In a splendid professional presentation, Waco Aircraft unveiled their newest vintage-style aircraft. Well, that’s close to factual. In truth, Junkers Aircraft is its own company, but as it shares common ownership, it’s OK to group these two vintage designs together, partly as they are both 100% built-in-America designs.
In Battle Creek, Michigan a European businessman, Dieter Morszeck, has invested more than $30 million to create a modern airplane factory capable of producing such complex yet handsome designs as the Waco biplane. For 2023, that facility has a new occupant, Junkers Aircraft. Both are owned by Dieter and this man is serious about aviation.
Mr. Morszeck made his money in the luggage business. His brand, Rimowa, is known widely for its corrugated exterior, leaving an earlier Junkers aircraft built similarly to be dubbed the “flying suitcase.” This is a delicious bit of serendipity because now his former luggage business can be expressed in an airplane… one that draws people’s attention wherever it shows up.Sun ‘n Fun 2023, Day 2 — Newest Special LSA Is Actually the Oldest: Junkers A50 Junior
In a splendid professional presentation, Waco Aircraft unveiled their newest vintage-style aircraft. Well, that’s close to factual. In truth, Junkers Aircraft is its own company, but as it shares common ownership, it’s OK to group these two vintage designs together, partly as they are both 100% built-in-America designs.
In Battle Creek, Michigan a European businessman, Dieter Morszeck, has invested more than $30 million to create a modern airplane factory capable of producing such complex yet handsome designs as the Waco biplane. For 2023, that facility has a new occupant, Junkers Aircraft. Both are owned by Dieter and this man is serious about aviation.
Mr. Morszeck made his money in the luggage business. His brand, Rimowa, is known widely for its corrugated exterior, leaving an earlier Junkers aircraft built similarly to be dubbed the “flying suitcase.” This is a delicious bit of serendipity because now his former luggage business can be expressed in an airplane… one that draws people’s attention wherever it shows up. I observed pilots keen to sit in A50 Junior simply to experience a bit of history.
All New for LSA
In late February, A50 Junior earned its Special LSA approval from FAA. Now that it has been introduced to the public, the company can take orders and begin delivering aircraft as soon as the factory is fully ready.
For additional information on A50 Junior, please see this earlier article. In this story from Sun ‘n Fun 2023 I want to show those who cannot attend one machine they are missing. Please catch the video below for more.
A Swiss team was engaged to create the first example of A50 Junior in the modern age. Now that the prototyping is done and Special LSA approval has been granted from FAA, A50 can enter the U.S. market and its first buyers are already stepping up.
As you might expect from an aircraft of this highly detailed construction, this is not the least costly SLSA on the market. However, for those filled with desire, the first 29 airplanes — a nod to the year of its first introduction in 1929 — will be sold for about $195,000. I predict they won’t have too much trouble finding buyers, especially as many LSA are now approaching (or have exceeded) that price.
Junkers isn’t done. An A52 model with side-by-side seating and retractable gear could enter the market as a Mosaic LSA or mLSA. Dieter and his team are already pondering that move and, again, their U.S. factory is set up and ready to produce.
Junkers (and Waco) Aircraft owner Dieter Morszeck (R) poses with his young marketing man, Alex Skiba (C), and one of the first buyers of A50 Junior.
Even the wheels were their own masterpiece. The French Beringer company that has found a warm reception in America supplied the entire wheel set as a custom design just for Junkers. As one detail I learned, the large wheel size requires more substantial brakes; a dual caliper system was supplied from Beringer.
A50 Junior uses the Rotax 912iS engine, which lifted a full load off the grass runway easily even in a full 90-degree crosswind (as you see in video below). The Rotax engine is mated to a two-blade MT propeller.
A Galaxy brand ballistic airframe parachute is supplied out of the Czech Republic.
Garmin supplies their G3X Touch in two forms. The aft seat has a large 10-inch display, while the smaller 7-inch display is used in the front seat. Junkers A50 Junior is flown solo from the aft seat.
Learn much more about Junkers via Waco Aircraft and ask about their dashing A50 Junior.
In a splendid professional presentation, Waco Aircraft unveiled their newest vintage-style aircraft. Well, that’s close to factual. In truth, Junkers Aircraft is its own company, but as it shares common ownership, it’s OK to group these two vintage designs together, partly as they are both 100% built-in-America designs.
In Battle Creek, Michigan a European businessman, Dieter Morszeck, has invested more than $30 million to create a modern airplane factory capable of producing such complex yet handsome designs as the Waco biplane. For 2023, that facility has a new occupant, Junkers Aircraft. Both are owned by Dieter and this man is serious about aviation.
