They still sneak by…under the radar. Welcome to Sky Cruiser, which won approval before Oshkosh. As the LSA industry heads toward its #100 SLSA approval — perhaps by the April 2009 fourth-year anniversary date since the first approval — welcome to #84 (previously reported #85). *** Built by Bilsam Aviation in Poland, the Sky Cruiser is represented in the U.S. by Joe Carswell’s Light Wing Sport Aircraft. His company also sells Allegro and X-Air plus Titan kit-built aircraft, all of which occupy the lower price range of Light-Sport Aircraft. Based in Morganton NC, Light Wing provides flight training at Clyde Valley Airport. *** To top out their line of modestly priced LSA, the Carolina company imports the Sky Cruiser. Plenty of technology details or specs can be found on the Bilsam website but the highlights are: Cruise 108 knots with a 100-hp Rotax 912 swinging a 3-blade carbon prop; stall 40 knots; climb 1,050 fpm; gross weight 1,298 pounds; empty weight 704-770 pounds, depending on equipment selected, which can include an optional factory installed parachute; 26-gallon fuel capacity yielding a 600 mile range; and a broad 48-inch wide cabin.
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Remos Aircraft Announces New GX Model
Among many new aircraft shown at Oshkosh, one long-anticipated model was the updated Remos GX. The German company has moved steadily up the market share ranking of Special Light-Sport Aircraft using the earlier G-3 model designed in the 1990s. Following a major engineering effort, GX was shown to American buyers at the Wisconsin event. I was fortunate to fly the new model and found it has light and pleasant handling with several new features. *** Most notably, the wing has changed from the fabric covered version to a composite exterior that will likely be appreciated by customers including flight schools. The outer span is now tapered and the wing section is thinner, helping GX run close to the maximum speed allowed under LSA rules. GX, which is 100% built in Germany, retained the wing folding that attracts many buyers. Directional stability was enhanced by a longer “strake” or dorsal fin leading to the vertical stabilizer.
LSA Dominate $300,000 NASA Challenge 2008
Amid furious preparations for Oshkosh, CAFE Foundation, the efficiency folks, announced teams that will vie for a second year of prizes. CAFE has a $300,000 purse thanks to their partnership with NASA, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2008. *** It may not surprise you to hear that four of five teams entered will fly Light-Sport Aircraft, and at least one is sure to end in the money as one prize ($10,000) is for “Quietest LSA.” Other prizes are a maximum of $150,000 for lowest community noise; two $50,000 prizes, one for “Green,” another for safety judged by handling qualities; a $25,000 speed prize; and four $3,750 “Showcase Prizes” covering quietest cabin, best angle of climb, shortest takeoff, and best glide. Winning a couple of the larger prizes is enough money “to actually buy someone their own LSA,” said CAFE President, Brien Seeley. *** The teams competing will fly a Pipistrel Virus (last year’s big winner of $165,000!–photo); a modified Diamond DA20-A1; a Dynamic WT9; the UFM-13 Lambada, and a Flight Design CTsw.
Icon’s A5 Flies! Check the YouTube Video
I’ve rarely promoted watching a YouTube video in a blog post. And this obviously isn’t the first SLSA (candidate) to make a first flight. But I’d repeat this many times if all first flights were as well documented as the first flight of the Icon A5 LSA seaplane. *** The L.A. company has shown unusual levels of professionalism and showmanship. So their creation of a quality video for a first flight comes as little surprise. *** Icon engineering team member Jon Karkow made the first flight on Wednesday, July 9th. Beside his engineering duties, Jon is an accomplished test pilot with a slate of first flights including the late Steve Fossett’s GlobalFlyer from Scaled Composites. *** “Everything went as well as an initial test flight possibly could go; so I was very pleased,” said Karkow. “The aircraft flew exceptionally well and met or exceeded our design expectations.
Strong Survive 2008; LSA Market Share Adjustments
Through the first six months of 2008, Light-Sport Aircraft deliveries have reflected the same challenges afflicting the rest of general or sport aviation…and for that matter, the overall U.S. economy. In fact, LSA registrations aren’t off as badly as are GA deliveries, perhaps due to significantly better fuel economy in an LSA. These FAA registrations can be analyzed to show trends. *** In the first half of 2008, the LSA industry registered 248 aircraft, which is 22% of all registrations from April 2005 through December 2007 (1,118). Many find it interesting to observe how market leaders compare. If a supplier registered less than 22% of their fleet in 2008, they slipped in market share (even if they registered more total airplanes). If they exceeded that figure, they gained market share. In the first half of 2008 gainers included: Remos up 62%; Czech Aircraft Works 47%; FPNA 45%; Gobosh 38%; Tecnam 35%; Aeropro 32%; and AMD 28%.
