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Tecnam US Inc.

Phone: (863) 655-2400

Sebring, FL 33870 - USA

Simply Gorgeous! — Tecnam Completely Refreshed their Best-Selling Light-Sport Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || May 22, 2019 7 Comments

I regularly attend Aero Friedrichshafen every April certain I will see aircraft I've never seen before — but also because I will see upgrades to existing popular models. This year my informal award for the Most-Improved category goes to Tecnam and their P92 Echo, now in MkII form.

First, congratulations! — As I researched this story I discovered Tecnam had a blow-out year at Aero 2019. The company reported exceeding "all of its pre-show expectations with the sale of 51 aircraft covering Certified and Light categories." Tecnam also celebrated its 70th birthday at Aero where a large staff manned an enormous space featuring three new models: P92 Echo MkII, P2008JC MkII, and P2002JF that is now completing full IFR certification.

Success Story MkII

See the P92 MkII video or images for yourself but I think you will agree this is one gorgeous aircraft. You can find several of our reports about P92 in its many forms via this link. Americans can contact Tecnam's U.S. base at the Sebring airport. "After 27 years," the company announced, "the Tecnam P92 comes back with a new version. P92 Echo MkII comes today with up-to-date technology, composite fuselage, glass avionics, and the same pleasant flying qualities …safe and easy to fly with beauty, inside and outside." As with its earlier models P92 uses metal wings and a metal stabilator. Tecnam engineers stuck with metal wings and stabilator structures "for strength, reliability, and the ability to flex in flight, thereby ensuring a more comfortable ride." However, "to produce the desired increase in cabin width and greater aerodynamic efficiency [we] chose to construct Mk2's fuselage with carbon fiber."

They elaborated that they chose both materials —making this a true composite — for the optimization of aerodynamic qualities, flight characteristic, and reliability. "This addition enabled [us] to make construction decisions based on optimum design and structural integrity rather than purely the cost of production." P92 Echo MkII's interior has also been completely redone. "Doors are lined with automotive-type door seals, seats that give full support with excellent leg room, side map pockets as well as pockets in the back of the seats combine to make the MkII a very comfortable aircraft."

Looks Terrific — Still Flies Great

How is P92 still worth your investigation even while Tecnam has a whole fleet of desirable aircraft? As the specs below show, it cruises near the top of the allowed range. P92 MkII has a low stall speed (39 knots) "with excellent response at all speeds."

Tecnam has long boasted "uncompromising build quality" and P92 MkII has been built to meet requirements for Europe's CS/VLA standards for aircraft certified to this category. Tecnam offers models meeting the European ultralight category (different than the U.S. interpretation of that term), LSA ASTM standards, and Part 23 fully certified aircraft. They make models using twin Rotax power and an 11-seat regional aircraft (seen briefly in the video alongside the P92 MkII). Beside "excellent visibility, roomy space, quiet and ergonomic," P92 uses an all-movable stabilator-type horizontal tail that is traditional on Tecnam aircraft. They say this "allows excellent controllability and excellent 'hands off' longitudinal stability." My own experience backs up this claim. Every Tecnam I've ever flown (most models) have superlative handling.

Inside P92 MkII, "the cabin offers newly designed seats and seat rails which are easily operated and adjustable fore and aft via a single handle with a reinforced area between the rails to make cabin access even easier." The company continued, "A roomy baggage compartment with internal access accommodates voluminous items. A comfortable armrest and USB charger round out the luxurious interior." A generously sized instrument panel provides plenty of room for digital screen avionics although a base model is available with simple analog instruments. The model you see in the images and video represent the "Glass Package" featuring avionics from Garmin and their wonderful touchscreen G3X Here are a few specifications on the renewed P92 Echo MkII when built as a Light-Sport Aircraft. Get more directly from Tecnam:

Max Cruise Speed — 115 knots
Stall Speed — 39 knots
Takeoff Distance — 460 feet
Landing Distance — 393 feet
Rate of Climb — 755 feet per minute
Maximum Takeoff Weight — 1,430 pounds (permits adding floats)
Empty Wight — 750 pounds
Useful Load — 551 pounds
Fuel Capacity — 29 gallons
Range — 700 nautical miles
Wingspan — 29.5 feet
Cabin Width — 45 inches
Baggage Capacity — 44 pounds

https://youtu.be/4F-JRuPmUOg

I regularly attend Aero Friedrichshafen every April certain I will see aircraft I’ve never seen before — but also because I will see upgrades to existing popular models. This year my informal award for the Most-Improved category goes to Tecnam and their P92 Echo, now in MkII form. First, congratulations! — As I researched this story I discovered Tecnam had a blow-out year at Aero 2019. The company reported exceeding “all of its pre-show expectations with the sale of 51 aircraft covering Certified and Light categories.” Tecnam also celebrated its 70th birthday at Aero where a large staff manned an enormous space featuring three new models: P92 Echo MkII, P2008JC MkII, and P2002JF that is now completing full IFR certification. Success Story MkII See the P92 MkII video or images for yourself but I think you will agree this is one gorgeous aircraft. You can find several of our reports about P92 in its many forms via this link.

Secret Success of Light-Sport Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || September 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

A good friend in aviation journalism and Editor-in-Chief of Plane & Pilot magazine is Robert Goyer. We've known each long enough to have stood around years ago at South Lakeland Airpark waiting to fly this or that new ultralight.

Flight Design C4 prototype

In his Going Direct column earlier this month, Robert wrote an editorial about FAA's Part 23 rewrite project. Using an LSA viewpoint, I wanted to add some commentary to his observations. My goal here is twofold: (1) Show how success with LSA led to good things for other aircraft sectors, and (2) Show how LSA continue to significantly outpace sales of Type Certified Single Engine Piston aircraft. Robert wrote, "The FAA announced earlier this week that the Part 23 Rewrite has taken effect. This means that the rule, which gives manufacturers leeway to employ what are known as consensus standards to meet airworthiness standards instead of the FAA’s prescriptive rules. Those rules have been set in stone for decades [but the new regulation] will allow makers of planes that are sub-250-knot models to use industry standards. The effect will likely be a far cheaper certification process for these aircraft makers, hopefully without any decrease in safety." My comment — For several years, industry with FAA participation has been working on standards to certify new GA planes. These people are using the significant success of Light-Sport Aircraft following this method. LSA accident rates are, to use FAA's preferred term, "acceptable" — which is fairly high praise from the agency.

Tecnam's P2010 has FAA approval and are being sold in the USA and around the globe.

Those standards, devised by industry engineers and interested private parties, have proven very solid in assuring good, reliable, airworthy aircraft. They are also credited with keeping LSA below $200,000 (with two exceptions that I know) and often under $100,000. Prices that low are far back in GA's rear-view mirror. Some folks complain about LSA prices but the most expensive of them are much less than the lowest priced Type Certified single engine piston GA airplanes. Perhaps most importantly, these standards are not just for the USA. They are being used by a growing number of countries. This is vastly cheaper for LSA manufacturers than going country-by-country to gain approval. That gives those builders a larger, almost-global market, which keeps them afloat and helps them keep their prices more affordable, which is good for LSA buyers anywhere. Robert wrote, "Existing models of new planes aren’t selling fast because there are only so many people with the financial ability to pay for a half- or three-quarter-million-dollar plane." He summarizes saying, "I don’t see anything in the new rule that will cut down on the expenses [of] engines, props, tires, electronics, wiring, paint, upholstery, plastics… All of those costs will be unaffected by the rule, so that won’t affect the bottom line. The thing that will affect the cost of producing new planes is the lower cost of compliance, which represents a sizable chunk of the whole, though how much is hard to say."

