I'll get to Speed Cruiser, 'er… Journey in a minute but first a bit about a new collaboration forming at the DeLand, Florida airport. You know the place, where the DeLand Showcase ran for five years. In case you missed the news, DeLand Showcase is no more. Director Jana Filip departed to join Sun 'n Fun so the event she expertly ran will now give way to something new, from someone else. More on that later.
Although the DeLand Showcase prematurely ended its five-year run, the DeLand Airport remains a beehive of recreational aviation activity. DeLand (KDED) is home to one of the largest sky diving industry and operations facilities in the world (some 35 businesses employing around 600 people). It is home to 
When B.O.T. formed in Liechtenstein (a tiny but wealthy country near Switzerland) they had specific goals for their design:
Flight Qualities
https://youtu.be/Xv8wTxSRz6c
The title of this article contains a lot of information. If you are a close observer of light aircraft, you may recognize B.O.T.’s Speed Cruiser but you didn’t get the rest right away, did you? Now Available? Journey? Aero Affinity? Neither did I know these references until Sun ‘n Fun 2022, but here is the story. I’ll get to Speed Cruiser, ‘er… Journey in a minute but first a bit about a new collaboration forming at the DeLand, Florida airport. You know the place, where the DeLand Showcase ran for five years. In case you missed the news, DeLand Showcase is no more. Director Jana Filip departed to join Sun ‘n Fun so the event she expertly ran will now give way to something new, from someone else. More on that later. Although the DeLand Showcase prematurely ended its five-year run, the DeLand Airport remains a beehive of recreational aviation activity.
True, most LSA are not recommended for aerobatic flying or training. However, one of the main reasons for that is that Rotax does not want their LSA 9-series engines used for aerobatics. If the engine manufacturer does not permit that, we're done talking. It cannot be used that way. The airframe maker can also stipulate no such operations.
However, neither FAA regulations nor ASTM standards expressly prohibit aerobatics. We've already seen one entry that is capable of aerobatics — the FK-12 Comet biplane — but when that model uses a Rotax powerplant, going upside down on purpose is not permitted.
Has Magnus got a valid reason for pursuing aerobatics? Are they trying to invite owners to fly this way? A better rationale: With a capable aircraft, a qualified instructor can offer what some call "Upset Recovery Training." Others may say "unusual attitude training," but the purpose is to prepare pilots who may find themselves in unfamiliar — "upset" … "unusual" — situations, so they know how to exit that condition.
Instead, Magnus will use a ULPower engine. The latter has anticipated this use and the Belgian company recently declared that it meets all ASTM standards applicable to aircraft engines (specifically the F2339-19A standard for reciprocating spark engines for Light-Sport Aircraft).
Welcome to ULPower (see video below) and congratulations to Magnus for using this engine to further their idea of Fusion 212 being used for upset recovery training. The Hungarian company made it official as did ULPower.
"Magnus Aircraft is proud to announce its Fusion 212 airplane is approved for intentional spin. Starting now (April 2022), complete stall and spin awareness training, which is required for all CFIs as per FAR 61.183, can be [done] on the Fusion 212," wrote László Boros, CEO of Magnus.
U.S. representative, Doma Adreka added, "I am pleased to inform you about the spin test results of the Fusion airplane. Since April 4, 2022, all Fusions are approved for intentional spins, and with an ASTM-compliant ULPower 350iS engine, approved for upset recovery and basic aerobatics (+6/-3Gs). With these capabilities the Fusion is the first Special LSA approved for all of these maneuvers and advanced training."
"UL Power confirmed their ASTM declaration stating that the 350 and 520 engines are ASTM-compliant and can be used on SLSA," Doma added.
Officially, 
"Magnus successfully completed the comprehensive intentional spin and recovery test series," Doma elaborated, "so the Fusion 212 airplane is approved for upset recovery training (UPRT), intentional spin and basic aerobatics (+6/-3Gs), which is extremely important for flight safety. Fusion 212 is the first and only available Light Sport Aircraft for these maneuvers." (Note that Tecnam acquired the single-seat 
"Fusion 212 provides low operating costs ($50/hour) to training organizations and private owners. Fusion 212 is well known for its high structural load capacity and strength allowing maneuvers that expand the regular flight envelope." I quickly and willingly add that my two flights in Fusion have shown it to be an extremely solid feeling aircraft (
However, he fell in love with aviation while working for Magnus in Europe and later in the USA, first residing in Texas though he and his family have now relocated to Florida. Doma earned his pilot license in 2020 and is working towards his instructor ticket.
Today, he lives with is wife, Vicky and daughter, Lili Anna, in the Spruce Creek Fly-In community near Daytona Beach. "After almost five years in Texas we moved to Florida in 2021. We absolutely adore living here!"
