I maintain you've always been able to find affordable new airplanes but you had to accept something other than a 150 knot four seater.
Part 103 has always been a choice — no medical, N-numbers, or pilot certificate needed — yet not everybody wants that. A great many pilots desire a two seater, even if they nearly always fly it solo. You usually pay more for a two seater, making it less likely to be affordable.
One modestly-priced two seater is available, fortunately.
Does "complete" mean a full parts kit? Yes, including wing coverings but everything else you need as well: 80-horsepower Rotax 912 (more than enough; I thought one flew well even with a 582), Kiev 3-blade prop, custom exhaust system, carb heat, Kanardia instruments, and engine instruments.
You won't have to paint this one as it uses a sewn Dacron laminate fabric that is tough, light, and needs no paint, saving a bundle plus hours of work.
Build time is estimated at 300 hours and it looks to be quite a straightforward job of assembly. No fabrication is needed and only simple hand tools are used.
If you prefer a smoother fuselage, the Nynja model is available for $10,000 more ($59,985, still quite a value in 2023).The extra funds buy a composite fuselage exterior plus a 100-horse 912.
If you agree this is a bargain at a time when the price of everything you buy has gone up 50 to 100% or more in the last three years, then you might wonder, "OK, but is thing any good?"
Here's two comments that put that inquiry in perspective: SkyRanger is reportedly Britain's best-selling fixed-wing microlight and is a five-time FAI World Champion. Designed by Frenchman Phillippe Prevot under the brand BestOff, SkyRanger emerged in 1991, so it's got track record, too, proven further still by 1,600 flying examples.
Construction features include: Pin-jointed tubular construction; no welded structure; only straight tubes are used (except wing ribs), which aids assembly; airframe uses aircraft grade 2024 aluminum tubing. Other parts are made from steel and stainless steel.
"The undercarriage is particularly strong," reported FlyLight. "SkyRanger [was expressly] designed for ‘off the beaten path’ operation."
Since 2017, Britain’s 
For those that want ultimate STOL, the original long wing is also available on request.
"Swift 3 also has available an LS version which has a 600 kilogram (1,320 pound) maximum takeoff weight. With empty weight under 270 kilograms (595 pounds), the LS version has an astonishing payload of 330 kilograms (725 pounds)… 1.2 X its empty weight!"
After almost 20 years of LSA development adding features that pilots have requested, and after absorbing the mass from these options, empty weight for most LSA has crept up steadily, making SkyRanger's useful load unusually large.
SkyRanger has been my focus here because it offers a lower price point. However, Nynja is worth your interest if the extra 10 grand is not too much for your budget. It has a composite exterior and the shortened wing of the earlier Swift model so it has a higher cruise (and a somewhat higher stall, of course).
For $50K plus 300 hours of your labor you could have a world champion that has proven itself since before we had Light-Sport Aircraft. Learn more at 
I write about affordable aviation whenever interesting material is available. This website will eventually (probably by August or September) move to the AffordableAviation.com domain that I purchased many years ago. It’s important to me that pilots can actually afford to own and fly their own aircraft because I am one of you. I maintain you’ve always been able to find affordable new airplanes but you had to accept something other than a 150 knot four seater. Part 103 has always been a choice — no medical, N-numbers, or pilot certificate needed — yet not everybody wants that. A great many pilots desire a two seater, even if they nearly always fly it solo. You usually pay more for a two seater, making it less likely to be affordable. One modestly-priced two seater is available, fortunately.* A Genuine Bargain? One flying machine made flying affordable some years ago but it rather quietly slipped from the American market.
That was unfortunate but unavoidable. The show must go on (and be reported). I'm always amazed at how many aircraft make first flights or other notable events just as some show is opening.
As 
Land-based aircraft don't require such testing, which relates to 
Fitting the new engine, completing all water-based testing, and preparing for ASTM's lengthy flight test requirements will keep Team Vickers close to their shop for the next few months.
