Recently I visited Cirrus Design. I saw progress on the Cirrus Vision jet and the new Garmin Perspective panel for the SR22. Both aircraft are full of high-end avionics. *** Down here in the world of Light-Sport Aircraft, we have far less costly choices for flat-screen avionic displays (panels in the Vision or SR22 literally cost more than an entire LSA). Yet the data each set of instruments uses is identical. LSA are also often equipped with autopilots…again, far less expensively compared to the certified units GA builders install. *** Recently SportairUSA announced their new “Straight & Level” button. If you find yourself in the soup unexpectedly, the pilot or passenger can push one button causing the autopilot to take over by guiding the airplane while the occupants assess their next move. It’s a brilliant idea to give pilots a breather. “The Straight and Level system is a significant advance in flight safety for Sting owners,” says Bill Canino, operator of SportairUSA, “That’s why we are providing it at no additional cost on all of ourTruTrak EFIS/autopilot equipped Stings.” The SL button even turns the autopilot on if it was off…a mighty smart airplane at a fraction of the cost of similarly equipped GA airplanes.
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Flying through Turbulence; Even Big Boys Affected
Most producers in the Light-Sport Aircraft sector welcomed the LSA market entry announced by Cessna and Cirrus at Oshkosh 2007. July of last year looks like the “good old days,” as aviation from LSA to VLJs — essentially all of GA — is roiled by global economic uncertainty. *** Compounding the challenges, Cessna had an “unrecoverable” spin incident with their Skycatcher 162. Even BRS got drawn in with a rocket-deployed parachute that for reasons yet unknown didn’t save the airframe. Both companies are sure to work out these issues; test failures are an accepted part of aircraft development. *** Cirrus stepped down to a 3-day workweek (AvWeb article) to cope with slowing sales. Like Cessna, Cirrus is managing multiple developments. Their jet project consumes plenty of resources so when watching costs, it’s little surprise that the Duluth company might put their SRS Light-Sport project on the back burner.
3Xtrim Navigator Is Newest SLSA (#86)
At Sebring 2007, I flew an enjoyable airplane from Poland with the uninspiring name of 3X55 Trainer (see my blog post). A re-engineered and renamed Navigator 600 received SLSA certification on August 22, 2008. [UPDATE 2/19/09] — The North American importer is 3Xtrim Inc. *** Navigator grew up and now boasts a 1,320 pound gross weight and a useful load of 600 pounds with a 47.2-inch cabin width, specified producer, 3Xtrim. I thought 3X55 looked small but she felt sufficiently roomy inside. 3X55 was also very straightforward to fly at modest speeds (88 knots at cruise). And it was so simple to land that the earlier model easily justified the “Trainer” label. *** [UPDATE 7/1/09] 3Xtrim, Inc., reports several N-numbered Navigator 600s are flying in the U.S. and four more are expected soon. Base price for a reasonably well-equipped Navigator is $99,000.
LSA Over the Years; Observing Trends
Light-Sport Aircraft burst on the aviation scene in April 2005. By the end of that year, less than 50 had been registered with FAA. But in 2006, 2007, and so far in 2008, growth has been brisk…if somewhat erratic. *** It may seem a bit early to be blogging about an “historical perspective” on LSA, but looking at the trend line illustrates something I find fascinating. Sales of recreational-class flying machines closely track the major shows at which they’re exhibited: Sebring, Sun ‘n Fun, and Oshkosh. AOPA’s Expo also has an influence but it is less demonstrable than the other three. *** Also, you can easily see the effect of the 2008 U.S. economic slow-down that has afflicted general aviation as well as light sport aviation. (Even bizjets may begin to show this effect, according to experts, as their backlogs mean present-day strong deliveries were from orders placed in the economic high times of 2005.) *** Consumers of LSA buy them for fun flying as well as regional trips, so when the economy gets shaky, many pull back until they have a clearer view of what’s ahead.
SkyLeader’s Wide-Body LSA
Update Note (2021) — This article published in 2008. The aircraft was then referred to as Skyleader 500. Later this was further upgraded and became the Skyleader 600. Obviously, some information presented below will be dated but much of the flight qualities reporting is still useful. —DJ
Sky Leading KP-5
First, Americans became aware of Kappa. This corporate identity was more easily pronounced than the next company name,
Jihlavan (roughly, “YEE-lah-von”) Airplanes. Now, after new investment and with new global ambitions, the company will be known a “Skyleader Aircraft.” American tongues can relax with this easy reference.
Unchanged are a common owner and the same skilled Jihlavan Airplanes
technicians building the elegant KP-5/Skyleader 500 from the Czech
Republic. It may not be the biggest seller among light sport aircraft (LSA),
but I find it to be one of the finest flying machines in the fleet. Skyleader
plans to standardize the brand around the world and will rename the KP-5
the Skyleader 500.
