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News & Video on Light-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot Kits, and Ultralight Aircraft

Why is Angle of Attack Important? Let’s Ask Someone With Experience

By Marc Cook || 4 Comments

As part of our parent company’s coverage of AirVenture this year, I had a chance to sit with several in the industry and talk about what’s happening generally and about new (and even re-emerging) technologies. One of those talks was with KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye, who is working hard to educate pilots of LSA and homebuilt aircraft about the value of AoA and how easily it can be implemented with today’s instrument packages.

 

Compress Post ...

As part of our parent company’s coverage of AirVenture this year, I had a chance to sit with several in the industry and talk about what’s happening generally and about new (and even re-emerging) technologies. One of those talks was with KITPLANES editor at large Paul Dye, who is working hard to educate pilots of LSA and homebuilt aircraft about the value of AoA and how easily it can be implemented with today’s instrument packages.  

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Sport Pilot CFI — A Potentially Less Expensive Path to a Professional Aviation Career

By William “Bill” Ramey Jr. || 15 Comments

The journey to becoming a professional pilot has traditionally been a long and expensive one, requiring hundreds of flight hours and multiple certifications before being able to earn money. However, the FAA Sport Pilot Instructor Certificate (CFI-S) offers a potential shortcut for aspiring aviators, allowing them to start teaching and earning income with significantly fewer hours than a traditional Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).

Steps to Becoming a Sport Pilot CFI

  • Private Pilot Certificate: This is the foundation for all pilot certifications. You’ll learn basic flight maneuvers, navigation, and safety procedures. A Sport Pilot Certificate will be sufficient if you do not aspire to larger standard category aircraft, or simply wish to obtain your Private Pilot Certificate at a later date.
  • Instrument Rating: This rating allows you to fly in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), relying on instruments rather than visual references. It’s a crucial step toward becoming a professional pilot and will be required for flight instruction in standard category aircraft as a traditional CFI. While not required for Sport Pilot Instructors, this training is highly recommended. While nothing prevents a Sport Pilot Certificate holder from obtaining instrument training, as of the time of writing, you must have a Private Pilot Certificate or higher to obtain your Instrument Pilot Certificate.
  • Sport Pilot CFI: Once you have your Sport Pilot or Private Pilot Certificate, and optionally Instrument Rating, you can pursue the Sport Pilot CFI. The minimum total  time requirement is only 150 hours, compared to 250 hours for a traditional CFI. This means you could potentially start instructing and earning income much sooner.

Advantages of the Sport Pilot CFI Pathway

  • Faster entry into paid instruction: The lower flight hour requirement allows you to start earning money sooner, helping to offset the cost of further training and certifications.
  • No Instrument or Commercial Pilot Certificate required: Unlike traditional CFIs, you don’t need an Instrument or Commercial Pilot Certificate to become a Sport Pilot CFI.
  • Valuable experience: Flight instruction is an excellent way to build flight hours and experience while getting paid. It also helps develop essential communication and teaching skills.
  • Continuing the Journey to a Professional Pilot Career

After earning your Sport Pilot CFI, you’ll continue working toward your ultimate goal of becoming a professional pilot. This typically involves the following steps:

  • Instrument Pilot Certificate: This rating allows you to fly in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), relying on instruments rather than visual references.
  • Commercial Pilot Certificate: This certificate allows you to fly for hire.
  • Certified Flight Instructor (CFI): With this certificate, you can instruct in standard category aircraft.
  • Certified Flight Instructor Instrument (CFII): This allows you to provide instrument flight instruction in standard category aircraft.
  • Multi Engine (Flight) Instructor (MEI): This allows you to provide instrument flight instruction in standard category aircraft.
  • Airline Transport Pilot (ATP): Required for airline operations such as Part 121 carriers (American, United, Delta, etc.), and most Part 135 carriers. While exceptions exist for certain Part 135 carriers, that’s beyond the scope of this article.

Conclusion

The Sport Pilot CFI pathway offers a unique opportunity for aspiring aviators to accelerate their journey to a professional pilot career. By starting to instruct with fewer flight hours, you can gain valuable experience, earn income, and build hours towards further certifications. While it’s not the traditional route, it’s a viable option for those seeking a faster and more affordable path to a paid flying career.

Additional Resources

Flight Instructors… Sport Pilot Rating (FAA)

AOPA Flight School Finder

Compress Post ...

The journey to becoming a professional pilot has traditionally been a long and expensive one, requiring hundreds of flight hours and multiple certifications before being able to earn money. However, the FAA Sport Pilot Instructor Certificate (CFI-S) offers a potential shortcut for aspiring aviators, allowing them to start teaching and earning income with significantly fewer hours than a traditional Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). Steps to Becoming a Sport Pilot CFI Private Pilot Certificate: This is the foundation for all pilot certifications. You’ll learn basic flight maneuvers, navigation, and safety procedures. A Sport Pilot Certificate will be sufficient if you do not aspire to larger standard category aircraft, or simply wish to obtain your Private Pilot Certificate at a later date. Instrument Rating: This rating allows you to fly in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), relying on instruments rather than visual references. It’s a crucial step toward becoming a professional pilot and will be required for flight instruction in standard category aircraft as a traditional CFI.

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Let’s Talk Strategies for the Rare Ones – When We Can’t Answer Your Questions, Research Can!

By Marc Cook || 1 Comment

Here at the ByDanJohnson.com site, we get questions all the time related to aircraft whose companies are defunct or have gone on to something else. “Where can I find this part?” “How do I get documentation?” Sometimes we have the answers and sometimes we don’t. But it’s something we talk about every week, so in this video we discuss tactics for owners and potential owners of “rare” LSAs. What are the resources available to you? How can you get those parts you need?

Let’s discuss!

 

Compress Post ...

Here at the ByDanJohnson.com site, we get questions all the time related to aircraft whose companies are defunct or have gone on to something else. “Where can I find this part?” “How do I get documentation?” Sometimes we have the answers and sometimes we don’t. But it’s something we talk about every week, so in this video we discuss tactics for owners and potential owners of “rare” LSAs. What are the resources available to you? How can you get those parts you need? Let’s discuss!  

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Buying Used: The Ercoupe — We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Pedals

By Mark Timney || 7 Comments

Few legacy GA aircraft are as easily recognizable as the Ercoupe. The twin tails and large glazed canopy are distinctive, as are its lack of rudder pedals (on most models). Ercoupe Owner’s Club Executive Director Gene Bunt says, “for lack of a better explanation…it’s got major ‘cute factor’.” But apart from its unique looks, the plane is also known for being easy to fly. It was, after all, designed with the goal of being the safest fixed wing aircraft available—one that would not stall or spin.

While the Ercoupe is a type certified aircraft, many of the variants qualify within the Light Sport category. When MOSAIC comes in all of them will qualify. That’s great news for Sport Pilots looking for something “different” to fly. And, they regularly show up for sale for comparatively little money.

Development

Fred Weick, an aeronautical engineer who would later create the Piper Pawnee and have a hand in designing the Piper Cherokee, designed the Ercoupe after joining the newly formed Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) in 1936. He had resigned his management position with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, a federal agency tasked with conducting and promoting aeronautical research, to pursue his vision for a simple, safe and reasonably priced plane. An early prototype of the aircraft flew in 1937, but it wasn’t until 1940 that Ercoupes were available to the public. Unfortunately, barely more than a hundred of them were built before WW-II halted civilian aircraft production.

ERCO made the best of a bad situation by building Ercoupes for the military. They were used for flight instruction with the Civilian Pilot Training Program and for submarine patrol with the Civil Air Patrol. Since aluminum was in high demand for war production, wood became the primary building material for the Ercoupe. The wood variants were heavier than aluminum-based Ercoupes, but they were quieter because of wood’s ability to soak up engine and airframe vibration.

Production of the civilian Ercoupe resumed in 1945, and by the end of 1946 some 4300 415-C models were sold at a price of $2665 (about $44,000 in today’s money). The collapse of general aviation sales in the late 40s led ERCO to sell off the Ercoupe. A series of companies bought and sold the rights to the plane, including Aeronca, Forney (which introduced rudder pedals in its F-1A model, Alon (which was started by two former Beechcraft executives) and Mooney. Alon put a larger engine on its A-2 and A-2A models, adding rudder pedals to help counteract the increased P-factor. Alon also upgraded the seats and instrument panel, as well as replacing the oil/rubber dampening landing gear with spring steel. Mooney, which christened the plane the M10 Cadet, ditched the twin tail design for a single fin with a vertical leading edge to match its other planes. Mooney sold the type certificate in 1974 to Univair. The company continues to produce replacement parts and provide technical assistance to Ercoupe owners to this day. Some 2000 of the 6000 Ercoupes built are still around, but it may be that only about 1200 of them are truly airworthy.

Features & Flight Characteristics

Early Ercoupes were powered by 65 hp Continental boxer engines, but the 415-C model built right after the war had a 75 hp Continental. The 415-D and 415-CD saw minor interior modifications and an increased gross weight, while the 415-E and 415-F models saw 85 and 90 hp Continentals, respectively. The 415-G Club-Air introduced a rear kiddy-seat, while the 75 hp H model Club-Air came without the kiddy-seat.

Regardless of the engine mounted and regardless of its empty weight (generally a little over 800 pounds) or MTOW, the Ercoupe offers modest performance. The instrumentation is simple, as are the vintage amenities. The plane is reportedly comfortable for pilots who have an inseam of 32-inches or less. If there are rudder pedals, however, you’ll need shorter legs. Pilots with a bit of girth can fit into an Ercoupe with a minimal amount of squeezing. Two large adults, however, are not going to find the Ercoupe very comfortable. Specifications for the variants are readily available online, but the approximate performance figures for Ercoupes are generally as follows: Max speed of 110 mph; cruise of 95 mph; stall at 48 mph; Vne of 144 mph; 300 mile range and a climb rate of 550 fpm.

(Photo: Jason McDowell.)

Flying the plane is a relaxing treat according to Ercoupe enthusiasts. Since the rudder and front wheel are linked to the control yoke, you only need your hands to fly it. According to Bunt, stalls are nonexistent because there isn’t enough elevator movement to allow you to approach one. Instead of stalling, the plane just loses altitude at about 800 fpm. And since you can’t stall, you can’t spin! The biggest adjustment to flying an Ercoupe is the lack of rudder pedals. The plane is sometimes called the ‘Scare-Coupe’ because you don’t have any choice but to land the plane in a crab when there’s a crosswind.

“You’ll be going somewhat sideways down the runway, but don’t worry about straightening the plane before landing,” explains Bunt. “Once you touch down you need to momentarily let the yoke go so the front wheel straightens itself. Trying to correct it yourself can easily result in an overcorrection. And don’t be afraid of landing this way. Ercoupes have a crosswind component of 30-35 mph! The landing gear is specifically made to handle crabbed touchdowns.” Bunt adds that Ercoupes built with rudder pedals, or had them added later, offer only half the crosswind capabilities of the original design.

