers left. Other executive staff also departed, perhaps uncertain about the path forward. A final-attempt lawsuit that made the Wall Street Journal business pages was resolved in the stockholder's favor. Kirk was out.
Challenges
For the past few years that torrid pace slowed… just as it has in every other industry I've examined. However, in aviation it is uncommon for a good airplane to actually disappear forever. Designs worth their avgas often manage a come-back, a term meant to show a return to market for a flying machine some may have written off earlier.
Here is such a story.
One thing MS-1 did not have going for it: the design arrived to the party amidst so many other new designs that it was easy to get lost in the crowd. Proprietor and principal investor Dieter Canje wisely set the project aside while the dust cleared.
Now it's back and with a splurge of innovation planned.
"MySky MS-1 is making a comeback, with an ecological twist," said Dieter. "We believed our MySky MS-1 was a promising light aircraft project about 10, 12 years ago. Unfortunately, MySky Aircraft never made any efforts to put the model into production."
The backstory is worth exploring. Let's answer a few questions.
Why did you not put MySky MS-1 in production in 2010?
"In 2015, we formed MySky Eco with the intent to modify MS-1 into an electric aircraft," Dieter said. "But we found that the time was not ready yet. Even now, endurance and range limits its use to flight training. However, there is strong demand in this market segment."
"In 2022, environmental concerns are taken much more seriously by a large percentage of the general population," believes Dieter. "If we in the aviation industry, be it light or commercial aviation, cannot demonstrate that we are doing our part to mitigate our environmental impact, we will run into problems. It is in our own interest to do something to reduce the environmental footprint of aviation as soon as we can."
This is where MySky ECO, Inc., comes into play with a 5-step program with the final goal to create a totally emission-free aircraft.
What is MySkyECO MS-1L?
Can a tandem aircraft be used for flight training?
Electric has appeal but a method of extending range on an electric airplane would be useful for longer missions than flight training. "We are working on a range extender based on the rotary engine concept, using Jet-A," said MySky.
"Our 
Aircraft seen in nearby images is the VL3, a plane formerly designed by Vanessa Air and produced by Aveko. Americans first came to know a variation of this model as the 
Add another three years taking us to 2015 and JMB began fully producing the fuselage and wings, work that had previously been subcontracted. Today, JMB Aircraft is in full production at their Chocen, Czech Republic facility.
Since JMB's brand arrived in America in 2016, the company has continued to refine their models, upgrading engines to the fuel-injected Rotax 912iS and the 141-horsepower Rotax 915iS. Most recently JMB has been experimenting with the TurboTech turbine engine (
CEO Jean Marie Guisset gathered and addressed all JMB Aircraft employees (nearby image) and said, “This is another unique landmark for JMB. We are improving our product every single day, and the biggest thank you goes to all of you who are standing here, because you are the ones who make it happen.”
“I am honored to be a guest at this special event," said the customer. "The VL3 is an amazing aircraft and the people here make a very special aviation product. You can mark down my words, I will be delighted to put my order through for aircraft serial number #1000!” That may only take a few more years.
The company reported it has been speeding up the production on an annual basis, and expects to deliver more than 70 aircraft in 2022, a fine performance any light aircraft producer could envy. In the meantime, JMB's substantial production facility is expanding production capacity to accommodate a new project, the four-seater, turbine-powered Evolution. In a happy coincidence, the larger aircraft shares its name with JMB's own two-seat VL3 Evolution).
A well-evolved design, Evolution is a 250-knot-cruise aircraft that can climb 4,000 feet per minute powered by its Pratt & Whitney turbine powerplant. About 100 of these cabin-class speedsters are flying around the world.
“We have had discussions with Jean-Marie for over four years about the possibility of joining forces. This year I finally visited the production facility in Chocen, Czech and was quite impressed by what I saw,“ said Wolstenholme who leads Evolution Aircraft as its CEO.
At this year's AirVenture Oshkosh, the two companies exhibited together (image), giving them a good venue to launch their fresh collaboration. Officially, JMB will take over the production of the Evolution at their facility in Czech Republic, as well as help with the sales and marketing. The part of Evolution Aircraft based in the United States will handle research & development and provide services and maintenance.
