ST. PAUL, MINN. — Time is growing short! Perhaps by the time you read this, FAA
may have issued their new rule called Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft
(SP/LSA). Why should you care? Well, perhaps you don’t.
If you fly solo in your hang glider or paraglider and are not towed aloft by a tug
of some kind, you may continue to operate under F.A.R. Part 103 as blissfully as
ever. However, if you’re one of the many who enjoy aerotow launches, you may be impacted
by this rule. The good news is| the trio of Jayne
Depanfilis, Mike Meier, and Bill Bryden have been pursuing actions on the new rule
and have the matter quite well in hand. The issues of two-place flying have been
addressed and face few obstacles. Aerotowing, however, is less certain.
Operations such as Lookout Mountain Flight Park have been fighting local battles
with adversaries who brought FAA into the picture.
Search Results for : Just Aircraft
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.
Tuning Up Skystar
SkyStar reorganizes to offer ultralights, homebuilts and special LSAs under “one” roof.
For the new SkyStar Aircraft Corp., the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel is not a locomotive; it’s the coming of a bright new day in light aviation. As the publication of the final sport pilot and light-sport aircraft (SP/LSA) rule looms on the horizon, business is looking better for SkyStar and most other manufacturers and suppliers of light aviation equipment.
The two-place SkyStar Series 7 will have multiple personalities. SkyStar Sport Planes will manufacture a variation of this model as a ready-to-fly special LSA. Depending on the parameters of the final rule, SkyStar Sport Planes may sell an experimental LSA kit (more than 51-percent complete). When flown as an LSA, the Series 7 will be limited to the Rotax 912S engine as its powerplant. SkyStar Aircraft will continue to offer the Series 7 as a 51- percent amateur-built kit, with a variety of engine options, including the 914 Turbo version shown here.
Shooting Across the Sky
Italy’s Sky Arrow makes its mark in the United States
Just as it is home to many fine sports cars, Italy is also home to some beautiful light aircraft-the Sky Arrow being one. The tandem two-seat airplane is designed and manufactured there by Iniziative Industriali Italiane S.p.A (III). Formerly known as Meteor, the company was started in 1947 and also manufactures gliders, airplanes, and remotely piloted vehicles.
Pacific Aerosystem Inc., of San Diego, California, is the United States importer of the Sky Arrow line. With more than 200 Sky Arrows flying worldwide and 25 in the United States, III is an experienced manufacturer and able to meet customer needs, reports Pacific Aerosystem, an important factor to consider when choosing an aircraft.
Currently, Pacific Aerosystem sells four ready-to-fly versions of the Sky Arrow. A kit version can be built under the experimental amateurbuilt rule. Powerplants and instrumentation delineate the models. An 80-hp Rotax 912 powers the 650 TCN and 560 T models.
Ultralights over Israel
Touring the country by air
Touring Israel by air might, at first thought, seem an unlikely activity. Much of what we hear or read about this country suggests a history of serious conflict sufficient to squelch activities like recreational flying. If network news has given you that impression, I’m pleased to report it is completely wrong.
Recreational aviation — flying for fun — is alive and thriving in Israel. I saw homebuilt projects (Dick VanGrunsven’s RV series is popular), light-sport aircraft, powered parachutes, and weight-shift trikes. All were owned by motivated pilots enjoying their sport planes.
What’s Not on the News
A trip to Israel from the United States starts with a long airline flight. My trip consumed eight hours to Amsterdam, an eight-hour layover at Schiphol airport, and four-plus hours to Israel. I left Minneapolis at 9 p.m. and arrived at 2 a.m. two days later.
The president of EAA Chapter 1346, Abraham Kimchi — he prefers simply “Kim” — met me in the wee hours of the morning.
The Sport Pilot Rule
Increased benefits come with some costs and responsibility
Are you excited by the proposed sport pilot/lightsport aircraft (SP/LSA) rule? Many experts say the long-awaited rule will offer aviation its best growth opportunity since the 1940s. Do you wonder if any new regulation can be that helpful?
Some pilots remain apprehensive about SP/LSA. Naturally, those who will use the regulation to begin or expand their recreational flying welcome it. Some who don’t feel the need for government involvement are less sure.
Like most privileges, the new rule comes with some cost and additional requirements. Pilots of all stripes will grapple with those requirements, but it is important not to lose sight of what makes this a great piece of regulation. On this rare occasion, I find myself anticipating, even welcoming, a new federal rule.
The Costs
The proposed SP/LSA rule will reduce operating costs for many pilots, but ultralight pilots will experience some initial transition costs.
