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

DeLand 2017 Day One is History; Flying the Evektor Harmony LSA (Video)

By Dan Johnson || 3 Comments

We spent the first day of the second year of this event zooming around DeLand Showcase 2017 shooting several videos for you and I have a sample MiniVideo for you to view. This short take is modest compared to the more professionally-edited ones my video partner SportAviationMagazine.com will produce from the footage we shot today. Here’s the link to Videoman Dave’s YouTube channel where you can find hundreds more.

Long days at the show filled with interviews, photo taking, and discussions with industry leaders and aircraft representatives swallow most of the available time. Yet these brief videos provide quick views and I hope to add more at DeLand and other events. Offer a comment if you like them.

The Evektor Harmony LSA is represented in the USA by Dreams Come True, run by Steve Minnich (who by the way has flown the subject aircraft some 700 hours …though the aircraft obviously has received plenty of care and attention). Dreams Come True is located in Ohio. Steve’s associate in American sales of Evektor products is Art Tarola of AB Flight located in Pennsylvania.

Enjoy this quick look at Harmony LSA

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We spent the first day of the second year of this event zooming around DeLand Showcase 2017 shooting several videos for you and I have a sample MiniVideo for you to view. This short take is modest compared to the more professionally-edited ones my video partner SportAviationMagazine.com will produce from the footage we shot today. Here’s the link to Videoman Dave’s YouTube channel where you can find hundreds more. Long days at the show filled with interviews, photo taking, and discussions with industry leaders and aircraft representatives swallow most of the available time. Yet these brief videos provide quick views and I hope to add more at DeLand and other events. Offer a comment if you like them. The Evektor Harmony LSA is represented in the USA by Dreams Come True, run by Steve Minnich (who by the way has flown the subject aircraft some 700 hours …though the aircraft obviously has received plenty of care and attention).

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DeLand is Approaching… Video Deluge Brings Attention to Exhibitors You Will See

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

My video partner must be working around the clock as he prepared a blizzard of videos for release starting November 1st.

As you see in the list below, 20 videos will soon be available. I hope you’ll enjoy them.

Besides giving you info on various aircraft to see at the event, we hope to encourage you to attend DeLand #2. Videos are great and in them we try to ask the questions you would ask and to show you things you’d look for if you attended. Good as videos are, nothing substitutes for you being present to ask and look yourself. I hope you can.

Videoman Dave and I will be on-site all three days of the event. We will likely be a blur in motion dashing from one fetching aircraft vendor to another to gather more article material and video interviews. We also hope to record more Video Pilot Reports, as we did last year.

Mark Your Calendar… Videos: November 1st — Show: 2nd-3rd-4th

According to a local newspaper, “More than 6,000 people are expected on the DeLand Municipal Airport Thursday, November 2 through Saturday, the 4th, to inspect more than 100 aircraft.”

The reporter went on to say that DeLand expects to “top the 1,000 flight operations recorded last year.”

Hours all three days are 9 AM to 5 PM. General admission for adults costs $20 each day, or $40 for a three-day pass. Lower prices are available for youth aged 11-17 and kids under 10 get in free. The entrance and free parking for DeLand Showcase are off Industrial Way on the northwest side of the airport.

Here’s the posting schedule for the gusher of videos you can watch. All these aircraft are expected at DeLand.

  1. Photo courtesy Tecnam by Philip Whiteman

    Nov. 1, 2017 5 a.m. Tecnam Astore — Tecnam’s low wing update that celebrated the 65th anniversary of this leading Light-Sport Aircraft producer from Italy. Tecnam is likely the world’s leading producer of these aircraft and Astore is one of their newest.

  2. Nov. 1, 2017 6 a.m. Zenith Aircraft — The 25-year-old kit company’s CH 750 Cruzer is the speedier version of their ever-popular CH-701 and CH-750 models sometimes referred to as the Sky Jeep. It may not be shapeliest light aircraft but it can get out of the shortest airstrips.

  3. Nov. 1, 2017 7 a.m. Aeroprakt A22 — From Ukraine comes one of the great bargains in light aviation with prices well below $100,000. The aircraft is also obvious for its major use of clear panels that assure wonderful visibility. Take the yoke and see for yourself.

  4. Nov. 1, 2017 8 a.m. Aerotrek A220 A240 — The steady-Eddie of the LSA segment may be Aerotrek run by the ever-affable Rob Rollison. Through up years and down, Rob sells Aerotrek tricycles or taildraggers on a sane, predictable schedule that buyers appear to prefer.

  5. Nov. 1, 2017 9 a.m. AutoGyro USA — One class of aircraft buys more Rotax 9-series engine than any other and by a good margin. That class is gyroplanes and AutoGyro is the largest producer. Now, Andy Wall is bringing the brand to America with a fresh, new look.

  6. Nov. 1, 2017 10 a.m. Beringer Wheels and Brakes — Everyone likes get up and go but at the end of a flight you have to get down and stop. Beringer has leading expertise in abundance and offers beautiful, versatile systems to help you roll and brake smoothly.

  7. Nov. 1, 2017 11 a.m. Ekolot Topaz — If Topaz has not caught your eye yet, you are in for a visual treat. Ekolot’s smooth composite Topaz is as nicely appointed as they come and flies pleasantly to boot. Here’s one that deserves your attention.

  8. Nov. 1, 2017 12 p.m. Evektor Harmony — Harmony follows Evektor‘s SportStar, which will always enjoy the distinction as the very first Light-Sport Aircraft to win FAA acceptance. Harmony takes the highly evolved SportStar to a whole new altitude as one of the sector’s best engineered aircraft.

  9. Nov. 1, 2017 1 p.m. Flight Design CTLS — For nearly every year Light-Sport Aircraft have been for sale, Flight Design‘s CT-series has lead the sales rankings and for good reason. It’s fast, roomy, clean and smooth, and superbly equipped. At DeLand 2017, come meet the new group managing this venerable brand.