Mr. Morszeck made his money in the luggage business. His brand, Rimowa, is known widely for its corrugated exterior, leaving an earlier Junkers aircraft built similarly to be dubbed the “flying suitcase.” This is a delicious bit of serendipity because now his former luggage business can be expressed in an airplane… one that draws people’s attention wherever it shows up.
How about 160 horsepower!? That’s a 19-horse or 13% gain in power, all essentially from the same engine core? With Mosaic set to allow four seaters, heavier airplanes, greater speed, and probably retractable gear, the newest 916iS seems perfectly situated for Mosaic.
Rotax observed, “Our Rotax 916iS/c showcased its power for the first time in the new CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL, a new engineering prototype equipped with the 916iS.”
However, Rotax literature specified other variations, such as the 916iS (no “c”), which they describe as the ASTM compliant engine, making them suitable for LSA today and Mosaic LSA or mLSA in 2025. The 916iS/c is certified by EASA (Europe’s rough equivalent to FAA). Commonly, reciprocal agreements between CAAs in western European nations and FAA in America allows the U.S. agency to accept EASA’s approval and vice versa.
Since 915iS has been winning converts steadily, I predict a wonderful response to the latest and greatest from the largest supplier of light aircraft engines in the world.
Over his many years in the business, Paul has created various models, tried a variety of engines, and strengthen (and proven) his M-Square airframe to allow more potent engines and greater carrying capacity. He has added cockpit enclosures and windscreens. You can fly all M-squared airplanes on floats.
Paul and his team did a handsome installation even refitting an earlier exhaust system above the engine. They had to clear the airbox on top and keep the heat away from nearby fuel lines but this mount looked quite efficient to my eyes. Paul and I even joked that the muffler itself may produce a bit of lift as it appears somewhat airfoil shaped and operating in clean air.
Another major change will be the installation of a Dynon SkyView avionics. Of course, this provides many useful functions but among them Paul can now offer full ADSB In and Out. For an aircraft used to train new pilots, having such state of the air digital electronics will better prepare students.
Maybe these new-fangled flying contraptions have numerous (indecipherable) names because they’re still deciding which way they’re headed?
Before joining Jetson, Stéphan worked for 
Some who try eventually hit upon the right formula but no one says this is easy. Technology has been particularly helpful to smaller enterprises, especially those that serve customers widely dispersed across the country. Whatever you think of social media, the fact is they help those with specialized interests find people who can provide services.
One fellow has found his magic carpet. His instruction calendar has a few available slots in 2023 but he has already almost filled this year’s schedule book. How did one man succeed and who is this story about?
That work has been gratifying — and helped move the entire LSA industry forward — but Roy’s personal choice of flight and his passion is focused on powered parachutes.
Roy’s hard work on advocacy for LSA — for which I was honored to be his partner at twisting FAA’s arm — has paid off in a big way. The coming regulation incorporates every initiative that Roy and I proposed for Mosaic.
But important as this work may be, that’s enough about advocacy. Let’s talk about flying machines!
Roy’s training program begins before the student gets to the airport. Anyone anywhere can start by studying a book Roy wrote on the subject. Roy’s Powered Parachute Book has 470 pages of content covering every aspect of flying powered parachutes. The inch-thick, large-format book is densely illustrated with many beautiful graphics that help explain everything. Roy admitted, “Writing a book wasn’t nearly as hard as illustrating the book.”
Thanks to a commitment to the safest practices, in the 30 years that Roy has been training powered parachutes, his program has been injury-free.
As an experiment, this article was triggered by Roy asking ChatGPT to write a draft as though it was written by me. Roy tweaked it and sent it to me for final editing.
In those two decades, LSA have arrived and flown in nearly every country on Earth.
We know Chinese money is invested in (or wholly owns) many of general aviation’s top brands, including Cirrus Design, Continental Motors, Mooney, Diamond, Icon Aircraft, and others. However, money flowing to those companies does not support sales in Asia-Pacific. Most of those enterprises are mainly active in the USA and have only small operations (if any) in China or around the Pacific nations.
AeroJones has a patient investor with a longer horizon and the company has rewarded him by steadily increasing business.
AeroJones was established in 2013 and is completing its 10th year in business, a noteworthy accomplishment it will celebrate officially in 2023.
In those ten years, the AeroJones team learned to build a high-quality Light-Sport Aircraft and do so with repeatability. The company recently completed its #50 CTLS.
