Do you think you can find Latvia on a map? Do you know anything about the country? You’ll know more after reading this article.
I was underinformed about Latvia and had no awareness of its aviation capabilities. Hint: Latvia is east of Sweden, well north among the Eastern European countries. It is reasonably distant from hostilities in eastern Ukraine. One Latvian company’s ability to build a good-looking airplane is seen in nearby images.
I was alerted to visit Belmont by my journalist friend, Marino Boric, who suggested I have a look at Belmont primarily because it carries quite an agreeable price point: €96,000. At today’s exchange rate ($1 = €1.09), that translates to $105,000 before shipping and related transport expenses.
I realize everybody’s budget is different. Nonetheless, after the world has experienced at least 20% inflation over the Covid years (many experts believe inflation has been considerably higher), $105,000 for a airplane that looks like what you see in these images is, I believe, quite a bargain in 2023.
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It’s Almost Here! — Sun ‘n Fun 2023 Theme “The Magic of Aviation” and “The Island”
Whoo, Hoo! It’s almost showtime! April 2023 seems destined to finally overcome all the Covid baggage as attendees sign up in droves for Sun ‘n Fun.
With a delicious 10-day spacing between them — time to rest up a bit after a vigorous week — later in April comes Aero Friedrichshafen. Get ready for plenty of reporting from these two events.
Both events have new leadership in 2023. A time for changes. Fresh ideas are emerging. What can you expect at this years airshows? With Sun ‘n Fun 2023 starting in about two weeks as this is written, let’s focus on Lakeland, Florida first.
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.
While FAA Reworks Mosaic, Other Nations Are Moving Ahead — Is USA Falling Behind?
Capitalism and competition are one thing. Government policies and actions are quite another. You already know this.
Sometimes, however, these two seemingly-opposite concepts aren’t so different. What does this have to do with Light-Sport Aircraft?
American pilots, like aviators in other countries, must obey regulations in the nation where they operate their airplanes. Yet the same requirement is not necessarily true for those who produce the airplanes we enjoy. Producers, it turns out, have choices.
Under an arrangement called reciprocity, manufacturers in certain nations (Note 1; see at bottom) can meet their local regulations and FAA will then accept such aircraft without them going through the American certification system. What results is a form of competition between government regulatory agencies.
European builders may be early users and beneficiaries but American companies could use reciprocity as well.
Readers may remember that when Cessna was still promoting their ill-fated Skycatcher SLSA, they considered pursuing 1990’s-era Primary Category.
Oshkosh 2022 – Day 3… Build Your Own LSA-Sized Warbird, a Stunning Eye Catcher
EAA has reported that the Warbird displays (ground and flight) are the single biggest draw at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. Whatever the numbers, almost all attendees enjoy seeing World War II warbirds still flying, often in large formations. They make quite the inspiring sight.
Another point of wide agreement among pilots is that perhaps the P-51 Mustang is the most popular airplane ever …if they are baby boomers.
Archon developers and sellers Dave Hertner and Bill Canino reported that younger pilots aren’t necessarily enamored of the WWII fighters. Those aircraft flew more than half a century before they were born.
What young military aircraft enthusiasts recognize are machines like Lockheed’s F-35. Common on late-generation fighters, F-35 is all sharp edges and angled facets. It’s quite — to use a word of another generation — gnarly and vicious looking.
You can’t even afford the fuel bill to fly one of Lockheed’s big bad boys.
Oshkosh 2022 – Day 0… T-Bird is Back; Two-Seat Aerolite; and More As the Show Prepares to Open
I write this on the eve of Oshkosh 2022. The big summer celebration of flight opens officially on Monday, July 25 running through next Sunday, July 31st. Based on a tour of the grounds on setup day, I think we’re in for an interesting week.
I plan to continue work to bring you daily coverage but I’m hoping to be more efficient this year, to cut too-frequent 16-hour days to perhaps 12-hour days. That will mean shorter articles but those generating the most interest can go deeper when the show concludes.
After a difficult Saturday when storms blew through (see “Tough News” below), Sunday produced sunshine and mild temperatures. Weather for the remainder of the week looks great.
Welcome Back T-Bird
We haven’t seen this design for a few years although it never really disappeared. Bret Kivell of Indy Aircraft kept the design alive and well after the original developer left the business.
Ending 2021 — Beginning 2022… What’s Behind and What’s Ahead?
With the DeLand Showcase 2021 ended, we have officially wrapped up the airshow season for 2021.
In retrospect, 2021 improved on surprisingly good results for 2020. Pilots are buying and flying — great! — while producers are maintaining or growing; both are good outcomes we can celebrate.