Jean-Marie said he has long thought about making a mini 
Both companies are passionate about their aircraft, each extreme speedsters in their class. It would appear a well-considered and sound collaboration.
As Mosaic will eventually demonstrate, I believe, we're about to see a major expansion at the lighter end of aviation. However, we are already seeing the maturing of the ultralight to LSA marketplace. Get ready for an exciting future. One company you'll want to keep an eye on is JMB Aircraft.
In the middle of the last decade, long before Putin's aggression, LSA market leader Flight Design went through a German-imposed reorganization. While difficult, the company emerged stronger and more stable.
In development through this challenging time, Flight Design unveiled their new F-series, starting with their two-seat LSA F2 model at Aero Friedrichshafen 2019. They also displayed an F2e powered by electric motor. Those who examined these displays could readily see the spacious fuselage was built with a four seater in mind for the future. Things were progressing well…
Despite such hardships, Flight Design's German leaders and team closed ranks and moved production to Šumperk, Czech Republic, near the country's northern border with Poland, about 100 miles east of Prague.
“[The company is using] a new, 25,000-square-foot site suitable for use as a production and paint shop,” reported longtime importer, Tom Peghiny in an article from AOPA. The company had been doing some development work in Czech and now expanded their footprint to take up manufacturing. This represented a huge effort under the most trying — and dangerous — of conditions.
The accompanying images show elements of the work to establish a new production facility. Since most molds and other tooling could not be removed from Kherson to Šumperk — about 1,000 miles to the west — the company had to acquire new production jigs and they had to do this while supply lines were pinched, shipping costs were sky-high, and interest rates were rising on funds needed to create a new manufacturing plant.
In light aviation, we have a roughly similar situation. Rotax provides somewhere around 70-80% of all engines for aircraft in the light aircraft space globally. The remaining 20-30% is divided between Continental or Titan, Jabiru, ULPower, and a growing collection of converted auto engines (though the latter, without ASTM approval, are used only on kit aircraft or ELSAs).
So, Jabiru may not be #1, but the "down-under" company achieved a significant benchmark when they shipped number 4,000 of the 2200 series. Jabiru's 3300 six-cylinder 120-horsepower model is well past 3,000 engines shipped. Therefore, almost 8,000 airplane owners are carried into the sky by Jabiru. Contrasted to the entire American LSA, ELSA, Sport Pilot kit-built aircraft fleet of almost 10,000 aircraft (see 
If you are puzzled, as I was, by the #2-ranked Unknown listing, here is Steve's response: "The 'Unknown' refers to aircraft where the FAA data is blank in respect to the engine. Presumably, these aircraft have engines, but the FAA doesn't know what kind. This is a data-quality problem common to all databases. No database of any size ever has perfectly clean and complete data, contrary to what people assume."
"I was surprised to find 'Pipistrel' engines," Steve also wrote. Pipistrel makes airframes and then installs Rotax or other engines into them, don't they? Well, yes, that's been most of their history. Yet in recent years Pipistrel has engaged deeply in electric-powered aircraft and this data has begun to creep into our comprehensive review. (Choosing to pursue electric power appears to have been a shrewd move as Textron paid a boatload of money [more than $200 million, it has been reported!] to acquire the Slovenian company, allegedly mainly for its pioneering work in electric propulsion.)
"These Pipistrel powerplant entries are for electric-powered aircraft as the 
Other powerful engines are available, for example, the even-higher-horsepower Titan from 
Although no one is saying it today, I perceive that his is a smart play to prepare for Mosaic LSA. Given a cabin that has already accommodated four seats and three doors to serve all those seats, adding an engine powerful enough to carry four makes Montaer a shoe-in to offer such a model in 2025 after the new regulation should emerge.
Indeed, as several conversations I had at Aero Showcase 2022 demonstrated, pilots are asking questions like this: "If I bought this Montaer and flew it for a couple years, could the company 'upgrade' it to Mosaic and let me add four seats?" The short answer is "Yes, very possibly." Since a very similar design has already flown in Brazil with four seats, it seems likely that Montaer can declare the aircraft at a new weight and go forward offering a rear seat "kit." All that is theoretically possible under ASTM standards, but we must wait until FAA issues their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), expected in August of 2023.