"We will not be attending Oshkosh this year (2023) as we have a particular path to market that we will begin to unveil in 2024." Paul explained this comment, "We have watched and learned from other aircraft (and automotive) manufacturers over the past 10 years and clearly see the mistakes, and promises, that were made and missed. We will be applying the same thought process and discipline to our pending rollout as we have done to the entire project to date. There is no point in having an aircraft without a manufacturing company to support it, so we did both in parallel. Likewise, there is no point embarking on expensive marketing and airshow displays until we have a product to deliver and demonstrate."
Who would argue these points? Yet it takes patience — and money — to go at a deliberate pace.
To appease those anxious to get in line for a Wave, Paul noted, "We are releasing a few early delivery positions at each milestone so we can confidently begin to scale and ramp year one and two production with confidence, allowing us to secure engines, carbon fiber, and avionics. If you want to get the early list, 
This one challenges all others in the speed contest for LSA (and later, mLSA).
Our #2 video on Videoman Dave's immense library has garnered 700,000 views. That's particularly satisfying as Dave was able to use footage from my first solo video effort.
I was at 
Handling
Here is the original debut video that YouTube viewers have enjoyed so much. Watch it one more time.
https://youtu.be/sfy4UWv041o
In the following brand-new video recorded in April 2023, learn how designer Alberto Porto upgraded his Risen into the high performing SuperVeloce. This 14-minute video is packed with information and many images.
https://youtu.be/g_H220j2MVQ
We are headed into an interesting period of aircraft development and the subject of this article is a perfect example. Welcome to TL Ultralight's enhanced Sparker.
The model was introduced to the European 600 kilogram (1,320 pound) standard but over the last year it has gone through an extensive evaluation and upgrade to carry a 750 kilogram load (1,653 pounds). It was also revised to accommodate Rotax's 915iS and 916iS engines.
With greater capacity and with 160 horsepower available, I'd call this a mLSA or Mosaic-ready Light-Sport Aircraft.
The last aircraft released by TL in 2015 was Stream, their elegant take on a tandem-seating LSA. I flew with Trey Murdaugh, proprietor of TL Sport Aircraft, the North American representative for the brand. Read about 
As I hear your groans over the prices we've seen in the newest Light-Sport Aircraft, please consider the prices on everything else you buy. Since Covid, many things you buy have gone up substantially in price; many items have doubled in price. That fact does not ease your financial burden and it certainly puts Sparker out of reach for some, maybe most pilots. That does not mean it is incorrectly priced; it simply may not fit your budget.
Perhaps the best news about Mosaic is that it will not negatively impact the LSA you have come to know and love. Many of those airplanes remain available at much more affordable prices. In addition, a growing number of used LSA are now available at even lower cost.
Yet if you have the budget or some partners, Sparker might be just the airplane to ignite your flying interests.
"The first Sparkers will come in under the Experimental Exhibition category," said Trey. He and TL personnel will investigate mLSA approval after Mosaic is out.
Come 
Once Mosaic arrives, I expect you will find TL Ultralight's Sparker to be an early aircraft to gain approval. Fortunately, pilots interested today don't need to wait until 2025 — the earliest date Mosaic could be fully available. Trey said the deluxe Sparker could be delivered in 7-8 months. Use the contact information below to obtain pricing and availability.
What you could not easily see was the engine selection. As up-to-date as they can be, Niki is offering either a 141-horsepower Rotax 915iS or the just-released 160-horsepower 916iS. The latter with a lighter load can reportedly climb better than 2,500 feet per minute.
As I cruised the immense (basketball gymnasium-sized) halls of Aero 2023, I saw all manner of beautiful flying machines. In four days of the show, I find it unlikely you can even visit all of them much less become well informed about a majority.
When I happened across Niki, I remembered they had sent an invitation to come by and look at their engaging designs. Company co-owner Miglena Kopcheva was kind enough to show me around the green machine you see nearby. Her enthusiasm for what Niki is doing is infectious.
Forty aircraft are flying at this time but Cruiser is poised to boost numbers. The muscular choice of Rotax's two most powerful engines will position this gyroplane near the top of the category.
