New “Made-in-USA” Aircraft — Welcome AJ Sport to the LSA Fleet

Is it because of tariffs? Another reason? Or simply a good idea? Does it matter why you’re reading about AJ Sport?

U.S. government policies swing and sway the world in remarkable ways. That’s a whole story in itself, but the way aircraft suppliers respond to the situation they are facing can be instructive.

To be clear, AeroJones Aviation is not reacting to tariff changes. This company, headquartered in U.S.-friendly Taiwan, has been working toward entering the American market for years. For more than a decade, AeroJones has been the officially-licensed producer of Flight Design’s CTLS and CTLSi for Asia-Pacific. They don’t simply import and sell units built in Europe. They do 100% of the fabrication, assembly, and production test flights in the Asian theater. They’ve delivered more than 50 aircraft and have won multiple CAAC airworthiness approvals.

A video to follow soon features SilverLight Aviation‘s Abid Farooqui describing several notable changes the company achieved. Yet the coming video also delivers another important message — AJ Sport (#159 on our SLSA List) is manufactured in Florida by AeroJones USA. That alone ought to make it more appealing to many Yankee pilots.

Pilots who have met him don’t forget Abid Farooqui. Designer of the American Ranger gyroplane series and developer of the Recon fixed wing aircraft, Abid has also performed engineering work for several LSA producers, helping them earn FAA acceptance. His record at this task is stellar so it was logical for AeroJones to turn to Abid for assistance as they prepared to enter the U.S. market.

What does AeroJones USA offer of interest? Below I’ll describe the sophisticated aircraft that is AJ Sport but one leading quality is a more affordable price — and yes, I know how loaded that word “affordable” is; bear with me.

Let’s Put Price in Perspective — A year or two before LSA burst onto the aviation stage, we thought (admittedly much simpler) LSA might sell for $60,000. That same dollar figure today would triple once you factor inflation into the equation. Additionally, in those days we did not have the sophisticated avionics of today and even the Rotax engine was a simpler powerplant.

Using government reports, the U.S. inflation rate has averaged 4.89% annually for the last 20-some years, making $60,000 then similar to $180,000 today. No doubt; a dollar doesn’t buy what it used to. Some readers may find the 2025 price beyond reach, yet I see AJ Sport at $179,000 as a solid value closely approximating our earlier expectations.

Come to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025 and see AJ Sport’s production quality for yourself. Nearly all who examine it will come away impressed.

The 2025 AeroJones USA AJ Sport has most of the features and equipment even a seasoned aircraft buyer might seek.

“If AJ Sport looks familiar to you,” Abid explained, “that’s because it’s an evolution of the CT-series platform originally developed by Flight Design in Germany.” One of the shining successes in LSA, nearly 2,000 CT aircraft have been delivered in various model iterations. AeroJones Aviation Technology in Taiwan purchased the rights and tooling a dozen years ago to serve the the Asia-Pacific region. As they produced 50+ aircraft, they found various changes they wished to make.

The 2025 AJ Sport has evolved significantly as a combined effort between AeroJones in Taiwan and their new American partner AeroJones USA. A safe foundational design with mature systems has been engineered to make it even more reliable than before.

“We have a completely redesigned fuel system to reduce vapor lock, a new engine cowling for enhanced cooling, a larger wingspan with curved winglets for better slower speed handling, and VGs for lower stall speed and softer controlled landings,” stated Abid. Visually, AJ Sport looks very familiar but under its smooth carbon fiber skin, these notable changes were desired but also required to meet new, ever-better ASTM standards, which all LSA must prove to gain FAA acceptance for sale in America.

Comfort is expected in modern Special Light-Sport Aircraft, and AJ Sport excels with an impressive 49-inch-wide cabin. Multi-way adjustable seats with inflatable lumbar support plus generous cabin space ensure you and your passenger can relax, even on extended flights. Whether you’re cruising for hours or just hopping between airfields, the AJ Sport offers a level of spaciousness, security, and comfort at the top of its class. Exciting performance and efficient fuel economy from the popular Rotax 912iS Sport engine sips barely over four gallons per hour even near the LSA speed limit.

“You can cruise easily at 110 knots at 75% power,” observed Abid, “or opt for maximum fuel economy at 100 knots sipping less than four gallons an hour. A 34-gallon fuel capacity provides the freedom to fly more than 825 nautical miles non-stop and still have a 30-minute reserve.” AJ Sport’s fuel is safely stored in the wings, away from the fuselage, providing added protection for you and a passenger.

AJ Sport’s fuselage is designed with carbon fiber sandwich construction using aramide as inner laminate in the cockpit area. The main bulkhead is created with a carbon/aramide blend for tremendous strength. The undercarriage is attached directly to this bulkhead and a box section stiffener reinforces the door and the window cut-outs.

This structure offers a protective surrounding for occupants while displaying beautiful flowing lines to the exterior, explaining its superb performance with only 100 horsepower.

The interior has a hat rack and floor storage for things you may want in flight. A luggage compartment on each side aft of the cockpit can hold overnight bags for each occupant. A whole-airframe emergency parachute is available and is fitted between the luggage cavities.

Slick, Yes, but…How Much?

The first aircraft assembled in Florida are being offered at $179,000. The Taiwanese outfit will fabricate fuselage sections following orders from AeroJones USA, the FAA-recognized manufacturer. The U.S. operation will join these elements with the Rotax engine from Austria and modern avionics from American companies. Many other components are also American and all work is finished in SilverLight’s base at Zephyr Hills airport close to Tampa, Florida. Support for the aircraft will be provided from the USA.

In 2025, quite a few LSA are advertised at prices beyond $200,000 with several top-of-the-line models exceeding $300,000. A few specialty LSA have been priced above $400,000. These number seem jarring but make AJ Sport’s $179,000 price tag look that much better.

No wonder we see strong interest in Mosaic opening the door to flying a 40-year-old Cessna 172 as a Sport Pilot, meaning no aviation medical is required. That’s good as it will keep more pilots owning and flying.

Yet it poses a dilemma. Buy an aircraft as old as you are (for $100,000 or so, if you’re lucky). Or, buy a brand-new LSA with many bells and whistles for two or three times as much. In clear contrast, AJ Sport offers a much more attractive price point.

Watch for the video to learn even more.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
AeroJones USA AJ Sport (LSA)
all information supplied by manufacturer

• Wingspan — 29 feet 5 inches
• Length — 22 feet 3.5 inches
• Height — 7 feet 8 inches
• Seats — 2, side-by-side
• Interior Cockpit Width: 49 inches
• Max Takeoff Weight — 1,320 pounds
• Payload — 480 pounds
• Baggage (max) — 126.5 pounds
• Fuel (total usable) — 34 gallons
• Powerplant — Rotax 912iS 2 Sport
• Max Speed (Vh) — 120 knots
• Cruise Speed (75% power) — 110 knots
• Range — 830 nautical miles
• Takeoff Ground Roll — 500 feet
• Takeoff Distance to Clear 50 ft Obstacle — 1,235 feet
• Landing Ground Roll — 420 feet
• Landing Distance Over 50 ft Obstacle — 1,184 feet

CONTACT LINKS:

• AeroJones USA — Link to AeroJonesUSA.com
• AeroJones AJ Sport LSA entry — AJ Sport info
• U.S. based designer, developer, producer of multiple aircraft — SilverLight Aviation