Ercoupe takeoffs are also a little bit different. The plane’s wings have a minus-3-degree angle of attack to ensure the nosewheel has positive steering during takeoff and landing rolls. No matter how fast the plane is moving on the ground it won’t take off. So, to get off the ground, Bunt says you need to “pop” the nose into the air by rapidly pulling up on the yoke to get flying, and then immediately push back down again to level off above the runway while building airspeed.

Pre-Buy Inspection

Kevin Provost, an A&P and the owner of Monadnock Choppers in Keene, NH, is working on a poorly maintained Ercoupe. He recounts that the buyer knew the plane needed quite a bit of work, so didn’t bother with a pre-buy inspection. That is proving to be a mistake. The plane’s “issues” grew substantially the further Provost dug into the aircraft. “There are areas in an Ercoupe that you really need to check unless you don’t care about getting into serious money,” he contends.

(Photo: Jason McDowell.)

The best pre-buy inspections will likely be performed by an A&P who’s familiar with Ercoupes. To help potential owners avoid the surprise of purchasing an unfit aircraft, the Ercoupe Owners Club has a free pre-purchase inspection guide available online. The guide’s creator, Ed Burkhead, says it covers what it takes to do the job right. “Realistically, most people will skip some of these steps even though many items are things the buyer can do him/herself,” writes Burkhead. “These things are listed because my advisors suggested that they were important.”

This article won’t go into specific details about doing a pre-buy on an Ercoupe given the availability of the guide. But, the most important thing to look for is corrosion. The Ercoupe isn’t especially susceptible to corrosion compared to other legacy aircraft, but corrosion in the wrong place is “cancer” for this plane, according to Burkhead. Corrosion on the outside of the plane shouldn’t be hard to identify, but finding it inside the wings or fuselage it a different story. Some early Ercoupes had fabric covered wings that were later “metalized.” The insides of the wings on these models need to be checked even more carefully for corrosion because of the potential of water leaking through the fabric.

Ownership & Maintenance

The Ercoupe may not be the best plane to take a check-ride in, as FAA standards require a pilot to demonstrate proficiency with a rudder. If you do take a check-ride in an Ercoupe you’ll be limited to only flying linked-rudder planes.

(Photo: James Good.)

Given that Ercoupes can be significantly older than their pilots, there will be age-related airframe and powerplant costs down the road. Bunt says this shouldn’t be too big a problem since parts are easy to find. “Ercoupes aren’t like most of the older planes…they used off the shelf stuff a lot of the time… a lot of standard hardware,” he details. “And, there are a lot of junk planes around if you need parts too… but the problem with them is that most Ercoupes were hand fitted so things may not line up well.”

Apart from watching for corrosion, experts say another thing to keep an eye on is the plane’s tail height. (This should be checked during the pre-buy too!) The standard landing gear’s shock absorption system will sag over time, which then changes the plane’s attitude on the ground. This, in turn, alters the minus-3-degree angle of attack discussed earlier and negatively impacts takeoff and landings.

Buying an Ercoupe allows you to join an active aviation community. The Ercoupe Owners Club is one of the largest groups with more than 600 members. There are also regular Ercoupe fly-ins, as well as EAA and Facebook interest groups. Additionally, there are a number of online sub-forums dedicated to the plane. As a major bonus, Bunt says the plane makes it very easy to make new friends. “No matter what airport you land at, people will come up to you… saying something like: My grandfather had one of those…or my first flight was in an Ercoupe. There are never ending stories surrounding this plane.”

Compress Post ...

Few legacy GA aircraft are as easily recognizable as the Ercoupe. The twin tails and large glazed canopy are distinctive, as are its lack of rudder pedals (on most models). Ercoupe Owner’s Club Executive Director Gene Bunt says, “for lack of a better explanation…it’s got major ‘cute factor’.” But apart from its unique looks, the plane is also known for being easy to fly. It was, after all, designed with the goal of being the safest fixed wing aircraft available—one that would not stall or spin. While the Ercoupe is a type certified aircraft, many of the variants qualify within the Light Sport category. When MOSAIC comes in all of them will qualify. That’s great news for Sport Pilots looking for something “different” to fly. And, they regularly show up for sale for comparatively little money. Development Fred Weick, an aeronautical engineer who would later create the Piper Pawnee and have a hand in designing the Piper Cherokee, designed the Ercoupe after joining the newly formed Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) in 1936.

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Sport Pilot Certificate – What You Need to Know

By William “Bill” Ramey Jr. || 15 Comments

The Sport Pilot Certificate has emerged as a popular option for aspiring pilots who want to experience the joy of recreational flying without the extensive time and financial commitment required for a Private Pilot Certificate. It’s been with us for two decades but there are still questions about the SP certificate. Here’s a rundown.

There are seven main categories of aircraft for which you can be a Sport Pilot, each with variations on training and pilot requirements specific to that Category. This article will be specific to the Airplane Category.

What is the Sport Pilot Certificate?

The Sport Pilot Certificate allows pilots to fly a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). These aircraft are typically smaller, simpler and more affordable to operate. Key characteristics of LSAs include:

  • Maximum takeoff weight of 1320 pounds (or 1430 for seaplanes)
  • Maximum airspeed in level flight of 120 knots under standard atmospheric conditions
  • Maximum stall speed of 45 knots in landing configuration
  • Single, non-turbine engine
  • Fixed pitch or ground adjustable propeller
  • Fixed landing gear (except for seaplanes)
  • Note that all of these are under the current LSA/SP rules and are likely to change when MOSAIC becomes reality next year.

Advantages of the Sport Pilot Certificate

  • Less Flight Time Requirement: The Sport Pilot Certificate requires a minimum of 20 hours of flight training, compared to 40 hours for the Private Pilot Certificate. Typical training time from zero flight hours is 45 hours for a LSA certificate versus 65 hours for the Private Pilot License. For those with prior flight training experience, the average time could be much less.
  • Simplified Medical Requirements: Instead of obtaining a FAA Medical Certificate, Sport Pilots can operate with a valid U.S. Issued Driver’s License if they meet certain criteria.
  • Affordability: LSAs tend to be less expensive to rent, purchase, insure and maintain than larger aircraft of similar vintage and configuration, making flying more accessible. This is particularly so for Amateur Built Experimental Light Sport Aircraft (E-LSA).
  • Recreational Flying Focus: The Sport Pilot Certificate is designed for recreational flying, ideal for pilots interested in personal enjoyment rather than commercial operations

Limitations of the Sport Pilot Certificate

  • Daylight Operations Only: Sport Pilots are limited to flying during daylight hours in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VFR) only.
  • Single Passenger: A maximum seating capacity of no more than two persons, including the pilot.
  • No Commercial Operations: The Sport Pilot Certificate cannot be used for commercial activities, such as carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire.
  • Aircraft:  Fly a Sport Pilot-Eligible aircraft. These include aircraft designated as Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA), Experimental Light Sport Aircraft (E-LSA) and certain legacy Certified aircraft that fully complied with the requirements of a Light Sport Aircraft at the time of initial certification.
  • Altitude: Up to 10,000 feet MSL, or 2000 feet AGL, whichever is higher
  • Airspace: Cannot operate in Class B, C, or D airspace, at an airport located in Class B, C, or D airspace and to, from, through, or at an airport having an operational control tower unless you have met FAA training requirements and received the required instructor endorsement(s).
  • Location: You may not operate outside the United States, unless you have prior authorization from the country/countries in/though which you seek to operate.
  • Who is Eligible for the Sport Pilot Certificate?

To be eligible for the Sport Pilot Certificate, you must:

  • Be at least 17 years old
  • Be able to read, speak, write and understand English.
  • Hold a valid U.S. Issued Driver’s License
  • Your application for your last FAA Medical Certificate cannot have been denied
  • Your most recent issued FAA Medical Certificate must not have been suspended or revoked
  • If you held a Special Issuance FAA Medical Certificate, it must not have been withdrawn
  • Be free of any medical condition or medication that would make the applicant medically unfit to operate an aircraft

(Keith Wilson photo)

How to Obtain the Sport Pilot Certificate

  • Find a Flight School or Independent Flight Instructor: Locate a FAA Certified Flight Instructor who specializes in and is experienced with LSA training.
  • Complete Ground School: Study the theoretical aspects of flight, including aerodynamics, meteorology, navigation, regulations and aircraft systems.
  • FAA Knowledge Test: Pass the FAA written exam, which covers aeronautical knowledge.
  • Flight Training: Undergo dual instruction with your flight instructor, learning the fundamentals of flight maneuvering, takeoff, landing and emergency procedures.
  • Solo Flight: Once you have demonstrated proficiency, you will be authorized to fly solo under the supervision of your instructor.
  • FAA Practical Test: Complete the practical flight exam, demonstrating your flying skills to an FAA authorized examiner.
    Existing Pilots Becoming Sport Pilots

A holder of a Private Pilot Certificate without a current FAA Medical Certificate can operate as a Sport Pilot if they meet the following requirements:

  • Valid Private Pilot Certificate: They must hold at least a valid Private Pilot Certificate (or higher). They must also have a current Flight Review recorded in their logbook. They must only operate within the Category and Class ratings on the Pilot Certificate.
  • Valid U.S. Issued Driver’s License: They must have a current and valid U.S. Issued Driver’s License. This serves as proof of medical fitness in lieu of an FAA Medical Certificate.
    No Medical Denial/Suspension/Revocation/Withdrawal: Their most recent FAA Medical Certificate cannot have been denied, suspended, or revoked. Any Special Issuances must not have been withdrawn.
  • Compliance with Sport Pilot Regulations: They must comply with all applicable Sport Pilot regulations, including aircraft limitations, airspace restrictions and weather minimums.
  • Important: Even if you meet all of the requirements, you are still responsible for determining your own medical fitness to fly. If you have any medical condition that could affect your ability to safely operate an aircraft, you should consult with a doctor before flying.

Is the Sport Pilot Certificate Right for You?

If you’re looking for an affordable and less time-intensive path to flying for personal enjoyment, the Sport Pilot Certificate may be a perfect fit. Before you start your training, be sure to research different flight schools, aircraft options and instructors to find the best resources for your journey into the skies.

Additional Resources:

AOPA Sport Pilot FAQ

EAA Getting Started in LSA

Existing Pilots Becoming Sport Pilots (EAA)

AOPA Flight School Finder

Compress Post ...

