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Sam Aircraft — Sam LS (now flying)

By Dan Johnson || August 19, 2016 1 Comment

We looked at the handsome Sam LS at Sebring earlier in 2013 but the update at Sun 'n Fun was that the Sam LS is now flying. The company earned approval under Canadian rules (slightly different than U.S. LSA rules). In this video he tells us some facts and thoughts about flying the new aircraft. Hear directly from the designer who finally flew his own creation; he quotes a few facts and figures.

We looked at the handsome Sam LS at Sebring earlier in 2013 but the update at Sun ‘n Fun was that the Sam LS is now flying. The company earned approval under Canadian rules (slightly different than U.S. LSA rules). In this video he tells us some facts and thoughts about flying the new aircraft. Hear directly from the designer who finally flew his own creation; he quotes a few facts and figures.

Sam Aircraft — Sam LS

By Dan Johnson || August 19, 2016 Leave a Comment

Looks like a Yak; flies like a Light-Sport. In this video we speak to Thierry Zibi of Canada who has been working on this design for more than five years. At previous Sebring events he had a booth and collected design input but at the 2013 event, he shows a full-size aircraft. A unique all-metal creation that is unique in its appearance, we asked some of the questions you might have.

Sam Aircraft Prepares for Next Phase

By Dan Johnson || August 27, 2014 Leave a Comment

images courtesy of Sam Aircraft

Hey, buddy, wanna buy an airplane company? Thierry Zibi, proprietor of SAM Aircraft, has put his company up for sale. This decision comes only a year and a half after the first flight of the prototype Sam aircraft. I flew and reported on this tandem seating all-metal airplane. Several other reporters flew the Sam LS and reviews were favorable. Some have likened the design, which Zibi spent years developing, to a Light-Sport version of a early military fighter or trainer modeled somewhat after the Ryan STA. It was done with a style that is uncommon among aircraft designers. An attention-getting image (photo) released just before AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 shows the innards of the airplane appliquéd to the fuselage exterior. Like the logo, nose art, and other aspects of the design, the effect is one reminiscent of art deco, an art fashion of the 1920s, '30s and '40s. After all the work of creating a new design, why would the entrepreneur behind it put the company on the blocks? Like many before him — in and outside of aviation — Zibi realized that his interest dissipated once the "fun" part was over and the work truly began. "I came to the realization that I love designing airplanes, but I am not so keen on running a production company," said Zibi. It may be the right time for a business manager type to take the reins. Sam Aircraft has flown a full test regimen, which the company said, "has shown it to be spin-proof at both full-forward and full-aft center of gravity." Canadian certification has been awarded under the country's Advanced Ultralight regulation and proof to demonstrate compliance to ASTM industry consensus standards has been "completely documented, awaiting only another production example," added Thierry. He observed that tooling and fixtures are done, production has already started, and orders are in the books. "Come to Lachute, Quebec," Thierry invited, "and see the LS aircraft, the factory, and everything that is part of the Sam Aircraft legacy. See what convinced our customers to put down their deposits, and you'll have a ready-to-go operation, for dimes on the development dollar, for a tested, ready-to-deliver design to add to [your] existing line."

Final Newsbits Before AirVenture 2014 Starts

By Dan Johnson || August 12, 2014 Leave a Comment

Garmin's new 7-inch G3X Touch paired with their 10.6-inch display.

Wheel and brake developer Beringer introduced this 4-inch wheel for smaller aircraft along with other new products.

Van's Aircraft along with fully-built partner Synergy offers this new dual large screen Dynon panel.

Sam Aircraft is bringing this "X-ray view" Sam LS to AirVenture 2014 wherei it is sure to appear in many photos.

