The weeklong celebration of flight known around the planet as “Oshkosh” is now history. Although EAA was challenged by inclement weather before the show and as it opened, the weather gods smiled on the event and provided a wonderful week with all the action you can imagine.
EAA announced attendance numbers identifying solid growth over last year, to 642,000 attendees*. That’s a ways from the 800,000 back a couple decades but is solid growth from recent years. Especially as EAA had to work hard to overcome weather issues before the event, the organization is to be commended for handling a huge number of details with professionalism.
The week of Oshkosh brought outstanding weather and only brief periods of rain. Those of us from hot states enjoyed the mild temperatures and beautiful cloud-dappled blue skies (photos).
So, after getting back in the saddle after an intense week, here are a few stories of interest.
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Newest Special Light-Sport Aircraft: Sunward Aurora …First Chinese Aircraft to Win FAA Approval
Welcome to the newest Special Light-Sport Aircraft, entering our popular SLSA List at number 149.
The newest is also unique among all 149 entries in one way. Sunward’s Aurora is the first entry from China. The company has been producing aircraft since 2013 and reported delivering 100 aircraft in that time, all in China, averaging about one a month. The U.S.-registered entry seen at Oshkosh (N871LS) is the first outside China. Here is link to the Aurora information.
You need a specific link because Sunward is a conglomerate active in diverse fields, for example, large earth movers and excavators. The photo of their expansive facility tells a thousand words. This is not uncommon in China. Many of that country’s acquisitions of major American aviation companies were done by still larger enterprises in China. Mostly these are private businesses, not the more staid state companies.
Assembled discreetly in Denton, Texas, Sunward quietly earned its Special Airworthiness Certificate — verified by examining the printed document kept in the aircraft — just in time for American Chief Pilot Patrick Keeling to take off and fly to Oshkosh.
Everybody Loves a Hero — How about One from Sector Aircraft …the Brazilian Invasion Continues
From Brazil comes a new Hero, an aircraft most Americans have never seen. Outside of the South American country, few know of Hero in its two models. That’s about to change with this article.
The cantilevered all-metal design has excellent ramp appeal, good specifications, and approval as a Special Light-Sport Aircraft is underway at this time, the developer said. He also added, is coming to the USA, to Florida, to be manufactured. The Brazilian invasion continues…
For this article, I exchanged communications with André Godoy, Sector Aircraft‘s CEO and aircraft designer. He explained, “I have experience building LSA for other companies in Brazil but I am now working on my new design and company. His project is “Hero, a new high wing LSA.”
Brazilian Invasion
Among nations that embrace non-commercial aviation, America leads the parade. Europe has a very large aviation community and like most non-U.S. regions, the concentration is on sport or recreational aircraft.
Copperstate Day 3 — Going Aloft in the Flying Legend Tucano Replica Light-Kit Aircraft
On Day 3 of Copperstate at the Buckeye Air Fair, crowds were again strong and the skies gradually cleared for another day of flying in the smoothest air I’ve felt in some time.
What made this extra special was a chance to go aloft in the Flying Legend Tucano Replica, a scaled down version of a well-known Brazilian military aircraft.
Indeed, the fighter-like shape and paint job of Tucano beckoned convincingly and I went aloft with Flying Legend USA representative, Giovanni Matichecchia …yeah, I told him I’d just call him Giovanni. He grinned and said his last name was tough even for Italians. This capable 27-year-old pilot is off to the airlines one day but is doing a fine job of demonstration flying Tucano for media types like me and potential buyers of this eye-catching machine.
Flying Legend’s Tucano is a scale replica of well-regarded original.
US Sport Planes Takes Over North American Sales of Jabiru Light-Sport Aircraft
For many years the brand name Jabiru — both airframes and engines — has been associated with Pete Krotje and his family and other team members, doing business as Jabiru North America. Pete began in the business near Oshkosh, Wisconsin before seeing the appeal of milder weather in Shelbyville, Tennessee.