Backing up their rather obvious competence in aviation is a larger metal fabrication enterprise called Niki Ltd. For the last 25 years, this operation has been a leading manufacturer of custom-made or private-label furniture for the retail and hospitality industries. The company boasts 150 employees and more than 90,000 square feet of factory and office space. "We are ISO certified," boasted NRA. They add that 100% of all components integrated in our gyroplanes are manufactured in-house.
Niki employees and company facilities support the building of elegant and smart aircraft such as Lightning, Kallithea, and Cruiser (images of each appear with this article).
The company's first project was the Niki 2004 gyroplane that successfully accomplished it first flight test in December, 2008 in Montana, Gabrovnitsa airfield in Bulgaria. The first market-ready gyroplane was Lightning, followed by Kallithea— both feature tandem seating — and most recently by Cruiser.
If you enjoy this image, 
Setting aside the politics of FAI-recognized record flights, no question remains that designer Alberto Porto is determined to create a very fast-flying aircraft. 
What could the typical pilot expect while flying Superveloce? Porto Aviation lists the cruise speed at 75% power from Rotax's 915iS at 200 knots true airspeed at 9,000 feet. Compared to other LSA I have examined, this tops the list (although some other fast designs aren't too far behind).
Porto Aviation, previously quartered in Switzerland, is now a bit further south in Italy. Flying across his former country and the large Bodensee lake to Friedrichshafen, about 200 miles, took Porto just over one hour in the machine seen in the nearby images. By car this would take over four hours. For a large country like America, Superveloce can get you around fast. It also has an impressive range. No wonder Yankees are buyers.
Isn't this well beyond LSA speeds?
How fast is this aircraft?
For complete factory information on speeds, see the data sheet below. Note the right column portrays Risen 915iS SV — with "SV" designating Superveloce. Even with the less costly and more fuel efficient 912iS, Risen can still hit 162 knots at 9,000 feet.
For still more on Superveloce and its speedy ways, 
Beringer and its team of 32 employees, has progressively moved up in the ranks of widely-used wheel and brake systems, distinguishing themselves by the safety, reliability, and innovation of its distinctively-colored products.
At Beringer in France, a team of 25 designs, certificates, and manufactures its products while their seven-person USA division "focuses on retail and warehousing for the North-American market, providing customer support and local contact to its customers.”
The leaders of Beringer reported, "We did not set out to create 'good enough' wheels and brakes. We sought to create exceptional wheels and brakes, with the goal of providing peace of mind to pilots during the most critical phases of flight." Smart, because while pilots love to go fast, they definitely appreciate a strong set of brakes at the end of the flight.
With its roots in wheel and brake systems, Beringer expanded into landing gear with the Alaskan Landing Gear for Cub-type airframes featuring 12 inches of oleo-pneumatic absorption. Their Shock Wheel system for LSA and ultralights equipped with spring gear gives 8 inches of absorption. Most recently, an innovative three-piece aluminum spring gear called B’Flex was added to the product line.
Established in 2012, Beringer Aero USA relocated from Chicago, Illinois to Greenville, South Carolina. Their newly-acquired facility adjacent to the Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) is the North American outlet for the French manufacturer operated for 37 years by the Beringer family. Initially specializing in motorcycle wheels, forks, and brakes, the company turned to aviation in 2009. Through almost four decades, Beringer has never stopped innovating.
"Representing a culmination of decades of production, testing, and experience, Aerotec+ offers a fundamentally new package designed for safety and increased performance," said Beringer.
Two floating brake pads provide cooling from all sides, therefore lowering operating temperature for reduced pad wear and better caliper protection. Furthermore, the brake pad back plate has cooling fins to increase surface area and is made of a special steel alloy rated for higher temperatures that provides 20% more torque.
Aerotec+'s brake disc has been redesigned with a special steel alloy to increase the coefficient of friction while also handling higher temperatures while the brake caliper has been redesigned to increase rigidity for higher piston loads and incorporates new cooling fins to help dissipate heat. Beringer said Aerotec+'s 20% added torque translates into 15 to 30% greater kinetic energy meaning reduced landing distances.