Garmin has a new smaller version of their very impressive G3X Touch. I examined this at Sun 'n Fun when it was debuted in the 10-inch screen and came away highly impressed after two reviews on videos. For a billion-dollar company Garmin remains passionately inventive and surprisingly nimble. They keep the heat on now introducing a 7-inch G3X Touch display, described as "a high-resolution infrared touchscreen display designed for experimental amateur-built and Light-Sport Aircraft to compliments their existing 10.6-inch G3X Touch system." Pilots and homebuilders concerned about instrument panel height and width constraints should be pleased to have the 7-inch option. All G3X Touch displays support Connext that allows wireless flight plan transfer between the company's Garmin Pilot app on an iOS or select Android mobile device. "A well-equipped 7-inch G3X Touch system, which includes SVX, video input, a built-in WAAS GPS receiver, ADAHRS, magnetometer, OAT probe, interactive mapping and more, starts at $4,599," said Garmin officials. Beringer is another company that simply won't slow down. Or, is that right? Honestly, Beringer people go to work every day literally trying to slow down, specifically to slow down your aircraft. The French wheel and brake maker with operations in the USA keeps its engineers working hard and has several new products ready for AirVenture 2014. One that caught my eye as it could work so well for smaller, lighter aircraft is their new 4-inch wheel. These small wheels that ought to work well for ultralights or in light LSA weigh only 39 ounces. Beringer said these are "powerful brakes with a single-piston caliper with sintered metal pads and floating disc." They say maintenance is easier thanks to sealed ball bearing and no tire tube. The 4-inch wheel is appropriate for aircraft weighing 330 to 770 pounds. All Beringer products carry higher price tags to cover the advanced state of their technology and their finely finished hardware. The new wheels are $459 each for wheel, brake, and disc. • The company also offers a new 6-inch wheel for STOL and Light-Sport Aircraft that use a robust 1.5-inch axle that supports tundra tires. Of course, this is the same company with the excellent anti-groundloop tailwheel as discussed here. Van's Aircraft, their SLSA-building partner Synergy Air, and Dynon Avionics announced availability for a dual screen SkyView Touch option for the factory-built RV-12, available starting September 1st this year. "An option for twin large screens of Dynon's touch-based system provides a larger view of mapping and the ability to share information across screens," said Van's Aircraft. "[This also offers] redundancy in the rare event that one of the screens fail." Van's added that the second large screen on the right side of the panel gives better access to flight information for passengers and copilots while improving the airplane as a platform for flight training. Van's advises the second large screen costs only $4,545. "The base price of an RV-12 S-LSA remains at $115,000 [and] the fully equipped model with all available options, including dual screens, is now $128,845. See more at one of the two RV-12 exhibits at Oshkosh. Van's and Synergy have aircraft at both the Van's booth and the 10th Year Anniversary LSA Exhibit at show center. For more, visit the official RV-12 SLSA website. Dynon also announced availability of their new SkyView 11 software with more than "60 new features and improvements." Video appearing on screen is one of these new upgrades. Sam Aircraft's Thierry Zibi seems to prepare well for airshows. He first used airshows to collect information from potential buyers so that he created an airplane with customer interest already developed. The result was a distinctive retro look that is unlike anything else in the LSA space, a sort of 1950s fighter appearance but with all the modern features. After getting Sam LS in the air this French Canadian entrepreneur made the rounds at all the top shows and succeeded at securing several good pilot reports including my article. To Oshkosh, he will bring a very distinctively decorated Sam LS that may remind alert observers of the similarly fetching exterior finish shown by the folks at Icon Aircraft at last year's AirVenture. Come see this unusual treatment at North Aircraft Display 626 where all the kit companies tend to cluster. Those not attending AirVenture (too bad, so sad) will surely see this airplane in many pictures taken by media people and passers by. AirVenture 2014 is "Disneyland for Airplanes" and we can hardy wait for the event to start. Stay tuned for more ... !

Garmin has a new smaller version of their very impressive G3X Touch. I examined this at Sun ‘n Fun when it was debuted in the 10-inch screen and came away highly impressed after two reviews on videos. For a billion-dollar company Garmin remains passionately inventive and surprisingly nimble. They keep the heat on now introducing a 7-inch G3X Touch display, described as “a high-resolution infrared touchscreen display designed for experimental amateur-built and Light-Sport Aircraft to compliments their existing 10.6-inch G3X Touch system.” Pilots and homebuilders concerned about instrument panel height and width constraints should be pleased to have the 7-inch option. All G3X Touch displays support Connext that allows wireless flight plan transfer between the company’s Garmin Pilot app on an iOS or select Android mobile device. “A well-equipped 7-inch G3X Touch system, which includes SVX, video input, a built-in WAAS GPS receiver, ADAHRS, magnetometer, OAT probe, interactive mapping and more, starts at $4,599,” said Garmin officials.

Flying Sam; “A Warbird for the LSA Market”

By Dan Johnson || October 21, 2013 Leave a Comment

photo courtesy Sam Aircraft

Designer Thierry Zibi loads his backpack into a front storage compartment.