  10. Nov. 1, 2017 2 p.m. Groppo Trail — A lot of handsome airplanes originate in Italy, known for its stylish invention. Groppo’s Trail is more the rough-and-ready version able to take on less improved airstrips. Now it’s available in tricycle gear or taildragger form.

  11. Photo courtesy Just Aircraft by Wayne Whitley

    Nov. 1, 2017 3 p.m. Just Aircraft SuperSTOL — Just Aircraft was already well known for their popular Highlander but when designer Troy Woodland sharply upped the ante with SuperSTOL, eyes at airshows everywhere turned to watch this outstanding performer. Seeing is believing.

  12. Nov. 1, 2017 4 p.m. KitFox Light Sport Aircraft — One the industry’s most familiar shapes is that of Kitfox, whose several models bear the original appearance even as the current company continues to refine and improve their models. Their airshow models are always superlatively finished.

  13. Nov. 1, 2017 5 p.m. SuperPetrel LS — This is one you tend not to forget as it is a very rare biplane seaplane. While it may have a unique look, it works as well on water as any light seaplane model I have flown. The Brazilian company has a base in Florida, not far from DeLand.

  14. Nov. 1, 2017 6 p.m. Pipistrel Alpha — This Slovenian company is known for their smooth, slender (and long) winged models made entirely of composite structures. Alpha is their most affordable model and you should look it over carefully.

  15. Nov. 1, 2017 7 p.m. Powrachute Powered Parachute — Powered parachutes offer one of the best viewing platforms in all of light aviation. They are also easy to fly and have the lowest hourly requirement to get a Sport Pilot license. Powrachute is the biggest supplier and their models warrant careful examination.

  16. Nov. 1, 2017 8 p.m. Progressive Aerodyne SeaRey — We enjoy several great LSA seaplanes but only one boasts a long track record with a large fleet and that is Searey. Made in kit form only for years, you can now buy one ready-to-fly. Searey is made near DeLand in Tavares, Florida …right on a lake, of course.

  17. Nov. 1, 2017 9 p.m. REV Part 103 Legal Ultralight Trike — Among trikes available, the most deluxe and finished model is Revo from Evolution Trikes. However, this Florida company also made the fabulous Part 103 Rev for those on a budget or just look for solo fun in a well-made trike.

  18. Nov. 1, 2017 10 p.m. RV-12 light sport — From the world’s largest producer of kit aircraft, Van’s Aircraft can now offer a fully built Special LSA RV-12 version through a collaboration with longtime kit-building partner, Synergy Air. Most RV-12s have been sold as kits, at which Van’s is deeply experienced.

  19. Nov. 1, 2017 11 p.m. Sling Light Sport Aircraft — The Airplane Factory-USA represents the Sling models, including the two seat LSA model and a four seat Sling 4 model that is built as a kit. Both fly wonderfully and have proven themselves uniquely by flying around the world, multiple times.

  20. Nov. 1, 2017 12 p.m. SportCruiser — Known to the general aviation crowd as the PiperSport (thanks to a brand they know well), SportCruiser was before and has been since Piper’s involvement a good seller under its original name.

Live! Soon! Go!

Catch all these videos anywhere you like, but even better, make plans now to attend DeLand Showcase 2017. The weather has cooled from summer heat but it should still be in the high ’70s, low ’80s so it should be a great time to look at airplanes and other gear.

As you enjoy all these free videos, I encourage you to visit Videoman Dave’s YouTube channel and click here to support the work. You can see most of these videos featuring Dan Johnson right here.

Compress Post ...

My video partner must be working around the clock as he prepared a blizzard of videos for release starting November 1st. As you see in the list below, 20 videos will soon be available. I hope you’ll enjoy them. Besides giving you info on various aircraft to see at the event, we hope to encourage you to attend DeLand #2. Videos are great and in them we try to ask the questions you would ask and to show you things you’d look for if you attended. Good as videos are, nothing substitutes for you being present to ask and look yourself. I hope you can. Videoman Dave and I will be on-site all three days of the event. We will likely be a blur in motion dashing from one fetching aircraft vendor to another to gather more article material and video interviews. We also hope to record more Video Pilot Reports, as we did last year.

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Do You Avoid Taildraggers …and therefore Kolb Aircraft? This Proven Company Offers Options.

By Dan Johnson || 3 Comments

In the world of kit aircraft a few companies stand out for having delivered many kits that have launched into the air. Leading the success stories is Van’s Aircraft at nearly 10,000 flying — with around double that number of kits shipped. Van’s is trailed by Rans Aircraft, Kitfox Aircraft, and Kolb Aircraft.

Kolb estimates about 8,000 of their various models are flying today, a strong enough figure to make the Tennessee company one of the shining lights in the field of light kit aircraft.

However, Kolb has always had a problem. They build taildraggers.

After generations of pilots were trained in tricycle gear airplanes, many pilots aren’t sure about their ability to handle a taildragger. When landed other than straight and true, a tricycle gear airplane auto-corrects, swinging toward the nosewheel. A taildragger can, if handled poorly, result in the dreaded ground loop, meaning that the tail can swing to the side, potentially causing a wingtip to touch the ground.

Kolb models have such a shallow deck angle (meaning the nose does not sit well above the tail) so this taildragger “problem” is almost invisible, but that doesn’t change the fear many pilots have for the once-standard gear arrangement.

Kolb’s TriGear FireStar to the Rescue

Offered after years of a tandem setup, Kolb’s FireStar II SS is a side-by-side version of the FireStar II. More recently, the company offered a tricycle gear version …one that retains the tailwheel even if you don’t use it. This gives a landing gear versatility almost unmatched in aviation. You can land on three front wheels or use the tailwheel if you wish to explore this difference.

FireStar II delivers “great climb performance with the Hirth 3202 engine but can be fitted with  the Rotax 582 engine,” said Kolb’s Bryan Melborn. Hirth is the standard engine for the FireStar II SS mated to a 2.58:1 gear reduction drive swinging a 66-inch diameter fixed pitch propeller. This combination gives outrageous climb performance (as our video below demonstrates) with a top speed of 80 mph.

