At the season-ending DeLand Showcase 2021, I gave a keynote address on Saturday attended by airplane owners and sellers.
This is a slightly more condensed version of the talk I gave at the Midwest LSA Expo. Even if you’ve seen that video — part of this article, or seen on Dave Loveman’s YouTube channel — this one covers the material in a different way.
Since the video below is only 35 minutes, this one can get you up-to-date quicker than the other, hour-long videos I’ve done on this important topic.
Every time I post about this subject, interest has been very strong, so going over the material again is worthwhile. At the end you’ll hear questions from the audience that are the same as I hear over and again — training questions, inquiries about speed increases, and questions about whether a Sport Pilot can fly general aviation airplanes.
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Midwest 2021 Day 2: Update about FAA’s MOSAIC Regulation, then Flying the Fusion & Chasing the Fox
Midwest LSA Expo‘s forum organizers called it a “record crowd” that turned out to hear my talk about coming changes in FAA’s latest regulation. Some 95 pilots entered their email on an FAA Wings credit sign-in sheet and that didn’t include everyone present. This topic always generates lots of interest.
A number of vendors told me they wanted to attend but couldn’t because they didn’t feel they could leave their exhibit. It was that busy today. That’s a great problem: plenty of people who want to talk to you. Plus I told them I was recording my presentation and they could catch it later… soon, in fact. I’ve already uploaded the video to Videoman Dave, who remains stuck in Canada, unable to get across the border. I hope you can see it in a few days.
Day 2, Friday the 10th, was a strong day, even better than Thursday’s good early start.
AirVenture Day 3: Whoa! Major Course Change for FAA on MOSAIC; It’s All Great!
As you readers must know, I prefer to focus mainly on the airplanes, on light aircraft. It’s what interests me and I’ve learned it’s what interests you* as well. I captured more cool aircraft news on Day 3 and I will return to that tomorrow. Today’s topic is different.
Affordable aircraft are important to many readers. I get that completely and that’s why my Day 1 report focused on six aircraft that are very easy to own. Speedy aircraft are of also great interest. In general I like to say (modifying a view expressed by Apple Founder Steve Jobs) that — “It’s all about the airplanes.” Other high-traffic features of this website include the SLSA List, PlaneFinder 2.0, and our market statistics.
However, one non-aircraft topic always draws lots of readers. When I report major moves by FAA that can have an impact on your ability to fly, you sit up at your smartphone, tablet, or laptop and pay attention.
Newest SLSA in the Fleet: Flight Design’s F2 (also a Precursor to Mosaic?)
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.
FAA’s Proposed Regulation (MOSAIC) — LAMA’s Spring 2020 Update Report
In recent months many light aviation enthusiasts have been asking about progress on FAA’s proposed rewrite of the Light-Sport Aircraft regulations. Following a lengthy teleconference in 2019, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association is pleased to provide a further update for the agency’s work on MOSAIC, or Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification. Here is our earlier article on this subject.
This update is one of a continuing series. As time passes and FAA progresses toward its goal — of issuing a NPRM, Notice of Proposed Rule Making — LAMA requests a teleconference or in-person visit to learn the rule writers’ latest concepts and language decisions.
This progress reports identifies new discoveries and clarifies previous statements that may now be better understood.
Some Key Messages
FAA is moving forward on the rulemaking project yet everything remains in progress while the agency gathers internal assessments. What follows is as accurate as possible at this time but changes will occur.
Day 2 at AERO: The Show Gets Busier and So Does Our Correspondent!
Day Two of AERO at Friedrichshafen, and after a slow start footfall-wise yesterday there were considerably more visitors thronging the massive Messe today.
Aura Aircraft
The day started with a visit to the Aura Aircraft press conference, where the French airframer announced that it was signing a deal with the Deutsch aeroclub to use its Integra E electric two-seater as a glider tow plane. As a very experienced tug pilot and having been Tug Master at two different gliding clubs. I found this initiative both extremely interesting and very exciting. Noise and pollution are two very hot topics in Germany—and indeed most of Europe, and while all the gliding clubs are keen to promote the sport as being both green and sustainable, critics will always point to the noisy, gas guzzling Piper Pawnees and Robin DR400s and observe that it isn’t as green as they claim.