Pipistrel's super-sleek Panthera.

My comment — When I heard the price tag for a single engine, fixed gear Cirrus almost hit $1 million — for an admittedly superbly-equipped aircraft — I realized our LSA prices from $39,000 to $247,000 were much closer to the budget of most pilots I know. I'm amazed how Cirrus keeps selling so many airplanes but it is not their lesser priced models bringing their success. A new Cessna 172 Skyhawk costs more than $400,000, and while a Maule is much less, LSA is still the place where bargains on new airplanes are found. Further, LSA are commonly equipped with instruments you rarely find in any used GA airplanes. The average age GA plane — some 40 years old — has no digital instruments, no autopilot, and no airframe parachute. They use 1950s-era engines that burn only avgas at the rate of 8-20 gallons an hour. Contrarily, nearly all LSA have flat screens or one sort or another and they fly nearly as fast as a C-172 on half the fuel, which can be auto gas for around half the price per gallon. Even ADS-B Out gear is fairly common in LSA whereas in GA, most have still not so equipped even with the deadline looming.

Interior of The Airplane Factory's Sling 4. It flies using a Rotax 914 Turbo.

Robert concluded, "Why can’t a new four-seater come out built with new materials, utilizing innovative un-certified avionics, and perhaps a whole-airplane recovery parachute system? In essence, for small planes, Part 23 could be very much like Light Sport’s big brother. And by looking at LSA sales, we know pretty much how much those planes will cost: A four seater using these innovative certification and design approaches will cost $250,000 and up. That’s not cheap, but it’s a lot less than many traditionally certificated planes are going for today. Don’t misunderstand me. I hope that I’m wrong, that a slew of new manufacturers arises, putting out cutting-edge models that will go for $150,000 a copy or less. If that happens, we could see a change in the little airplane game yet, with lots of new, lower cost models. That’s a change we’d all like to see. Fingers crossed.

Sling 4 is rare among four seaters to use Rotax power, but it works very well.

My comment — "Light Sport's big brother" …indeed. A few of these might be called "LSA 4" or "Light GA" airplanes but four seaters as seen in the nearby photos are basically enlarged versions of a LSA design. I think Robert is right about the price estimate and we'll see how that unfolds. Certainly, though FAA's rewrite of Part 23 should help four seater sales. I'll close by showing our Global LSA Chart for the number of LSA operating. With annoying regularity, some underinformed people tell me they hear LSA sales are stagnating. While they are only steady in the USA (not that "steady" is a curse), you get an incomplete picture unless you include the whole world. See this article for details, but here's two important facts:

LSA sold an estimated 3,000 aircraft in 2015 where in the same year worldwide deliveries of single engine piston certified aircraft numbered 969 units. Also, see the final chart in the above linked article.
More than 66,000 LSA or LSA-like* aircraft are flying around the globe. Most of these have been sold in the last 15-20 years, a delivery pace far faster than all GA-SEPs. I expect this trend to continue.

For those intrigued by the numbers here's another article on worldwide aviation statistics. Happy flying LSA or light kit aircraft lovers! You are in aviation's sweet spot. Enjoy!

* "LSA-like" is a term describing aircraft that very much resemble America's LSA but may not be called that because each country has its own definitions.

A good friend in aviation journalism and Editor-in-Chief of Plane & Pilot magazine is Robert Goyer. We’ve known each long enough to have stood around years ago at South Lakeland Airpark waiting to fly this or that new ultralight. In his Going Direct column earlier this month, Robert wrote an editorial about FAA’s Part 23 rewrite project. Using an LSA viewpoint, I wanted to add some commentary to his observations. My goal here is twofold: (1) Show how success with LSA led to good things for other aircraft sectors, and (2) Show how LSA continue to significantly outpace sales of Type Certified Single Engine Piston aircraft. Robert wrote, “The FAA announced earlier this week that the Part 23 Rewrite has taken effect. This means that the rule, which gives manufacturers leeway to employ what are known as consensus standards to meet airworthiness standards instead of the FAA’s prescriptive rules.

Tecnam’s Shapely P2008 Is Now a Canadian Advanced Ultralight Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || September 20, 2017 4 Comments

P2008 is seen in front of the Sebring, Florida terminal building at the airport where Tecnam's U.S. operation is based.

America's neighbor to the north is USA's largest trading partner …yes, bigger than China, or any other single country. It may be hard to accept that exchanges with a nation of 36 million population exceeds China by almost a third, despite that Asian nation's 1.37 billion persons and its export-promoting government. Nonetheless, it's true. Canada is also the #2 nation bringing regular reader to this website. Gotta love those Canadians. Armed with those facts, I was intrigued to see the announcement from the big Italian company, "Tecnam P2008 now available in Canada."

A few days back, Tecnam announced that Transport Canada, their equivalent to FAA, confirmed that the P2008 has been added to the Eligible to Be Registered Advanced Ultralight Listing (although the Tecnam model has not been added to their website list at this writing).

"P2008 aircraft may be registered in Canada as of this date," wrote Civil Aviation Safety Inspector, Craig Davis of Transport Canada on August 14, 2017.

P2008 captured in flight. All photos courtesy Tecnam Aircraft.

An "Advanced Ultralight" is not an American ultralight vehicle nor a European Ultralight — sometimes called Microlight. The last is limited to a weight of 472.5 kilograms (1,040 pounds) with an airframe parachute, as required in Germany. An American ultralight is limited to 254 pounds empty weight, with some allowances for airframe parachutes or float gear.

In Canada, a two-seat Advanced Ultralight is limited to 1,232 pounds, whereas in the USA, Tecnam's sleek P2008 can weigh 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms).

According to Transport Canada's regulations an advanced ultra-light aeroplane (AULA) is an aeroplane which:

Is propeller driven;
Is designed to carry a maximum of two persons, including the pilot;
Has a maximum take-off mass of 350 kilograms (770 pounds) for a single place aeroplane, or 560 kilograms (1,232 pounds) for a two place aeroplane;
A maximum stalling speed in the landing configuration at manufacturer's recommended maximum take-off mass (weight) not exceeding 72 km/h (20 m/s, 45 mph) (IAS); and,
Is limited to non-aerobatic operations.

Tecnam's four seat conventionally-certified P2010 bears a great resemblance to the earlier P2008.

Tecnam's two-place composite fuselage and metal wing P2008 has enjoyed success across the globe as an US-LSA and CS-VLA (Very Light Aircraft, a standard that allows more gross weight). "It is now welcome in Canada as an advanced-ultralight," Tecnam said.

Their P2008 joins the classic P92, P96, P2002 Sierra, and P2004 Bravo as advanced-ultralight Tecnam models available in Canada. "Together with the P2006T twin and P2010 four-seat standard category models Canadian owners now have access across our product line," noted Tecnam.

"P2008 has found a place for either personal touring or flight school use offering a balanced flight control feel, comfortable cross country ride, and room to stretch out," the company said. For more information about the P2008 visit their dedicated website for this model.“We have seen considerable interest in the P2008 from pilots in Canada in the past two years and we are pleased that we can show our commitment to the entire North American market by making the P2008 available to those customers,” observed Paolo Pascale, Tecnam’s CEO.