“It takes very little power to maintain minimum flying speed in a FireStar II SS,” Bryan added, “and such slower flying is more enjoyable because of engine noise and fuel consumption are at a minimum.”

Handling Kolb aircraft is a wonderful experience. Like all Kolb models, FireStar II SS uses traditional cable and push-pull tube controls which yield a solid feel. Half-span ailerons offer good roll authority at higher speeds while still being powerful enough at lower speeds to retain roll control even through a stall.

“Optional hydraulic brakes provide for sure stops so the FireStar II SS can be landed and stopped in very tight areas,” noted Bryan. Differential braking using heel pedals allows for a tighter turning radius which further improves excellent ground handling.

Previous customers who built the older tandem configuration are not left out. Bryan said, “We use stock FireStar wings and tail feathers, so if you own a FireStar II tandem seat, you can purchase a new cage and a boom tube from Kolb Aircraft and fit your wings, tail feathers, engine, and instruments to it and convert to side by side. Call the factory for details or send an email.

Like all Kolb aircraft, the FireStar has folding wings and tail which allow for easy storage or trailering. “The tail folds up and the wings fold back along the fuselage in about 15 minutes by one person,” Kolb advises.  “Everything stores right on the airframe.”

With gross weight of 850 pounds and slow stall speed, a two-place FireStar II is sold as an Experimental Amateur Built aircraft. It qualifies to be flown using a Sport Pilot certificate or your higher certificate exercising the privileges of Sport Pilot.

Broadening the Tri-Gear Lineup

At Sun ‘n Fun  ‘n Fun, we did a video interview with Bryan to announce that Kolb now offers the Part 103-legal Firefly model with the tri-gear setup. Hear and see more below…

Compress Post ...

In the world of kit aircraft a few companies stand out for having delivered many kits that have launched into the air. Leading the success stories is Van’s Aircraft at nearly 10,000 flying — with around double that number of kits shipped. Van’s is trailed by Rans Aircraft, Kitfox Aircraft, and Kolb Aircraft. Kolb estimates about 8,000 of their various models are flying today, a strong enough figure to make the Tennessee company one of the shining lights in the field of light kit aircraft. However, Kolb has always had a problem. They build taildraggers. After generations of pilots were trained in tricycle gear airplanes, many pilots aren’t sure about their ability to handle a taildragger. When landed other than straight and true, a tricycle gear airplane auto-corrects, swinging toward the nosewheel. A taildragger can, if handled poorly, result in the dreaded ground loop, meaning that the tail can swing to the side, potentially causing a wingtip to touch the ground.

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AviNation …More than a Clever Name, Effort Aims at Inspiring Young Pilots

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Every pilot I know… every aviation organization… every aviation government official… all acknowledge the same requirement for the future of aviation. We need more younger people entering this activity that we current pilots enjoy so much. I feel sure you agree.

However, despite the efforts of many smart people over many decades, the number of younger folks in aviation is smaller than we might like.

Now, let’s be clear. This is not an epic failure. We do have younger pilots involved today. Do you doubt this statement? If so, you are not alone but you may be wrong.

Consider this part of an article I published earlier: “Most pilots I know think the pilot population is graying quickly and that we may be in danger of running out of pilots. [The statistics on American aviators] say otherwise. The biggest single category may be [the one] you expect with those aged 50-64 counting 179,277 pilots. …but the surprising second-largest segment is close behind. Those aged a young 20-35 years old number 173,396 pilots. The 35-50 cohort is much smaller, perhaps as they are busy raising families and paying for mortgages and college educations for their kids.”

Let me repeat for emphasis. The second-largest group of pilots in an age range (20-35 years old) is almost as large as the one we think dominates (50-64 years old). Notice that each group contains pilots from a similar age range (15 years).

Even if you accept those figures, it remains true that we need more young pilots.

EAA Young Eagles program has been an unqualified success, flying more than two million youngsters. Great job, EAA! The bad news? Not very many of those two million kids has entered aviation.

So even with aviation’s best and brightest minds working on the problem, not many kids are learning to fly and making aviation their passion or their job. The airlines are certainly concerned and so are many current pilots, myself included.

Room for Another Solution

One man is working to change the “youth problem” in his own unique way. You may already know him from his days directing the Aviators Hot Line enterprise and its Light Aviation division. His name is Jacob Peed and following are his words about his newest project, which I am pleased to support.

Jacob wrote, “All too often these days you see companies and organizations with no plan for the future. There is no thought to what happens down the road. Industries can also suffer the same fate as businesses when they fail to appeal to youth or attempt to solicit the next wave of young people to continue to grow their industry.

“AviNation is about the future. It’s about the next generation of aviation advocates, professionals, educators and innovators. AviNation Magazine is here to generate excitement and interest in aviation.

“I have been involved in both the publishing industry and aviation industry in one way or another for my entire life. I’ve seen how publications can truly impact and help industries thrive. AviNation Magazine is the right magazine at the right time.

“AviNation is published four times a year and is distributed to FBOs, universities and trade events throughout the country, connecting advertisers and contributors with industry professionals, enthusiasts and of course, those that will continue to push the industry forward.

“AviNation, a special opportunity for a special industry.”

In case you hadn’t figured it out, AviNation is a publication whose sole purpose is to work the levers needed to bring more young people into aviation. It is not some aviation magazine or website with overly-technical, jargon-riddled articles about the equipment on aircraft or the details of earning an instrument rating. Its purpose is to reach and inform younger Americans in the hope of bringing them into aviation.

I think this is a very worthy goal and I hope you will join me in supporting Jacob Peed and his AviNation. We need the charge he has chosen to lead!

Compress Post ...

Every pilot I know… every aviation organization… every aviation government official… all acknowledge the same requirement for the future of aviation. We need more younger people entering this activity that we current pilots enjoy so much. I feel sure you agree. However, despite the efforts of many smart people over many decades, the number of younger folks in aviation is smaller than we might like. Now, let’s be clear. This is not an epic failure. We do have younger pilots involved today. Do you doubt this statement? If so, you are not alone but you may be wrong. Consider this part of an article I published earlier: “Most pilots I know think the pilot population is graying quickly and that we may be in danger of running out of pilots. [The statistics on American aviators] say otherwise. The biggest single category may be [the one] you expect with those aged 50-64 counting 179,277 pilots.