With that kind of youth and enthusiasm, I expect we'll see Doma and Fusion at an airshow near you.
Since to my similar talk a year ago — when I introduced the then-recently-devised term of Light Personal Aircraft …which is now gone! — lots and lots of pilots have written wondering if this or that general aviation airplane could be included as a LSA. Here's my response.
First, they won't ever be a "LSA." All Standard (not Special) Airworthiness Category aircraft will retain their original certification. A Cessna 150 won't become a LSA.
However, yes, it is possible that a Sport Pilot — or some higher rated pilot using Sport Pilot privileges — could fly a Cessna 150, Aeronca Champ, Piper Cherokee, or even a Cessna 172. The latter with four seats might have to be flown with only one passenger.
As before, none of this is official or certain. Accept it as an indication of FAA's current thinking. We won't know for sure until we see the NPRM and I predict we'll see that at Oshkosh 2022.
So, how could a Sport Pilot be allowed to fly a larger aircraft, or possibly one with four seats, or one with retractable gear? All that is up to Flight Standards, the group that makes decisions about pilot privileges and flight operations. Unlike the aircraft certification department that is giving more work to industry (who might then chose methods they prefer), Flight Standards is unlikely to hand over any work to the industry.
They may, however, use endorsements. The endorsement method is a proven system within FAA and it has worked exceedingly well for Sport Pilots flying Light-Sport Aircraft.
If you are a student earning your Sport Pilot certificate, you might fly in a simple aircraft like a Quicksilver, so you'll emerge with an 87-knot limit. To fly a faster LSA, go get a checkout from an instructor in a faster aircraft. When he or she thinks you've got it, they'll endorse your logbook, sign their name and number, and off you go. That's it. No test or check ride. Indeed, this shows even Flight Standards is letting industry (instructors) make judgement calls.
Endorsements also work for flying into complex airspace. Get trained and endorsed and go enter the nearby Class D or C airspace. The same is true if a Sport Pilot wants to fly a retractable gear LSA seaplane. Train. Endorse. Repeat. The method works.
Could FAA use this method to graduate Sport Pilots into larger, faster, more capable Light-Sport Aircraft? I don't see why not; it already works. But, as with all the above, we'll see what FAA's final decisions are. When? My bet remains on Oshkosh 2022. Stay tuned!
I flew 
As head of Magnus Aircraft's U.S. operation, Doma is an ideal candidate. He has worked in the factory in Hungary for some years, as head of communications and marketing. As the Hungarian company sought to pursue business in America, the leadership sent Doma to Texas to help Fusion 212 earn its SLSA Special Airworthiness Certificate.
In 2021 alone Doma reported selling seven aircraft and expects to log a couple more before the year ends. That's a solid start to the refreshed Magnus America enterprise in the USA.
Although this sturdy aircraft may be optimized for aerobatics the images nearby show this is a comfortable traveling machine as well. Going gross country knowing an aircraft can handle turbulence is reassuring.
As Doma next plans to promote Fusion 212 in the uberactive aviation state of Florida, I'm sure we'll be seeing more Fusions and if some of them appear to be upside down… perhaps they are!
Watch for our 2021 video interview to learn even more. Until the new one is done this after-flight review contains a lot of information about Fusion. (Video shot at Sebring in 2018.)
"Duck and cover" was a phrase to describe the morning on Thursday, Day Two at 
Some, like Scott Severen of 
L600 importer Deon Lombard said he expecting his first with the 
A new-to-Americans Light-Sport Aircraft made its debut showing at AirVenture 2018. Here is the Magnus Aircraft Fusion 212.
It appears another SLSA snuck by my penetrating radar for such achievements. U.S. chief pilot Charlie Snyder told me that the first Fusion earned its Special Airworthinews certificate back in September 2017 thereby joining our 
Snyder and Foldesi exhibited their brightly painted low wing that uses mostly carbon fiber construction and a dual taper wing. Full dual controls are available at both seats. Toe brakes on each side guide a castoring nose wheel via differential braking. Rudder pedals are adjustable to accommodate pilot height differences. Leather upholstery is used throughout and cabin heat is provided.
Standard avionics equipment includes a single 10-inch 
“This low-wing monoplane [has a] symmetrical wing profile that provides it with superb aerobatic capabilities,” said Magnus Aircraft. However, the company advised, "While the aircraft has aerobatic capabilities … as a Normal Category SLSA aircraft, Fusion 212 is presently limited to a maximum of 60 degrees of bank and a maximum pitch up or down of 30 degrees when operating in the United States."
"Fusion 212 is available for special order with 3-5 months of manufacturing lead time. Snyder also said purchase is available from U.S. inventory. A base model Fusion is currently priced from $139,900. Magnus Aircraft, Inc., is licensed by the Hungary-based manufacturer to sell to the American market."