Like all such producers, AeroJones does their primary assembly work using non-airport facilities. They then disassemble, transport, and reassemble their aircraft at an airport some hours away. At that location, training is conducted and newly-manufactured aircraft are test flown.
Until recently, that is the method used to deliver all light aircraft in China. It’s a large country and truck delivery adds a lot of extra work and time.
With a delicious 10-day spacing between them — time to rest up a bit after a vigorous week — later in April comes 
Organizers of the 49th event announced major plans for this popular airshow that kicks off the recreational flying season. My focus is on LSA, Sport Pilot kits, and ultralights. At Sun ‘n Fun, that means Paradise City, where big things are happening. You would not be wrong if you scanned this article and saw increased interest in this part of the overall Sun ‘n Fun grounds.
Perhaps it is the potent combination of new leadership and bubbling pilot energy. Perhaps new attention is related to the coming Mosaic regulation. No matter, the area known to many readers as Paradise City or the Ultralight Area — or Light Planes, as Sun ‘n Fun now labels it — appears newly energized for 2023. This follows a solid year in 2022 when the overall market sector I follow was 
The other sponsor is a new aircraft manufacturer, 
Rotax Aircraft Engines
Super Petrel has a long history; some 400 are flying around the world. In addition, the current producer, 
The timing was perfect as Rodrigo has always said, “You begin with the engine and build the aircraft around it.”
Larger tires with 
The fuel system now has two separate header tanks located behind the baggage compartment resulting in a 60% increase in capacity. On-board fuel has been increased as well.
“In the beginning we were offering the aircraft with either the Rotax 912iS or the 915iS engines,” Roger recalled. Yet, “All twelve aircraft sold thus far have been the 141-horsepower 915iS engines. We decided to take the 912iS off the table.”
How does that deal sound? You buy a subscription for $40 — which you should get anyway — and you are automatically entered in the prize drawing for an aircraft worth $200,000 or more. If you give a friend a gift subscription, you get an additional entry, and you can give up to 10 gifts. Somebody is going to win and the odds are fantastically better than any state lottery. You won’t be competing against millions of others. In my mind, winning a free airplane sounds like a great way to start a new year! Even if you don’t win, you’ll get a beautiful aviation magazine each month.
Flying magazine prize organizers said the winner can choose between the two aircraft. “Tecnam Astore is a great two-seat LSA featuring a Rotax 914 turbocharge engine, leather interior, and an all-glass cockpit.” I have 
This year our favorite recreational flying area of the Lakeland show is sponsored by two leading names in aviation. Flying magazine is a sponsor of Paradise as is Junkers Aircraft.
Welcome to Junkers and their American importer and partner, 
Who cares about boats (or seaplanes) in the dead of winter? Well, what better way to endure icy streets and frigid temperatures than to go look at boats and dream of using them come summer — Plan Ahead!
Aventura has been in operation for many years and has hundreds of their aircraft flying. These were produced by different business operations over the years but the company is in its most stable form today under the leadership of Alex Rolinski.
The company’s Aventura II seaplane “is a versatile aircraft that is designed for recreational and commercial purposes, with safety requirements.” Alex listed several worthy reasons to consider their Aventura:
Durability and reliability: “Aventura is built with high-quality materials and is designed to withstand the rigors of operating in various environments.”
Affordable: “Aventura II is fuel-efficient, keeping operating costs lower. The Kit is the most affordable seaplane in the market, and takes around 250 hours to build.”
In early 2023, prices start at $60,000 for an Aventura II kit. The factory can walk you through numerous options or features you may want to provide a more specific price and time availability. However, Alex presently states that kits are available in four months.
You truly need to see these performances to believe what determined pilots in suitable aircraft can do. I encourage all to come on down to sunny Florida for Sun ‘n Fun 2023 and check out the action in Paradise City (formerly the “Ultralight/Lightplane Area” and now badged as “
Like its counterpart at AirVenture in the Fun Fly Zone (also the former Ultralight Area), crowds can get close enough to see the STOL performances in great detail. Usually you have to arrive early enough to get a place at the fence. I’ve seen spectators 10-deep at both events.
Before 
Using his powerful Viking engines but also adding adding a super-special humongous landing gear arrangment to maximize rotation-for-takeoff performance Jan Eggenfellner created his Monster STOL.
Fellow Zenith pilot Daniel Wright finished in second place flying his blue and white Zenith STOL (registration JRM) with a takeoff roll of just 19.0 meters (62.3 feet) and landing roll of 30.7 meters (100.7 feet), for a combined distance of just 49.7 meters (163.1 feet). Both pilots can be seen performing in the short video below.