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You Love YouTube Videos. We Love YouTube Videos. See a Batch as DeLand 2017 Arrives!

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Are you a YouTube fan? I don’t mean the company or its owner Google/Alphabet (which has removed videos for reasons only a YouTube censor could comprehend). What I’m a fan of is YouTube content creators.

Like literally billions of other people, I’ve come to depend on YouTube videos, whether for pure entertainment or when I’m trying to fix something in my house or on my car. As you probably know, YouTube will almost certainly have not one video to help or delight you, but dozens …on the same topic. More than 300 hours of video are uploaded to Google’s computers every minute of the day, 24×7. Amazing! More than 5 billion videos are watched every day by more than 1.3 billion people (and that’s without China’s 1.3 billion people as the government does not allow YouTube in that nation).

However, this post is not to sing the praises of YouTube but to bring to your attention the yeoman’s work done by my video partner, Dave Loveman, whom I’ve come to call “Videoman Dave,” because unlike yours truly, he tends to shy away from being the on-camera guy or even promoting his name.

Videoman Dave …the face you rarely see, yet know.

If you are one of more than 32,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel, you already know this man is one of the most prolific videographers in all of aviation and one of the top among any group you can cite.

You get to see me in many of his videos — we’ve done more than 500 together, since beginning in 2008. However, I’m just the so-called “talent,” where Videoman Dave is the person that assembles, edits, and publishes videos in great quantity and with excellent quality. Many people have shot video or told worthwhile stories using this medium. A smaller number of video producers have created excellent shows with high production values. Yet few to none of which I am aware have so consistently for so long produced so many videos of interest to so many pilots …especially those of us who enjoy light aviation — LSA, light kits, or ultralights.

In the light aviation community, Videoman Dave is the top performer, though I admit to some bias here.

What’s Valuable about this Work?

Before any of the light aircraft shows, Dave releases a veritable flood of new videos that highlight specific aircraft you can expect to see at these events. The upcoming DeLand Showcase — starting in less than a month, running November 2-3-4, 2017 — is no exception.

Photo courtesy Roy Beisswenger of Powered Sport Flying magazine

Below you see one of the first but listen to this. He has already produced and uploaded another seven videos and plans to continue this pace right up until DeLand starts. See a new one every other day!

I hope you can attend this final show of the calendar year but it is one of several great light aviation events happening during the September to January period (in date order: Midwest LSA Expo, Copperstate, DeLand, and Sebring LSA Expo). If you attend any of these, you are likely to see Videoman Dave and me running hard from exhibit to exhibit covering the best and most interesting aircraft at these shows. (If we don’t stop to say hello, please excuse us; we try to get the most out of every day and that means we are in nearly constant motion.)

If you like the videos you see on Videoman Dave’s YouTube channel, I urge you to subscribe and help keep them coming. If you’ve ever tried to edit a video you know how many hours are invested to produce a single 5-minute video. Now remember he has done more than a thousand on aircraft and topics of particular interest to the light aircraft enthusiast crowd. Subscribe annually or pay once for lifetime access (a terrific, money-saving deal, BTW). You’ll be supporting a most worthy effort, in my humble opinion!

Compress Post ...

Are you a YouTube fan? I don’t mean the company or its owner Google/Alphabet (which has removed videos for reasons only a YouTube censor could comprehend). What I’m a fan of is YouTube content creators. Like literally billions of other people, I’ve come to depend on YouTube videos, whether for pure entertainment or when I’m trying to fix something in my house or on my car. As you probably know, YouTube will almost certainly have not one video to help or delight you, but dozens …on the same topic. More than 300 hours of video are uploaded to Google’s computers every minute of the day, 24×7. Amazing! More than 5 billion videos are watched every day by more than 1.3 billion people (and that’s without China’s 1.3 billion people as the government does not allow YouTube in that nation). However, this post is not to sing the praises of YouTube but to bring to your attention the yeoman’s work done by my video partner, Dave Loveman, whom I’ve come to call “Videoman Dave,” because unlike yours truly, he tends to shy away from being the on-camera guy or even promoting his name.

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DeLand Showcase #2 Coming in Early November… What to See

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Given a successful Midwest LSA Expo, you could say the “LSA show season” is underway. This is proven by the upcoming DeLand show — the second annual event — followed by the 14th Sebring LSA Expo. Even before DeLand, for those in western U.S. states, is Copperstate (which is not a pure play LSA event but does have a good representation of them).

DeLand Showcase’s location on the airport was used to gather and organize a large fleet of electrical grid repair trucks after Hurricane Irma.

Why go to DeLand over November 2-3-4 of this year?

Several reasons come to mind. First, Showcase executive Jana Filip — who earned her stripes managing Sebring for several years — said exhibitor sign-up has been strong, meaning you can see many great light aircraft …more on that below. Second, weather in early November in Florida should be marvelous, even as the northern states head toward winter. Third, DeLand is one of those aviation-sports airports featuring one of the world’s most active sky diving operations. It is also home to builders of light aircraft — U-Fly-It and their Aerolite 103 plus Aero Adventure and their Aventura seaplane kits. Either offers some of the most affordable prices in aviation.

Need more? How about forums, seminars, and plenty of avionics and other gear suppliers, airshow food, and special attractions. A key feature, as with Midwest LSA Expo is the quick availability for demo flights. In minutes you can be airborne. Here in Florida the natives say, “All y’all come on down!” That means you!

What Airplanes to See

I won’t try to predict all you might get to see, but here are three aircraft of particular interest, each in its own way.

Seamax LSA Seaplane — We welcome back to the LSA space Brazil’s Seamax M-22, now with folding wings. After emerging from under a takeover cloud Seamax is roaring back in business, complete with a new U.S. base of operations.