Now, the familiar brand from down-under Australia is headed further south in the USA. The brand with the funny-sounding name will end up being represented by another light aircraft industry veteran, Scott Severen.
The official news release on this change declared, “In a move initiated by Jabiru North America, LLC, US Sport Planes of Denton, Texas has been appointed as the North American importer and distributor for Jabiru Light Sport Airplanes for North America.” The two businessmen reported US Sport Planes (USSP) will be the exclusive importer and market the full line of LSA airplanes manufactured by Jabiru Aircraft Pty, Ltd.
Pipistrel’s Alpha Light Aircraft “Plugs In” at New Charge Station; Fuel by Electrons
Article Updated: 9/18/17 (see below)
Electric airplanes continue to catch the headlines… but don’t impact the market much (yet). That may be changing.
You rarely see advertising for Pipistrel, the Eastern European builder of several very sleek Light-Sport Aircraft. The company feels they generate interesting-enough news that media organizations will cover their accomplishments. As this and other articles prove, perhaps they’re right although most publications depend on advertiser support to allow them to provide coverage.
An example of how Pipistrel seduces the aviation press is with an announcement proclaiming their partnership with ride-sharing giant, Uber …specifically about that tech company’s aerial ambitions. At the recent Uber Elevate Summit in Dallas, Texas, “Uber signed a partnership with Pipistrel aircraft producer for large-scale deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs).” Pipistrel said initial vehicles [will] be used in a flight demonstration by 2020.
“Pipistrel is the only company in the world that builds and sells electric aircraft today … they are a valued partner in making Uber’s VTOL network a reality,” said Mark Moore, Director of Engineering for Aviation.
Back from Cuba! — First Light Aircraft Flights to the Island
This article has been modified since originally posted. —DJ
These days you can go to Cuba. You can even fly to the island nation. Yet one thing no one has been doing… is flying VFR to Cuba. According to John Craparo, this was the first time in at least 60 years.
They were also the first-ever gyroplanes to arrive in Havana.
John was joined by his three gyro friends — Dayton Dabbs, Mike Baker, and Jonathan Prickett — in a pair of Magni Gyro tandem two seaters, both M16 models. The gyroplanes were accompanied by two SportCruiser LSA, a pair of Bonanzas, and a Cirrus SR20.
For the faster, fixed wing aircraft the 100-mile crossing was not a major challenge. However, any water crossing where you fly out of sight of land in a single engine airplane will earn your rapt attention.
It was a bigger deal yet to cross an expanse of ocean in open cockpit gyroplanes flying less than 100 miles an hour with 19 gallons of fuel on board.
Czech Sport Aircraft — SportCruiser PILOT REPORT (0913)
Here we go again with another of our series of Video Pilot Reports or VPRs, this time in the Czech Sport Aircraft SportCruiser. Yes, that’s the airplane for one year known as the PiperSport in the legacy company’s short period in the LSA space. All the while it was represented by U.S. Sport Aircraft and that Texas-based company is once again the sole importer for the USA. In this video we take you along for a flight in the popular machine and provide you with a full cockpit review and a selection of performance numbers. Enjoy!
US Aviation — Denton Texas LSA-friendly FBO
In this video shot at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2012, we speak with Scott Severen of US Aviation. Based in Dallas, Texas US Aviation is one of the fastest growing fixed base operators in the USA and thanks to Scott, they have a sharp focus on Light-Sport Aircraft with an entire facility dedicated to providing factory-authorized service for many leading LSA brands. Scott is a longtime player in light aviation with a multifaceted background.
LSA Tour 2011 (Dallas Texas)
The LSA Tour is an idea to bring the airshow to the visitor, rather than asking them to trek across the country to visit one of the major airshows. Following the success of the LSA Mall at events, the LSA Tour positions several top brands in close proximity to allow broad access to the representatives of these Light-Sport Aircraft. The LSA Tour has been all over the country; this video talks about the event in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
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