The Sport Pilot Certificate has emerged as a popular option for aspiring pilots who want to experience the joy of recreational flying without the extensive time and financial commitment required for a Private Pilot Certificate. It’s been with us for two decades but there are still questions about the SP certificate. Here’s a rundown. There are seven main categories of aircraft for which you can be a Sport Pilot, each with variations on training and pilot requirements specific to that Category. This article will be specific to the Airplane Category. What is the Sport Pilot Certificate? The Sport Pilot Certificate allows pilots to fly a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). These aircraft are typically smaller, simpler and more affordable to operate. Key characteristics of LSAs include: Maximum takeoff weight of 1320 pounds (or 1430 for seaplanes) Maximum airspeed in level flight of 120 knots under standard atmospheric conditions Maximum stall speed of 45 knots in landing configuration Single, non-turbine engine Fixed pitch or ground adjustable propeller Fixed landing gear (except for seaplanes) Note that all of these are under the current LSA/SP rules and are likely to change when MOSAIC becomes reality next year.

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Taking Composites “Out Back” — TL Sport Aircraft’s Sirius Backcountry and SE Models

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Metal or Fabric… that’s mainly been your choice when you look at LSA that can venture into unimproved landing strips. Composite aircraft with snugly-faired wheels and slippery, shiny exteriors usually stay on civilized airports. You’ve never seen a Cirrus land on a rocky creek bed, have you?

Czech producer TL Ultralight has started down this path and showed a mockup (using images) at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024.

The original, made-for-airports Sirius TL-3000. It predates other LSA high wing designs introduced in recent years.

Additionally, recent years have seen several high wing models introduced by LSA manufacturers known for their low-wing designs. High wing aircraft are often considered more versatile on floats or on big tundra tires, though we’ve seen low-wing variations like Bristell’s tundra tire-equipped TDO (Tail Dragger Option).

Thanks to a well-established production facility paired with computer-aided design, importer TL Sport Aircraft will take its all-composite Sirius into backcountry flying.

Summer Celebration

Oshkosh brings out the best in new aircraft. It’s a great place to present new creations and generate media buzz over a new model.

TL’s mockup of their new Backcountry series.

Traveling from home base in Charleston, South Carolina, TL Sport Aircraft announced an expansion of its aircraft line up at this summer’s big airshow in Wisconsin. “Leveraging the versatile and stable features of a tried-and-true high wing, Sirius Backcountry and Sirius Backcountry SE will enable pilots to reach destinations not considered possible in the past,” said North American importer Trey Murdaugh, President of TL Sport Aircraft..

“Sirius Backcountry will enable pilots to plan and execute missions that include cross-country flights,” continued Trey. “The even-more-specialized Sirius Backcountry SE will include all the features of the Backcountry with the high-performance capabilities of a STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) aircraft, thus allowing adventurous pilots the ability to get into challenging off airport destinations.”

“We believe many reasons explain why backcountry flying has become very popular in North America,” Trey elaborated. “One of the primary reasons is simply an opportunity to become a more experienced pilot. Many have also discovered the crowd-drawing STOL competitions across the country.”

What Is Changing?

In a conversation with Trey after Oshkosh, I inquire further about the specifics. Here’s how the Czech manufacturer is transforming a well proven design to operate away from conventional airports.

A photo mockup of Backcountry… combining a sleek composite exterior with big tundra tires and a tailwheel, powered by a potent engine.

For example, engineers are now using Kevlar on the tail to protect the empennage from pebbles or rocks picked up on unimproved landing surfaces. The fuselage is getting changes you can’t see easily but which prepare the design for harder use. They added extra stringers to strengthen the fuselage but this was combined with a new luggage door that will allow gear to be loaded more easily.

No slats or slots were added as is common on outback aircraft, “though possibly vortex generators are coming,” Trey said. Instead of costly wing devices, TL engineers will rely on Rotax’s potent 916iS engine producing 160 horsepower. Currently, Sirius has 100 horsepower making the new model instantly more energetic. With the smoother wings of the airport-based Sirius, Backcountry can project a higher cruise speed than is common among STOL designs. Trey believes 115 knots is probable though testing continues.

TL Sport Aircraft attracted a crowd for their presser at Oshkosh.

Backcountry will also carry more. TL engineers report a planned 750-kilogram (1,653 pound) gross weight. This outback model will be able to carry more camping, fishing, or hunting gear. Of course, that weight also means Backcountry will be a kit-built EAB until Mosaic is released. Buyers go to the Czech factory to assemble their airplane, a practice already in use for their speedy Sparker (2024 article and video).

Other features of Backcountry include 26-inch tundra tires and a suspended tailwheel. A higher-stance taildragger should more readily accommodate such as rocky river bed landings and takeoffs. Since you may be away from civilization many buyers will appreciate that TL engineers will keep the emergency airframe parachute as standard equipment.

The Sirius Backcountry aircraft specifications include:

TL Ultralight (manufacturer)
Sirius Backcountry / SE
description from manufacturer and U.S. importer

  • Rotax 916iS engine
  • Garmin G3X avionics suite
  • Garmin GNC 507
  • DUC Propeller
  • Ballistic parachute
  • Large cargo door with easy access
  • Alaska Gear Company Alaskan Bushwheel 26-inch tundra tires with one-piece main gear legs
  • Acme Aviation pneumatic tail wheel assembly
  • 41-gallon fuel capacity – for up to 5.5 hours of duration
  • Carbon Kevlar composite mix

flight performance data calculated by TL Sport Aircraft

  • Stall — 37 knots
  • Cruise Speed — up to 125 knots
  • Service Ceiling — 21,500 feet
  • Rate of Climb — 1500-1600 feet per minute
  • Max STOL Takeoff Performance Roll — less than 100 feet
  • Normal Operation Takeoff Roll — 150 feet
  • Max STOL Landing Performance Roll — less than 200 feet
  • Normal Operation Landing Performance Roll — 300 feet
  • Range — 600-700 Nautical Miles

Backcountry SE

The company also notes a variation labeled “SE” is their STOL Edition. “Flight performance data for the Sirius Backcountry SE will be available in the near future,” they advised. “Sirius Backcountry SE aircraft will be customized with high-performance components and aggressive paint schemes positioning it to reflect its upgraded SE capabilities.”

“We are excited to bring this extraordinary aircraft to the market here in North America. Sirius Backcountry is a result of 30 years of design excellence from TL engineers and we believe we have created a multi-functional, Mosaic-ready aircraft,” said Trey Murdaugh.

TL North America is the North American distributor of Sting, Sirius, Stream, and Sparker, offering sales and service in United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The Sirius Backcountry and Backcountry SE, along with the entire TL Sport Aircraft fleet, are available via custom order.

Compress Post ...

Metal or Fabric… that’s mainly been your choice when you look at LSA that can venture into unimproved landing strips. Composite aircraft with snugly-faired wheels and slippery, shiny exteriors usually stay on civilized airports. You’ve never seen a Cirrus land on a rocky creek bed, have you? Czech producer TL Ultralight has started down this path and showed a mockup (using images) at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024. Additionally, recent years have seen several high wing models introduced by LSA manufacturers known for their low-wing designs. High wing aircraft are often considered more versatile on floats or on big tundra tires, though we’ve seen low-wing variations like Bristell’s tundra tire-equipped TDO (Tail Dragger Option). Thanks to a well-established production facility paired with computer-aided design, importer TL Sport Aircraft will take its all-composite Sirius into backcountry flying. Summer Celebration Oshkosh brings out the best in new aircraft.

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MOSAIC Next Steps—An Interview with Rian Johnson

By Marc Cook || 11 Comments

As part of the Oshkosh Live streaming television the Firecrown aviation division (which includes this site as well as KITPLANES) did from AirVenture, I sat down with Rian Johnson, who is, in addition to his role as head of design engineering at Van’s Aircraft, the chair of the ASTM F37 committee working on MOSAIC industry-consensus standards. In this interview, he looks ahead at the next steps for MOSAIC and offers his perspective for what might come out of the FAA next year when the new rules package is announced.

Compress Post ...

As part of the Oshkosh Live streaming television the Firecrown aviation division (which includes this site as well as KITPLANES) did from AirVenture, I sat down with Rian Johnson, who is, in addition to his role as head of design engineering at Van’s Aircraft, the chair of the ASTM F37 committee working on MOSAIC industry-consensus standards. In this interview, he looks ahead at the next steps for MOSAIC and offers his perspective for what might come out of the FAA next year when the new rules package is announced.

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Where Is the World Headed with Low-Altitude Airspace Freedom?

By Dan Johnson || 3 Comments

With the excitement of EAA’s summer celebration of flight — AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 — slowly beginning to fade from headlines, this might be a good time to broaden our outlook.

Something for Everyone — image courtesy of Aircraft Spruce

AirVenture features aircraft from everywhere and of every conceivable type. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of airplane-examining pleasure and thoroughly covers nearly every aspect of aviation, from foot-launched powered paragliders to multiengine warbirds and everything in between.

Some were searching for the newest innovations, by which such attendees may mean drones, UAVs, multicopters, eVTOLs… whatever you might choose to call them. Finding these machines at KOSH was much less obvious perhaps because the truth is, Yankee pilots remain focused on aircraft they can get in and fly using their own skills.

American Dream

We live in a country of great aviation freedom and lots of wide open spaces. Those of us interested in flying light aircraft for the sheer enjoyment of it can do so in way the rest of the world can barely comprehend. Oh, Europe may be similar along with a few other places but in most of the world’s 180 or so nations, recreational aviation is barely known.

Endless Under-Wing Camping — from a live cam at AirVenture 2024

I live on an airport where I can literally walk or ride my bicycle to a hangar where I could pull out a LSA for a flight almost in the comfort of my backyard. I never lose sight of that marvelous privilege.

How about a huge contrast?

On two trips, I met a small number of pilots in China. Other than obvious language and cultural differences, I found them much like American pilots. They like to talk about airplane specifics and piloting skills, just like American pilots.

What they didn’t talk about much was cross country flying. China’s sky is dominated by its military and airline operations. Government officials have been promising to open their airspace since before my first trip in 2017. Yet little has been allocated to recreational flying, other than at specific locations.

Starair’s Aurora — image from aircraft.com

Recent news after China’s big government confab called their “third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee.” (I know, blah-blah-blah.) In short, it’s a big meeting of government leaders where they “pledged to develop general aviation.” The goal appears broadly stated and no detail was provided, but of interest to sport pilots is the inclusion of something they call the “low altitude economy.” All higher elevation airspace will apparently still be reserved almost exclusively for military and commercial aviation.

Air Taxi operating — image from CGTN

China is searching for new parts of its economy to grow. Investments that very significantly powered China’s rapid rise from deep poverty to a world-class economy were largely in real estate developments and thousands of infrastructure projects by government at all levels. That source of growth is hitting limits in recent years causing leaders to look elsewhere.

New growth engine

Aurora is a single-engine, two-seat, tricycle landing gear aircraft independently developed by Chinese aircraft manufacturer Starair Aircraft Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Sunward), which claims to be the first domestically-produced Light-Sport Aircraft to obtain airworthiness certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the country’s equivalent to America’s FAA. I reported on Aurora after the model won FAA acceptance in 2019 as a Special LSA — though curiously, that was the only one we ever saw in America.

