Surely all readers know that Rotax-brand engines dominate the light aircraft landscape. The company owns something like 75% or more of the global market and close to that in the USA. Some worthy competitors are keeping the pressure on, but Rotax continues forward. The engine-to-follow is their new turbo-intercooler-fuel injected 135-horsepower 915 iS variant.
Rotax Aircraft Engines first announced this new model at AirVenture 2015; see our video interview for details and go to the official 915 iS page for even more.
In the press conference where the engine was unveiled, many in the standing-room-only audience were airframe manufacturers. As soon as the management and engineering team was done presenting, they quickly swarmed over the powerplant. You could almost see the wheels turning in their minds as they contemplated how they could fit and use this machine in their aircraft.
That was almost two years ago — AirVenture Oshkosh is only about 75 days away!
Search Results for : tecnam
Not finding exactly what you expected? Try our advanced search option.
Select a manufacturer to go straight to all our content about that manufacturer.
Select an aircraft model to go straight to all our content about that model.
LAMA President’s Award Nominations
Thanks for registering on our LAMA Award page, a service to LAMA to allow voting for a deserving person to receive the LAMA President’s Award for an Outstanding Individual.
Please fill out the simple form below to be registered to vote for an Outstanding Individual.
When you hit “Submit,” this form is sent to MailChimp. You will receive a second opt-in request.
MailChimp allows you to unsubscribe with every email we send.
After you are registered with MailChimp, you will receive email with instructions allowing you to vote for the 2018 Award. Notice that votes are sent ONLY to Larry Burke, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of LAMA.
THANKS!
PAST WINNERS OF THE LAMA PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL
2017: Sebastien Heintz (Zenith Aircraft)
2016: Professor Luigi Pascale (Tecnam Aircraft)
2015: Jeremy Monnett (Sonex Aircraft)
2014: Dual Award — Roy Beisswenger (“Powered Sport Aircraft” magazine) & Laura Vaughn (Sun ‘n Fun show)
2013: Bill Canino, (SportAir USA)
2012: Jan Fridrich (Chairman, LAMA Europe)
2011: Jack Pelton (Cessna Aircraft)
2010: Tom Gunnarson (FAA Small Airplane Directorate)
2009: Mary Jones (Experimental Aircraft Association)
2008: Matthias Betsch (Flight Design, Germany)
2007: Eric Tucker (Rotax Aircraft Engines)
2006: Dan Johnson (ByDanJohnson.com)
2005: Earl Lawrence (EAA, now with FAA)
2004: Phil Lockwood (Lockwood Aviation Supply)
2003: Mike Loehle (Loehle Aircraft)
2002: Chuck Slusarczyk (CGS Aircraft)
2001: Chris Heintz (Zenair Aircraft)
2000: Darryl Murphy (Murphy Aircraft)
1999: Bob Gavinsky (Stoddard-Hamilton Aircraft)
1998: Tom Peghiny (Flightstar Aircraft)
1997: Dennis Soder (Kolb Aircraft)
1996: Homer Kolb (Kolb Aircraft)
1995: Phil Reed (Skystar Aircraft)
1994: Lance Neibauer (Lancair Aircraft)
1993: Randy Schlitter (Rans Aircraft)
1992: Dick VanGrunsven (Van’s Aircraft)
LAMA Board Directors:
Dan Johnson — President & Chairman of the Board
Tom Peghiny — Director and President of Flight Design USA
Phil Lockwood — Director and President of Lockwood Aircraft Supply
Christian Mundigler — Director and Vice President of FAAC Incorporated
Phil Solomon — Director and CFO of Heart of Virginia Aviation
Roy Beisswenger — Director and Publisher of “Powered Sport Flying” magazine
Scott Severen — Director and Representative for Jabiru Aircraft in North America
Marc Becker — Manager of Rotax Aircraft Engines
Larry Burke — Chairman Emeritus & Founder
More info: http://www.lama.bz/board-of-directors
Light-Sport Aircraft Market Shares for Fleet and 2016
A dozen years after FAA created aviation’s newest sector, we have a new leader among manufacturers of fully built Light-Sport Aircraft. CubCrafters has been moving upward with several years hitting 50 deliveries. In 2016 the west coast builder finally topped perennial leader Flight Design, which slipped to second place. The CT builder had occupied the #1 position since the beginning of Light-Sport Aircraft. Only four aircraft separate the two brands. Note: this article has been updated twice; see at end. —DJ
In the single-year race, Czech Sport Aircraft won convincingly with almost double the next closest producer. The Czech builder performed well in 2015 but significantly increased last year. Congratulations to both companies.