Relive the World War II fighter experience
The Ending
In the remainder of this article I’ll tell you what I thought of this new offering from Titan Aircraft, the successful builder of the Tornado line of ultralights and light aircraft. But I must be forthright and tell you my hour and a quarter flight with this new airplane ended with a landing on its belly.
I rush to say it wasn’t simple forgetfulness; I didn’t forget to put the gear down. Instead, a simple mechanical problem in this prototype T-51 prevented the retractable gear from fully extending. The gear was partially down, but it refused to lock in position. A post-incident investigation revealed that a tiny activation pin broke off the gear-down microswitch when I tried to activate it with too forceful a movement. Because the micro-switch didn’t activate, the hydraulic system didn’t push the gear legs down all the way.
Considering the gear was down only about 50 percent, according to Titan President John Williams who was watching from the ground, my touch down was remarkably smooth, and the T-51 rolled for quite a few yards.
Product Lines – December 1999
ST. PAUL, MINN., — As we head in winter and the holiday season, news for the next season appears to continue a focus on rigid wing hang gliders. Flexwings continue to do well in contest flying (and sales) but we simply aren’t hearing as much about new developments as we have in years past… for example, the topless buzz is now getting to be some years old. ••• U.S. Aeros is preparing for sale of their new rigid wing, ominously named the Stalker. It either sounds like a challenger trying to take on the leader (Exxtacy and ATOS, by almost any reckoning), or like a johnny-come-lately rigid wing design. Certainly for a company that has shown the ability to compete in the worldwide hang gliding community — for both sales, at which they’ve done excellently, and in competitions — Aeros is somewhat tardy bringing their stiffwing to market. • On the other hand, this is a second generation offering like the Ghostbuster and ATOS.
Product Lines – August 1999
ST. PAUL, MINN., — The tragic death of Michael "Hollywood" Champlin sent a wave through the hang gliding community recently. While others will surely document the incident, it causes me to think about my longtime support of rigid wings as a form of glider to supplement the flex wing. One thing we’ve added to the equation is control surfaces and for HG pilots without "stick time" (or something equivalent), the experience is genuinely new. That’s a good thing except… When an expert tackles anything new, doubt can enter the equation. Experts don’t always know they’re in "learning mode." While discussing the loss, my wife Randee (an HG pilot herself) reminded me recently of the old hang gliding axiom that advises you only change one thing at a time. In learning to fly rigids, one encounters several new things at once, among them the use of controllable surfaces. ••• In the case of the Millennium, one further adds the joystick, and that’s how I relate the story to Champlin.
Product Lines – July 1999
ST. PAUL, MINN., — The glare of spotlights this month turns to GW Meadow’s U.S. Nationals which took place at Quest Air the week after Malcolm Jones’ Wallaby Open concluded. ••• Weather wasn’t quite as cooperative and the organization was different, but the U.S. Nationals are now history and Jim Lee is our national champion, edging out top-ranked Mike Barber by a mere seven points (nothing, really, in the course of a whole contest week). Prior to the two Florida events, Barber had been #1 ranked in the U.S. team scheme though new stats will now be needed. • Neither man outdid the dynamic duo of Manfred Ruhmer and Oleg Bondarchuk (ranked #4 and #1 in the world scheme prior to these two meets). In addition, web writer Davis Straub also indicated several pilots from Brazil did well… as all these non-USA pilots had done at the Wallaby meet. • All in all, Florida was host to two grand events and both are angling for a repeat next year, so say the rumor mills.
Product Lines – May 1999
ST. PAUL, MINN. — Well, whaddya know… this particular "Product Lines" column marks the end of 20 full years and the start of year #21. Sometimes that just sounds kinda unreal to me; 20 years of putting out this column every single month (except one where I was one day late on deadline and the publication went to press without "PL"). Anyway, I’m proud to do my little piece of work for our wonderful sport and I sincerely appreciate those loyal members who send me stuff for consideration in this column. I also appreciate the many comments I get from readers who often tell me "PL" is one of the first things they read in HG. • Finally, I want to repeat my thanks to Bill Allen who inspired this column with his own "Flying Bull" of the 1970s. Though his effort ran only for a short time (or so it appears with my ancient 20-year hindsight), his folksy style literally gave birth to "PL." He called for someone to take over "FB" in HG mag, and when no one did, I borrowed the style for Whole Air magazine which I’d begun to publish back in 1978.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 115
- 116
- 117
- 118
- 119
- …
- 134
- Next Page »