Sunward (now Starair) Aurora — image from aircraft.com

As of the end of 2023, a total of “261 aircraft had been delivered, covering 28 provinces across the country. They were also exported to three countries,” reported He Qinghua, founder of Starair Aircraft.

CAAC authorities believe China’s “low-altitude economy” in 2023 was valued at $70 billion, although no details were given to support this large amount. Keep in mind this includes lots more than recreational aviating. Also grouped in “low altitude” is agricultural flying, forestry and plant protection, and powerline inspections. “Meanwhile, air tours, aviation sports, and medical rescues are also increasing,” they added.

Things Are Beginning to Happen

Jiangsu province’s Wuxi City is creating a low-altitude cultural tourism environment. Aiming to be an early participant, the city has opened a first eVTOL low-altitude route, offering a different perspective for tourists who want to explore the city’s scenery.

Package-delivery drones — image from CGTN

In Shenzhen City in south China’s Guangdong Province, customers may buy food and have it delivered by drones in as little as thirty minutes by scanning the QR code.

In February 2024, a five-seat eVTOL completed its first intercity electric air-taxi demonstration flight from Shenzhen to a ferry port in the nearby city of Zhuhai. It only took the air-taxi 20 minutes to go from Shenzhen to Zhuhai, a journey requiring more than two hours by car.

Maintenance Hangar — image from CGTN

According to CAAC, there were 689 general aviation firms in China at the end of 2023, with 3,173 general aviation aircraft registered and 451 general aviation airports established. All these numbers are vastly smaller than in the USA.

In sharp contrast, in 2024 authorities identified 608,000 newly registered drones, an increase of 48 percent from the end of last year. In a country where a general aviation culture is growing very slowly, drones are presently racing past conventional aircraft types.

These developments paint quite a different picture from the United States but the low-altitude skies of China continue to open.

News in this article was distilled from a report by CGTN, an outline news source. Interested pilots can read the entire article (in English).

Compress Post ...

With the excitement of EAA’s summer celebration of flight — AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 — slowly beginning to fade from headlines, this might be a good time to broaden our outlook. AirVenture features aircraft from everywhere and of every conceivable type. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of airplane-examining pleasure and thoroughly covers nearly every aspect of aviation, from foot-launched powered paragliders to multiengine warbirds and everything in between. Some were searching for the newest innovations, by which such attendees may mean drones, UAVs, multicopters, eVTOLs… whatever you might choose to call them. Finding these machines at KOSH was much less obvious perhaps because the truth is, Yankee pilots remain focused on aircraft they can get in and fly using their own skills. American Dream We live in a country of great aviation freedom and lots of wide open spaces. Those of us interested in flying light aircraft for the sheer enjoyment of it can do so in way the rest of the world can barely comprehend.

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Flight Review: Riding the Shark!

By Dave Unwin || 4 Comments

(Photo: Keith Wilson)

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is a wise old saw, and my initial impressions of the Shark were all very positive. Some aircraft look like they’re moving even when they’re standing still, and the Shark definitely falls into this category. From the tip of the sharp-looking spinner to the top of the swept-back fin, it’s easily the sexiest-looking microlight I’ve ever seen. Indeed, my first thought is that it looks rather like a scaled-down PC-21.

Walking around the aircraft, I note that the 100-hp Rotax 912S is very tightly cowled, and that access to the engine bay is adequate, but not outstanding, as quite a lot of Camloc fasteners need to be undone to remove the entire cowling for a full engine inspection. There’s a large electrically actuated NACA scoop in the bottom half which supplies air to the oil cooler and radiator, and small intakes in the top half on both sides of the spinner for cooling the cylinders. Hot air from the engine bay is exhausted through appropriately shark-like gills in the sides.

(Photo: Keith Wilson)

The oil dipstick is accessed through a small door in the top cowling, and there’s another small door for the movable ballast. Maintaining CG is always more critical in aircraft with tandem seating, and the Shark addresses this with a 13-pound moveable weight. When flown solo it goes in a special slot in the baggage bay. Flown dual, it must be in the engine compartment.

Despite the fact that it must always be fitted, it’s not included in the basic empty weight, which I thought was a trifle disingenuous. The motor is fed from two wing tanks with a combined capacity of 26 U.S. gallons (40 is an option), and spins a two-blade constant-speed Woodcomp propeller, which despite the name is made from carbon fiber.

The electrically actuated retractable tricycle undercarriage has a wide wheelbase and a reasonable wheel track. The nosewheel retracts aft, while the main legs are of a trailing-link design that retract inwards, fitted with Beringer wheels and hydraulic disc brakes. The wings and fuselage are constructed of carbon fiber with a honeycomb core, and the occupants’ “safety cell” is manufactured from a blend of carbon fiber and Kevlar aramid, the same as F1 cars. A unique carbon fiber process is used in the manufacture of the main spar. The wing uses a sophisticated laminar flow aerofoil—the ailerons extend right out to the tips and feature servo tabs. There are stall strips on the wing roots.

The tail consists of a swept-back fin which carries a horn-balanced rudder fitted with a ground-adjustable trim tab, and a tailplane with a slightly swept-back leading edge fitted with two-piece elevators. All the primary controls are actuated by pushrods except for the rudder, which uses cables. Pitch trim is provided by an electrically-actuated tab in the left elevator, and with the exception of the rudder, all the control surfaces are gap-sealed. Overall, it is extremely well made and finished to an extraordinarily high standard.

The Shark is obviously a slippery beast, so I wasn’t surprised to see that the electrically-actuated Fowler flaps have four settings: Up, 20, 30 and 38°. LED strobe and position lights are built into the wingtips and rudder, GoPro mounts are incorporated into the wingtips and tailplane.

(Photo: Keith Wilson)

By now I was itching to find out if it was as fast as it looked—it was clearly time to go flying! Access to the tandem cockpit is good. There is a decent-sized non-slip walkway in the left wing root, while the big bubble canopy is hinged at the right side and again reminded me of the PC-21.

I took the front seat, and while TLAC Chief Test Pilot Howard Barber was strapping in, acquainted myself with the cockpit. The bubble canopy conveys that mini-fighter feel, and this is enhanced once you’re in the cockpit. Both the seat and pedals adjust—an unusual feature for a microlight, but as I was rapidly beginning to appreciate, this beast is a bit different to any other microlight of my experience. Even the seat adjustment is unique (at least to me). It’s on a sort of hydraulic ram, so before getting in, you press a button in the right-side console and it rises up. Then you sit on it, press the button and it slowly sinks. When it’s perfect for you, release the button, then adjust the pedals. Very slick.

Throttle and prop levers are on the left, with the fuel valve on the left armrest behind the throttle. Rotary knobs ahead of the side stick control heating and ventilation, with car-type vents built into the cockpit sidewalls.

Stowage is tight, and the baggage bay is obviously inaccessible in flight, but there are small storage compartments below each armrest, a narrow glove box below the instrument panel and a neat pen holder in the panel. A red T-handle fires the rocket for the Stratos Magnum parachute recovery system.

Overall, the snug cockpit is nicely laid out, and the controls are where you might reasonably expect to find them, as opposed to just being put where it’s easiest. However, there’s still room for improvement, which I’ll list at the end of the story.

Ready to Go?

To get started, turn the master on and use the rotary knob in front of the throttle to preset the adjustable air scoop in line with the ambient temperature. Press start and the Rotax fires instantly. The nosewheel steers through the rudder pedals, and the turn radius can be tightened by differential braking, an option many microlights don’t offer, being fitted with handbrakes. The powerful, progressive Beringer hydraulic disc brakes work well.

With two people on board and 14 gallons (84 pounds) of fuel and no baggage, I reckon we’re about 110 pounds below max gross. As I always do on the first flight on type, I open the throttle slowly. Directional control is fine, and acceleration adequate. Following Howard’s advice, as soon as I feel the elevator start to bite, I hold the nosewheel just off the ground, and the Shark soon slips into the sky having used about half of the 2200-foot runway. The ground roll felt slightly untidy, as the nose pitched and bucked a bit—I suspect it’s a lot easier on asphalt.

Now I encounter the Shark’s oddest facet. For reasons best known to the designers, the undercarriage uses airspeed to inhibit retraction, not “‘weight on wheels” microswitches. There’s a switch in the pitot-static system that prevents the wheels from retracting below 60 knots IAS, or above 76, irrespective of the undercarriage selector’s position. Having to maintain a 16-knot speed range simply to retract the undercarriage demands accurate speed control (76 knots is slower than the 81 knot Vy), and this is not helped by the low flap-limiting speeds. This is a solution searching for a problem, although once the undercarriage is extended the limiting speed is a heady 124 knots.

(Photo: Keith Wilson)

I haven’t flown with a sidestick for years, but I don’t even notice it. Even a cursory examination of the control and stability reveals that this machine is a real thoroughbred. The ailerons are light and powerful, the elevator authoritative and the rudder nicely balanced. Control harmony is also ideal, with the ailerons being the lightest primary control and the rudder the heaviest. Furthermore, all the primary controls are well weighted, with low breakout forces and very little stiction, even though the airframe only has 31 hours on it.

A more vigorous exploration of the flight envelope soon shows that it has a commendably rapid roll-rate for a microlight, and only small amounts of rudder are necessary to keep the slip-ball centered. It really is a shame that—being a microlight—aerobatics are forbidden. It’s also very stable and for a relatively light aircraft, feels like a heavier machine. In fact, when I try some 60° banked turns, it almost feels like it’s on rails. All you have to do is put the nose just above the horizon, roll on loads of bank and then reef it around. When maneuvering aggressively, I was extremely grateful for the excellent field of view conferred by that giant canopy. It really is outstanding—only modern sailplanes and fighters come close. Thinking about gliders, I pull the power to idle and examine the glide angle, and at 70 knots, it’s quite flat, with a relatively nose-up attitude and a sink rate of only around 300 fpm.

A look at the stick-free stability reveals it to be positive longitudinally and directionally. Having trimmed for 100 knots, I ease back on the stick until the speed drops to 90 and then release it. After only two long-wavelength, low-amplitude phugoids, it returns to the trimmed speed.  It’s nicely damped in pitch, and also in yaw. Spiral stability is essentially neutral, being neutral to the left and just faintly positive to the right (because of the engine and prop).

Time for some slow flight and stalls, and the only problem is that as it is quite slippery, it’s reluctant to decelerate, a problem exacerbated by the low flap and undercarriage limiting speeds. Vfe is 76 knots, but the flap control system also has a switch in the pitot-static system, this one prevents the flaps being lowered above 70 knots.

In complete contrast to both the Shark’s appearance and its name, it doesn’t bite, and slow flight is very benign; although a downside is that the pre-stall buffet is very subtle. Flaps up, it stalled at 41 knots IAS and broke to the right. With full flap, it was an impressively slow 35 knots, and this time broke left. However, I suspect significant position error here, as the POH gives a Vs of 47 and a Vso of 40 at MTOW. Recovery is very easy, with minimal loss of altitude.