Jabiru
Montaer
The Airplane Factory
More Available
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For FAA, this is somewhat new ground. It’s unusual for the agency to release this much information about a regulation before they issue it. These things change internally as different FAA departments weigh in, so they usually keep their cards close to the chest until the NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rule Making) is near final form. All this relates only to the airframe.
After Covid, so many things changed for so long that, today, it’s getting hard to remember how it was. EAA hosted (in-person) Ultralight Days for some years, with a wintery gathering of aviation’s lightest flying machines at their splendid facilities right behind the HQ building. Specifically I mean Pioneer Airport. Covid played a role in suspending that event.
Using their system that worked beautifully for homebuilders, EAA cooked up Virtual Ultralight Days.
That covers a lot of ground. How could EAA gurus deliver all this useful information? One word: Webinars… and plenty of them. In about two weeks — over February 21-22-23, 2023 — EAA will present five seminars a day, a total of 15 highly information presentations. See all sessions referenced below.
Yet that’s not all the interaction you can have. During these talks, EAA can survey listeners. As one of the presenters, I am excited about this. When I give a talk in person, I often start out asking some questions of attendees so I can better suit my remarks to their interest and experience. On a webinar the presenter cannot see his or her audience so how do they know who is watching? Surveys will help plus give you a chance to interact.
“Anyone can register for any presentation,” EAA said, “by going to their 
Tim and Helen Bridge are developing the ‘electric sky jeep,’ an all-electric 
“The Bridges’ company plans to tap into ground-based networks of solar-powered energy grids in remote towns and villages,” said Zenith, “so that the aircraft can fly between villages delivering vital medical staff and supplies without relying on outside fuel that needs to be flown in to the location.”
Sebring Expo accomplished its principal goal for the race-city airport: to put it on the aviation map in a definitive way. Led by longtime airport manager Mike Willingham, Sebring enjoyed a remarkable run and the young LSA industry benefitted greatly from their event. If you’re curious about how and why Sebring called it quits, check this 
Held annually at the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (KMVN), Midwest is focused on showcasing all things light aviation. Although the event serves the LSA, Sport Pilot-eligible kit-built aircraft and 103 ultralight communities, all segments of aviation are welcome.
“Midwest Expo will feature the best of the best in the sport aircraft communities to include Light-Sport Aircraft, ultralights, kit planes, powered parachutes, powered paragliders, trikes, gyroplanes, amphibians and more,” said Chris.
If you live within range — people travel from all over the USA and even foreign countries — Midwest Expo offers free admission, free parking, and free camping. Based around the terminal building at KMVN, visitors will find a very popular restaurant (seriously, local residents regularly fill the place). In addition, forums are held indoors plus everyone appreciates clean, proper restrooms.
In North America, Skyleader is represented by Michael Tomazin using the web domain 
“Skyleader 400 is designed for recreational flying and pilot training. It is distinguished by its … sports car-inspired looks and unique gull-wing-doors canopy,” said the U.S. representative. “It features a spacious interior with plenty of space for pilots and baggage (aft of the seats), and a 21-gallon fuel tank that gives the 400 a range of around 500 miles depending on engine selections and options.” Larger fuel options are available.
Skyleader 400 follows the entire Skyleader line using Fowler-style flaps that work exceptionally hard when deployed and hide almost completely when retracted. It’s an elegant system, especially so on aircraft in the lighter range, and this yields stalls that happen well below what the LSA regulations require.
Worldwide, the company fleet is estimated at about 350 Skyleader 600s, Michael indicated. Counting all models, close to 600 of the company’s airplanes are flying. “This is their 23rd year,” Michael said. “They laid off nobody during Covid and they presently have many orders,” he added. “If we could get all the avionics we needed, we could deliver faster.”
Designer Antonín Píštěk also worked with Evektor — based in the same area as Jihlavan — on the five-seat VUT 100 Cobra aircraft designed for approval under conventional certification.
Most commonly, you hear “drone.”
The Spectrum article refers to 350 aircraft developments in the eVTOL field, spanning 48 countries. How many will make it to market and succeed? When will public acceptance allow executives to zip over urban congestion in their buzzing contraptions? Will FAA ever finish regulating them? All these questions are unknown.
All models featured here are single-seat aircraft that may possibly qualify for Part 103 regulations. Two of these companies, Lift Aircraft and Opener, have engaged 
Recon is compact (like all of these), only 15.5 feet long, 7.5 feet wide, and just under five feet tall. It weighs a reported 286 pounds, though more detail was not available.