America’s neighbor to the north is USA’s largest trading partner …yes, bigger than China, or any other single country. It may be hard to accept that exchanges with a nation of 36 million population exceeds China by almost a third, despite that Asian nation’s 1.37 billion persons and its export-promoting government. Nonetheless, it’s true. Canada is also the #2 nation bringing regular reader to this website. Gotta love those Canadians. Armed with those facts, I was intrigued to see the announcement from the big Italian company, “Tecnam P2008 now available in Canada.” A few days back, Tecnam announced that Transport Canada, their equivalent to FAA, confirmed that the P2008 has been added to the Eligible to Be Registered Advanced Ultralight Listing (although the Tecnam model has not been added to their website list at this writing). “P2008 aircraft may be registered in Canada as of this date,” wrote Civil Aviation Safety Inspector, Craig Davis of Transport Canada on August 14, 2017.

He Built and Test Flew Airplanes for You!

By Dan Johnson || March 17, 2017 Leave a Comment

We lost one of the good ones recently. You may not have met or even know this man, but you certainly know — and may absolutely love — the airplanes he created.

We say a sad and final farewell to Professor Luigi "Gino" Pascale.

While it is somewhat melancholy to bid farewell to this man of short stature but giant achievements, he did what he loved for seven decades and until very near the time of his death. None of us can ask for much more than that.

Luigi is also succeeded by family members who continue to run and expand the operation he began with his brother Giovanni so many years ago. Officially he was chief preliminary design officer of Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam but Tecnam team members remember him fondly as the heart and soul of Tecnam. He was 93 at his passing.

Professor Luigi — as I heard several Tecnam employees refer to him — got his start in aviation designing model airplanes way back in the 1930s. His brother Giovanni and he were passionate about flight and never stopped pursuing the dream.

The Pascale brothers began work on their first full-sized airplane in 1948. They called it the P48 Astore. On the 65th anniversary of that modest beginning, the now-giant of light aviation called Tecnam, unveiled a brand new version of Astore (reported here). Of course, Professor Luigi had a great deal to do with this one as he did with the first. Subsequently all Tecnam designs have the designation P##, with the numbers representing the year the design was started.

Luigi Pascale poses in front of the Tecnam Twin, one of his many designs.

That original Astore first flew in 1951 after Luigi earned his pilot's license. In university, he achieved a Master's Degree in mechanical engineering, reinforcing an obvious aptitude for aircraft design.

Perhaps his most famous design — at least prior to the Light-Sport Aircraft of more recent years — was the Partenavia, a sleek twin-engine general aviation airplane started in 1957. Before that he and his brother created numerous race planes. Sport and recreational flying never left his mind and Sport Pilots today benefit from his tireless work. Indeed, the original company and the one we know today as Tecnam has produced and sold more than 7,000 aircraft, the company reported.

Perhaps his major success — from a number produced standpoint — is his P92, a two-seat metal airplane that has been delivered in several variations. This wonderful light aircraft remains the company's most popular design. After 25 years of service, more than 2,500 are flying in many, many countries around the planet.

While no one knows for sure, it would not be too much of a stretch to say P92 is the most successful Light-Sport Aircraft ever built (though not all models precisely meet the LSA description). That many airplanes flown an uncounted number of hours have delivered many smiles to many pilots regardless of the language they speak.

Luigi Pascale pictured with his nephew, Paolo Pascale. In this video, hear Paolo describe the new Astore and refer to his uncle.

Professor Luigi's final design, the 11-seat P2012 Traveller, is currently going through flight testing. I never heard if he did the flying for this one, but his nephew, Paolo Pascale, who now leads the Tecnam organization, once told me, "Not only does Uncle Luigi design these aircraft, he also test flies them." Amazing!

"Luigi was incredibly proud of Tecnam and all of its employees, and we will all miss him greatly," said Paolo Pascale, who these days is Tecnam's CEO. "His drive to excellence, determination, can-do spirit and commitment to our company will inspire and stay with us always."

Luigi accomplished much and his family of both relatives and company team members have much to be proud of and the pilots who continue to fly his design join with the family in bidding a fond farewell to the talented gentleman from Italy.

See Professor Luigi's heartfelt appreciation when he won the LAMA President's Award for 2016. It is clear he loved aviation and those who loved it with him:

We lost one of the good ones recently. You may not have met or even know this man, but you certainly know — and may absolutely love — the airplanes he created. We say a sad and final farewell to Professor Luigi “Gino” Pascale. While it is somewhat melancholy to bid farewell to this man of short stature but giant achievements, he did what he loved for seven decades and until very near the time of his death. None of us can ask for much more than that. Luigi is also succeeded by family members who continue to run and expand the operation he began with his brother Giovanni so many years ago. Officially he was chief preliminary design officer of Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam but Tecnam team members remember him fondly as the heart and soul of Tecnam. He was 93 at his passing. Professor Luigi — as I heard several Tecnam employees refer to him — got his start in aviation designing model airplanes way back in the 1930s.

What Effect Will “BasicMed” Have on Light-Sport?

By Dan Johnson || January 17, 2017 6 Comments

Tecnam's handsome Astore helped celebrate the company's 65th anniversary in business.

Are excited general aviation pilots kidding themselves about BasicMed? At least one prominent light aviation expert thinks so and judging from comments I've received, I am inclined to say this is much more common than some want to believe.

The number of inquiries or comments I have received compels me to speak to this subject. Several readers or viewers asked variations on this question, "Will this have an adverse effect on Light-Sport Aircraft?" I'll offer my response and then add some other comments.

Aviation medical reform is nearly complete (BasicMed becomes effective May 1st). Many pilots may be waiting to qualify. Most need only to fulfill the requirement for an online evaluation every two years (free from AOPA) plus needing to see a doctor every four. If they did not earn a third class medical in the last 10 years, they must get that out of the way first. This is potentially a big problem as many let their medical lapse for various reasons.

The good news: Light-Sport Aircraft or Sport Pilot-eligible kit aircraft trigger no such requirement.

The Airplane Factory's Sling is available as a two-seat LSA or a 4-seat kit.

Aviators from the LSA and Sport Pilot-eligible aircraft community are generally pleased that some pilots will be able to acquire airplanes from the used GA fleet at low cost or continue to fly the one they already own or rent. The fleet averages nearly 40 years old but that also means lower asking prices (though BasicMed demand could nudge the prices upward).

However, the appeal remains strong for a new LSA at an affordable price or a used LSA at a reduced cost. These roomy, up-to-date aircraft commonly have modern fuel-efficient engines, highly sophisticated equipment including glass panels, and feature low operating costs with performance to match many GA airplanes, albeit with two seats. Light kit aircraft offer broad customization at modest expense. All can be flown with no medical proof other than a valid driver's license.

When the rule change was first proposed five years ago, LSA sales took a nose dive. That body blow to a young industry segment has long since been absorbed and pilots who want a late-model aircraft have been choosing from dozens of models that are now well-established in the market and boast good safety records.

Contrary to some naysayers, LSA has been a global success. Today, LSA and LSA-like aircraft represent well over 60,000 units worldwide with annual sales around 3,000 new units. That last figure is about triple the number of new Type Certified aircraft delivered annually, according to recent reports. Find more details on LSA around the world in this article.

Remos debuted their slick new GXiS model at AirVenture 2016.

"As for the current [BasicMed] proposal, it is not the open medical idea that the LSA pilots enjoy," observed Eric Tucker, longtime industry expert and technical representative for Rotax in the Americas.