Flying Sam LS. Get more info from our video interview with the designer at Sun 'n Fun 2013. photo by Thierry Zibi

To some it's a new entry in the LSA race (Sam LS is presently selling kits while pursuing SLSA acceptance). To others the Canadian LSA is a "mini T-6" or a "mini Yak 52." Either characterization no doubt pleases designer Thierry Zibi. During development he did a thorough job of asking airshow visitors what appealed to them. Now that Sam is flying, it is fair to say that even with the availability of 132 other Light-Sport Aircraft models, Sam LS is unique. At AOPA's last-ever Summit event in Fort Worth, Texas, I got a chance to take Sam aloft with Thierry overseeing from the aft seat. Short tell: it may look like a miniature warbird, but flies with very solid and pleasant qualities. As the sun-drenched photos reveal, Thierry's airplane glistens with polished aluminum, an uncommon appearance on airport ramps loaded with brightly painted aircraft accented with jaunty striping. However, the engine cowl — one of the few components that is not all-metal — is emblazoned with a stylized red-winged creature that suggests the overall artistic tone for this deco-inspired LSA. As Sam Aircraft is headquartered in Montreal, Thierry began offering a kit in April 2013 under Canada's advanced ultralight category (similar but not identical to LSA). He reported needing several months of work to qualify for an FAA audit. Using a carbureted 100-horsepower Rotax 912 ULS engine supplied from 22 gallon fuel tanks to lift 830 pounds of empty weight, Sam doesn't leap from the ground; I saw 600-700 fpm of climb on a hot Texas day. Yet the new model quickly delivers a solid feeling and very cooperative handling. Sam can cruise 110 knots but stalls in the mid-40s clean or 40 knots with flaps deployed; they go to a maximum of 35 degrees. No matter how I did stalls, they were docile events and Sam is very well behaved, not falling on a wing or dropping its nose suddenly. Flaps are electric with a small indicator on the panel, however, it's almost easier to glance back at the trailing edge to see for yourself. From the front seat, the pilot can look nearly downward in front of the wing and general visibility is excellent through the right-side-hinged canopy. Alternatively, in minutes after removing three pins, you can doff the center canopy and fly in "summertime mode" with just a windscreen and aft section. This probably steals some cruise speed but would create a whole different feel to the airplane. Another journalist felt his forward visibility was restricted during climb but I found looking left and right gave adequate vision. Once level in flight the view is broad. Inside Sam LS is comfortable for all but the widest pilots. On either side of the seat are broad, leather-padded armrests that relaxed my hand on the left side throttle. You'd always solo from the front as that's the only toe brake location but it's OK to fly Sam LS from the rear. When I asked for advice about the right speeds to operate the airplane, Theirry answered, "Sam's magic number is 70 to 75 mph." Indeed, that number works for climb and final approach. I flew slow flight at just above 50 to find handling doesn't differ that much from cruise flight (albeit a tad more sluggish). Once established, steep turns hold nicely throughout a full circle. Two landings proved straightforward affairs that even new pilots could manage with some basic instruction. Launching consumes a reported 350 feet while landings are short at 200 feet. Thierry set the price of a fully built SAM LS at $131,000 (U.S.) including a single large Dynon SkyView, a full set of basic instruments, leather interior trim, and a useful load of 490 pounds (LSA version; 620 for the kit). His kit starts at $23,200. Given its pilot-friendly flight qualities and its inspired stylization, this is an airplane for somebody wanting to break out of the carbon fiber mold. You can play Walter Mitty in your warbird without challenging your pilot skills.

To some it’s a new entry in the LSA race (Sam LS is presently selling kits while pursuing SLSA acceptance). To others the Canadian LSA is a “mini T-6” or a “mini Yak 52.” Either characterization no doubt pleases designer Thierry Zibi. During development he did a thorough job of asking airshow visitors what appealed to them. Now that Sam is flying, it is fair to say that even with the availability of 132 other Light-Sport Aircraft models, Sam LS is unique. At AOPA’s last-ever Summit event in Fort Worth, Texas, I got a chance to take Sam aloft with Thierry overseeing from the aft seat. Short tell: it may look like a miniature warbird, but flies with very solid and pleasant qualities. As the sun-drenched photos reveal, Thierry’s airplane glistens with polished aluminum, an uncommon appearance on airport ramps loaded with brightly painted aircraft accented with jaunty striping.

March 2013 LSA News Wrap

By Dan Johnson || March 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

Sam Aircraft Sam LS

Fredo X-1 (top) and Storm Rally

Terry Raber's Aerolite 103, now from U-Fly-It

SportCruiser / PS-28 Cruiser representative Matthew Harvey (second from right) poses with the UAE CAA's Ismaeil Mohammed Al Balooshi, executive director of aviation safety affairs; Captain Khalid Humaid Al Ali, director of licensing; and Hisham Abdulla Hablail, Inspector-MROS. photo courtesy Arabian Aerospace Online

James Weibe's latest Part 103

A Moller SkyCar for every garage?

Paradise City's new layout was designed by architect and Sportair USA owner, Bill Canino.