Accelerating out of the final stall, I set 5000 rpm and 26 inches manifold pressure (76% power), trim forward and let the Shark accelerate. This is “fast cruise” and the indicated airspeed soon stabilizes at 140 knots, which is very impressive on only 100 hp. At this power setting and 5000 feet it will true out at an impressive 150 knots for a fuel flow of around 5.3 gph. Although blisteringly fast by microlight standards it’s also quite thirsty, and a more representative power setting of 4300 rpm/24 inches (economy cruise, 55%) still gives a TAS of 140 knots at 5000 feet, but at a much better 4 gph.

(Photo: Keith Wilson)

By now I was eager to assess the Shark in the circuit, and as the flap and undercarriage limiting speeds are a bit too low, it’s not easy to slow down. If you’re close to the airport and hot ‘n’ high, it may embarrass you. Essentially, you cannot go down and slow down; it’s one or the other!  Pilots who have trained on draggier would have to monitor the Shark’s energy level (speed and height) very carefully, particularly as you can’t use the undercarriage or flaps to slow down.

Once correctly configured, it’s quite speed stable, and lowering full flap pitches the nose down slightly, but the pitch-trim loads don’t change, as the elevator pushrod in the baggage compartment is connected by cables and springs to the flap control system and adjusts automatically, making trim changes minimal. However, it’s still very important to watch the attitude and airspeed, as even lowering the nose by a couple of degrees produces an increase in speed.

During the briefing, Howard had said: “Don’t hold off fully. Just arrest the sink rate over the numbers, hold the nose up slightly and wait. And don’t over-rotate.” I can feel him guarding the stick as he said he would, and yes – I try to sweeten the touchdown and almost touch the tail bumper! The go part of the touch and go is great—just watch those speeds (it took me two goes to get the undercarriage up). My second landing is firm but fait and Howard approves. On my next approach I leave the flaps at 2, which gives me a slightly protracted float, and as I now have the correct pitch picture for the flare in my mind the touchdown is gratifyingly smooth, and we still make the intersection turnoff with no brakes.

Obviously, I loved it. The ergonomics need work, but the fine handling and sexy looks are undeniable, as is the excellent performance.

About Those Ergonomics

As mentioned at the beginning, the Shark could use some refinement in the cockpit and warning systems. To wit:

  • I’d suggest making the parachute recovery system’s handle a black and yellow striped loop (like an ejection seat), which would make the cockpit look even more like a fighter’s.
  • The sidestick could use one of those Infinity stick tops with all the buttons, and possibly even on the throttle as well. The HOTAS thing isn’t pure aesthetics though. The low flap speed means that on a go-around you need to get the flaps moving almost as soon as the throttle hits the stop, so a pistol grip on the throttle could incorporate switches for the flaps, transponder ident and transceiver flip-flop to compliment the buttons on the sidestick for electric trim, push-to-talk and autopilot disconnect.
  • The prop lever should be blue, and the undercarriage selector needs more presence. It’s operated by a small toggle switch that is essentially the same as the intercom selector but is sprung to neutral, which means that its position provides no visual clue as to what’s supposed to be happening.
  • The undercarriage and flap annunciator lights also need work. With all three wheels locked down, “three greens” is traditional. Wheels out of the wells and unlocked, red is the accepted convention. Up and locked: no lights illuminated. Instead, the Shark has three green and three red lights, and when I flew it, the red lights flashed when the undercarriage was unlocked, but also flashed if the airspeed dipped below 100 knots when the wheels were locked up, and stayed on red when the wheels were up. This has subsequently been improved since my flight test. Upon retraction, the red lights now go out after five seconds, and the green lights flash and a horn sounds if the airspeed reduces below 67 knots with the wheels up. This is good, but would be better if the red lights flashed.
  • The flaps are currently selected by pressing the appropriate yellow button, which flashes until it reaches the selected setting, then stays on. However, if it senses you’re approaching Vfe (and that’s very easy to do) it also flashes, which is confusing.
  • A pair of green LEDs indicates the position of the moveable ballast, and one of these also remains illuminated in flight. It would be better if the ballast system was arranged so if there is a mismatch between the number of occupants and the ballast’s location, the engine simply won’t crank. Four microswitches, some wire and a solenoid is all you need. The green LED which shows the weight’s position doesn’t need to be on once the engine has started, and could even be deleted. 

 

 

Compress Post ...

“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is a wise old saw, and my initial impressions of the Shark were all very positive. Some aircraft look like they’re moving even when they’re standing still, and the Shark definitely falls into this category. From the tip of the sharp-looking spinner to the top of the swept-back fin, it’s easily the sexiest-looking microlight I’ve ever seen. Indeed, my first thought is that it looks rather like a scaled-down PC-21. Walking around the aircraft, I note that the 100-hp Rotax 912S is very tightly cowled, and that access to the engine bay is adequate, but not outstanding, as quite a lot of Camloc fasteners need to be undone to remove the entire cowling for a full engine inspection. There’s a large electrically actuated NACA scoop in the bottom half which supplies air to the oil cooler and radiator, and small intakes in the top half on both sides of the spinner for cooling the cylinders.

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Able Flight’s Noble Mission — Hand Controls Help More Pilots Enjoy Light-Sport Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

What if you had a powerful interest in flying but you needed special equipment? I don’t mean flat-screen avionics, powerful engines, or comfortable seats — though all those are indeed fun.

Instead, I refer to people who want to fly but may have challenges many of us don’t face. If you had a passion for flight but you had lost the use of your legs, must you just give up?

Not if Charles Stites and Able Flight have anything to do with it. Of course, personal determination is also required.

Enabling Flight

Charles founded Able Flight in 2006 with a believe that, “the life-changing experience of learning to fly is best shared.” He carefully designed the Able Flight Scholarships to enable people with disabilities to pursue that experience and he’s been nothing short of amazing in his success at this. Over 18 years of operation, Able Flight has awarded 130 scholarships minting 98 new pilots. Able Flight announced that this 2024 class was the largest to-date.

Southern Illinois University in Carbondale assembled members of their team by one of two Vashon Rangers equipped with hand controls. Image from SIU

At an EAA AirVenture Oshkosh ceremony in the Theater in the Woods, Charles introduced the new pilots: Andrew Daigneau, Jake Simmons, Natallia Mirashnichenka, Ian Azeredo, Tyler Pugeda, Omar Duran, Jake Robinson, Jordan Sprague, and Tim Riney Jr.

In addition, this year’s Oshkosh ceremony honored flight instructors who taught the students to fly. Generous support from Able Flight sponsors makes all of this possible; Charles superbly guides the mission but can always use more contributors. This can include you if you are so moved.

Branching Out

Five 2024 students went through a new program at Southern Illinois University (SIU). While this was the first year for operations at SIU, Able Flight has 14-years of experience partnering with Purdue University.

SIU students trained in two Vashon Ranger aircraft Able Flight provided with help from their corporate sponsors this year including ForeFlight, Tempest Aero Group, Muncie Aviation, and Cirrus Aircraft.

As nearby images Charles took at AirVenture 2024 shows, Vashon has adapted their LSA for hand controls. See reports for other hand control aircraft including Sky Arrow, Montaer, Flight Design, and others. Dennis Long reported that Aeroprakt offered a fresh hand control option at AirVenture 2024. Some years back powered parachute maker Para-Ski even developed a hand-controlled version — PPCs are usually steered by foot pressure on bars.

All interior images by Charles Stites at Vashon Aircraft’s display at AirVenture 2024.

Vashon and its Ranger LSA are newer to the space but warmly welcomed.

To achieve this, Able Flight sought out the expertise of Clayton Smeltz — a pilot and engineer who is a paraplegic. “Smeltz designed adaptive flight controls for his Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet, observed Charles, “and spearheaded the adaptation of the Vashon Ranger with hand controls, enabling it to be flown by individuals with disabilities.”

Charles noted, “The handles in the center console operate the rudder and the others are for differential braking.”

Interested in a Scholarship?

Applications submitted by December 31, 2024 will be considered for 2025 awards. Interested prospective pilots should apply using this address:

Able Flight
Scholarship Application
91 Oak Leaf Lane
Chapel Hill , NC 27516

Compress Post ...

What if you had a powerful interest in flying but you needed special equipment? I don’t mean flat-screen avionics, powerful engines, or comfortable seats — though all those are indeed fun. Instead, I refer to people who want to fly but may have challenges many of us don’t face. If you had a passion for flight but you had lost the use of your legs, must you just give up? Not if Charles Stites and Able Flight have anything to do with it. Of course, personal determination is also required. Enabling Flight Charles founded Able Flight in 2006 with a believe that, “the life-changing experience of learning to fly is best shared.” He carefully designed the Able Flight Scholarships to enable people with disabilities to pursue that experience and he’s been nothing short of amazing in his success at this. Over 18 years of operation, Able Flight has awarded 130 scholarships minting 98 new pilots.

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Christophe Gonin and Lucien Angrand Fly From France to OSH in a Gyroplane

By Steve Ashby || 2 Comments

Christophe Gonin and Lucien Angrand, intrepid trans-Atlantic flyers.

Adventurers Christophe Gonin, from La Tour, France and Lucien Angrand, from Ornex, France braved North Atlantic waters to fly from France to Oshkosh to attend the 2024 Airventure. Planning for their journey began two years ago when Christophe, a Magni Gyroplane pilot, set a goal to fly to Airventure in a two place gyroplane.  First, he had to research the equipment necessary to make such a trip.  He needed a gyro that had a range of at least 300 miles (for the longest over water legs) and that was reliable enough to prevent an unscheduled swim between landing sites.  He settled on the Argon GTL (Grand Touring, Long) because it met all those specifications (with some modifications) and because it was long enough to accommodate their gear and survival equipment.  The Argon is manufactured in Europe, with about 90 flying world wide (12 in the U.S.).

The intrepid pair left France on April 15, 2024 and made a stop at the Friedrichshafen Airshow in Germany before setting out for the UK.  After Scotland and Faroe Island, they landed in Heidi, Iceland.  They tooled around Iceland for a while before once again donning their exposure suits to set out across the North Atlantic for Greenland.  The gyro landed at Kulusuk, Greenland and then explored the icy island by visiting Narsarsuak, Nuuk and Sisimiut before visiting Baffin Island and then mainland Canada.  They crossed over to the United States at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.  They reached Oshkosh on July 14 after three months of fun flying and adventure.  Although they would not trade their flight for the world, they are flying back to France on a commercial airliner.

Compress Post ...

