Molly McMillin of the Wichita Eagle reports today that Cessna is speeding up its deliveries of the C-162 throughout 2010, after delays were announced early in the year. The announcement was made at the Aero Expo in Germany today. *** McMillin also writes that Cessna veep John Doman believes the piston-powered aircraft market may be stabilizing and could turn around soon to a growth profile, perhaps as early as mid-2011. *** In a related story, Shenyang Aircraft of China, the state-owned manufacturer of the Skycatcher airframe for Cessna, plans to build a new factory to expand its production volume. *** An airport will also be built at the site — but original plans for a mid-2010 opening have been delayed to 2011. *** Future Skycatchers will still be outfitted and test-flown in Wichita. *** UPDATE on Michael Combs “Flight for the Human Spirit” odyssey: he’s off and flying! The nasty Salina, KS weather that kept him on the ground for 3 days broke today and he promptly launched.
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Catching Up with Cessna’s Skycatcher Plans
Everyone interested in Light-Sport Aircraft is aware of Cessna’s loss of prototype #1 when it entered an “unrecoverable spin.” After Cirrus Design announced a slowdown in the development of their SRS, people have been wondering if Cessna would alter their plans for Skycatcher. Short answer: No. All is proceeding according to schedule. *** At AOPA Expo 2008, the Wichita giant reported that the now-lost Skycatcher prototype accumulated 220 hours in flight testing. Cessna will enlist their first production model to complete these primary evaluations. A third Skycatcher airframe will undergo various static tests. *** The company remains dedicated to ASTM standards. However, as general aviation’s leading producer, Cessna prefers to go beyond industry consensus standards so they also plan ground vibration tests (which can check for flutter) and airframe fatigue testing. Both employ elaborate test equipment to evaluate an airframe’s integrity and response to repeated in-flight loads.
Fuel CellTrike Wins At Aero
French hang glider pilot and light sport innovator/entrepreneur G©rard Thevenot has been a visionary all his life. I’ve profiled him previously re his efforts to create alternative-powered sport aircraft. *** He’s been testing electric trikes for Yuneec, the China company that’s developing several commercial sky-breaking electric aircraft designs. *** And last fall he set an electric trike record for sustained power flight of 1 hour 16 min. *** Today comes word from Aero 2010 International Exhibition for General Aviation, the big European airshow, that Thevenot has been awarded the 2010 E-Flight Award for his hydrogen fuel cell-powered trike. *** His trike is one of three fuel-cell powered aircraft exhibiting at this year’s Aero show. *** A fuel cell is a power source that creates enough electricity to drive an electric motor, using, in Thevenot’s case, only hydrogen fuel and oxygen. *** The exhaust components?
Lower-Priced LSA Coming to Sun ‘n Fun
After a tough winter in most parts of the USA, spring evidently arrived early with 80-degree temperatures as far north as Minnesota… all before Sun ‘n Fun. More good news: After its coldest winter since the early 1980s Florida is extremely pleasant now, warm with low humidity. *** Indications are the economy continues bearing down on Light-Sport aviation. Confronted with cautious customers, some aircraft producers have tightened their costs and are offering sharply lower prices in time for Sun ‘n Fun. *** Flight Design announced its CTLS Lite, which makes two impressive accomplishments. By slightly trimming the equipment list and making other adjustments, the market leader was able to slice $20,000 off the price, coming in at $119,800. They also cut a most impressive 50 pounds from the empty weight. *** Jabiru USA offers two models discounted for a short time. Taking $11,000 off the price of their J-170 brings the base to $85,900.
Spring Buzzzzz…
Everybody laments the high cost of LSA ownership: here’s an alternative…especially if you like true bugs-in-teeth aviating like our winged forefathers…uh, and foremothers of course…er, forepersons? Sheesh. Staying PC is so last week. *** Manfred Ruhmer, the German hang glider world champion and one-time distance record holder of 435 miles (current record is 444 mi.!), has been working on his own electric-powered trike – named the Icaro 2000 Pit-Trike. *** Chalk up that curious name to translation from the Italian. Maybe it grabs the air like a pit bull? Icaro’s price page calls it Nano Trike – take your pick! *** BTW, a “trike” is a wheeled undercarriage, powered by a pusher-prop powerplant, that allows a conventional foot-launched (or aero-towed) hang glider to fly under its own power. *** The trike unit without hang glider wing lists between $11,000 and $15,000 US, reports my pal Dan Johnson, before shipping, *** and you still have to add your own hang glider – another $3K to $6K.