"The 'hoops' put in by the FAA make [achieving BasicMed] anything but simple," he added. "There are still checks, there are still evaluations that make this far more complex than the LSA medical we currently have."

Eric summarized noting that, given those fresh "hoops," LSA will not lose its appeal due to the medical changes for pilots.

"After reviewing the new requirements, the so-called relaxing of the medical for pilots, I am rather surprised at the pundits' responses," elaborated Eric. "This is not at all the same as the LSA rule. Indeed this is in some ways worse than what they have at the moment, in my opinion. You now have people who have to go to a doctor who will be unsure of what is really required and perhaps reluctant to sign off on a certificate that they know so little about."

Eric suggested asking yourself these questions: "Will doctors unfamiliar with aviation be willing to sign off for aviation medicals? Will they be willing to take on the responsibility for this in light of the legal response, if it should occur (as it no doubt will) that a pilot has a medical issue while flying after seeing a regular doctor? I think that the positive thoughts expressed today by some might change when we recheck this in a few years. Time will tell."

"The LSA rule is far better," Eric concluded. "People should be made aware of this."

Are excited general aviation pilots kidding themselves about BasicMed? At least one prominent light aviation expert thinks so and judging from comments I’ve received, I am inclined to say this is much more common than some want to believe. The number of inquiries or comments I have received compels me to speak to this subject. Several readers or viewers asked variations on this question, “Will this have an adverse effect on Light-Sport Aircraft?” I’ll offer my response and then add some other comments. Aviation medical reform is nearly complete (BasicMed becomes effective May 1st). Many pilots may be waiting to qualify. Most need only to fulfill the requirement for an online evaluation every two years (free from AOPA) plus needing to see a doctor every four. If they did not earn a third class medical in the last 10 years, they must get that out of the way first. This is potentially a big problem as many let their medical lapse for various reasons.

Tecnam Upgrades Popular Sierra, Now Called Mark 2

By Dan Johnson || December 2, 2016 Leave a Comment

Fourteen years ago, light aviation leader Tecnam brought their only low wing, the Sierra, to market. It went on to become one of their most popular airplanes ...and that's truly saying something since the Italian company has a broad line of beautiful airplanes.

On the 65th anniversary of this company founded in 1948, Tecnam brought their sparkling new Astore to the market (so named in honor of the very first aircraft the company offered). At its debut most thought Sierra had been replaced by Astore, perhaps never to be seen again. Happily, that is not the case.

An old line is: Nothing succeeds like success. Therefore, given the impressive run of Sierra the First, and even with the Astore, Sierra Mark 2 may be utterly logical. "The market is always demanding greater comfort and more features," says Tecnam Managing Director, Paolo Pascale, "so improving and updating our product is a must."

The Capua, Italy-based company announced, "Tecnam has introduced a substantially updated and improved Mark 2 version of the company's popular P2002 Sierra." The model name P2002 indicates the original design was created that year.

Tecnam observed, "P2002 Sierra MkII retains all the features and flying qualities which have established the aircraft's position in the marketplace. However, the Mk2 model offers an improved cabin for greater comfort, top level avionics, new paint colors and interior options and a redesigned cowling for the 100-horsepower Rotax engine."

Sierra Mk2's cabin has been enlarged. A glance at the instrument panel or its snazzy sports car-quality seats displays the premium new interior design.

Led by their patriarchal and celebrated designer Luigi Pascale — this year's winner of the LAMA Outstanding Individual Award — Tecnam engineers redesigned the canopy to provide more headroom. With the new canopy, a positive-locking mechanism assures reduced noise level.

Seats are not only handsome but now offer additional fore and aft adjustment to better accommodate folks of different sizes and shapes.

Beside a sleeker engine cowling Sierra Mk2 has several distinctive options for paint colors and interior fabrics. The new creations definitely upgrade the older design and will impress anyone you take aloft with you.

A few facts and specs are in order. Sierra offers a 600 nautical mile range thanks to 29 gallons, thanks to the good fuel economy of its Rotax 912 engine, burning 4.5 gallons per hour, noted Tecnam. Sierra Mk2 weighs 809 pounds empty, has a 514 pound useful load with 44 pounds of baggage. It can cruise at 120 knots, Tecnam advises while stalling at just 38 knots. It climbs at 800 fpm.

Professor Luigi like to use tapered laminar airfoils with slotted flaps and Sierra also has these advanced features. As with all Tecnams, the main airframe is metal, familiar to any repair shop anywhere in the world... a useful factor for a company that sells all over the globe.

To my eyes — and many others agree — one of the best aspects of the Sierra is its sliding canopy. You can slide this aft, at least partially, in flight and those of us who enjoy an open cockpit love this sensation in an otherwise very civilized environment. About this all-clear canopy Tecnam noted it offers, "full rollover protection, tested via inverted drop tests.

A glance at the panel shows the great advancements in instrumentation since Sierra was first offered, long before digital glass screens and devices like iPad (which, by the way, Astore neatly incorportated into its panel). You can choose from either Dynon SkyView or Garmin G3X, either of which is superb.

Finally, handling has always been a very strong area for the Tecnams I've flown (which has been all their LSA models). The company stated, "The horizontal stabilator tail design provides remarkable longitudinal hands-off stability along with minimum drag and weight penalty. This provides balanced two-finger flight control."

The first model will be delivered to Tecnam U.S. in time for the 2017 Sebring Expo. The show runs January 25th-28th. Even if you can't make that 13th annual event, I'll be all over Sierra Mk 2.

Fourteen years ago, light aviation leader Tecnam brought their only low wing, the Sierra, to market. It went on to become one of their most popular airplanes …and that’s truly saying something since the Italian company has a broad line of beautiful airplanes. On the 65th anniversary of this company founded in 1948, Tecnam brought their sparkling new Astore to the market (so named in honor of the very first aircraft the company offered). At its debut most thought Sierra had been replaced by Astore, perhaps never to be seen again. Happily, that is not the case. An old line is: Nothing succeeds like success. Therefore, given the impressive run of Sierra the First, and even with the Astore, Sierra Mark 2 may be utterly logical. “The market is always demanding greater comfort and more features,” says Tecnam Managing Director, Paolo Pascale, “so improving and updating our product is a must.” The Capua, Italy-based company announced, “Tecnam has introduced a substantially updated and improved Mark 2 version of the company’s popular P2002 Sierra.” The model name P2002 indicates the original design was created that year.

GA Deliveries Decline Yet Tecnam Performs Well

By Dan Johnson || November 11, 2016 2 Comments

The world best seller is Cirrus SR22, especially the 22T for turbo.

Every quarter, like clockwork, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), issues its delivery report. I've used their data in the past (see HERE) and I appreciate the work they do for the GA producer community. For the past few years, these reports have not exactly been a bright spot, with fairly small numbers of aircraft reported delivered and trends sloping downward. Thanks to my LAMA associate in Europe, Jan Fridrich, ByDanJohnson.com also reports airplane activity, although Jan and I use FAA registration data modified only by our intimate knowledge of the light aircraft industry. Both GAMA and LAMA must interpret some info as these data sources are more slippery than you might think. For each organization the best info is that which you can distill over years of reporting. If the detail may have potential errors (usually small) the long term trends are more reliable. I want to give you a small glimpse at GAMA's numbers for the first nine months of 2016. I am well aware such info is not why you come to this website. However, as GAMA has coaxed a few of the larger LSA producers into its membership, I found some facts of interest.