The company “will be displaying and delivering our aircraft Serial Number 149 at this year’s DeLand Showcase.” They added, “Our Brazilian team, including Seamax designer Miguel Rosário will be ready to answer your questions.”

Launching their U.S. presence, “Seamax will be delivering the M-22 regularly, landing our first M-22 at DeLand [and] ready to accept orders as our production in Brazil is ramping up.” Shortly after the new year starts, Seamax will start final assembly operations in Daytona Beach, Florida. “We will ship the Seamax, manufactured in Brazil, to be assembled in the USA.” Factory-trained staff will add engine, prop, and avionics at their facilities at Daytona Beach, on the campus of Embry Riddle Aero U.

“Our new building, located in São João da Boa Vista’s airport in São Paulo, is allowing us to ramp up production fast so we can satisfy our future customers soon,” finished the company statement.

Flight Design USA — One of the most successful U.S. importers is a Connecticut-based company, run by one of the most respected names in Light-Sport aviation, Tom Peghiny. If you feel you haven’t heard enough about them and him lately, that’s because Flight Design, the German company has been through a top-to-bottom reorganization. Now, they’re back and you can see them at DeLand!

We saw AeroJones representing the company at DeLand #1 (2016) and that Taiwan enterprise continues strongly as it enlarges CTLS production to serve customer sales in many countries, including China. I’ll have more about AeroJones early in the new year.

Flight Design USA is the name that kept the CTLS and CT-series atop the market share chart for a dozen years, before bowing to CubCrafters in 2016 while undergoing the German court-ordered reoranization.

If you’ve been waiting to get the latest news about this important brand, come speak to Tom and new Flight Design director, Lars Jörges at DeLand.

Aeropilot L600 and New FX1 — I’ve been telling you about L600, a scale-model representation of Cessna’s popular Cessna 182 Skylane …only at a fraction (something like one-eighth!) of the cost. You can see L600 at DeLand but you can also hear what U.S. importer Deon Lombard has to say about a new entry headed America’s way.

Deon recently visited Italy with another pilot to examine and fly the FX1 and reportedly came away excited and impressed. I’ve written about this handsome Italian aircraft, a follow-on to their 1990s era JetFox97. I recently spoke with Designer Alfredo Di Cesare by phone and I am more than a bit intrigued to see and fly this latest iteration of a proven design.

Aeropilot USA will not yet have an FX1 on display in DeLand. Alfredo said he is finalizing work to comply to the ASTM standards that allow FAA acceptance. He’s already earned German “ultralight” approval, a good preparation for showing compliance with ASTM.

Last year, DeLand had a full roster of airplanes both new and familiar. The event, organized by Jana aided by (husband) Gary Filip with oversight from airport manager John Eiff, put on a superb first-year event. I expect DeLand #2 to be even better.

I’ll be present every day shooting new YouTube videos with Videoman Dave and capturing article material. I hope to see you in Florida …soon!

Compress Post ...

Given a successful Midwest LSA Expo, you could say the “LSA show season” is underway. This is proven by the upcoming DeLand show — the second annual event — followed by the 14th Sebring LSA Expo. Even before DeLand, for those in western U.S. states, is Copperstate (which is not a pure play LSA event but does have a good representation of them). Why go to DeLand over November 2-3-4 of this year? Several reasons come to mind. First, Showcase executive Jana Filip — who earned her stripes managing Sebring for several years — said exhibitor sign-up has been strong, meaning you can see many great light aircraft …more on that below. Second, weather in early November in Florida should be marvelous, even as the northern states head toward winter. Third, DeLand is one of those aviation-sports airports featuring one of the world’s most active sky diving operations.

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Secret Success of Light-Sport Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

A good friend in aviation journalism and Editor-in-Chief of Plane & Pilot magazine is Robert Goyer. We’ve known each long enough to have stood around years ago at South Lakeland Airpark waiting to fly this or that new ultralight.

Flight Design C4 prototype

In his Going Direct column earlier this month, Robert wrote an editorial about FAA’s Part 23 rewrite project. Using an LSA viewpoint, I wanted to add some commentary to his observations. My goal here is twofold: (1) Show how success with LSA led to good things for other aircraft sectors, and (2) Show how LSA continue to significantly outpace sales of Type Certified Single Engine Piston aircraft.

Robert wrote, “The FAA announced earlier this week that the Part 23 Rewrite has taken effect. This means that the rule, which gives manufacturers leeway to employ what are known as consensus standards to meet airworthiness standards instead of the FAA’s prescriptive rules. Those rules have been set in stone for decades [but the new regulation] will allow makers of planes that are sub-250-knot models to use industry standards. The effect will likely be a far cheaper certification process for these aircraft makers, hopefully without any decrease in safety.”

My comment — For several years, industry with FAA participation has been working on standards to certify new GA planes. These people are using the significant success of Light-Sport Aircraft following this method. LSA accident rates are, to use FAA’s preferred term, “acceptable” — which is fairly high praise from the agency.

Tecnam‘s P2010 has FAA approval and are being sold in the USA and around the globe.

Those standards, devised by industry engineers and interested private parties, have proven very solid in assuring good, reliable, airworthy aircraft. They are also credited with keeping LSA below $200,000 (with two exceptions that I know) and often under $100,000. Prices that low are far back in GA’s rear-view mirror. Some folks complain about LSA prices but the most expensive of them are much less than the lowest priced Type Certified single engine piston GA airplanes.

Perhaps most importantly, these standards are not just for the USA. They are being used by a growing number of countries. This is vastly cheaper for LSA manufacturers than going country-by-country to gain approval. That gives those builders a larger, almost-global market, which keeps them afloat and helps them keep their prices more affordable, which is good for LSA buyers anywhere.

Robert wrote, “Existing models of new planes aren’t selling fast because there are only so many people with the financial ability to pay for a half- or three-quarter-million-dollar plane.” He summarizes saying, “I don’t see anything in the new rule that will cut down on the expenses [of] engines, props, tires, electronics, wiring, paint, upholstery, plastics… All of those costs will be unaffected by the rule, so that won’t affect the bottom line. The thing that will affect the cost of producing new planes is the lower cost of compliance, which represents a sizable chunk of the whole, though how much is hard to say.”