Sun ‘n Fun Countdown
Two items today as we gin up for the 36th annual EAA Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In & Expo (that’s the official handle – it’s Sun ‘n Fun for short). *** The big show runs in Lakeland, FL from April 13-18. *** Like EAA’s Oshkosh AirVenture, you can float your flyin’ boat with enough pure aviation overload to give you a hangover. Samples of everything that flies are there, so rock on, wing crazies! *** Piper wasn’t just blowing smoke when it said it would deliver PiperSports starting in April. The PiperSport Facebook photo page has pix of the first production models coming off the Czech factory assembly line, and U.S.-bound. *** I hope to fly or at least talk to new owners there to see if Piper’s made any mods yet. *** I’m happy to report the LSA Mall will set up again this year.
Come Visit the LSA Mall at Sun ‘n Fun 2010
After becoming a hit feature of AirVenture in 2006, LSA Malls have become a fixture at major U.S. airshows. Visitors to EAA’s big summer celebration of flight are now joined by crowds attending AOPA’s Summit as well as the season-opening Sun ‘n Fun “Spring Break for Pilots.” Folks attending these top-drawing aviation trade shows have shown great enthusiasm for the LSA Mall concept — derived from also-popular auto malls in major metro areas. *** They are appreciated because the LSA Malls gather a large group of the best-selling Light-Sport Aircraft for visitors to consider side-by-side. After perusing many of the top brands, visitors can then trek to a company’s primary display for additional detail. *** In addition to positioning as many as 20 LSA in close proximity, the LAMA tent houses other companies that can dispense information on financing, flight training, engines, instrument panel gear, other LSA events, and publications.
The Precursors Of Longevity
Modern life, especially in our wonderful country, places a powerful premium on achieving top dog status. *** I’ve had a pet notion for many years that the Academy Awards should give over trying to pick one best picture/actor/actress/director etc. and just give the five or ten nominees Oscars for being the best of the year. *** ——- photo: Tom Peghiny (left) and Nat. Sales Mgr. John Gilmore *** I feel the same about LSA: achieving, then maintaining numero uno status is often a fruitless chase. One bad sales year and you’re number three. God a’mighty! Not number three! *** Of course, you could be clever like the AVIS rent-a-car CEO who made his company number one by extolling the virtues of a company always striving to be the best: (“We’re #2: We Try Harder!”) *** BTW, that CEO had the largest single-masted yacht in the world built for him. It towers 292 feet high and charters for $375,000 per week!
Phoenix Motorglider To Debut at Sun ‘n Fun 2010?
Last year, I almost got to do a flight report on one of the most enjoyable airplanes I’ve ever flown: an Urban Air Lambada SLSA motorglider. *** Alas, before the magazine could schedule the story, two (not one, but two) Lambadas broke up in flight, both in very strong soaring conditions. *** The design was immediately suspect of course, though plenty of load tests on the Czech Republic design both before and after the incidents had failed to show any structural weakness. *** Both pilots used their onboard ballistic parachutes by the way, which saved both their lives. That’s yet another strong argument right there for onboard parachute systems: no way would they have survived otherwise. *** One breakup was evidently a case of pilot overspeeding – way overspeeding, and during 1500 fpm soaring conditions to boot. Yikes. The other is still under investigation but pilot error is suspect there too.
Phoenix Motorglider To Debut at Sun ‘n Fun 2010?
Last year, I almost got to do a flight report on one of the most enjoyable airplanes I’ve ever flown: an Urban Air Lambada SLSA motorglider. *** Alas, before the magazine could schedule the story, two (not one, but two) Lambadas broke up in flight, both in very strong soaring conditions. *** The design was immediately suspect of course, though plenty of load tests on the Czech Republic design both before and after the incidents had failed to show any structural weakness. *** Both pilots used their onboard ballistic parachutes by the way, which saved both their lives. That’s yet another strong argument right there for onboard parachute systems: no way would they have survived otherwise. *** One breakup was evidently a case of pilot overspeeding – way overspeeding, and during 1500 fpm soaring conditions to boot. Yikes. The other is still under investigation but pilot error is suspect there too.
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