While much of America and the world were topsy turvy over the pandemic and the sweeping mandates placed on individuals and businesses, Light-Sport Aircraft fared reasonably well. Translation: sales held roughly steady despite Covid fear and talk of FAA regulation change hanging in the air.
The Sport Pilot kit market and Part 103 ultralights had nothing short of a banner year …and all that was 2020!
In 2021, the recreational flying community experienced an ongoing positive trend, but we can happily add into the mix a successful restart to the airshow calendar, lead by our friends at Sun ‘n Fun. From spring through fall, SnF was followed by AirVenture — both stronger than many expected after 2020’s enterprise-threatening cancellations.
SW-51 is Shipping Quick-Build Kits — Create Your Ultimate Mustang with Incredible Detail
North American’s World War II-era P-51 Mustang has consistently won polls of pilots asking to identify their favorite aircraft.
You may love your LSA or Sport Pilot kit or an ultralight aircraft, but nearly all pilots occasionally dream of owning — or at least flying — a P-51 Mustang.
Let’s face it. You probably can’t afford to buy one and it’s almost certain you don’t have the budget to maintain it and fly it. The fuel bill alone for an hour’s flying will make you gasp.
So, what do you do if you have a Walter Mitty-esque urge to own and fly a P-51 but you don’t have a couple million laying around unused?
Why not build your own?
When It Looks This Good!
You can follow my previous reporting of this superlative development in other articles:
SW-51 Production Model First Flight (2021)
SW-51 Kit Introduced (2019)
SW-51 ScaleWings Takes Over (2018)
SW-51 Makes Maiden Flight (2014)
As you see from the timeline above, it has taken a while for the twists and turns of development to unravel themselves.
AirVenture Day 2: LSA Sales Backlogged • Fun Fly Zone Relocation
Day 2 AirVenture began with “rain that went sideways,” according to one vendor. After a late night cranking out a report, I was grateful for an excuse to get another hour’s sleep. The overnight rain gave way to another beautiful, if hot, day in Oshkosh.
Tuesday, I hiked up to the north side, where the main displays are located. Most of the higher end Light-Sport Aircraft are located in this high-traffic area. Several LSA companies have jockeyed for years to find what they consider to be the optimal location for their exhibit. Being near the main foot-traffic road is very alluring to vendors.
In almost two decades of Light-Sport Aircraft (the then-new rule was announced at AirVenture 2004), LSA have integrated themselves into mainstream aircraft manufacturing …and not simply because of the aircraft offered. As late-night TV ads once said, “There’s more!”
LAMA board of directors member Phil Solomon — active in the flight school business and a former importer of Tecnam — expressed that the sales of LSA and the growth and development of the industry is only one of its successes.
Streaking through the Sky — JMB Aircraft’s VL3 Gets Clean and Goes Fast
The age of Light Personal Aircraft is not far off in the future but is that where “fast-glass” LSA are headed?
Certainly, some LSA producers have ambitions for four seat cruisers or tougher bush aircraft or larger load-carrying aircraft to satisfy pilots that want more capability from their aircraft.
Those goals are fine, of course, but they are not what stimulates leaders and engineers at JMB Aircraft, a restless bunch that loves flying their screaming machine as fast as they can.
How fast is it? I went aloft with dealer Kyle Schluter to find out.
I also learned about the fuller product line and what Sport Pilot certificate holders can do to own and fly one of these impressive aircraft. (Article updated 7/17/21)
Orange Lightning in the Sky
Maybe it doesn’t look familiar but VL3 has already been seen by Yankee pilots under the brand name Gobosh and with the model designation 800XP.
Family Flying Adventure… AirCam Enthusiasts Flock to Gorgeous Jekyll Island, Georgia.
“Winds are going to be rather sporty,” observed AirCam developer, Phil Lockwood, as he and Robert Meyer and the AirCam team finalized arrangements for another fly-out, this one to Jekyll Island (09J).
The single runway near the resort island had a crosswind forecast for arrival day. When it comes from the east, air tumbles down over a tree line to disturb a smooth approach. The air was indeed “sporty.”
I’m an AirCam enthusiast even though I don’t own one. I earned my multi-engine rating in an AirCam some years ago and I’ll take any opportunity to fly one.
Numbering 300 AirCams
(…that’s 600 Rotax engines!)
Many of you know the story by now. AirCam was first developed to fly National Geographic photographers trying to document nature in Namibia. From what I can tell the entire country appears to be one enormous, dense jungle. Where ya gonna land?
Phil to the rescue.
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