Adventurers Christophe Gonin, from La Tour, France and Lucien Angrand, from Ornex, France braved North Atlantic waters to fly from France to Oshkosh to attend the 2024 Airventure. Planning for their journey began two years ago when Christophe, a Magni Gyroplane pilot, set a goal to fly to Airventure in a two place gyroplane.  First, he had to research the equipment necessary to make such a trip.  He needed a gyro that had a range of at least 300 miles (for the longest over water legs) and that was reliable enough to prevent an unscheduled swim between landing sites.  He settled on the Argon GTL (Grand Touring, Long) because it met all those specifications (with some modifications) and because it was long enough to accommodate their gear and survival equipment.  The Argon is manufactured in Europe, with about 90 flying world wide (12 in the U.S.). The intrepid pair left France on April 15, 2024 and made a stop at the Friedrichshafen Airshow in Germany before setting out for the UK. 

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Badland Ultralight Grows a Nose Wheel

By Steve Ashby || Leave a Comment

A phenom in the ultralight world, the Badland made news at last year’s AirVenture by rolling out its single cylinder 460cc, 39 hp Thumper engine married to its sturdy chrome molly airframe. This year, Badland unveils two major developments, a nosewheel and carbon fiber ribs.

The Badland nosewheel design is an homage to the Vans RV-8A original nosewheel and is very robust for its size. The nosegear assembly is welded 4130 steel, holding a 4.00×6 nosewheel. The mini tundra tires for the Badland are actually fabricated in house, giving the aircraft its STOL competitor look.

To make up for the added weight, Badland’s founder, Chris Deuel, and his team designed and fabricated light but extremely strong wing ribs using carbon fiber and high-density foam composites. The CF ribs are attached to the aluminum spars using epoxy to provide both a strong bond and isolation from the aluminum and to prevent corrosion.

The base price of the Badland ultralight is $17,000, firewall aft. The tricycle gear and carbon fiber rib upgrade will run an additional $3500. For more information, visit the company’s website.

 

Compress Post ...

A phenom in the ultralight world, the Badland made news at last year’s AirVenture by rolling out its single cylinder 460cc, 39 hp Thumper engine married to its sturdy chrome molly airframe. This year, Badland unveils two major developments, a nosewheel and carbon fiber ribs. The Badland nosewheel design is an homage to the Vans RV-8A original nosewheel and is very robust for its size. The nosegear assembly is welded 4130 steel, holding a 4.00×6 nosewheel. The mini tundra tires for the Badland are actually fabricated in house, giving the aircraft its STOL competitor look. To make up for the added weight, Badland’s founder, Chris Deuel, and his team designed and fabricated light but extremely strong wing ribs using carbon fiber and high-density foam composites. The CF ribs are attached to the aluminum spars using epoxy to provide both a strong bond and isolation from the aluminum and to prevent corrosion.

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Wapsi Aero Debuts Multifunction Display at AirVenture

By Steve Ashby || Leave a Comment

If you are piloting an ultralight or light plane VFR, you really don’t need an artificial horizon or a heading indicator. But you do need airspeed and altitude, and it’d be nice to have that available in a compact, clear, modern package. Even better, you’d like to make sure everything is happy in the power barn, as well as your airspeed and altitude.

In the spirit of providing everything you need and nothing you don’t, Wapsi Aero brought a bright and affordable electronic flight instrument that has generated quite a bit of buzz at AirVenture’s ultralight field. The rectangular instrument provides graphical engine data mid screen with airspeed and altitude in legible tape readouts on each side—combining a partial EFIS with an engine monitor. The screen is bright and easily readable, even in direct sunlight. The instrument also provides Hobbs and flight timers as well as battery voltage.

Even better, the Wapsi device is designed to fit into the same hole that may currently house a GRT EIS engine monitor—of which there have to be thousands in the field. It has the same physical footprint and the exact same connectors and pinouts. Installation appears to be just that simple: If you have a GRT EIS, swap out the unit and keep all the existing sensors. Add pitot and static lines to get airspeed and altitude. The only parameter the Wapsi units don’t currently support is fuel flow, though that’s in the works.

Wapsi currently has instruments for two-cylinder, two-stroke engines ($699), two-cylinder four-stroke engines ($749) and a four-cylinder, four-stroke application ($799). All prices are less probes; the Wapsi devices can use GRT, MGL, VDO and generic thermocouple probes. More configurations are under development. For more information, go to www.wapsiaero.com.

Compress Post ...

If you are piloting an ultralight or light plane VFR, you really don’t need an artificial horizon or a heading indicator. But you do need airspeed and altitude, and it’d be nice to have that available in a compact, clear, modern package. Even better, you’d like to make sure everything is happy in the power barn, as well as your airspeed and altitude. In the spirit of providing everything you need and nothing you don’t, Wapsi Aero brought a bright and affordable electronic flight instrument that has generated quite a bit of buzz at AirVenture’s ultralight field. The rectangular instrument provides graphical engine data mid screen with airspeed and altitude in legible tape readouts on each side—combining a partial EFIS with an engine monitor. The screen is bright and easily readable, even in direct sunlight. The instrument also provides Hobbs and flight timers as well as battery voltage. Even better, the Wapsi device is designed to fit into the same hole that may currently house a GRT EIS engine monitor—of which there have to be thousands in the field.

Expand Post ...

Dragonfly Rancher Gets New Life in Florida

By Steve Ashby || 4 Comments

Dragonfly Rancher, built for work and fun.

There is a two place tandem high wing light plane that looks a little like a single engine AirCam that has been knocking around for over a decade in, of all places, the hang gliding community. This sturdy craft, the Dragonfly Rancher, has been used to tow hang gliders to altitude without the necessity of plunging off a cliff. Developed by Bobby Bailey in the 80s, the Dragonfly earned its position as the premier hang glider tower when Bill Moyes invented a reliable and effective release mechanism for towing use.

Massive flaperons, hinged mid-chord.

The Dragonfly Rancher design was owned by Pittman Air, LLC. When its founder, Ed Pittman died, a young entrepreneur and aviation fanatic from Dunnellon, Florida, Randy Dorsey, took up the mantle and purchased the company from the family. After making the deal, Randy loaded up all of the materials, tooling and a completed airframe into a trailer and re-homed them from California to Florida, where he hopes to reenergize the design.

One look at the Dragonfly Rancher leads to the obvious conclusion that this aircraft is sturdy. Its landing gear looks like it could take a great deal of punishment. Even the tail wheel is massive. Four beefy wing struts support a thick wing. The real story, however, trails the wing. Two giant flaperons are suspended under and behind the wing by five mid chord hinge points, providing lift and excellent controllability up to and even through a full stall. These flaperons also contribute to the Dragonfly’s aerobatic capability.

Pilot evaluator Layla Dorsey says the Dragonfly is more fun than a Skyhawk.

The Dragonfly is powered by a humble Rotax 582. Although some have placed a Rotax 912 on their Dragonflies, Randy states that 65 hp is a good sweet spot for sport flying. So powered, you can expect a comfortable 50-55 mph cruise and a clean stall of 30 mph. Randy says that flaps and power will allow you to motor to a soft landing at 17 mph. Perhaps the best flight review came from Randy’s sweet daughter, Layla (age 13), who reports that the Dragonfly is light on the controls and more fun than a Skyhawk. There you go.

The Dragonfly Rancher basic kit, less engine, wheels, brakes, instruments and upholstery, is listed at $35,000. Dorsey plans to offer builder assistance and transition training at his home base in Dunnellon, Florida (X35). For more information, visit baileymoyesdragonfly.com.

 

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There is a two place tandem high wing light plane that looks a little like a single engine AirCam that has been knocking around for over a decade in, of all places, the hang gliding community. This sturdy craft, the Dragonfly Rancher, has been used to tow hang gliders to altitude without the necessity of plunging off a cliff. Developed by Bobby Bailey in the 80s, the Dragonfly earned its position as the premier hang glider tower when Bill Moyes invented a reliable and effective release mechanism for towing use. The Dragonfly Rancher has also been put to agricultural use, as a ranch surveyor and even a spot sprayer. This workhorse has had almost a cult following, with many pilots taking advantage of its beefy construction to perform impressive aerobatics on YouTube. It is designed to take +6 to -2 Gs. The Dragonfly Rancher design was owned by Pittman Air, LLC.

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Blackshape Prime Veloce: Speeding at Mach 2 Standing Still

By Steve Ashby || 3 Comments

Blackshape Prime Veloce. Needs a mach meter just sitting there.

There are a lot of sexy looking airplanes displayed at AirVenture, but a sure front runner for sleekest looking plane around is the Prime Veloce all-composite, two-place tandem retractable sport plane from Monopoli, Italy. This little speedster is powered by a Rotax 915 iS and is listed as capable of a 170 knot cruise speed.  It stalls at 45 knots with full flaps and 57 knots clean.

Cockpit is available in either Dynon or Garmin.

There are about 70 Prime Veloce aircraft flying in the rest of the world and Blackshape Aircraft, out of Sheridan, Indiana, will be importing them to the U.S. They are hoping to market the Prime Veloce as a completed aircraft, counting on MOSAIC regulations to empower them to accomplish that task.  This “mosaic-ready” aircraft will carry 26 gallons of fuel and should be capable of 1,650 feet per minute climb at maximum takeoff weight. Blackshape will list the aircraft, depending on configuration at about $330,000.  For more information, visit www.blackshapeaircraft.com.

Sleek, swept tail.

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There are a lot of sexy looking airplanes displayed at AirVenture, but a sure front runner for sleekest looking plane around is the Prime Veloce all-composite, two-place tandem retractable sport plane from Monopoli, Italy. This little speedster is powered by a Rotax 915 iS and is listed as capable of a 170 knot cruise speed.  It stalls at 45 knots with full flaps and 57 knots clean. There are about 70 Prime Veloce aircraft flying in the rest of the world and Blackshape Aircraft, out of Sheridan, Indiana, will be importing them to the U.S. They are hoping to market the Prime Veloce as a completed aircraft, counting on MOSAIC regulations to empower them to accomplish that task.  This “mosaic-ready” aircraft will carry 26 gallons of fuel and should be capable of 1,650 feet per minute climb at maximum takeoff weight. Blackshape will list the aircraft, depending on configuration at about $330,000. 

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Scissortail Aerosport Unveils Two-Place “MOSAIC-Ready” Gogetair G-750 At AirVenture

By Steve Ashby || 2 Comments

Shannon Hankins, former C-130 driver and now President of Scissortail Aerosport, shows off their new Gogetair G-750. This one costs $298,500.

Scissortail Aerosport company, out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, imports sleek composite aircraft from Slovenia. Last year, they brought a sleek four place low wing to AirVenture that was well-received. This year, they imported an even sleeker and, dare we say, sexier looking, two place speedster that promises to be “Mosaic ready.” Named the GOGETAIR G-750, this little sportster trues out at 138 knots at 10,000 feet and stalls at 54 knots.

Swept wingtips, a wasp waist, a sleek tail and gull wing doors draw attention.