Several news items in our March 2013 LSA News Wrap and we'll get to it ... right after this: We're thrilled to tell you that — for the second month in a row — ByDanJohnson.com achieved another record. Despite fewer days, February substantially exceeded January's Unique Visitors, reaching another all-time traffic mark. Last year was amazing and 2013 is even better. THANKS so much for your regular visits and welcome to our new readers! Sam LS Flies — Pilots love new developments, so aviation media outlets jumped all over the first flight of Thierry Zibi's Sam LS. The retro-looking, all-metal Light-Sport candidate (it has not yet gone through the Special LSA process and will initially be sold as a kit) attracted plenty of attention at the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo where the company bought a premium position just inside the main gate. By Sun 'n Fun in less than one month, Thierry will hit another benchmark as the aircraft flies for the public. Doing test pilot chores in Canada, Raphaël Langumier performed straight and level flight, 30-degree banks, and reported a max level speed of 127 mph (110 knots). First kits may ship by late summer 2013 at $39,000 with a ready-to-fly model priced at $135,000 following later. Look for Thierry and Sam at Sun 'n Fun. Meanwhile check our video. LSA Projects Arrive in Florida — No less than three LSA companies have recently struck deals with Florida airports winning the support of local government officials anxious to provide jobs. • Renegade LSA, producer of the Falcon and a key figure in the development of a LSA-oriented Lycoming O-233 engine, moved into a 70,000 square foot facility at the St. Lucie Airport. Proprietor Doc' Bailey said, "We're here, we brought everything down from Missouri." According to WPTV Online in early March, Renegade "will hire 75 and commit $1.7 million in capital improvements in Fort Pierce." Ever busy, Bailey also announced plans to assemble a LSA-version of the venerable Pitts Special biplane. • Next, a company called Italico is planning big things at the Kissimmee, Florida airport where a reported 55 jobs are waiting. Here's one of two Italian companies aiming at U.S. production. The European company EuroALA tried production in Malaysia but is now focused on building the Alfredo di Cesare JetFox design reborn as the Fredo X-1 in the USA. Promoter Sonny Buoncervello attended Sebring 2013; his experience helped create interest from local government officials in Kissimmee. • Then we have Phil McCoy and his plans to recreate the Italian Storm company at the Bartow, Florida airport. His Light Sport America company plans to manufacture and sell four Storm Aircraft models: the all-composite Storm Rally, the Rally Amphibious, the all-metal Century, and the Century Conventional. Price are forecast to range from $99,000 to $117,000. Light Sport American also plans to produce several Storm kits, including the Fury, Fury RG, and 400. Reporting the story, the Lakeland Ledger's headline read: "Maker of Sport Aircraft Moving to Bartow Airport, Hopes to Employ 125 by 2016." • So that's 75 workers at Renegade, 55 at Italico, and 125 at Light Sport America for a total of 255 jobs. I hope it works out but given such great promises while unemployment remains high, no wonder several other Florida airports are also pursing LSA companies. Aerolite Moves to Florida — Clearly, Florida has appeal proved by yet another design moving south. Terry Raber's charming Aerolite 103 is now going to call Deland, Florida home. In 2012, Terry decided to pursue non-aviation business interests. After contacting U-Fly-It owner Dennis Carley a deal was struck resulting in relocation of the Aerolite production facility. Dennis earned a Grand Champion and other awards for his craftsmanship; he's built more than 100 ultralight and experimental aircraft over the past 20 years. Aerolite 103 distinguishes itself through a remarkably low price ($16,500 RTF) for a surprisingly well equipped, full featured Part 103 ultralight, which itself means no pilot license of any kind, no N-numbers, and no medical ... all for well under the average price of a new car. I can attest to Aerolite's fine flying qualities and long proven design. Catch our video on this fun, inexpensive aircraft. UAE Embraces LSA & ASTM — Adding to countries like USA, Australia, Columbia, Brazil, the EU plus other countries, Light-Sport Aircraft that meet ASTM standards got a boost when the United Arab Emirates (UAE) directed their CAA officials to develop regulations to open their skies to Light-Sport Aircraft. Reported by Arabian Aerospace Online, "Globally, [UAE's] CAA joins only a few authorities providing regulation for the LSA sector." The ePublication also reported that Czech Sport Aircraft spent the last day of the show demonstrating the PS-28 Cruiser to senior GCAA officials. PS-28 appears to be what Americans know as the SportCruiser. One of the solid promises of the SP/LSA concept involves using industry-written ASTM standards to gain acceptance from regulatory authorities the world over. All those who have labored long on these standards can feel satisfaction from the growing international acceptance. Belite Updates — The ever-inventive James Weibe is promoting his latest work on a Belite ultralight aircraft with a "strong running, reliable four stroke engine." He reports the powerplant, a half-VW with dual ignition supplied by Scott Casler at Hummel Engines, uses just 1.7 gph of 91 octane MoGas or 100LL. James says this is an engine "proven in aircraft use for many years, weighs 88 pounds, has dual ignition, and develops 45 horsepower." He adds that the engine can be built from a kit, purchased fully assembled, or scratch built from VW parts." • James also refers to his shiny, new and "beautifully engineered aluminum airframe" that has "a flying weight of 278 pounds including parachute." The realized weight reduction finally allows the four stroke engine in an aircraft ... 