Tecnam's lovely Astore resembles the Cirrus but costs a fraction as much.

The best news was Tecnam's numbers. This Italian company has been a major force in light aircraft production for years. That isn't changing; in fact, it appears certain to accelerate. From GAMA's numbers I ignore all the business jet, turbine, helicopter, and ag-plane data. That stuff interests me and most readers only peripherally. So, I look solely at their Single Engine Piston (SEP) data as the closest comparison to LSA and light kit aircraft. GAMA reported 601 SEPs for the first nine months, or 800 annualized. Of that, Tecnam logged 122 units for better than 20% of all GAMA SEPs. This does count all their aircraft with one engine including their Type Certified P2010 four seater as well as their LSA models, the latter accounting for 53 units or 71 annualized. GAMA decided from info supplied by Tecnam which ones were LSA, referring to their ASTM standards compliance. The GA organization leaves LSA out of their summary tables but includes those stats in their detail info. To compare, Cessna reported 127 units in the same nine-month period. So, short by only a hair, Tecnam produced as many SEPs as did giant Cessna. Both significantly trailed Cirrus, which logged 226 units delivered (38% of all SEPs), by far the best in the list. Other GA producers, in order, were Diamond (46) and Piper (41), trailed distantly by Bonanza (16), Champion (15), Mooney (5), and Maule (3).

Tecnam's P2008 is a handsome and popular Light-Sport entry. Tecnam photos courtesy the company

The only other LSA producers included on GAMA's review were Flight Design (19) and CubCrafters (27... of which 22 were LSA). Flight Design is going through reorganization and how GAMA will handle that change remains to be seen. CubCrafters, with 22 LSA (all Carbon Cubs, zero Sport Cubs) annualizes to 29 LSA and that is far off their hot pace the last few years. In 2015, the West coast Cub-like builder slipped from their one-a-week rate in the preceding few years and 2016's info appears to slow further. Could the number of potential buyers of $200,000 Cubs be dropping or is this just a temporary slowdown? CubCrafters has competition from American Legend and various European suppliers of very similar aircraft (SportairUSA's Shock), American variations (Just Aircraft) that perform even better, and still others with more affordable prices (Rans). All that said, Tecnam clearly looks like the strong company in light aviation with numbers way ahead of whomever comes second. The company has a wide line of several LSA (P92, P2008, Astore, etc.) plus the dual-Rotax Twin, the newer P2010 GA model and an 11-seater in progress. Good for Tecnam!

Every quarter, like clockwork, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), issues its delivery report. I’ve used their data in the past (see HERE) and I appreciate the work they do for the GA producer community. For the past few years, these reports have not exactly been a bright spot, with fairly small numbers of aircraft reported delivered and trends sloping downward. Thanks to my LAMA associate in Europe, Jan Fridrich, ByDanJohnson.com also reports airplane activity, although Jan and I use FAA registration data modified only by our intimate knowledge of the light aircraft industry. Both GAMA and LAMA must interpret some info as these data sources are more slippery than you might think. For each organization the best info is that which you can distill over years of reporting. If the detail may have potential errors (usually small) the long term trends are more reliable. I want to give you a small glimpse at GAMA’s numbers for the first nine months of 2016.

Aircraft Spruce—WideBody FK9—Icon in Tijuana

By Dan Johnson || September 5, 2016 Leave a Comment

Article Updated 9/7/15 — See new information at the bottom of this article.

Coming up TOMORROW! — September 8-9-10, 2016 — is the Midwest LSA Expo. I'm on-site for all three days in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. More info: Midwest LSA Expo. Only six years after Steve Jobs proudly announced the first iPad, the tablet device seems to have fully conquered aviation. Airline captains routinely use iPads in lieu of bulky printed instrument charts. GA airplane owners with analog panels commonly use an iPad to join the digital revolution without needing to get FAA's permission. And, LSA developers often accommodate the iDevice; indeed, some Light-Sports make do solely with iPads, occasionally multiple devices. Despite his visionary prowess, I bet Steve Jobs never imagined such a result. Unfortunately, he didn't live long enough to see the cockpit transformation his gizmo caused.

However, if you've flown with an iPad, you know you need some way to hold it that allows access to its wealth of information without interfering with airplane operation. No problem. Aircraft Spruce is now offering AirGizmos Airmounts with fixed, tilt, and suction capabilities for your iPad Mini or iPad Air. GA pilots (or anyone with a panel full of steam gauges) can use mount designed to fit standard 3.125-inch instrument holes. The AirGizmos Airmount can be placed on your panel and hold securely," said Aircraft Spruce reps. "With Tilt Mount, AirGizmo allows for a 16-degree tilt up or down for a convenient viewing while flying. For those looking for a mount for a rental aircraft, or a lack of space on their panel, try the suction mount. The AirGizmo with Suction Mount holds your iPad securely using a heavy duty suction cup to attach it to your windshield or any other smooth surface." As the nearby image shows, the mounts can also work for Android devices. Aircraft Spruce's complete product line is available at the company website. Readers may request a complimentary copy of the company's free 1,000+ page catalog here (available in print, CD, or PDF formats).

One of the longest-selling, still-in-production light aircraft is the FK Lightplanes FK9. It was first debuted at the 1989 Aero show in Germany, giving this venerable model a 27-year history, a few months longer than another veteran, Tecnam's P92 Echo. Both have seen numerous variations on the theme and both have worn the passage of time like a comfortable coat. More than 500 FK9s are flying. In the last year, FK Lightplanes — formerly a German company now based in Poland and run by a South African — addressed frequent comments from FK9 pilots seeking more space. "We launched a WideBody version of our FK9 MkV model," said company director Roland Hallam. The difference is 10 centimeters or about four inches, but that width change makes more difference than it sounds from the number alone. As some experts have noted, you cannot perceive the extra width from the outside of this handsome airplane but you will enjoy it once inside. In addition, as you can see in the nearby photo, FK Lightplanes has also added amphibious floats to the FK9. "We had already installed straight floats to the FK9 MkV but — working with Czech developer Josef Fillinger — we installed amphibious floats on our WideBody, including four retractable gear." Roland added, "Unfortunately, the amphib float system alone weighs 264 pounds, so we can only sell this version into the 600-kg LSA countries, like you guys in the States." The WideBody version also gained outside access to the luggage compartment that can hold up to 22 pounds. Find out more about FK Lightplanes in the USA by contacting Hansen Air Group.

According to an online news report from Tijuana, Mexico, "Icon Aircraft announced ... the establishment of a production plant in the city of Tijuana, Baja California, [to build] the entire structure for A5." Icon reportedly expects the plant to be completed in early 2017 after which the operation will be "delivering structures of carbon fiber fuselages to its facilities in [Vacaville], California for final assemble and flight testing." The report continued, "Icon will begin its serialized production and has selected the city of Tijuana as the ideal location for the production of composite components because of Tijuana's established industrial infrastructure, skilled, labor, and proximity to the Vacaville, California factory." "With an investment of more than $150 million and employment for over 1,000 people, this event marks the prelude to a significant project that will benefit both the city and the country," the report detailed. A presentation ceremony is planned for Thursday, September 8th at the Tijuana Cultural Center at which the report said Icon CEO Kirk Hawkins will be joined by Mexican government authorities and private sector representatives. Plans back in 2012 called for Cirrus Design to make Icon A5 composite parts in one of its Minnesota facilities but this plan has not been mentioned in company announcements since. Perhaps now we know why. Article Updated 9/7/15 — After I broke this story thanks to a tip from an alert regular reader, other aviation media jumped on the hot news and Icon followed with a formal news release.