This initiative is certainly very laudable and could have significant implications for the gliding community.
A First Look at Sun ‘n Fun — LSA, We Got ‘em!
Editor’s Note: Here again let’s take a quick look at some of the LSAs we’ve seen so far at Sun ‘n Fun and welcome Mark Timney to our contributors for this show.
The first-day crowd at Sun ‘n Fun 2024’s Paradise City was a little smaller than usual according to long-time attendees, but what the event’s light sport area might have lacked in numbers it made up for in aircraft evolution.
Of particular note: A sleek, new low wing from Italy’s CFM Aviation that could set the bar for tomorrow’s MLSAs; Magni Gyro’s long awaited M26 Victor; and, a speedy new ultralight flexwing from FlyLight called the ‘Nine. ‘
The hustle and bustle of opening day prevents a detailed report on these aircraft at this time… only an entry-level tease of what Sun ‘n Fun is offering up this year.
The Nine trike, which Great Britain’s Flylight sells through Blue Collar Aviation (BCA) in the US, is distinguished by its 56 mph hands-off cruise speed.
Light Sport Accidents — How Do The Categories Compare?
Editor’s Note: This two-part short series is the handiwork of Ron Wanttaja, who has been tracking accident and registration data for Experimental aircraft for decades. Here, he looks at both the fleet size and accident rates among the various LSA categories. Looking ahead, the next installment will dig deep into how LSAs fare against more common certified trainers.
It’s been almost 20 years since the FAA implemented the Light Sport Aircraft category. While the planes might appear similar to traditional Experimental/Amateur-Built (E/A-B) aircraft, there are significant differences in how they are designed, constructed, maintained and operated.
Light Sports have had a major impact on flying in the U.S., even if their numbers are still relatively few. Without Light Sport (and the accompanying Sport Pilot program), the FAA would have lacked data to justify the simplification of pilot medicals known as BasicMed. Light Sport’s proven safety led to the MOSAIC program, featuring a major relaxation of the limits of what can be flown without an FAA medical.
Who Is This Guy, Anyway? Please Welcome, Marc Cook!
You’re probably wondering about this raspy old voice appearing on the ByDanJohnson site. Who are you and what have you done with Dan? Part of that you already know.
Dan sold this site to what was then the Flying Media Group, owned by Craig Fuller, an LSA owner himself. Since adding a bunch of marine titles from Bonnier, the overarching company is now known as Firecrown, but the aviation side is still a big part of the portfolio, including FLYING, Plane & Pilot and KITPLANES (among many others). ByDanJohnson, when it becomes Affordable Aviation, will fit like the perfect puzzle piece into the group
Speaking of KITPLANES, that’s where I come from. In fact, Dan and I have history—the good kind—as he wrote about the then-nascent LSA category for KP back when all this got started. We felt it was important to get smart about the segment since it would intersect with Experimental aircraft.
Do You Love LSA and Sport Pilot Kits? Calling for Writers in the Affordable Space
By the middle of March, this website had exceeded all prior monthly records. In only 16 days, we recorded an all-time high in single-day non-repeating visitor count and in monthly visitors.
So, it is already certain that I will conclude my full-time activities with ByDanJohnson.com on a very high note and I am grateful beyond what I can convey. I had hoped to “go out at the top of my game” and this strong response from visitors is a wonderful send-off.
Please believe me, though, the genuine thanks are from me to you, not the other way around.
I am deeply appreciative of your loyal readership for these past 20 years. Thank you from the bottom of my pilot’s heart.
Is Affordable Aviation
Really a Thing?
I didn’t know I was creating the affordable aviation space when I began my online adventure back in 1999 — it took four years of work in those early days of the World Wide Web but we went live on April 1, 2004.
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