'er, ultralight vehicle, that can make Part 103's tight limitations. If you're intrigued by this Part 103 entry from a fellow who's pursued it with zeal, read lots more detail in his blog. Moller SkyCar 200 LSA — Perennial pie-in-the-sky TV-Jetson-car developer Moller International claims a new investor in this announcement on the NASDAQ website, "[A new joint venture will] jointly produce numerous models of its vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The venture will initially invest $80 million of a planned $480 million investment with the objective of producing a variety of VTOL aircraft by 2014. Production will include the Skycar® 200 LS, Skycar® 400, Skycar® 600 and Neuera| aircraft."" The reason I paid attention to the article was that one of the models, Skycar® 200 LS, is referred to as a Light-Sport Aircraft version. You can follow Moller International under the stock symbol MLER. The company has long pursued their unique VTOL designs though creating a actual market has eluded them. Especially as Moller always promoted multiple engines on its other designs, it would take some clever engineering to have the single engine allowed on LSA power four ducted fan thrusters. ADS-B Devices You Don't Panel-Mount — Soon I'll gain experience with a loaner Garmin GDL 39 to see weather and traffic on a Garmin 796. I've come to love the 796 and its many capabilities. However, now that I've become spoiled with ADS-B services (of free weather and traffic info) on Dynon's SkyView, I wanted to compare those features on the 796 as well. Look for a report on this after we get the GDL 39 and the 796 communicating to one another. • Well known for their high-end car audio systems Dual Electronics announced its XGPS170 ADS-B receiver last summer and are now moving into production, said Greg Lukins, VP of new business development and an airplane enthusiast. Paired to smartphones and tablets, XGPS170 delivers data wirelessly through Bluetooth technology; it can simultaneously serve two devices. The small units rests on a non-skid pad on a cockpit glare shield. A built-in rechargeable battery can power the unit for up to five hours. I'm in line for a loaner Dual as well; more on it later. Both Dual and Garmin ADS-B panel-top devices list for $799. Paradise City Update — Good news for the Sun 'n Fun airshow. A potential disaster was averted in the FAA's implementation of sequestration budget cuts. The Lakeland Linder control tower will be staffed during the event due to behind-the-scenes negotiation but following the event, questions remain. • In related news the revised and upgraded Paradise City display area is experiencing brisk space sales. All spaces south of the new road are sold and only a few spaces remain to the north of new Doolittle Road. A major draw is the relocated LSA Mall and the chance to fly demo flights all day even during the main airshow. Rotax BRP has also agreed to sponsor 6-seater golf carts that will run to/from the main gate to the LSA Mall. The carts will also be used to ferry demo flight customers from all over the grounds to Paradise City. It's great to see the resurgence to an area once admired for its charm and high flight activity. Videos and More Videos — As Sun 'n Fun approaches, we're planning many more videos for your viewing entertainment and information. Lots of you tell us you like the videos we do with YouTube sensation UltralightNews (more than 6 million views!) and we're happy to provide more. Yet listen to this fact: with nearly 250 videos already posted on ByDanJohnson.com, we offer the equivalent in viewing time of more than 20 full-length motion picture films ... all for free. Enjoy!

Several news items in our March 2013 LSA News Wrap and we’ll get to it … right after this: We’re thrilled to tell you that — for the second month in a row — ByDanJohnson.com achieved another record. Despite fewer days, February substantially exceeded January’s Unique Visitors, reaching another all-time traffic mark. Last year was amazing and 2013 is even better. THANKS so much for your regular visits and welcome to our new readers! Sam LS Flies — Pilots love new developments, so aviation media outlets jumped all over the first flight of Thierry Zibi’s Sam LS. The retro-looking, all-metal Light-Sport candidate (it has not yet gone through the Special LSA process and will initially be sold as a kit) attracted plenty of attention at the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo where the company bought a premium position just inside the main gate. By Sun ‘n Fun in less than one month, Thierry will hit another benchmark as the aircraft flies for the public.