Avemco Investigates LSA; Continues Insurance
Does FAA control aviation? They regulate it (sometimes well). True control may be in the hands of insurance companies. Just try to operate your airplane, your airport, your aviation business without insurance coverage. Insurance companies help keep airports open and protect our investment in airplanes when we occasionally land a bit hard. *** One company addresses market needs differently. Avemco sells directly to pilots, not through middlemen. This may explain why Avemco is one of the country’s largest airplane insurers. *** Their top man, Avemco President Jim Lauerman, has been out doing his homework on LSA. In our conversation at Sebring 2008, Jim told me about all the LSA leaders he spoke to at the event. Following Sebring he went quite a few extra miles and paid in-person visits to AMD, American Legend, and IndUS Aviation. *** Since Lauerman is personally willing to look carefully at LSA, industry players are likely to heed his advice out of respect for his interest and thoroughness.
Two Lovely Low Wings — Gobosh 700 & 800
Out of the blue in 2007. Now, they have two in 2008…SLSA models, that is. Gobosh is the interestingly named company (it’s a tech industry thing) that burst on the AirVenture Oshkosh scene with the Gobosh 700S, a rebadged upgrade of the Aero AT-3 from Poland. Just six months later at the Sebring LSA Expo 2008, Gobosh introduced the super sleek 800XP from the Czech Republic’s Aveko, builder of the speedy retractable VL-3 on which 800XP is based. Relying on their experience with the Symphony and other business ventures partners Dave Graham and Tim Baldwin (inset photo, left) are rapidly expanding their presence in light-sport aviation. *** Their two planes are an interesting contrast. Gobosh promotes the metal 700S as a “luxury sport aircraft,” though it seems well aimed at flight schools. The composite 800XP is the high performance model, “which had to be slowed down for LSA rules,” said Dave.
Canadian-Designed Czech-Built Skylark
A Doubly International LSA
SportsPlanes.com imports several
light-sport aircraft (LSA)
that have found ready buyers.
After researching through
several designs, SportsPlanes’ owner
Josh Foss originally settled on the
Comco Ikarus C42 and Breezer and
the U.S.-built American Flyer for its
fleet. Most recently, the company
added the Czech-built Dova Skylark
to its offerings.
However, the real story of this company
is not Josh Foss’ care in the selection
of what airplanes to sell. What
may be more important to the marketplace
is the network his company
has built to bring service and support
to SportsPlanes.com’s customers.
Currently, 15 SportsPlanes centers are
operating, with the goal to establish
25 centers nationwide.
Investigating the Skylark
My opportunity to fly the Skylark
came while attending the U.S. Sport
Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, in
January. I flew with Darrell Hamilton,
the SportsPlanes representative
for Florida.
Darrell retired from Northwest
Airlines four years ago. He most recently
crewed the fly-by-wire Airbus
A320, which needs only small control
movements.
To Infinity…and Beyond!
The world of light-sport
aircraft (LSA) includes five
classes of aircraft-airplanes,
gliders, powered parachutes, weightshift-
control aircraft (commonly
called trikes), and lighter-than-air
aircraft (balloons and airships).
While fixed-wing airplanes may be
the most prolific, they are not the
only way for flight enthusiasts to
take to the sky. Weight-shift trikes
and powered parachutes (PPCs) are
also popular modes of flights. Each
offers a different experience to pilot
and passenger.
Some fixed-wing pilots claim
no interest in powered parachutes.
While PPCs certainly aren’t fast,
they do offer one of the best viewing
platforms in aviation and have
attracted a higher percentage of
non-pilots as buyers than any other
aviation segment. That fact alone
should cause more aviators to look
closely at them.
So far three powered parachute
companies have obtained special
LSA (S-LSA) approval for their
models. The first to achieve this
was the Summit 2 from Summit
Powered Parachutes in April 2006.
Spiffy New Thorpedo…IndUS Aviation’s LP Series
IndUS marketing geniuses called their program “Refresh ’08,” but perhaps it ought to be “Renew ’08?” The changes on which IndUS staffers have long labored gave the proven design its smartest look yet. Here’s a neat trick for what may be the oldest SLSA design in the fleet, what with Serial Number One T-211 turning 61 in 2007 (“and it’s still flying all over the place”). *** In January 2007, IndUS announced a partnership with LoPresti, the Speed Merchant people who helped Piper and several other GA brands extract more performance from their airplanes without airframe modifications. IndUS left the partnership but a clever team at the Dallas company took up the innovation effort and produced impressive results. *** The Thorpedo shown at Sebring 2008 sported a snazzy new engine cowl treatment, light-emitting wing tips including built-in landing lights, and streamlined gear leg fairings.
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