What goes up must eventually stop and Beringer is determined to slow you down easily.
Since it wasn't side by side that did it, was it the way the canopy seemed to hinge forward and nearly off? Was it the dual-boom empennage?
No, it was something much simpler.
Jindrich and Ondrej could see what the other side-by-side gyro producers were doing and they clearly set out to further those design efforts. The earlier designs simply don't have all the innovative ideas that Nisus does.
I realize that a substantial majority of my readers prefer fixed wing aircraft so I keep a rather close focus on conventional three-axis flying machines. However, I like trikes and gyroplanes, too, and they deserve regular coverage for those enthusiasts.
Nisus uses a primary structure welded from chrome molybdenum steel tubes (25crmo4 NBK), reducing weight while ensuring a rigid form and enhanced safety. The inside of the cabin is fully layered with a carbon Kevlar hybrid for occupant safety.
The empennage is a rare (though not unique) gyroplane design with double rudders to improve low-speed maneuvering at low speed, such as during landings.
✔️ Simple but necessary. How do you tie down a gyroplane. Not by its "wings." Instead, Nisus provides tie downs on all three wheels.
✔️ Nisus' engine cowl unlatches in three places on each side. Pilots must remove the cowling to check the oil. Why the added step? This careful pair of designers wanted to be sure pilots examine the whole engine before flight, not merely check the oil quantity. The engine cowl is secured by latches, not screws; they have guide pins to help seat each latch properly. It only takes a few minutes. Nonetheless, Rich said they have asked about hinging the cowl panels to make this inspection easier. Their goal was good but removing the cowl seems burdensome.
✔️ Nisus uses an integrated throttle, wheel-brake lever, and prerotator handle grouped for one-hand operation. Rich said that Nisus prerotator spins up the rotor quickly (15-20 seconds) and you can go full power as this happens. With a simple hand gesture, you can relax the wheel brake and release the prerotator without removing your hand from the throttle. This makes great sense in an important phase of flight.
✔️ A glove box aft of the throttle quadrant has inside it a zippered lining that when unzipped gives access the control cables and more for inspection… another minor but clever way to check your bird before flight.
One main reason given by Brad Damm, the company's vice president of sales and marketing, is because customers asked for it. However, Brad has several other good reasons, which he shared in the video below.
"We invested in several new technologies to make the Carbon Cub UL even lighter and better performing than its predecessor, the Carbon Cub SS," stated CubCrafters. "The goal is a new airplane that features multi-fuel technology (mogas and/or avgas), fully meets ASTM standards, and carries two adult people with a full fuel load and a reasonable amount of baggage at a takeoff weight of 600 kilograms or 1,320 pounds."
Key to the development of the new aircraft is CubCrafters’ collaboration with BRP-Rotax, said CubCrafters, because the engine maker chose top launch their new 160 horsepower turbocharged engine on the Carbon Cub UL. The new 916iS engine is lighter, more fuel efficient, and thanks to turbocharging, can produce more power than the normally aspirated CC340 engine on the Carbon Cub SS (especially) in higher density altitude scenarios.
“Our Carbon Cub was first introduced in 2009 and has been a successful aircraft for both CubCrafters and the entire backcountry flying community,” stated Patrick Horgan, CubCrafters President and CEO. “Now, we’re reimagining the Carbon Cub by incorporating the latest in pre-preg composites, more titanium components, and innovative manufacturing techniques, along with the best new engine and avionics technologies for even more performance and versatility.” Brad further elaborates some of these upgrades in the video below.
Emphasizing their global aspiration, Patrick added, “We believe this aircraft will make a major contribution to unlocking the enormous potential of the international marketplace."
The production version of the new aircraft is slated to be initially built, certified, and test flown as a Light-Sport Aircraft at the CubCrafters factory in Yakima, Washington, but it will also meet Ultralight category requirements in many international jurisdictions.