On September 7, 2016 Icon announced "the construction of a new facility in Tijuana, Mexico as part of a revised production plan announced in May. The company decided to produce its own composite components, a manufacturing process that was previously outsourced to several suppliers." The new facility, which Icon reports will start operations in November, 2016, covers approximately 300,000 square feet and will fabricate composite components for the A5. CEO and Founder Kirk Hawkins said, "By bringing composite fabrication in-house, we will be able to ensure that components meet Icon's strict quality and cost standards while also allowing us to more rapidly implement changes." Thomas Wieners, Icon's VP of Manufacturing, led construction and operation of Bombardier Recreational Products' (BRP) facility in Querétaro, Mexico, where the company related to Rotax Aircraft Engines makes Sea-Doo watercraft and other products. He said TIjuana is "ideal" for Icon because of the Mexican city's "infrastructure and skilled labor force, including composites and aerospace expertise."

Article Updated 9/7/15 — See new information at the bottom of this article. Coming up TOMORROW! — September 8-9-10, 2016 — is the Midwest LSA Expo. I’m on-site for all three days in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. More info: Midwest LSA Expo. Only six years after Steve Jobs proudly announced the first iPad, the tablet device seems to have fully conquered aviation. Airline captains routinely use iPads in lieu of bulky printed instrument charts. GA airplane owners with analog panels commonly use an iPad to join the digital revolution without needing to get FAA’s permission. And, LSA developers often accommodate the iDevice; indeed, some Light-Sports make do solely with iPads, occasionally multiple devices. Despite his visionary prowess, I bet Steve Jobs never imagined such a result. Unfortunately, he didn’t live long enough to see the cockpit transformation his gizmo caused. However, if you’ve flown with an iPad, you know you need some way to hold it that allows access to its wealth of information without interfering with airplane operation.

Tecnam — SeaSky amphibian (7/13)

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

Tecnam has likely built more variations on their Light-Sport Aircraft theme than any other company. One of the latest to show was the SeaSky, an amphibious float-equipped version of the P92 Echo Classic that has more than a 20-year history with the company. The floats are also a Tecnam product, a product of the Italian company acquiring a Spanish company with composite technology and equipment. Company rep Tristan Rabb shows us around the new model.

Tecnam Eaglet — Law Enforcement Gear

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

Light-Sport Aircraft may only be used commercially in two ways: for paid flight instruction and aircraft rentals. However, if a LSA is bought by a municipality, the U.S. government, or the military, it may be called a "Public Use Aircraft," and is then exempt from FAA's prohibition of other commercial use. The Tecnam in this video is fitted with a reasonably low cost, quickly attached camera system that might be used by law enforcement officials. Watch too see how the gear works.

Light-Sport Aircraft may only be used commercially in two ways: for paid flight instruction and aircraft rentals. However, if a LSA is bought by a municipality, the U.S. government, or the military, it may be called a “Public Use Aircraft,” and is then exempt from FAA’s prohibition of other commercial use. The Tecnam in this video is fitted with a reasonably low cost, quickly attached camera system that might be used by law enforcement officials. Watch too see how the gear works.

Tecnam — Snap (aerobatic LSA 2013)

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

In early 2013 Tecnam acquired the design rights and tooling to produce Snap, the first aircraft in the LSA space aimed specifically at aerobatic flying. It uses a special version of the Rotax 912 and we spoke to Fabio Russo, the designer of the aircraft. He is also now the chief R&D engineer for Tecnam, so the company benefits from the designer and his design. It will be sold in the USA by SportairUSA.

Tecnam — Astore

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

At Aero 2013, Tecnam mounted a very large display with nearly every one of their many current aircraft. At center stage was the brand new Astore, their first new low wing Light-Sport Aircraft in many years, named to commemorate the company's 65th anniversary. In this video we interview Paolo Pascale, Tecnam's managing director. He doesn't often do media interviews, we're told, so enjoy his view of the new aircraft.

At Aero 2013, Tecnam mounted a very large display with nearly every one of their many current aircraft. At center stage was the brand new Astore, their first new low wing Light-Sport Aircraft in many years, named to commemorate the company’s 65th anniversary. In this video we interview Paolo Pascale, Tecnam’s managing director. He doesn’t often do media interviews, we’re told, so enjoy his view of the new aircraft.

Tecnam — Tail Dragger (2012)

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

Tecnam has many fetching models, no less than five of which have earned Special LSA approval. To that seemingly ever growing fleet the big Italian manufacturer now adds the Tail Dragger, dressed up in full retro look. At Sun 'n Fun 2012 we got a first look at the new model and are given the details by Phil Solomon, CEO of Tecnam North America.

Tecnam has many fetching models, no less than five of which have earned Special LSA approval. To that seemingly ever growing fleet the big Italian manufacturer now adds the Tail Dragger, dressed up in full retro look. At Sun ‘n Fun 2012 we got a first look at the new model and are given the details by Phil Solomon, CEO of Tecnam North America.

Tecnam — Sierra P2002

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

As a company Tecnam has several distinctions: they are one of the oldest light airplane producers, dating to 1948; they have more models of SLSA than any other company; and the Italian company has one of the broadest lines. Here we look at their sliding-canopy, low-wing Sierra P2002, a model with a great following around the world.

Tecnam — Bravo

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

Tecnam has no less than five SLSA models, the most of any producer, now that they added their handsome P2008 to the fleet. Bravo is their high wing cantilevered version and it's a favorite among many for its enormous view, a full 360 degrees of vision and no struts to block the scenery. Bravo flies with the usual Tecnam natural feel and cruises toward the upper end of the LSA spectrum. In this video we'll show you around inside and out.

Tecnam has no less than five SLSA models, the most of any producer, now that they added their handsome P2008 to the fleet. Bravo is their high wing cantilevered version and it’s a favorite among many for its enormous view, a full 360 degrees of vision and no struts to block the scenery. Bravo flies with the usual Tecnam natural feel and cruises toward the upper end of the LSA spectrum. In this video we’ll show you around inside and out.

Tecnam — P2008

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

The latest from top producer, Tecnam of Italy, is this super handsome P2008. First seen at the 2009 Aero show in Germany, Sebring 2010 was the coming-out party for the P2008 in the United States. In this new SLSA model, we see the marriage of Italy's all-metal skills to the composite capability of CAG, a Spanish company Tecnam bought to acquire their knowledge of such construction. And it worked! The smooth lines and Italian design make for one of the prettiest LSA in the fleet.

The latest from top producer, Tecnam of Italy, is this super handsome P2008. First seen at the 2009 Aero show in Germany, Sebring 2010 was the coming-out party for the P2008 in the United States. In this new SLSA model, we see the marriage of Italy’s all-metal skills to the composite capability of CAG, a Spanish company Tecnam bought to acquire their knowledge of such construction. And it worked! The smooth lines and Italian design make for one of the prettiest LSA in the fleet.

Tecnam — Eaglet

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

Tecnam, one of the most successful manufacturers in the LSA industry, makes several models of which one of the newest is the Eaglet. Introduced in 2008, the Eaglet is an amalgam of their Echo Super and Bravo high wing models. Based on their natural handling, good performance, and long company history, Eaglet is worth a closer look.