Montaer wrote, "[We have] the roomiest cockpit in the entire LSA category. Montaer MC-01 was originally designed as a four-seater aircraft in Brazil (when different regulations applied), therefore, the removal of the two back seats, with an existing third door, produces impressive room for cargo. Also [we offer plenty of] legroom for pilot and passenger." The company added a line that should work for lots of pilots: "No challenge for the big guys."
Pilots of any size will be well protected given Montaer's building methods. MC01 features a welded passenger safety cell with solid-metal rivet construction. The latter is much more time consuming than pulled rivets and is more familiar to those buying a Part 23-certified metal aircraft such as Cessna. In fact, overall, the yoke-controlled MC01 may remind pilots of the Cessna 172, to which it is often compared.
However, with the 915iS engine on a present-day LSA two seater, this bird is going to soar. Climb rate shown in the specification box nearby is for a 912iS-powered MC01. With another 41 horsepower, the "Monster Montaer" should shoot upwards like a homesick angel. If someone in a MC01 915 challenges your Skyhawk to a climb contest, don't take the bait. You'll lose… by a wide margin.
Still, for most pilots, the 912iS may be a great choice. It is several thousand dollars less, is lighter, lacks some of the 915iS's complexity (turbocharger and intercooler) and is much more fuel efficient (≈4 gallons per hour compared to 6-7 gallons per hour with the 915). Maintenance will also cost less and the 912iS is extremely well proven at this stage.
Before the Covid panic hit worldwide, Montaer was accepted by FAA as a Special LSA after the company verified that it had met all ASTM Standards for Light-Sport Aircraft. Shortly afterward, in 2021, Montaer established a presence at DeLand Municipal Airport, Florida airport by partnering with Shalom Confessor of the 
The reference is to an additional control added to allow pilots without the use of their legs to operate the MC01 (nearby image). Such pilots have a few choices but Montaer's entry is modern and handsome.
I posted a more detailed article about Montaer's hand control project. You can 
Is is even possible to fly an aircraft without all these advanced devices and services? Who would want such a simple aircraft?
You might be surprised. Over the years I've come to believe that Part 103 ultralights (see a 
North Wing carefully prices everything they sell — from full-sized aircraft to small accessories — on their website. All shoppers can applaud such full disclosure while budget-conscious buyers especially appreciate the forthright way North Wing does business.
I've personally known founder and boss Kamron Blevins since we were both active in hang gliding. That goes back quite a ways and throughout I've found Kamron to be ambitious, honest, and innovative.
However, very long flights in an open cockpit airplane are rare. The very first such involved four open cockpit Douglas World Cruiser aircraft, which Donald Douglas modified from his DT-2 torpedo bomber.
In April 1924, eight U.S. Army Air Service pilots and mechanics in four airplanes left Seattle, Washington, to carry out the first circumnavigation of the globe by air. Only one completed the entire journey 175 days after 74 stops and flying about 27,550 miles.
Amazingly, 35 replacement engines, along with numerous spare parts, had been distributed throughout the world to assist the effort.
In contrast, our trike adventurers had but one engine and only each other to support a voyage four times as long as the 1924 group. No wonder Rotax was pleased to help report the following story.
The big engine builder supplied the 912 ULS/S powerplant. which got one long workout as Andreas and Doreen flew their French-built 2012 DTA Voyageur II weight shift trike.
A point of irony — The DTA-brand trike is the same as world-circler and founder of The Airplane Factory, Mike Blyth used for his 1999 
"Born in Berlin," Rotax continued, "Andreas Zmuda has been an adventurer since he was a young lad. He hitchhiked all over Europe with a backpack when he was 15, before he emigrated to Venezuela in the early 1990s and gained a fascination for other cultures, traditions, and ways of life."
After earning his Sport Pilot certificate in the USA, Andreas decided to stay in South America where he worked for 22 years as a tour guide and organizer of adventurous tours and jungle expeditions.
In November 2010, Andreas met Doreen during an Amazon expedition through Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, where he was the expedition leader and Doreen was a tourist.
Doreen was born in Halle, Germany and since her teenage years has been interested in outdoor activities and adventurous trips around the world.
For a short time both Andreas and Doreen returned to freezing-cold Germany, but this only lasted a few months. They were much too motivated to experience new adventures, so they decided in summer 2012 to sell everything they had and take off for a 160,000 kilometer-long (100,000 mile) world record flight through 101 countries, which would last for the next few years.