Pipistrel’s super-sleek Panthera.

My comment — When I heard the price tag for a single engine, fixed gear Cirrus almost hit $1 million — for an admittedly superbly-equipped aircraft — I realized our LSA prices from $39,000 to $247,000 were much closer to the budget of most pilots I know. I’m amazed how Cirrus keeps selling so many airplanes but it is not their lesser priced models bringing their success. A new Cessna 172 Skyhawk costs more than $400,000, and while a Maule is much less, LSA is still the place where bargains on new airplanes are found.

Further, LSA are commonly equipped with instruments you rarely find in any used GA airplanes. The average age GA plane — some 40 years old — has no digital instruments, no autopilot, and no airframe parachute. They use 1950s-era engines that burn only avgas at the rate of 8-20 gallons an hour. Contrarily, nearly all LSA have flat screens or one sort or another and they fly nearly as fast as a C-172 on half the fuel, which can be auto gas for around half the price per gallon. Even ADS-B Out gear is fairly common in LSA whereas in GA, most have still not so equipped even with the deadline looming.

Interior of The Airplane Factory‘s Sling 4. It flies using a Rotax 914 Turbo.

Robert concluded, “Why can’t a new four-seater come out built with new materials, utilizing innovative un-certified avionics, and perhaps a whole-airplane recovery parachute system? In essence, for small planes, Part 23 could be very much like Light Sport’s big brother. And by looking at LSA sales, we know pretty much how much those planes will cost: A four seater using these innovative certification and design approaches will cost $250,000 and up. That’s not cheap, but it’s a lot less than many traditionally certificated planes are going for today. Don’t misunderstand me. I hope that I’m wrong, that a slew of new manufacturers arises, putting out cutting-edge models that will go for $150,000 a copy or less. If that happens, we could see a change in the little airplane game yet, with lots of new, lower cost models. That’s a change we’d all like to see. Fingers crossed.

Sling 4 is rare among four seaters to use Rotax power, but it works very well.

My comment — “Light Sport’s big brother” …indeed. A few of these might be called “LSA 4” or “Light GA” airplanes but four seaters as seen in the nearby photos are basically enlarged versions of a LSA design. I think Robert is right about the price estimate and we’ll see how that unfolds. Certainly, though FAA’s rewrite of Part 23 should help four seater sales.

I’ll close by showing our Global LSA Chart for the number of LSA operating. With annoying regularity, some underinformed people tell me they hear LSA sales are stagnating. While they are only steady in the USA (not that “steady” is a curse), you get an incomplete picture unless you include the whole world. See this article for details, but here’s two important facts:

  1. LSA sold an estimated 3,000 aircraft in 2015 where in the same year worldwide deliveries of single engine piston certified aircraft numbered 969 units. Also, see the final chart in the above linked article.
  2. More than 66,000 LSA or LSA-like* aircraft are flying around the globe. Most of these have been sold in the last 15-20 years, a delivery pace far faster than all GA-SEPs. I expect this trend to continue.

For those intrigued by the numbers here’s another article on worldwide aviation statistics.

Happy flying LSA or light kit aircraft lovers! You are in aviation’s sweet spot. Enjoy!

* “LSA-like” is a term describing aircraft that very much resemble America’s LSA but may not be called that because each country has its own definitions.

 

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A good friend in aviation journalism and Editor-in-Chief of Plane & Pilot magazine is Robert Goyer. We’ve known each long enough to have stood around years ago at South Lakeland Airpark waiting to fly this or that new ultralight. In his Going Direct column earlier this month, Robert wrote an editorial about FAA’s Part 23 rewrite project. Using an LSA viewpoint, I wanted to add some commentary to his observations. My goal here is twofold: (1) Show how success with LSA led to good things for other aircraft sectors, and (2) Show how LSA continue to significantly outpace sales of Type Certified Single Engine Piston aircraft. Robert wrote, “The FAA announced earlier this week that the Part 23 Rewrite has taken effect. This means that the rule, which gives manufacturers leeway to employ what are known as consensus standards to meet airworthiness standards instead of the FAA’s prescriptive rules.

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Midwest Light-Sport Aircraft Expo 2017 — Another Success!

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

On-site classes were held to educate folks about the unique fun features of gyroplane flying. All photos by Roy Beisswenger of Powered Sport Flying magazine.

It’s over …yet it’s just begun. I refer to the Midwest LSA Expo, which, you might say, kicks off the LSA show season including light kits and ultralights in addition to LSA. Midwest runs in the first weekend in September, followed by Copperstate in October, followed by DeLand in November, and climaxing with the granddaddy of these shows, Sebring, in January.

Copperstate has more than LSA and light kits but it has a focus on those aircraft. The organizers enjoy such light recreational flying machines so they focus on this segment. That show is coming soon. DeLand will later host the second-annual event. Sebring will be hosting its 14th event. The last is the largest and best established of these and, indeed, has been the wellspring from which the others of these evolved …except for Copperstate, which will celebrate its 45th year in 2017 — impressive!

Demo flying is one of the main attractions of Midwest. Your seat awaits you almost any time you like. Savage is represented by Sportair USA.

All these events have been called small-venue airshows but they aren’t really airshows. They are trade shows; no aerial acrobatics happen except infrequently. Their purpose: to showcase many of the great choices light aircraft buyers have and — perhaps most importantly! — to allow you to take demo flights in as many as you like.

We promote our PlaneFinder 2.0 as a way to narrow your best choices to a few airplanes but to make a smart purchase decision you need to speak to the supplier/manufacturer, examine the aircraft carefully, see how you fit insidem,and, best of all — fly your best picks. Midwest, Copperstate, DeLand, and Sebring offer some the very best places to check all those boxes according to many who attend.

Ninth Annual Midwest LSA Expo 2017

Many vendors, such as Evektor dealer Dreams Come True, have become regular vendors at Midwest… because it works!