The two place Gogetair G-750 that Scissortail brought to AirVenture flies behind a Rotax 914 Turbo and a Woodcomp electric variable-pitch prop. Scissortail’s President, Shannon Hankins, states that the customer can also order a Rotax 915 and a hydraulically powered MT constant speed prop. The panel wears a Dynon HDX EFIS, but can be ordered with the Garmin G3X. This design features a fuselage roll safety cage and a whole airframe parachute. The Gogetair G-750’s most attractive trait, however is it’s eye-catching design, sporting swept wing tips and gull wing doors. One can’t help but think that if Porsche and Cirrus had a baby, it would look something like this.

For more information visit www.scissortailaerosport.com

A Dynon HDX anchors the panel (Garmin also available).

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Scissortail Aerosport company, out of Tulsa, Oklahoma, imports sleek composite aircraft from Slovenia. Last year, they brought a sleek four place low wing to AirVenture that was well-received. This year, they imported an even sleeker and, dare we say, sexier looking, two place speedster that promises to be “Mosaic ready.” Named the GOGETAIR G-750, this little sportster trues out at 138 knots at 10,000 feet and stalls at 54 knots. The two place Gogetair G-750 that Scissortail brought to AirVenture flies behind a Rotax 914 Turbo and a Woodcomp electric variable-pitch prop. Scissortail’s President, Shannon Hankins, states that the customer can also order a Rotax 915 and a hydraulically powered MT constant speed prop. The panel wears a Dynon HDX EFIS, but can be ordered with the Garmin G3X. This design features a fuselage roll safety cage and a whole airframe parachute. The Gogetair G-750’s most attractive trait, however is it’s eye-catching design, sporting swept wing tips and gull wing doors.

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Cicaré 8 Kit Helicopter Debuts at AirVenture

By Steve Ashby || 2 Comments

It is hard to miss the sexy, sleek, Ferrari-red two-place helicopter on the Ultralight field at AirVenture. It’s new, it’s beautiful, and, as it turns out, it is a kit which can be completed in 200 hours, or even faster at a Cicaré builder assist facility. The two-place Cicaré 8 helicopter is appearing at AirVenture for the first time, made possible by Keith Barr, the President and CEO of the newly formed Cicaré USA corporation.

If the Cicaré name rings a bell, it is because of Augusto Cicaré, who moved from Italy to Argentina at age 19 to start and build what is now the storied Cicaré Helicopter Company. Cicaré has been designing and building helicopters for the Argentinian civilian and military since the early 1960s. Although Augusto died in January of 2022, his sons have continued the business, with great success.

The two place side by side Cicaré 8 was designed in Argentina in 2015. About 20 ships are flying in Europe and South America. Last year, helicopter pilot and entrepreneur Keith Barr teamed up with Cicaré Argentina to form Cicaré USA. The USA home office is located at Flying Eagle Airport north of Reno, near Stead airfield, the storied former home of Reno Air Racing. Keith brought N81UH to Airventure and it has been a hit since the skids touched grass on the Ultralight field.

The Cicaré 8 is built for performance, its two bladed main rotors spin at 570 RPM and the tail rotors buzz in at an amazing 2010 RPM. With a Rotax 915 IS engine, the Cicaré can cruise at 80 knots and hover out of ground effect at more than 6,000 feet. The ship’s service ceiling is listed at 10,000 feet. The busy Rotax sips fuel (auto gas) at about 4.5 gallons per hour and its 18 gallon tanks will give you a range of nearly 300 nautical miles (with a little reserve).

The big story about the Cicaré 8 is its design and build quality. This does not look like a kit built helicopter, unless you limit your universe to grand champion builds. The fuselage skins and all of the blades are made from carbon fiber. The main rotor control rods come up from the swash plate through the hollow rotor mast, resulting in reduced drag (this design was originally patented by Augusto Cicaré years ago). The tail rotor transmission is an elegantly designed work of art.

In the cockpit, the pilot (who solos from the right seat) is treated to a correlated throttle. Once 70% power is pulled on the collective a switch (on the end of the collective) is pushed and the throttle governor takes over through all regimes of hover and flight. The Kanardia Pilot’s Flight Display and moving map are complemented by a separate engine information system. The big four helicopter gauges (Vertical Speed, Altitude, Airspeed and Rotor/Tach RPM) are electronically depicted at the top of the panel as traditional and familiar large round instruments.

In the “you’ve never seen this before” department, Cicaré has four video cameras positioned around the fuselage that give the pilot unprecedented situational awareness close to the ground. For the first time, a helicopter pilot will be able to hover and have a video view of his tail rotor right there on his Pilot’s Flight Display. This innovative design should help reduce the number one cause of hovering accidents, tail rotor strikes.

How does the Cicaré 8 handle? Keith Barr, who has about 60 hours in the aircraft, says it has light controls, about half way between a Robinson R-22 and a Schweitzer 300. How much does a Cicaré 8 cost? A complete kit, with engine, interior, panel, as shown and one com radio will go out the door for $220,000. Once MOSAIC rules are implemented, Barr intends to build ready to fly ships, but at this price and with such a low build time, the kit-built route seems very tempting.

For more information, see www.Cicare-USA.com

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It is hard to miss the sexy, sleek, Ferrari-red two-place helicopter on the Ultralight field at AirVenture. It’s new, it’s beautiful, and, as it turns out, it is a kit which can be completed in 200 hours, or even faster at a Cicaré builder assist facility. The two-place Cicaré 8 helicopter is appearing at AirVenture for the first time, made possible by Keith Barr, the President and CEO of the newly formed Cicaré USA corporation. If the Cicaré name rings a bell, it is because of Augusto Cicaré, who moved from Italy to Argentina at age 19 to start and build what is now the storied Cicaré Helicopter Company. Cicaré has been designing and building helicopters for the Argentinian civilian and military since the early 1960s. Although Augusto died in January of 2022, his sons have continued the business, with great success. The two place side by side Cicaré 8 was designed in Argentina in 2015.

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Forty-Year-Old Ultralight Still Flying At AirVenture

By Steve Ashby || Leave a Comment

Ultralight pilot/restorer Mike Ostrander with his 40 year old Quicksilver MX.

At the 1993 EAA annual convention (long before they called it AirVenture) a young dreamer walked the ultralight grounds with hopes of someday building and flying an ultralight aircraft. On row 1 in front of the Ultralight Barn, Mike Ostrander spotted a well worn Quicksilver MX with a for sale sign. A short negotiation later, Mike, was the proud owner of an ultralight rebuild project. With the help of his father, he disassembled the Quick and brought it home to commence the resurrection. He also built a trailer for the Quick with the intention of avoiding hangar fees.

Mike’s yearlong restoration and construction efforts paid off when he brought his Quicksilver to Oshkosh in 1994. He brought home an honorable mention award in the ultralight category. On top of that, he won the EAA 1997 Reserve Grand Champion and another honorable mention in 2004. On the ultralight flight line at AirVenture this year, the Quicksilver still looks as new as the day he finished its restoration in 1994.

Mike has mastered the art of de-trailering his Quick and assembling it for flight. He says it takes him only 50 minutes solo, but an hour and a half is someone “helps.” Mike’s favorite flights take place after harvest in rural Illinois, flying low over mown fields and surprising the unsuspecting coyote. Mike will relate the story of his decades of flight in a forum at the Ultralight Tent on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m.

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At the 1993 EAA annual convention (long before they called it AirVenture) a young dreamer walked the ultralight grounds with hopes of someday building and flying an ultralight aircraft. On row 1 in front of the Ultralight Barn, Mike Ostrander spotted a well worn Quicksilver MX with a for sale sign. A short negotiation later, Mike, was the proud owner of an ultralight rebuild project. With the help of his father, he disassembled the Quick and brought it home to commence the resurrection. He also built a trailer for the Quick with the intention of avoiding hangar fees. Mike’s yearlong restoration and construction efforts paid off when he brought his Quicksilver to Oshkosh in 1994. He brought home an honorable mention award in the ultralight category. On top of that, he won the EAA 1997 Reserve Grand Champion and another honorable mention in 2004. On the ultralight flight line at AirVenture this year, the Quicksilver still looks as new as the day he finished its restoration in 1994.

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Building the Affordaplane, Part 4

By Jon Croke || Leave a Comment

With this, the last chapter of the Affordaplane build, I will describe how an engine mount was created to complete the last major step. As a quick recap of the previous chapters in this series, I was attempting to plans build a legal ultralight using common tools and store-purchased materials. For example: No welding allowed! So, now the biggest challenge confronting me was creating an engine mount needed for the engine installation.

First, what engine should be used in this project? This decision could not be made until we were nearly finished with the entire project. Why? The choice of engine is determined by how much weight remains after deducting the aircraft’s total weight from the 254-pound limit imposed by the FAA ultralight regulations. With the wings and tail attached to the fuselage, I weighed the entire structure. Without an engine, the scales read very close to 200 pounds. This meant that in order to remain legal and not exceed the 254-pound legal limit, I needed an engine that weighed in at less than 50 pounds. An additional weight margin is needed for various items in addition to the engine such as a mount, propeller, throttle, gauges and plenty of miscellaneous parts. While I had wished for a greater engine weight allowance, which would have made it possible to use a bigger engine, I was still happy we were seemingly on track for making our overall final weight target.

Polini 202 installed with custom mount. This mount could easily be modified to fit other engine models.

For the sake of brevity, let’s avoid a lengthy discussion about the details of choosing an engine that suits our purpose and weighs less than 50 pounds. The choice was made to go with the Polini Thor 202, a 33-hp, water-cooled, two-stroke engine weighing in the neighborhood of 40 pounds. This is a popular powerplant used in the paramotor arena (large fan strapped to your back with a parachute). It is also suitable for tractor configuration, according to the manufacturer. Based on my experience flying ultralights back in the 1990s, a Rotax engine would have been my first choice. However, all their small two-stroke engines have long since been discontinued. It was a goal of this project to make sure that all parts needed were readily available to all builders. So, no obsolete parts allowed! Another reason for going with this choice was that the next larger engine in the Polini product line shares the very same engine mount.

Engine mount designed with off-the-shelf components and no welding.

Having selected the engine, a suitable engine mount was needed to interface the Polini to the airframe. Keep in mind that no such engine mount exists—it is not provided by Polini unless you want to strap the engine to your back! Looking at engine mounts in general, it is no trivial matter creating such a device for any airplane. Plus, have you ever seen one that has no welds? Highly unusual for sure. This mount had to be designed in a way that any builder could fabricate it without special skills. The Affordaplane plans do have a design for Rotax engines. For all others, you are on your own.

Builder Assistance

As luck would have it, a fellow builder, Oscar Zuniga, was following my YouTube channel where I documented this Affordaplane build and wrote to me offering his expertise in creating a mount. It just so happens he is a professional mechanical engineer and has built several Experimental aircraft in his day. To make a long story short, I simply sent him the specs of the mounting ring from the Polini engine and from there he went to work. Using his creativity and technical knowledge, he came up with a simple and elegant design that utilizes materials and components we were already using. Simple to build and strong. Never underestimate the talent and resources of your audience! The last major building hurdle was now in the past.