These extreme adventurers have been flying together over the past years across North, South and Central America. In New York, they made a spectacular flight around the Statue of Liberty and through the skyscrapers of Manhattan (images), a top highlight of their travels.
Beyond that, flights across Central and South America included their own special perils
“We knew from the very beginning that we would fly more than a third of all our flights over water, jungles, or mountains, where safe emergency landing is impossible," said Andreas about the most nerve-racking stages of their trip. “You never get used to flights like the ones over the Darién Gap between Panama and Columbia with 350 kilometers (217 miles) of uninhabited jungle, or the Arctic tundra of Canada, or even the many anxious flights of up to four hours over the turquoise blue water between the Caribbean islands."
Full Disclosure — Andreas and Doreen did not fly the entire route shown on the nearby map. Remember, this flight took place during some of low points of the global Covid panic. As Andreas wrote earlier on Facebook, "These are really crazy times at the moment and we will fly from Madrid to Portugal in February, but then [we will] transport the trike in a container to South Africa. Flying along the west coast [of Africa] is just not possible right now." This was also a time of supply line constraints and container shipping expenses that quadrupled. Shipment of the trike involved considerable delays.
Keep up with these adventure partners at their 
Yes, those of us in countries where private aviation is well-established take for granted the privilege of flying cross country. In fact, it’s one of the great joys we love to experience. It's a fantastic way to see the country. That’s simply doesn't happen in China. …Or, it didn't. Things are changing and one company has forged ahead despite the challenges.
This story involves a Taiwanese-origin, China-based company called AeroJones and involves the delivery of one of their CTLS aircraft to a customer. In the USA, this would never be news. In China, it most definitely is!
Still the Aeros team continues to build and deliver their flying machines, ranging from hang gliders to trikes to the Sky Ranger three-axis airplanes (
Fox T is another wing for nanolight trikes, created for "those who want to feel the simplicity and real pleasure of bird-like flying," said Aeros. Fox T offers low and slow maneuverable flying. "Fox T has been developed from our beginner Fox glider and has been reinforced and adapted exclusively for flying with nanolight trikes," Aeros clarified.
For experienced pilots wanting maximum performance, Aeros offers their Combat T, "a step higher in nanolight technology, designed for those who want to fly faster and farther."
Besides the Polini or Vittorazi two-stroke engines adapted from the powered paraglider industry, Aeros offers a 
When I visited this company many years ago, they were new in western markets. Fortunately for them, a wealthy Saudi Arab businessman and flying enthusiast helped bankroll the new company.
On my visit, I saw an active operation with workers buzzing to build aircraft. However, they did so in a converted factory that was far from optimal. They made it work but they had ambitions for another facility.
First, among the better-informed recreational pilot population, virtually all know what a Part 103 ultralight is but most think they remain a small percentage of the aircraft being sold to pilots each year. Many also think a legitimate three-axis Part 103 is no more than a fantasy — one critique is that most fixed-wing 103 entries exceed allowed weight.
Secondly, the less-well-informed general pilot population has heard of Part 103 but often believe those aircraft mostly disappeared back in the last century and are only seen rarely these days.
In numerous conversations, I've expressed my belief that Part 103 ultralights sell at approximately the rate of new Light-Sport Aircraft. Most folks find that hard to believe. I understand but this reveals how invisible these flying machines tend to be. Part 103 ultralights are frequently flown from fields, distant from controlled airports. As they don't fly fast or make a lot of noise they somewhat dissolve into the background of aviation.
Those who enjoy them feel differently and know better. The organizers of the 
Chip has a long background that many know. He was the originator of the SportCruiser that remains one of the top LSA sellers in the USA. He developed the affordable 
It appears the rebadged model is truly ultralight but what's more valuable to Yankee enthusiasts may be the Made-in-America approach Chip is taking with partner Paul Mather (of 
The collaborators will offer dual configurations: an advanced kit and fly-away model, either possible thanks to the gentle regulation of 
The designer and Chip say that TrueLite will cruise at the maximum speed allowed under Part 103 and consume only two gallons per hour. Even with Part 103's tight limit of five gallons maximum, this leaves more than two hours of flying (at cruise power setting).