Finding New Pilots; Icon Takes a Novel Approach
Most aviation participants have been wringing their hands over the declining pilot population. FAA’s database of active pilots has dropped from 825,000 when I began flying to less than 600,000 today…all while the U.S. population has grown by 50 million. We are clearly doing something wrong, and have for too long had a too-inward focus. *** We have some worthy efforts of outreach. EAA has their fine Young Eagles program. AOPA has its Project Pilot. Companies like Cirrus rove from show to event with their mobile display. Yet we need to do much more. *** L.A.-based Icon Aircraft is one such company that is doing so, recently introducing their new Icon A5 LSA. While the company is presently focused on providing a fascinating new aircraft, they’re looking beyond the existing pilot market. According to their CEO Kirk Hawkins, “Icon’s mission is to bring the freedom, fun, and adventure of flying to the thousands of others who have always dreamed of it.
A Sleek Mystique
But this airplane offers no mystery …
Most pilots will find
nothing mysterious
about the Mystique. In
fact, many readers already
know its manufacturer,
Interplane Aircraft, which
also manufactures the
Skyboy that achieved early
success before light-sport
aircraft (LSA) were given
official status.
Yet to American pilot
eyes, the Mystique is a
new bird on the horizon.
It earned its special lightsport
aircraft (S-LSA)
airworthiness certificate
shortly before the U.S.
Sport Aviation Expo in
mid-January 2007. This is
the second S-LSA approval
for Interplane; Skyboy won
approval in October 2006.
Let’s Meet the Distributor and Manufacturer
Many LSA pilots have come to
know Doug and Betty Hempstead,
the proprietors of several aviation
companies based at the Sanford-Lee
County Regional Airport in North
Carolina. Doug and Betty operate a
flight school, two import enterprises,
and plan to embark on final assembly
of airplanes in the United States.
The Hempsteads import the Allegro,
manufactured in the Czech
Republic by Fantasy Air, under the
Fantasy Air USA name.
SkyLeader’s Wide-Body LSA
Update Note (2021) — This article published in 2008. The aircraft was then referred to as Skyleader 500. Later this was further upgraded and became the Skyleader 600. Obviously, some information presented below will be dated but much of the flight qualities reporting is still useful. —DJ
Sky Leading KP-5
First, Americans became aware of Kappa. This corporate identity was more easily pronounced than the next company name,
Jihlavan (roughly, “YEE-lah-von”) Airplanes. Now, after new investment and with new global ambitions, the company will be known a “Skyleader Aircraft.” American tongues can relax with this easy reference.
Unchanged are a common owner and the same skilled Jihlavan Airplanes
technicians building the elegant KP-5/Skyleader 500 from the Czech
Republic. It may not be the biggest seller among light sport aircraft (LSA),
but I find it to be one of the finest flying machines in the fleet. Skyleader
plans to standardize the brand around the world and will rename the KP-5
the Skyleader 500.
Lambada’s Choice
Motor Along Economically
Not all light sport aircraft (LSA) are made alike.
You probably knew that already, but consider
the Lambada. This sleek composite 2-seat
shoulder wing is part airplane, part glider and it has
the interchangeable wing tips to prove it.
For a soaring enthusiast like myself, flying the
Lambada gratified a desire I’ve had for years, since I
first saw the Urban Air design at a German airshow. On
January 9, 2008, I went aloft in a Lambada with Josef
Bostik – a former U.S. National Champion hang glider
pilot turned airline captain – at Wallaby Ranch, an
iconic hang glider park in Central Florida where hang
gliders are towed aloft behind specially built ultralights.
The particular Lambada I flew bore N-number
N109UA. Bostik indicated that 108 other Lambada
aircraft are flying around the world, though the
one I flew is the first ’08 model to pass ASTM standard
certification.
X-Air Captures SLSA (#78); A Low-Price Leader
Many pilots have complained about the high prices of Light-Sport Aircraft. Customers expected figures like $50,000 or $60,000 (and we had choices at that price in 2003). Now, double or more is common. Read why. But not always. X-Air LS comes in at a surprisingly modest $46,900. Yes, it has sewn Dacron wings (though that helps keep it lighter; no painting). No, it isn’t as sleek as the carbon fiber jobs. Others can fly a bit faster (cruise is 90 mph). Yet for $20,000 less than we thought they should be five years ago — and about one-third the cost of many LSA today — X-Air LS will find some buyers. Indeed, X-Air had a good start at the Flying magazine Parade of Pistons, selling a LSA to the high and fast crowd. X-Air comes standard with the 85-hp Jabiru 2200, giving it spirited performance at very low fuel usage.
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