“It’s easier to operate a flying ATV than you think — or, at least it was for me. That’s not a humblebrag either. It was designed so any idiot like me — who backs up into his recycling bin every time he pulls out of the driveway — can jump in and use it,” wrote Tony Ho Tran for the Daily Beast. Is it a good thing that a complete newbie can get in and fly one of these?
Based in Australia, Alauda Aeronautics said, “[We are] building performance electric flying cars” and “racing to deliver a revolution in personal air mobility so everyone will own a flying car.” On their website, information is very sparse but they quickly introduce the reader to Airspeeder, the “world’s first series for electric flying cars.” While their website suggests Alauda also has more orthodox goals, they appear focused on air racing vehicles. Alauda supports Airspeeder developer Mike Pearson as he forms a new league.
Alauda’s all-electric aircraft, which is expected to have a range of 25 miles and a Part 103-compliant top speed of 63 mph, could be used for tasks such as inspecting crops and rounding up livestock, goals similar to those expressed by Ryse Aero.
Jetson reported their Jetson One is “built to comply with existing FAA regulations,” though they don’t state which rule. We presume Part 103 as anything higher on the certification scheme is not yet ready for market. However, unlike Lift and Opener, they have not reached out to LAMA for TSC confirmation.
What will one of these machines set you back? “A down payment of $22,000 is required [at the time of ordering]. A final payment of $70,000 when your Jetson One is ready for delivery at the factory.” Does $92,000 sound affordable to you?
Distance and location are also computer controlled and that’s perfect for Lift’s initial plan.
“Traffic congestion and long commutes are two leading causes of stress and reduction in quality of life,” believes Opener. “Countless hours are wasted on roads each day, idling in traffic, time that could be better spent with family and friends.” Who can argue yet range anxiety and a lack of experience flying this unorthodox aircraft may hold back buyers. That’s OK as it is often “early adopters” that start the trend.
When A5 was finally accepted by FAA as a Special LSA, the company shrewdly arranged to get on the cover and be the lead article in the same month of American aviation’s top three magazines (by circulation): Flying magazine, AOPA Pilot, and EAA Sport Aviation. I’ve been around and observing aviation publishing for a few decades and I’d never see such a triple play before. These magazines are friendly to each other but nonetheless compete vigorously. The rarely (never?) want the same cover story as their rivals. Icon accomplished this without spending a dime advertising with the publications.
Getting the sophisticated aircraft into production took several years longer than anyone expected. The initial price of $139,000 ballooned 250% over a few years to more than $350,000. The company prepared a purchase contract that was so burdensome that many orders cancelled. It was later greatly scaled back.
As it continually raised money, Icon eventually became owned more by Chinese interests than all other investors. Seeing the continual flow of red ink on the books, the new owners forced changes and dismissed founder and president, Kirk Hawkins, who had led the organization through impressive — though expensive — achievements. For many months after Hawkins’ departure, it was not clear who was in charge and that is never a good thing for a company… or its customers.
The company’s original engineers had been convinced by Kirk to leave Scaled Composites, the celebrated Burt Rutan development company that built SpaceShipOne among many other radical designs. One by one, those engineers left. Other executive staff also departed, perhaps uncertain about the path forward. A final-attempt lawsuit that made the Wall Street Journal business pages was resolved in the stockholder’s favor. Kirk was out.
My chance to fly A5 came at the 2015 edition of AirVenture. See 
Challenges
For the past few years that torrid pace slowed… just as it has in every other industry I’ve examined. However, in aviation it is uncommon for a good airplane to actually disappear forever. Designs worth their avgas often manage a come-back, a term meant to show a return to market for a flying machine some may have written off earlier.
One thing MS-1 did not have going for it: the design arrived to the party amidst so many other new designs that it was easy to get lost in the crowd. Proprietor and principal investor Dieter Canje wisely set the project aside while the dust cleared.
“MySky MS-1 is making a comeback, with an ecological twist,” said Dieter. “We believed our MySky MS-1 was a promising light aircraft project about 10, 12 years ago. Unfortunately, MySky Aircraft never made any efforts to put the model into production.”
Why did you not put MySky MS-1 in production in 2010?
“In 2015, we formed MySky Eco with the intent to modify MS-1 into an electric aircraft,” Dieter said. “But we found that the time was not ready yet. Even now, endurance and range limits its use to flight training. However, there is strong demand in this market segment.”
What is MySkyECO MS-1L?
Can a tandem aircraft be used for flight training?
Electric has appeal but a method of extending range on an electric airplane would be useful for longer missions than flight training. “We are working on a range extender based on the rotary engine concept, using Jet-A,” said MySky.