Aeromarine plans to offer all-inclusive quick-build kits for $25,000. "These easy-to-ship kits take only about 100 hours to assemble," said Chip "and kits include the EFIS, parachute, engine, and prop. All you need to add is your labor and some paint."
Because the Part 103 regulation allows, Erwin and Mather will also offer fully assembled and test-flown TrueLites for $29,500 including airframe parachute and EFIS.
The first public display of the TrueLite and the TrueLite on floats is planned for the 
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. Several models come to mind that could operate within ASTM safety margins at 1,600 or 1,700 pounds. A manufacturer would probably need to re-declare
Inflation is on almost everyone's mind these days …globally, by the way. So let me trot out the old expectation for Light-Sport Aircraft from a couple years before the LSA rule finally emerged.
A leading candidate in 2005 was Flight Design's CT, which sold for around $60,000, though it was rather sparsely equipped by today's LSA standards. At the time, that was widely considered an acceptable cost for a new LSA.
Today, dollar inflation makes that figure around $100,000 but that's before adding glass cockpits, airframe parachutes, and autopilots, much less retractable gear or adjustable props. Leather interiors and fancy paint jobs add more as do major shipping expenses if imported. All these facts help explain why LSA are often $150,000 today and can easily exceed $200.000.
Nonetheless, a certain number of buyers will go for models I'll call "Mosaic LSA." For example, a buyer considering a new LSA now could pay $150-175,000 for a well-equipped top brand and after Mosaic comes out, get a new certificate that permits carrying more weight. Others will choose to sell their 2022 LSA for a 2025 Mosaic LSA.
The good news then? Buyers looking for lower purchase prices can choose a late-model used LSA, while early adopters upgrade to the latest and greatest Mosaic LSA.
That's ten excited pilots and several vendors that found attending worth their time and expense. We did not canvas all vendors but I'm aware of of a pair of Flight Design F2 sales, one or two Montaer MC01s with 915, and two Fusions, one with a 915 and the other with 912iS. I also understood good sales prospects for BushCat and Aero Adventure, so in all, a solid event.
The weather was about perfect, though breezy both days. DeLand puts on a kind of day-long airshow with skydivers parachuting down almost continuously all the while aircraft are taking off and landing. With no control tower, regular DeLand pilots interact easily with the skydiving operations. It gives Aero Showcase visitors a visual treat numerous times per day.
Planning a Repeat
Hopefully the title did get your attention but it asks a legitimate question for buyers of new potentially-Mosaic-compliant Light-Sport Aircraft.
The reason I feel this way is not merely the 141-horsepower engine Montaer designer Bruno Oliveira installed on the nose of his three-door LSA (see 
So, buyers of this airplane (and I repeat, MC01 will not be the only such choice) may be able to acquire a present-day 1,320-pound LSA and later get it bumped to perhaps 1,600-1,700 pounds, maybe more.
This is me, not the designer, making such a prediction but from reviewing their specifications, I know many of these airplanes created for delivery to multiple countries are frequently designed for somewhat higher weight limits — one of the most anticipated changes coming with Mosaic.
"Our new model will debut and be on display at the 
Earlier this year, Montaer announced a 
Remember, seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. New Zealand is now emerging from winter (during our summer) and is beginning its warmer climate. The summer months in New Zealand are December, January, and February so the weather is getting nice down under.
One of the explanations for the longer development cycle was that 
Water launch to flight is still pending but the down-under LSA seaplane was satisfied with the initial float evaluation.
"We spent the best part of two weeks water testing in the beautiful Waikato, here in New Zealand," noted main developer and company namesake, Paul Vickers.
"I have been waiting longer than a decade to see the Wave in her natural environment, and she did not disappoint. Not only does she look amazing, but the water handling was also impressive," Paul added.
"This series of water testing was to check slow-speed maneuverability and buoyancy," Paul clarified, "in preparation for high-speed taxiing and the first flight off the water." No date was forecast for these next steps but from prior practice, the company will take the time needed to get ready for those events.
"As interest and excitement continually build for the Wave in anticipation of its 2023 release, we wanted to mark this incredible milestone and are offering two early delivery positions,” the company said. “This offer comes with some incredible benefits.” If interested, please 