Tecnam — Firing On Multiple Cylinders

By Dan Johnson || December 16, 2015 Leave a Comment

After more than a decade of LSA, one airframe manufacturer stands head and shoulders above all other in what I call the "light aircraft space." That term gets stretched far and wide with this update on Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam ... simply "Tecnam" to most folks. If Tecnam was a person, I'd call him restless and tireless. Does he sleep? I think not. Are any flying machines not possible for this design dynamo? I see no limits to his ambitions. So prolific is this Italian aviation powerhouse that I will blend several news items into one story. Tecnam is a large team, an entire factory full of hard-working people, and representatives of all sorts scattered across several countries. At the core of this engine of production (33 models and variations) is Luigi Pascale, the 92-year-old patriarch of Team Tecnam with management by nephew, Paolo Pascale. Paolo is the visible face of Tecnam at airshows, standing literally head and shoulders over most of his competitors. By comparison Professor Luigi is tiny but this man still leads design of all Tecnam models and, I'm told, does some of the first flights in his creations. One word repeats in my mind: impressive!

Earlier the Italian manufacturer reported earning EASA (Europe's FAA) certification for their handsome four seater called P2010. In mid-December 2015, Tecnam announced Type Certification from FAA. "P Twenty Ten is the first new single engine, high wing, four-seat aircraft from Tecnam that brings together an all-carbon-fiber fuselage with a metal wing and stabilator," said Tecnam. Establishment of the Tecnam U.S. customer delivery center, assembly facility, and American headquarters at the Sebring Regional Airport in Florida helped to a nationwide sales and customer support network. That and a policy of required only 10% down payment with no balance until the aircraft was in the USA and ready for delivery "resulted in a major upswing in deliveries of Tecnam aircraft in North America," indicated Tecnam. Although it has been in existence since 1948, most American buyers were introduced to the Tecnam brand through their fleet of Light-Sport Aircraft. Beside the U.S., Tecnam has delivered airplanes to 65 countries. The company's lower cost two seat aircraft share the 10%/90% payment plan and also benefit from an ample stock of replacement parts housed at the company's Sebring facility. Rotax's engine series have long been able to use mogas, avgas, or any combination thereof. Not only is this versatile but it can lower cost of operation, a key watchpoint for flight school operators that tend to log many hours on their machines. Rotax is said to run cleanest on automobile fuel.

All Tecnam LSA use the Rotax brand of engines but with their P2010 model Tecnam demonstrated their commitment to a "greener" future by confirming EASA approved use of automobile gas for all Tecnam P2010 airplanes. "Mogas fuel ensures Tecnam P2010 flyers will benefit from more cost effective operations and produce significantly lead free emissions," the company reported. Selection of Lycoming IO-360M1A to power their P2010 four-seater was mainly a result of its ability to burn alternative fuels other than avgas. "All Tecnam two and four seat, single and twin engines aircraft, are now able to operate with environment friendly fuels, especially mogas, containing up to 2,000 times less lead than 100LL," boasted Tecnam. Lycoming Engines was equally enthusiastic. "In achieving [EASA approval], Tecnam's P2010 became the first known OEM fixed-wing aircraft fully approved by the manufacturer to use each and every fuel listed in our SI1070 Approved Fuels document," said Michael Kraft, Senior VP and General Manager of Lycoming Engines. Tecnam Managing Director Paolo Pascale confirmed the benefits: "This provides the consumer with a great number of fuel options on the aircraft, and especially unleaded options which are not only better for the environment, but better for the engine." Tecnam still isn't done and Professor Luigi has rested yet.

P2012 Traveller is the company's eleven-seat next generation piston engine twin, designed to comply with both FAR part 23 and EASA CS-23 and to ensure operators benefit from very low operating and maintenance costs in particular. Recently, launch customer, commuter airline operator Cape Air conducted an on-site joint production development meeting at Tecnam's Capua, Italy assembly facility. An encouraged Cape Air president Linda Markham (photo) said, "We look forward to continuing our collaboration. P2012 Traveller serial number 003 is now complete with its twin Lycoming TEO 540-C1A engines fitted. The largest Tecnam is undergoing extensive testing of its fuselage, wing and empennages. P2012 Traveller will first do service as a passenger airplane, Tecnam said, but it was designed for multiple roles including "Hydro, VIP, cargo shipping, parachuting, and medevac services." Since it is not wise to take your eye off Tecnam for too long we will keep reporting the latest developments.

After more than a decade of LSA, one airframe manufacturer stands head and shoulders above all other in what I call the “light aircraft space.” That term gets stretched far and wide with this update on Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam … simply “Tecnam” to most folks. If Tecnam was a person, I’d call him restless and tireless. Does he sleep? I think not. Are any flying machines not possible for this design dynamo? I see no limits to his ambitions. So prolific is this Italian aviation powerhouse that I will blend several news items into one story. Tecnam is a large team, an entire factory full of hard-working people, and representatives of all sorts scattered across several countries. At the core of this engine of production (33 models and variations) is Luigi Pascale, the 92-year-old patriarch of Team Tecnam with management by nephew, Paolo Pascale. Paolo is the visible face of Tecnam at airshows, standing literally head and shoulders over most of his competitors.

REVISED: World Aviation Statistics with New Data

By Dan Johnson || June 1, 2015 2 Comments

Revised Article UPDATED: 6/5/15 / New total LSA and LSA-like chart (at bottom) — At best statistics can be fluid and hard to state precisely. In response to my request for any Australian input below, Neil Jansen responded, "I found some data sourced from the authority that manages such aircraft categories in Australia (Recreational Aviation Australia)." He attached a PDF article. After my review of this document, I can say that I was not grossly off in my guesstimate of 2,000 LSA-type aircraft. I attempted to be conservative and evidently I was. From a review of the charts and article, I would now increase my Australia figures from 2,000 to perhaps 2,700 so the final calculus of around 50,000 worldwide aircraft looks even more solid. That said, my European counterpart, Jan Fridrich, and I since had a conversation that suggests even 50,000 may not fully cover it. However, better to be conservative on such estimates, I believe. —DJ

One of my favorite tales was taken from an old Delta Air Lines house magazine, the sort sent to employees of the company before email invaded our lives. Airlines have their own meteorology departments and the Delta guys once wrote, "Every time you forecast the weather, you know you're wrong; you just don't know by how much or when. If you are ever right, never let 'em forget it." Ah, yes, remember when we correctly forecast that big storm, back in 1967? I got a lot of chuckles from telling that story. Weather forecasting is much better today, but statistics can often be wrong despite best efforts. Along this line, I heard from a reader, an engineer in Italy, "In your article 'Analyzing Statistics on Worldwide Aviation,' you did not mention my country."

In this update article, I wish to correct that shortcoming and add a couple more pieces of information. The result of my deeper examination pushes sport and recreational aircraft closer to 50,000 worldwide. My Italian reader, who preferred I did not use his name, wrote, "Apart from being the country from where several LSA aircraft arrive — he mentions Tecnam, which may be the largest LSA and light aircraft producer on the planet — we have over 13,000 registered "ultralight" aircraft with the Aeroclub of Italy (a national institution managing registrations of ultralight aircraft, including gyrocopters and helicopters)." I add that Germany does something similar with its DAeC and DULV, which might account for GAMA having zero information about microlights in Germany, a nation I know to have a significant number of such aircraft.