To explain further, our “whole fleet” market share chart — the one we have published going back to 2006 — keeps track of all Special LSA (SLSA) airplanes in the U.S. fleet. Regretfully, we are unable to properly account for weight shift trikes, powered parachutes, gyroplanes, or motorgliders because the database is too variable.
See Light-Sport Aircraft and Light Kits at US Flight Expo
Sun ‘n Fun is not even over; a final day remains (Sunday, April 9th). Yet already, airplane sellers are looking at another show, this one out West.
Welcome to the new US Flight Expo. Less like Sun ‘n Fun and AirVenture with their airshow components and vast acreage of airplanes of all types, US Flight Expo will perhaps more closely resemble Sebring, Midwest LSA Expo, or DeLand …all arguably part of an emerging trend toward sector-focused shows that offer more manageable crowds giving easier contact with aircraft vendors and superb access to aircraft demo flights.
Coming up very soon, US Flight Expo runs May 3-4-5-6, 2017 at the Marana Regional Airport (KAVQ) near Tucson, Arizona and about an hour south of Phoenix.
Organized by Arion Lightning dealer and light aviation enthusiast Greg Hobbs, the sector we usually cover here on ByDanJohnson.com looks to be well represented.
Full LSA Mall and Engines of Light Aircraft
Here at the Sun ‘n Fun 2017 airshow LAMA’s LSA Mall is full and strong with 13 aircraft gathered from some of the leading brands. This exhibit was paired with the first-ever “Engines of Light Aircraft” display inside a large LAMA “Show Center” tent. On the first days of the Lakeland show, people appeared to be receiving the idea warmly.
One brand, Tecnam of Italy, showed its strength in the light aircraft community with three aircraft represented, two from First Landings at Apopka Airport in Florida and one from Lockwood Aircraft. The former are used in an active Sport Pilot school and the latter is a great example of the durability of Light-Sport Aircraft. The example from Lockwood has 4,500 hours on it and looks brand new.
Beside Tecnam, aircraft included Zlin’s Shock, BRM Aero’s Bristell, Progressive Aerodyne’s Searey, AeroJones’ CTLS, Pipistrel’s Virus SW, Aerotrek’s A-240, TL Ultralight’s Sting, Lockwood’s AirCam, and a Rans S-7 powered by Viking Engines.
He Built and Test Flew Airplanes for You!
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.
Aero 2017 Approaches; Remos GXiS & More
We are fast approaching an important time of year… only this year I am a bit conflicted. The good news is Sun ‘n Fun and Aero Friedrichshafen are terrific shows. I have been attending both for more years that I care to admit. (OK, I guess I don’t ming saying Aero 2016 was my 20th in a row. I’ve been going to Sun ‘n Fun so long, it makes me feel old to say how many years it has been.)
Both events are vitally important to the light aircraft space I enjoy and as steadily reported on this website. Both have strong sectors serving Light-Sport Aircraft (and in Europe, LSA-like aircraft) plus light kit-built aircraft and ultralight aircraft (in Europe called 120-kilogram class or SSDR, which means Single Seat De-Regulated).
These classes of aircraft are the ones I love to report and probably the ones you also enjoy.
What Effect Will “BasicMed” Have on Light-Sport?
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.
Aircraft Spruce—WideBody FK9—Icon in Tijuana
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.
LSA “Market Failing” Statement and My Response
This month, I had an email exchange with a leader in aviation. I debated if I should reply. For a time, I did not but I felt compelled given the person’s stature. I was driven to attempt informing those this individual might influence. I further pondered if I should write an article about it, but I feel one must confront potential errors if for no other reason than to promote healthy dialogue.
I am not to going reveal with whom I had this exchange. Personality isn’t important to the discussion but this person expressed what I suspect represents the opinion of a fair share of general aviation pilots, at least those who have not fully explored recreational aircraft such as LSA, or light kits, or ultralights.
The following comes from our second round of email. In the first, the writer referred to LSA “market failings” and I asked what was meant.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- …
- 23
- Next Page »