“The aircraft can remain in the LSA category for our customers in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and even the United States, but it can also be deregistered, exported, and then reregistered as an Ultralight category aircraft in many jurisdictions in Europe, South America, and elsewhere,” explained Brad Damm. “This is a concept we’ve looked at for the last several years. Our kit aircraft program has always been strong in overseas markets, and now we are very excited to have a fully factory assembled and tested aircraft to offer to our international customers.”
The UL concept of a lighter and even better performing version of the Carbon Cub for international markets was first seen for a stunt in Dubai, UAE. A technology demonstrator version of the aircraft was able to successfully land and take off again from a 27-meter (about 90 foot) diameter heliport that is suspended 56 stories above the ground on top of Dubai's iconic skyscraper, Burj Al Arab hotel as part of a recent Red Bull project that inspired audiences worldwide.
Much more information about the Carbon Cub UL, including a product launch Q&A, engine technical specifications from Rotax, and video and still images of the aircraft and engine for editorial use can be found on this 
In Battle Creek, Michigan a European businessman, Dieter Morszeck, has invested more than $30 million to create a modern airplane factory capable of producing such complex yet handsome designs as the Waco biplane. For 2023, that facility has a new occupant, Junkers Aircraft. Both are owned by Dieter and this man is serious about aviation.
Mr. Morszeck made his money in the luggage business. His brand, Rimowa, is known widely for its corrugated exterior, leaving an earlier Junkers aircraft built similarly to be dubbed the "flying suitcase." This is a delicious bit of serendipity because now his former luggage business can be expressed in an airplane… one that draws people's attention wherever it shows up. I observed pilots keen to sit in A50 Junior simply to experience a bit of history.
For additional information on A50 Junior, please 
A Swiss team was engaged to create the first example of A50 Junior in the modern age. Now that the prototyping is done and Special LSA approval has been granted from FAA, A50 can enter the U.S. market and its first buyers are already stepping up.
As you might expect from an aircraft of this highly detailed construction, this is not the least costly SLSA on the market. However, for those filled with desire, the first 29 airplanes — a nod to the year of its first introduction in 1929 — will be sold for about $195,000. I predict they won't have too much trouble finding buyers, especially as many LSA are now approaching (or have exceeded) that price.
Junkers isn't done. An A52 model with side-by-side seating and retractable gear could enter the market as a Mosaic LSA or mLSA. Dieter and his team are already pondering that move and, again, their U.S. factory is set up and ready to produce.
How about 160 horsepower!? That's a 19-horse or 13% gain in power, all essentially from the same engine core? With Mosaic set to allow four seaters, heavier airplanes, greater speed, and probably retractable gear, the newest 916iS seems perfectly situated for Mosaic.
However, since the new rule won't allow deliveries before early 2025, does that mean a long wait for a 916iS? No, as it not made expressly for Mosaic. Indeed, BRP-Rotax already has a launch customer: CubCrafters.
The popular Cub maker has never used Rotax. They used their own engine (one they had manufactured to their specifications). Understandably, the European engine maker is pleased to win CubCrafters as a new customer.
Rotax observed, "Our Rotax 916iS/c showcased its power for the first time in the new CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL, a new engineering prototype equipped with the 916iS."
"Working with Rotax on the 916iS/c has been a great collaboration. We are excited to launch our latest products together and make them available worldwide," said Patrick Horgan, president and CEO of CubCrafters. "The powerful and smooth single lever operation Rotax 916iS/c is outstanding, bringing the latest engine technology to the Carbon Cub family." Patrick added that 916iS/c is compatible with fuels available worldwide.
However, Rotax literature specified other variations, such as the 916iS (no "c"), which they describe as the ASTM compliant engine, making them suitable for LSA today and Mosaic LSA or mLSA in 2025. The 916iS/c is certified by EASA (Europe's rough equivalent to FAA). Commonly, reciprocal agreements between CAAs in western European nations and FAA in America allows the U.S. agency to accept EASA's approval and vice versa.