The Italian engineer continued with his amplification, "Although the number (13,000) includes 'ancient' aircraft from the '80s that might be out of commission now, I can confirm that well over 6,000 aircraft are flying from hundreds of grass strips and aerodromes across the country." As such, this places Italy — correctly so, based on corroborating information — in the top tier of countries with a large base of light and sport aircraft. "The reason why [the aircraft count] is not so obvious," he further clarified, "is that the certification of pilots and aircraft is done outside of ENAC (Italian equivalent of FAA) and therefore does not get reported in the usual channels where numbers of registered aircraft are accounted." "Ultralight (generally meaning the European name for light two seaters, not the U.S. superlight single seaters) registrations for Italy follow the [aircraft registration] format I-1234, or I-A123 now that we passed 10,000 registrations. I have seen I-C1xx (can't remember the exact number, but it means that we passed 13,000 registrations already)." He added, "I think we had over 2,000 in the last five years or so."

Looking at the pilot side of the equation, he noted, "On a forum I read the impressive number of 17,500 active ultralight pilots." "So, despite the obvious intention of keeping a low profile to make sure that the Revenue Service does not develop some new creative tax to hit a vulnerable sector, it looks like there are plenty of pilots and planes filling our skies," the Italian writer concluded. He then invited, "Come visit and we'll be happy to show you around." That's an offer I'd like to take when I also wish to visit the large Tecnam facility in Italy. My source finished his message saying, "I fly a older Aeronca with American N-numbers using an FAA Private certificate and therefore I don't even show up in that list." I also managed to overlook two other countries of note. My apology and the only excuse I can offer is that GAMA assembled a great deal of info and I simply did not absorb it all. However, the news is good for the light aircraft sector as the numbers rose considerably from my first estimate of about 40,000 light and/or sport aircraft in the world. I still don't know exactly how to evaluate Australia's numbers — as they did not break out the LSA-type group in any identifiable way — but I would conservatively guess their microlight/LSA/VLA sector could have around 2,000 light or sport aircraft. If someone in that country knows better, please do educate me. I'd like for these reviews to be as accurate as possible. However, neighboring New Zealand offered more data. Their listing through me off as they switched methods after 2005 and again after 2010. Yet based on further study, I can see they show 1,059 "microlights" and they once showed a high, in 2009 of 1,853 "Sport" aircraft. From this I might guess they have around 2,000 of what might be called LSA-types. So, with good Italy info and more from down under, I feel reasonably confident reporting that pilots around the globe fly somewhere around 50,000 light, sport, recreational aircraft. The update of substantial information about Italy and my further pondering of the many pages in GAMA's detailed report suggest two things to me. First, statistics are devilishly hard to obtain and are subject to all sorts of inconsistencies, many of human origin. Secondly, no matter how you cut it, light and sport aircraft are a very substantial sector of the worldwide family of aircraft. Here you can examine our chart for LSA and LSA-like aircraft around the world. Please consider all the notes to interpret the figures.

Revised Article UPDATED: 6/5/15 / New total LSA and LSA-like chart (at bottom) — At best statistics can be fluid and hard to state precisely. In response to my request for any Australian input below, Neil Jansen responded, “I found some data sourced from the authority that manages such aircraft categories in Australia (Recreational Aviation Australia).” He attached a PDF article. After my review of this document, I can say that I was not grossly off in my guesstimate of 2,000 LSA-type aircraft. I attempted to be conservative and evidently I was. From a review of the charts and article, I would now increase my Australia figures from 2,000 to perhaps 2,700 so the final calculus of around 50,000 worldwide aircraft looks even more solid. That said, my European counterpart, Jan Fridrich, and I since had a conversation that suggests even 50,000 may not fully cover it.

Get Ready for 2010 … the Plane (not the Year)

By Dan Johnson || April 7, 2015 Leave a Comment

Tecnam has become widely known for its extensive fleet of Light-Sport Aircraft designs (meeting ASTM standards) and for their popular twin-Rotax 912 Twin model (using traditional certification). At Sun 'n Fun 2015, visitors can expect to lay eyes on the P2010 or as Tecnam usually calls it, "P Twenty Ten." I have told you that ByDanJohnson.com expects to cover Light GA Aircraft — or LSA 4.0, as my journalist pal Marino Boric christened them — in addition to our on-going coverage of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit-built aircraft, and ultralights including microlights and electric-powered aircraft. You can hardly miss the theme: "light" aircraft but the coverage is meant to be of affordable aircraft brands this website often covers — and is supported by — including all American and international producers of LSA.

As you look at the photos in this article and compare them with the P2008 (bottom photo), you see the resemblance clearly. One evolved from the other. "P" refers to Pascale, specifically Professor Luigi Pascale, the 90-year-old designer of all Tecnam aircraft, a diminutive but impressive man who I am told still does the test flying of his latest and greatest. His output is marvelous. Today, Tecnam announced that the company will celebrate the first anniversary of its North American facility in Sebring, Florida with the "U.S. debut and special pricing for the P Twenty-Ten, Lycoming IO-360 powered, four-seat aircraft at Sun 'n Fun 2015." A year ago, at Sun 'n Fun 2014, Tecnam announced establishing a center in a 21,000 square foot hangar and offices at the home airport to the Sebring Affordable Aircraft Expo, the new moniker for what most of us still call the Sebring LSA Expo. "Tecnam's facility serves as showroom, training center, maintenance center, spare parts warehouse and support for the North American sales and service centers," the company said.

At their space at Sun 'n Fun, expect to see P2010, the Twin, and several Tecnam LSA including the high wing P2008 (photo below) and low-wing Astore (video). Another Tecnam will be on display in the LSA Mall in Paradise City. "P Twenty-Ten is an all-new IFR high wing aircraft that uses a carbon fiber fuselage with a metal wing," Tecnam said. Deliveries have already begun to customers in Europe under an EASA standard type certificate. "The combination of carbon fiber and metal allows for an expansive cabin with three large entry doors without sacrificing the flight qualities of a metal wing." Some ready customers can take advantage of a special offer to order the Garmin G1000-equipped aircraft at substantial savings. List price for the P2010 is $379,500, but the first 10 customers to place an order at Sun 'n Fun will be eligible for a special Sebring-facility anniversary price of $345,000. Test pilot Peter Collins recently commented, "P Twenty-Ten was genuinely a real pleasure to fly and future owners will be inspired by the aircraft's combination of advanced avionics, very short field performance, exceptional useful load capability and excellent cross-country range." Tecnam's team, lead by Shannon Yeager, Director of Sales for Tecnam US, can be located at main aircraft display space MD-27 in Lakeland, FL during April 21 to 26, 2015. If you can't wait or want to get your name in line for one of the specially-price P2010s contact Tecnam US at 863-655-2400 or email Tecnam.

Tecnam has become widely known for its extensive fleet of Light-Sport Aircraft designs (meeting ASTM standards) and for their popular twin-Rotax 912 Twin model (using traditional certification). At Sun ‘n Fun 2015, visitors can expect to lay eyes on the P2010 or as Tecnam usually calls it, “P Twenty Ten.” I have told you that ByDanJohnson.com expects to cover Light GA Aircraft — or LSA 4.0, as my journalist pal Marino Boric christened them — in addition to our on-going coverage of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit-built aircraft, and ultralights including microlights and electric-powered aircraft. You can hardly miss the theme: “light” aircraft but the coverage is meant to be of affordable aircraft brands this website often covers — and is supported by — including all American and international producers of LSA. As you look at the photos in this article and compare them with the P2008 (bottom photo), you see the resemblance clearly.