After building the mount, the Polini engine was hung. A prop matched to this engine was installed and a minimal set of instruments needed for safe operation was included. It cannot be emphasized enough how much weight accumulates when adding all the peripheral parts required: throttle and cables, fuel lines, brackets and more. There is no documentation for a custom installation like this, so I used my experience for wiring and plumbing the engine systems. Plenty of effort went into breaking in and testing the engine while monitoring rpm and temperatures.

With the preliminary engine operations completed, the wings and tail were removed for fabric covering. As I mentioned in the prior chapter, fabric covering can seem intimidating if you never have done this operation before. But with a step-by-step video and a water-based adhesive system—it becomes not much of a big deal! The next step was to final assemble the wings and tail surfaces back onto the fuselage along with control cables and every other part and piece that is required for flight. A gap seal was added above the wings where they come together as per plans. Reaching this point in the build process after all this time meant that we were ready to now weigh the aircraft!

With the aircraft in a ready-to-fly configuration, it was carefully weighed. At this time, I performed the weight and balance exercise. It is a somewhat pleasant task with an ultralight to do this calculation as you can plug your personal body weight into this single-seater and get your balance numbers without many variables to consider. The good news was that the final weight was in the ballpark: 258 pounds. While I would not call it bad news, we were 4 pounds overweight compared to our goal of the legal limit of 254. I would call this a success for the following reason: It demonstrated that an ultralight could be built from inexpensive plans (not a kit) without special skills (no welding). The 4 pounds that need to be reduced can be addressed by carefully looking for ways to trim weight (for example, substituting a fabric seat for the fiberglass model I used). We can find multiple places to reduce weight by small amounts. It all adds up. The regulations regarding calculating total weight state that items not required for flight that can be removed are not included in this total number. In any case, we are dealing with a relatively small number so there is little concern about reducing the weight to get it spot on.

Affordaplane set up for engine break-in and testing.

First Flight

Does this Affordaplane fly? It is beyond the scope of this article or this pilot to give a flight analysis. However, I would never allow another person to fly my creation for the first time! After taxi testing to become familiar with handling and a couple of crow hops, the next step was to fly the length of my small grass strip about 5 feet off the ground. After a couple hundred feet the aircraft lifted off the ground smoothly. I kept it at about 5 feet or so and eventually brought it down. The 33 hp is clearly adequate power to fly. This flight down the runway exhibited stable, level handling. This is what I needed from this initial “flight.”

I recommend this project to anyone who has an interest in building their own ultralight. Of course, without flight training, it would be dangerous to jump in and fly. But, for pilots looking to have fun building and flying their own creation—this would be hard to beat. No inspections; fly when ready! As mentioned in previous chapters, the build process is available to watch for free on YouTube so you can judge for yourself. The plans are about $25 and can be found here. What an extraordinarily inexpensive, low-stress way to get familiar with building and flying.

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With this, the last chapter of the Affordaplane build, I will describe how an engine mount was created to complete the last major step. As a quick recap of the previous chapters in this series, I was attempting to plans build a legal ultralight using common tools and store-purchased materials. For example: No welding allowed! So, now the biggest challenge confronting me was creating an engine mount needed for the engine installation. First, what engine should be used in this project? This decision could not be made until we were nearly finished with the entire project. Why? The choice of engine is determined by how much weight remains after deducting the aircraft’s total weight from the 254-pound limit imposed by the FAA ultralight regulations. With the wings and tail attached to the fuselage, I weighed the entire structure. Without an engine, the scales read very close to 200 pounds.

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Buying Used: Aeronca Champ—A Plane That Deserves Your Respect

By Mark Timney || 3 Comments

(Photo: Arpingstone – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=238354)

The Aeronca Champion might be the Rodney Dangerfield of light aircraft. The plane, which has historically played second fiddle to the Piper Cub, doesn’t get the respect it deserves, according to its fans. “Take all the light planes from that era and look at which offers the best characteristics… I would place the Champ at the top,” argues John Weigel, a Boston area pilot who twice flew a Champ from coast to coast. “I love the Cub,” he says, “but the Champ has no bad qualities. And if I’m taking someone up with me, I’ll take it over other similar planes every time.”

When compared to the Cub, as well as the Luscombe, Taylorcraft and Cessna 120 and 140, among other tailwheelers, the Champ is easier to get into, offers more comfort, has better visibility, more forgiving landing gear and is probably the better training/low-time pilot aircraft. All are good reasons to consider a Champ if you’re looking for a simple, relatively inexpensive and fun to fly aircraft.

Development

Aeronca Aircraft Corporation began producing Champs in the U.S. in 1945. According to aviation historian Richard Harris, the plane was specifically developed to compete against the Cub and it incorporated some of the aviation lessons of World War II to help it do so. The first model, the 7AC, sold in amazing numbers, with Aeronca reportedly producing an average of 30 Champs a day between 1946 and 1947. However, post-war economic changes brought an end to such massive sales for Aeronca, as well as for all of its competitors. Aeronca put together more than 8000 Champs before it quit making light aircraft in 1951.

Aeronca sold the design to Champion Aircraft in 1954. Champion made a few variants of the plane and later used elements of the design to produce the Citabria.  Bellanca Aircraft purchased Champion in 1970, but sold very few Champs before it ceased production in the early 1980s.  American Champion Aircraft Corporation acquired the design in 1989, and with the creation of the Sport category around 2007 came out with a model specifically for Sport Pilots. The plane was dropped from production in 2019.

Features & Flight Characteristics

The first Champs had 65-hp Continental engines, but more powerful engines were used from 1947 onward. The BCM and 7DC models had 85hp Continentals, and the electrical system-equipped 7EC had a 90-hp Continental powerplant. Aeronca enlarged the tail and improved the brakes on the more powerful Champs to improve handling in the air and on the ground. Other engines were also tried over the years, including a Lycoming 0-235, a two-cylinder Franklin with 60hp and a 100hp Continental 0-200-A in the last variant made in 2007. The latter model was a revised version of the 7EC, and it included metal-spar wings instead of the traditional wood ones and aluminum gear legs.

Specifications for all the Champ variants are readily available online, but the original 7AC had a cruise speed of around 85 mph (95 mph max.) with climb rate of 370 fpm, 38 mph stall, 1220 pounds gross weight with a 480 pounds payload, and a 13 gallon fuel tank. The 7EC might be the cream of the early crop of Champs. With its 85hp engine, electric starter (No more hand propping!), long-throw oleo strut main gear, nicer interior and increased gross weight (1350 pounds compared to the AC’s 1220 pounds) the model is the perfect example of a vintage flier, according to Tabor Coates, a flight instructor in the Boston area and a former Champ owner.

“The AC’s 65 hp engine is a little small for two people, so the EC’s larger engine makes a significant difference in climb in warmer weather,” details Tabor.  “The Champ’s a well-mannered plane, and it’s very forgiving to land with its so-called ‘no bounce landing gear.’ The plane is heavier in roll compared to a Cub, and you must use the rudder because of adverse yaw, but it flys well. It’s large enough that almost anyone can easily get inside for a ride, and it can usually be found at a much better price than a Cub,” he adds.

Both Coates and Weigel praise the plane’s gentle stall characteristics and the panoramic view it offers occupants. They call it a perfect $100 hamburger machine. Unlike the Cub, a Champ is piloted from the front seat when flown solo. This means you don’t have to serpentine while taxiing since you can see over the cowl. The plane doesn’t have flaps, so descents can require slipping. Inside, the plane’s avionics are minimal, but the seats are comfortable and there’s plenty of elbow room.

Prebuy, Inspection, Maintenance & Ownership

Anyone buying a Champ should have a pre-buy inspection performed by an A&P who’s familiar with older aircraft, according to Coates and Weigel. The condition of the wooden wing spars should be carefully checked, as should the nails holding the ribs to the spar. Champs were often used to train pilots and some were subjected to harsh landings. The fabric covering should also be checked, especially if the plane has been left outside for any duration. Weigel says you could easily spend more having a Champ recovered than what you paid for it.

“A lot of Champs were modified over the years and sometimes the paperwork wasn’t done correctly,” warns Weigel. “Get the Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) on the plane, carefully review the plane’s logs to double check that Airworthiness Directives [ADs] have been followed and to make sure everything is as it should be.” This is especially true for Champs that had aftermarket starters and battery systems added. Unlike today’s Sport Planes which only need to meet ASTM standards, the Champ is a ‘certified’ aircraft. That means ADs are enforceable FAA regulations that must be followed and documented. Weigel says there are a number of STCs (Supplemental Type Certificates) available which allow for a wide range of modifications to the Champ. While some owners replaced the plane’s original heel-activated brakes with toe brakes, Weigel suggest keeping the originals and getting used to them.  “You only need brakes for taxiing,” he explains. “It’s too easy to accidentally hit toe-brakes while using the rudder pedals for take-off and landing rolls—something you absolutely have to do—and that’s not a good thing with a taildragger.”

(Photo: Arpingstone – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6866179)

Given that Champs can be significantly older than their pilots, you’re likely to run into age-related airframe and powerplant costs down the road. Owners say this shouldn’t be too big a problem as the planes were well built, parts aren’t too hard to find and the aircraft has proven its durability over time. An easy way to put off one expense as long as possible is to keep the plane indoors to extend the lifetime of the fabric covering.

Buying a Champ allows you to join a community of loyal owners: There’s the National Aeronca Association, Champ fly-ins, and EAA and Facebook interest groups and online forums dedicated to the plane. The plane’s such a hit that there are even multiple RC versions available to fly, and you can even fly it virtually with both Microsoft and X-Plane flight simulators.

Dick Hall, another pilot from the Boston area, bought a Champ as his first airplane. He flew it for several years, eventually adding a starter, lights and panel mounted radio and transponder to the plane.  “Even with the upgrades it still wasn’t a modern plane, but it was so much fun to fly,” he says. “The thing about the Champ is that it maintains the original spirit of aviation no matter what you do with it or to it…it’s just the ultimate in simplicity with a heritage.”

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The Aeronca Champion might be the Rodney Dangerfield of light aircraft. The plane, which has historically played second fiddle to the Piper Cub, doesn’t get the respect it deserves, according to its fans. “Take all the light planes from that era and look at which offers the best characteristics… I would place the Champ at the top,” argues John Weigel, a Boston area pilot who twice flew a Champ from coast to coast. “I love the Cub,” he says, “but the Champ has no bad qualities. And if I’m taking someone up with me, I’ll take it over other similar planes every time.” When compared to the Cub, as well as the Luscombe, Taylorcraft and Cessna 120 and 140, among other tailwheelers, the Champ is easier to get into, offers more comfort, has better visibility, more forgiving landing gear and is probably the better training/low-time pilot aircraft. All are good reasons to consider a Champ if you’re looking for a simple, relatively inexpensive and fun to fly aircraft.

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