Mount Vernon Airport (KMVN) airport manager, Chris Collins, is a key reason why Midwest has firmly anchored itself in the aviation event universe. Chris works very hard to assure all vendors are made to feel wanted and welcome. Attendees to the show see his work and that of his volunteers. The airport terminal facility is excellent with indoor exhibits housed inside right where you enter. The restaurant serves good food all day and Chris always arranges for some special food service. Even the bathrooms are indoors and clean, just like home.

In a phrase, what’s not to like?

These events are not known for having immense crowds but all of those attending clearly want to be present and came knowing they’ll find things they like. This is not the curious, non-buying public (though some of them attend, too). Mostly, this is a dedicated assemblage of light aircraft vendors and light aircraft enthusiasts. Perfect!

All day, every day demo flying. This year’s weather was perfect and manager Chris Collins has found the weather sweet spot for the event. Dennis Long of Aeroprakt USA was regularly seen flying.

Manager Chris summed up the event nicely and I present all his words below just as he wrote them:

“I just wanted to send a quick follow up on the 2017 Midwest LSA Expo.  For those that made the trip to Mt. Vernon, Illinois – Thank You!  There were many positives:

  1.  Three days of the most beautiful weather an event host could ask for! Clear skies, light winds, and comfortable temperatures translated to an incredible amount of aircraft operations — a large percentage being demo flights.
  2.  Relevant aviation topics covered by the finest in the industry made for packed forums/seminars. Thank you Carol Para at the Illinois Department of Transportation Division of Aeronautics for managing this segment of the event.
  3.  Swift Fuels hit a home run! Thank you Brian Stirm for keeping us supplied. We sold double the amount of MoGas as previous years.
  4. Camping was a hit! The number of people taking advantage of the free camping continues to grow. Beautiful scenery, numerous electrical hookups, showers, and lots of room combined for an overall positive package. The nights featured temperatures in the 50s and full moons!
  5. Airport View launched on an industry wide scale at Midwest LSA Expo. Check it out at www.AirportView.net. Thank you Dreams Come True Aviation, Aviation Insurance Resources, Matco Wheels and Brakes, and Full Torque Propellers for your partnership!  Thank you Jacob Peed for using Midwest LSA Expo as an example!
  6. The Global War on Terror Traveling Wall of Remembrance was erected on Saturday morning. Although not industry related, the Wall reminded us of the lives lost (military and civilian) in the war we will most likely be fighting the rest of our lives.
  7. Patch Lee and Grandma Deb’s BBQ kept the crowd on site until after 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The opening day hospitality party was one for the Midwest LSA Expo record books. Maybe it was the Patch Lee concert, maybe it was the food, maybe it was the great weather – something kept the crowd on site longer than previous parties.
  8. Demonstration Flights, Demonstration Flights, Demonstration Flights! I know I mentioned this in point #1, but this is what Midwest LSA Expo is all about. Most exhibitors spent a large amount of time in the air. It is the hope of all of us at Midwest LSA Expo that some of these demonstration flights will produce fruit somewhere in the immediate future.

Some aircraft, like Ekolot’s fun little Elf motorglider, made their first showing at Midwest.

“For those that missed the event, there is always next year. Mark your calendars for the 10th Annual Midwest LSA Expo scheduled for Thursday, September 6 – 8th, 2018. Since this will be the 10th Anniversary of the event, there will be some additional promotion.

“One thing that will not change is the focus of the event — Demonstration Flights! Uninterrupted time with exhibitors and demonstration flights will always be the focus of Midwest LSA Expo.

“See you in 2018,” finished Chris!

Vendors come from far and wide, like this Sling represented by The Airplane Factory USA out of California (with midwest dealer support).

With deep regrets, I had to miss this year’s Midwest as I stayed home to cope with the arrival of Hurricane Irma, the largest storm on record. While many others were inconvenienced or worse — and while it was far more difficult for island nations south of Florida — our losses were minor and we are thankful.

However, next year, for the 10th Annual Midwest, you bet I’ll be back!

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It’s over …yet it’s just begun. I refer to the Midwest LSA Expo, which, you might say, kicks off the LSA show season including light kits and ultralights in addition to LSA. Midwest runs in the first weekend in September, followed by Copperstate in October, followed by DeLand in November, and climaxing with the granddaddy of these shows, Sebring, in January. Copperstate has more than LSA and light kits but it has a focus on those aircraft. The organizers enjoy such light recreational flying machines so they focus on this segment. That show is coming soon. DeLand will later host the second-annual event. Sebring will be hosting its 14th event. The last is the largest and best established of these and, indeed, has been the wellspring from which the others of these evolved …except for Copperstate, which will celebrate its 45th year in 2017 — impressive!

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Tecnam’s Shapely P2008 Is Now a Canadian Advanced Ultralight Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || 4 Comments

P2008 is seen in front of the Sebring, Florida terminal building at the airport where Tecnam’s U.S. operation is based.

America’s neighbor to the north is USA’s largest trading partner …yes, bigger than China, or any other single country. It may be hard to accept that exchanges with a nation of 36 million population exceeds China by almost a third, despite that Asian nation’s 1.37 billion persons and its export-promoting government. Nonetheless, it’s true.

Canada is also the #2 nation bringing regular reader to this website. Gotta love those Canadians.

Armed with those facts, I was intrigued to see the announcement from the big Italian company, “Tecnam P2008 now available in Canada.”

A few days back, Tecnam announced that Transport Canada, their equivalent to FAA, confirmed that the P2008 has been added to the Eligible to Be Registered Advanced Ultralight Listing (although the Tecnam model has not been added to their website list at this writing).

“P2008 aircraft may be registered in Canada as of this date,” wrote Civil Aviation Safety Inspector, Craig Davis of Transport Canada on August 14, 2017.

P2008 captured in flight. All photos courtesy Tecnam Aircraft.

