Taking a welcome break from FAA news, let’s check out our favorite topic: cool new airplanes.
Welcome to the New F2
“Wait,” you exclaim! “F2 isn’t new.” Excellent, you’ve been keeping up.
What you don’t know is that Flight Design’s latest and greatest just earned FAA acceptance, winning a Special Airworthiness certificate as the latest Special LSA to enter the market.
Announcing Number 156 on our SLSA List.
Flight Design put years into this thorough evolution of their market-leading model and it has so many new qualities, we present two videos below trying to tell you about all of them.
Now Available as a
Ready-to-Fly Special LSA
“On July 8th, 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the first production Flight Design F2-LSA to reach the USA was inspected by an FAA representative and issued a certificate of airworthiness as a Special Light Sport Aircraft,” beamed Flight Design USA leader Tom Peghiny.
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American Aviation Superhero — Rans and Load-Carrying S-21 Outbound Are Mosaic-Ready
What great to see? How about an American light aircraft producer doing exceptionally well? Rans has been around 50 years*, 40 of them as an aircraft developer and producer. From S-3 to S-21, the designs have varied but the newest is Outbound and it add capabilities and structure to set it apart from all prior models.
Over the years this Kansas company in the geographical center of the USA has delivered around 7,000 aircraft making it one of the light aircraft success stories of all time. Lead by founder Randy Schlitter, Rans has become a leading aviation brand known and flown around the world.
In the video interview below, Randy’s wife Michelle Schlitter walks us through the years and highlights the pinnacle of their achievement, a tricycle-gear, tundra-tired, all-metal creation that can carry 800 pounds, Michelle said in the video.
You can build it or they can build it. A kit is available faster for obvious reasons.
Changing LSA Seaplane Market — Vickers Wave Progress Update — Others, Hmmm…?
Winter is coming, so naturally, it’s time to start thinking about seaplanes… right? It always seems weird to write about water-based activities as frost begins to envelop the northern two-thirds of the country. Yet winter is when all the big boat shows happen because buying new vessels requires advance planning. It’s also pleasant to think about spring and summer while snow flurries fly.
For many years I’ve written about this sector and names like Searey, Seamax, and Aventura (all in nearby image) have long been the leading brands. Now the first two are in financial trouble and the last has decamped to Brazil from Florida. Whatever is going on, Vickers Wave may represent a breath of fresh air.
In articles last fall and this spring, I gave overviews of the entire LSA seaplane market (read here or here).
Vickers Wave Update
Vickers previously noted, “Wave has finished its flight testing, resulting in a 120-knot cruise and useful load of 750 pounds powered by a Rotax 916iS (reviewed here).”
“A frequently asked question I receive is, ‘What is taking so long?’,” begins Paul Vickers.
A Multicopter Current Pilots Might Enjoy? …Developed Within Our LSA Industry
Here’s a helicopter-like aircraft you might actually consider. I have often reviewed what I call multicopters (several articles). I searched for aircraft you might fly for fun; several of them can enjoy the freedom and special benefits of Part 103. I’ve stayed away from commercial “air taxi” projects.
But what if a longtime producer of Light-Sport Aircraft entered the space? What if the aircraft looked like a helicopter but one you could fly without the steep learning curve? What if it offered 45 minutes of flight with a 15-minute reserve?
The earliest entries had short flight times, 15-20 minutes. Most of them cost too much. For example, Opener’s Blackfly (now called Helix) was first promoted at the cost of a “luxury SUV,” perhaps meaning $80,000 at the time. It has since more than doubled in price.
You may doubt or dislike these flying machines, especially when you don’t know the people behind the projects.
Kitfox’s Reasons for De-Emphasizing the SLSA
In the normal order of things, a successful product will probably remain in production until demand slackens, technology changes or it can’t be built effectively. But there are other reasons, some not so obvious. Case in point? Kitfox Aircraft. Since 2009, when the company began selling the Series 7 Sport, it’s cranked out roughly 40 of the factory-built LSAs, with sales always outpacing the company’s ability to produce for the first few years. Eventually, Kitfox began selling the S7 Sport with various engine options, up to the Rotax 914. Sales over the last few years have slowed to a relative trickle, but not really for reasons you’d think.
First of all, the company’s bread-and-butter is the kitbuilt side of the market, so when the factory buildings are busy and full to overflowing and the order book is growing, company owner John McBean elected to prioritize the kit side of the business over the ready-made side.
Scissortail Aerosport Unveils Two-Place “MOSAIC-Ready” Gogetair G-750 At AirVenture
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.
MOSAIC – A Different Perspective
A lot has been written about the contents of the MOSAIC NPRM and many people and organizations have been able to comment on it to the FAA. Much of the commentary has been around the extension, or in some cases, curtailing of existing privileges for Sport Pilots, aircraft that can fit into the Light Sport definition and Light Sport Repairman certifications. I don’t plan to re-hash any of that here. This article will focus on what some of these changes could mean, in practical terms, to the market for Light Sport Aircraft and its customers. As you will see, it has the potential to be highly disruptive which not everyone will be happy about but will do so in a way that also opens up opportunities to a wider audience.
Before delving any deeper, let’s dispel the myth held by some in general aviation that Light Sport has been a “failure”.
Checking in With Sonex’s Mark Schaible — Update on the High Wing and Will it Be a MOSAIC Design?
Light Sport enthusiasts who appreciate light, simple, inexpensive airplanes have been watching Sonex Aircraft develop the High Wing model for a couple of years now. It’ll first come out as an Experimental/Amateur-Built version but the company is very much open to considering an E-LSA and even, with some outside help, an S-LSA version. (Or whatever we’re going to call that once MOSAIC is real.)
Company owner Mark Schaible joins us to talk about the airplane’s gestation and expectations for performance and when it might fly. Hint: You’ll be able to see a cabin mockup at AirVenture this year at the least. In general, Sonex is hoping for performance similar to the low-wing Sonex designs and will be building the first example as a taildragger with a 130-hp ULPower engine. Schaible also discusses changes to the design now that MOSAIC is closer to reality. Expanded Sport Pilot rules could allow Sonex to give the High Wing a gross weight above the current 1320-pound maximum for LSA.
Looking Back to See Ahead — Dan Johnson Recalls the Beginning of the LSA Movement
As we move toward MOSAIC as a new reality in the Light Sport/Sport Pilot world, it’s worth knowing how we got here. MOSAIC does, after all, leverage right off of the success of the LSA category. In this casual conversation, I chat with Dan Johnson about the early days of LSA and get some questions answered on how some decisions came to be made.
Summer’s Almost Here! State-of-the-Sector Report for LSA Seaplanes
One of the most active sectors in light aviation is LSA seaplanes. We’ve seen ups and downs, arrivals and departures of LSA seaplane producers. Admittedly, these flying machines are more complex than current-day LSA. For example, amphibs need retractable landing gear and substantial boat hulls able to take water loads.
LSA seaplanes constitute a highly fluid market yet we can see clues suggesting what might be ahead for some of the main brands. With summertime approaching, this State-of-the-Sector article attempts to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape (or waterscape).
We’ll first look at two high-end entries that have been in the news and conclude with present LSA seaplanes and their status in the market.
Vickers Wave
Writing for AVweb (part of Firecrown, which also owns Flying and ByDanJohnson.com plus several other publications), my fellow aviation journalist Russ Niles stated, “New Zealand-based Vickers Aircraft Company says it intends to make its first delivery of the Wave two-place amphibious aircraft to a U.S.
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