Helicopters (and, finally, fully-built gyroplanes) are also expected to be permitted under Mosaic. As rotary aircraft often prefer higher power, 916iS appears to offer a good fit.
Since 915iS has been winning converts steadily, I predict a wonderful response to the latest and greatest from the largest supplier of light aircraft engines in the world.
Strap your seat belt securely, clear the sky ahead and push that SLC throttle to the max. Hoo-yah!
Over his many years in the business, Paul has created various models, tried a variety of engines, and strengthen (and proven) his M-Square airframe to allow more potent engines and greater carrying capacity. He has added cockpit enclosures and windscreens. You can fly all M-squared airplanes on floats.
Yet what really sells these airplanes is their friendly, accommodating flight qualities and a durable platform that can work for years.
So, how can he do even better? Please read on…
Paul and his team did a handsome installation even refitting an earlier exhaust system above the engine. They had to clear the airbox on top and keep the heat away from nearby fuel lines but this mount looked quite efficient to my eyes. Paul and I even joked that the muffler itself may produce a bit of lift as it appears somewhat airfoil shaped and operating in clean air.
Perhaps the most surprising news, though, was that Rotax now says the 912iS produces 105 horsepower versus the even 100 horsepower that we have used for many years.
Another major change will be the installation of a Dynon SkyView avionics. Of course, this provides many useful functions but among them Paul can now offer full ADSB In and Out. For an aircraft used to train new pilots, having such state of the air digital electronics will better prepare students.
With a new engine and new avionics, will Breese 2 get too expensive? Affordability is different for each of us but for an aircraft used to train pilots, making it a commercial aircraft, Paul's 2023 price of $75,000 strikes me as a very fair deal. The engine and avionics alone cost him half the selling price. As I told him and others discussing that number, "Tell me something that did not go up 30-50% in the last two year." With the prices on almost everything ratcheting up, I see that as a very fair value.
If you have comments, I'd love to read them below.
Meanwhile, stay tuned for much more from 
With a delicious 10-day spacing between them — time to rest up a bit after a vigorous week — later in April comes 
Organizers of the 49th event announced major plans for this popular airshow that kicks off the recreational flying season. My focus is on LSA, Sport Pilot kits, and ultralights. At Sun 'n Fun, that means Paradise City, where big things are happening. You would not be wrong if you scanned this article and saw increased interest in this part of the overall Sun 'n Fun grounds.
Perhaps it is the potent combination of new leadership and bubbling pilot energy. Perhaps new attention is related to the coming Mosaic regulation. No matter, the area known to many readers as Paradise City or the Ultralight Area — or Light Planes, as Sun 'n Fun now labels it — appears newly energized for 2023. This follows a solid year in 2022 when the overall market sector I follow was 
The other sponsor is a new aircraft manufacturer, 
Rotax Aircraft Engines
Super Petrel has a long history; some 400 are flying around the world. In addition, the current producer, 
The timing was perfect as Rodrigo has always said, “You begin with the engine and build the aircraft around it.”
Besides the more potent engine, Scoda engineers have been busy. The latest version shows several improvements.
Larger tires with 
The fuel system now has two separate header tanks located behind the baggage compartment resulting in a 60% increase in capacity. On-board fuel has been increased as well.
"Remarkably, the aircraft empty weight is nearly the same as the current Super Petrel LS model with Rotax 914 at 870 pounds," said Roger. "The ballast water system now has a gauge on the G3X along with a panel switch to add or remove water while while operating the aircraft on the water," he added.
The landing gear is electrically actuated and hydraulically operated with a mechanical release behind the pilot seat. The doors are gone and replaced by the full canopy. The canopy can be completely operated by hand or, once unlocked, operated by a hydraulic assist. Visibility has been greatly improved with the new canopy design.
"In the beginning we were offering the aircraft with either the Rotax 912iS or the 915iS engines," Roger recalled. Yet, "All twelve aircraft sold thus far have been the 141-horsepower 915iS engines. We decided to take the 912iS off the table."
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 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 
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 