Maybe I should clarify: I mean the on-site camera work plus the keeping track of what we're doing next, handling a load of gear, planning the next day's video stories, downloading huge video files each evening and placing them somewhere to be used later, and charging up everything you own as you sleep. While we're shooting a video, Dave takes a director's view of where we're going and guides us along. He's also very aircraft-savvy so if we lack a piece of information, he can often provide it. The show must go on, you know.
Despite the challenges of working at a great distance, I've been sending loads of raw video up to Dave in Canada and he has been editing away hour upon hour. In this article, I want to introduce you to four recently released videos I think you will enjoy.
For 18 months, the world has been under assault from a bug so small you can’t see it without a big microscope. Plenty of us are hungry to return to what we once quaintly called “normal.” Hundreds of thousands of people at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021 started back on that path! Let’s review: Lots of people. Lots of exhibitors. Perhaps a record number of aircraft flown to the show by visitors. Airplanes were selling, according to many vendors. Weather was good; it only rained at night. No serious accidents. No subsequent reports of any “superspreading.” I’d say it’s all good, except… I was able to gather lots of material and put up daily posts. That made for very long days and short nights of sleep but it’s what many readers have asked for and I’m happy to oblige. What I did not do was shoot enough video. In the five days I attended, my Apple Watch said I walked almost 75 miles, nearly 15 miles a day on average.
Billionaires are investing in, uh, what to call them? …drones, multicopters, eVTOLs, UASs, UAVs, Powered Lift aircraft, the list literally goes on and on. The lack of a widely accepted generic name is one of several indications these air taxis of tomorrow are still in a fairly distant tomorrow.
Two industry experts gave me their judgment after viewing the Volocopter and BlackFly demonstrations. Both agreed the Volocopter presented better, performing a true demonstration of its vertical launch then transitioning to forward flight, manuevering, and then doing a landing. Both also said the BlackFly was much less impressive. "They just kind of bobbed and floated around, not doing any maneuvering or making a transition to forward flight," each agreed. Both wanted to like each aircraft but one clearly won in their minds.
This story is not about either of these developmental vehicles, but here are two links for those interested in the 
I recall when 
Fusion eNano
I have a video in the works where Chip will explain this more fully and talk about its merits.
Here I will note that accelerating airflow over ailerons is very helpful to slow speed flight and not a new idea. You may have seen the photos of a modified Tecnam Twin with multiple small electric motors lined up all along the leading edge. The idea is to accelerate airflow over the entire wing so this aircraft could perform feats a conventional Twin could not.
By pushing air across the aileron, Merlin Lite with these small motors buried in the wings could maintain control down to nearly zero airspeed. The small wing mounted motor accelerates air over the wing, too, making for very, very short takeoffs. "It could cut takeoff roll by three times," Chip suggested.
So Merlin doesn't use electric power for main thrust but does make effective use of electric propulsion.
As a side note, Merlin Lite definitely will be offered with battery electric for primary thrust. Combine the wing (and possibly tail) in-wing thrust units with main power and you could have an ultralight with up to six motors, said Chip. Does that sound like a lot? Maybe, but Volocopter has 18 motors.
Electric has a future, I'm sure, but it has a present as well and it is in Part 103-type ultralights today. I'll try to keep up for those many of you intrigued by electric.
Whatever the product timelines, these machines have large appeal.
The most popular article of this crazy year — when people have been visiting in record numbers — was about 
Getting stall down to 24 knots (27.6 mph, where Chip saw "30") is tougher but with full flaps, it will be closer; he reported using deep but not full flaps ("32°" when 50° is available). However, a surer way to achieve the right speeds may be a longer wing that is already built and has flown; see the engineering drawings (below video). Weight from a longer wing may require that the pilot fly without the door, but Chip believes room still exists to lighten Merlin Lite enough for buyers to have it all — full enclosure including door, engine cowl, and most or all of the options seen in the photos and video.
The video documents the weighing action conducted inside a hangar that Mt. Vernon airport manager, Chris Collins generously provided so Merlin Lite was not affected by wind. Although I witnessed this using bathroom scales, I checked these with my own weight to see they were within one pound or so of one another (about one-half of one percent deviation). However, Chip will shortly perform a formal weighing using certified scales and an official observer. He's confident Merlin Lite will still qualify and based on what I saw, I agree.
Thor 250 outputs 36 horsepower from a single cylinder that Evolution Trikes boss Larry Mednick describes as a smooth running engine that rivals Rotax's 912. That's a big statement but it appears this Polini powerplant dominates the market for the lightest aircraft. Evolution's 
Are you looking for an affordably-priced airplane? On this website, you can find many choices of aircraft that qualify, with something to fit the budget of almost any pilot.
Using the Search bar at the top of the page, you can look for any text anywhere on this website. Have you tried it? More on this below…
However, such "alternative aircraft" may not be what you had in mind. Many are open cockpit and pilots trained in a Cessna or Piper can feel uneasy being out in the open (even if behind a pod and windscreen). Also, weight shift trikes, powered parachutes, or gyroplanes handle differently from stick (or yoke) and rudder.
Other pilots may want an aircraft that can cope with the elements better. Metal can offer better endurance. 
Chip believes his new Part 103 "magic" ultralight is truly revolutionary.
“This is not your 1980s ultralight," claimed designer Chip. “I know, I was there. Our new Merlin Lite has real aircraft features and appeal: seven windows, a cockpit door, decent baggage capacity and space, an instrument panel with an EFIS and GPS. And the list goes on.”
Merlin Lite is available with either tricycle gear or taildragger, Chip reported, and features all-aluminum construction, dual independent hydraulic brakes, tundra tires, five-position flaps, pushrod controls with bearings, and substantial aft cabin area with the CG envelope to use it. "Deep deploying 50-degree Fowler flaps and tundra tires with independent dual brakes make the Merlin Lite an ultralight bush plane," he added.
"Based on Merlin PSA, a popular single seat personal sport aircraft that costs less than $40,000 and cruises at 120 mph, Merlin Lite's cockpit is almost as large as the Merlin's, but the powerplant is scaled down and the 3-D tapered wing aspect ratio is increased," said Chip.
Merlin Lite is available completed and ready to fly away, or can also be built as an Experimental and flown with a Sport Pilot ticket, or even a glider certificate, flying Merlin Lite as a motorglider.
"Its cantilevered high wing means no lift strut," explained Chip, "making Merlin Lite quite easy to get in and out, a feature with increasing importance. Plus, the large baggage area can carry a full-size airline roll-on bag, camping gear, or even your favorite pet."
Merlin Lite finished and ready-to-fly — $31,000 equipped with electric-starting 
To find truly affordable aircraft, for one example, search for "vintage ultralights" you will be lead to our April 2020 series on ten super-affordable airplanes, all of which are available second hand for less than $10,000. You may not know that Search can be more specific. After you use Search, a page shows you whatever is found but you can drill down further — click "Try our advanced search option."
After your initial search, you will see, "Not finding exactly what you expected? Try our advanced search option." Click on the "Try our advanced search option" link and you can narrow the search to: 1️⃣ specific brands of aircraft manufacturers, 2️⃣ specific aircraft models, or 3️⃣ FI.R.M. List companies, meaning products and services that do not make airframes or engines. This Advanced Search is quite powerful to sift through more than two million words or hundreds of different aircraft reported on ByDanJohnson.com.