An “Advanced Ultralight” is not an American ultralight vehicle nor a European Ultralight — sometimes called Microlight. The last is limited to a weight of 472.5 kilograms (1,040 pounds) with an airframe parachute, as required in Germany. An American ultralight is limited to 254 pounds empty weight, with some allowances for airframe parachutes or float gear.

In Canada, a two-seat Advanced Ultralight is limited to 1,232 pounds, whereas in the USA, Tecnam’s sleek P2008 can weigh 1,320 pounds (600 kilograms).

According to Transport Canada’s regulations an advanced ultra-light aeroplane (AULA) is an aeroplane which:

  • Is propeller driven;
  • Is designed to carry a maximum of two persons, including the pilot;
  • Has a maximum take-off mass of 350 kilograms (770 pounds) for a single place aeroplane, or
    560 kilograms (1,232 pounds) for a two place aeroplane;
  • A maximum stalling speed in the landing configuration at manufacturer’s recommended maximum take-off mass (weight) not exceeding 72 km/h (20 m/s, 45 mph) (IAS); and,
  • Is limited to non-aerobatic operations.

Tecnam’s four seat conventionally-certified P2010 bears a great resemblance to the earlier P2008.

Tecnam’s two-place composite fuselage and metal wing P2008 has enjoyed success across the globe as an US-LSA and CS-VLA (Very Light Aircraft, a standard that allows more gross weight). “It is now welcome in Canada as an advanced-ultralight,” Tecnam said.

Their P2008 joins the classic P92, P96, P2002 Sierra, and P2004 Bravo as advanced-ultralight Tecnam models available in Canada. “Together with the P2006T twin and P2010 four-seat standard category models Canadian owners now have access across our product line,” noted Tecnam.

“P2008 has found a place for either personal touring or flight school use offering a balanced flight control feel, comfortable cross country ride, and room to stretch out,” the company said. For more information about the P2008 visit their dedicated website for this model.“We have seen considerable interest in the P2008 from pilots in Canada in the past two years and we are pleased that we can show our commitment to the entire North American market by making the P2008 available to those customers,” observed Paolo Pascale, Tecnam’s CEO.

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America’s neighbor to the north is USA’s largest trading partner …yes, bigger than China, or any other single country. It may be hard to accept that exchanges with a nation of 36 million population exceeds China by almost a third, despite that Asian nation’s 1.37 billion persons and its export-promoting government. Nonetheless, it’s true. Canada is also the #2 nation bringing regular reader to this website. Gotta love those Canadians. Armed with those facts, I was intrigued to see the announcement from the big Italian company, “Tecnam P2008 now available in Canada.” A few days back, Tecnam announced that Transport Canada, their equivalent to FAA, confirmed that the P2008 has been added to the Eligible to Be Registered Advanced Ultralight Listing (although the Tecnam model has not been added to their website list at this writing). “P2008 aircraft may be registered in Canada as of this date,” wrote Civil Aviation Safety Inspector, Craig Davis of Transport Canada on August 14, 2017.

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PlaneFinder 2.0 is Working! Find the Best Light-Sport Aircraft for You.

By Dan Johnson || 5 Comments

When I started this website back in 2004, even before Light-Sport Aircraft officially arrived on the aviation scene, I began by uploading hundreds of pilot reports that had appeared in various aviation magazines. Most were very detailed descriptions of many ultralights (both single and two seaters) and light kit aircraft. After flying nearly 400 models, I had information that most buyers lacked, so I often took questions that were similar to, “You’ve flown all these airplanes. Which one should I buy?“

The question turns out to be impossible to answer. It is something like asking me, “Which color car is best?” The answer depends on what you want. What I like is nearly meaningless unless your desires are almost identical to mine …and that’s very unlikely. If we spoke long enough at an airshow, perhaps I could learn enough about you — your experience, your home location, your expected use of an aircraft, your spending budget, and much more — such that I might advise you what might work for you.

I would rarely have that much time and even if I did, I only answered the question for one person. That is a definition of inefficient.

Thus came PlaneFinder. Version 1.0 was a series of three articles for EAA Sport Pilot magazine (since discontinued as a publication). The three articles were a lot of work for me, and for readers. At the end, maybe you knew what to buy …but possibly not. It was a worthy first effort, you might agree, but it was not the right solution.

So, PlaneFinder 2.0 followed. In PF2, I created 25 categories that describe aircraft. For each category, you pick a response that works best for you, for example, do you prefer high wing or low wing? All categories were simple, mostly this-or-that answers. With PF2, I tried to make it very user friendly.

If you answer enough categories, the result is you will limit the number of aircraft that match that description. You don’t need to answer all 25 categories. In fact, after you address 5-8 of them, the list will be far shorter, maybe just a handful of aircraft models.

The trick is not picking the best airplane for you. It is eliminating those of lesser interest. As famed fictional detective Sherlock Holmes might say, what you are left with is the solution.

(1) Read more instructions if you are new to PlaneFinder 2.0. ••• (2) Pick any category and mark your preference by clicking the radio button; if you change your mind, an “Ignore” button appears to let you uncheck. ••• (3) See the “Matching SLSA” list for aircraft that meet that choice. Start from scratch by clicking the “Reset the Form” button at the bottom of the page.

Each time you answer one category, the list shortens. Using the high wing/low wing example, you can see that many aircraft will be eliminated. A single aircraft make and model cannot be both. Then answer your choice of seating, side by side or tandem. The list shortens. In a brief time, you are left with a much shorter list and from that you may be able to find a few aircraft you need to investigate more fully. Click on a link for that aircraft to read what I’ve written about it or a video covering that model.

Helping you pick between 3-5 aircraft is far easier than picking between 143 aircraft models that have won FAA acceptance as Special Light-Sport Aircraft. (Note: PF2 applies only to SLSA, not to kits or ultralights.)

PF2 is a lively feature. The “Matching SLSA” list changes dynamically. It can actually be entertaining to click on or off categories to see what remains. Even pilots that are not shopping can enjoy playing with PlaneFinder 2.0.

The source of the information is my evaluation of every aircraft on the SLSA List in all 25 categories, which is almost 3,600 data points. Since most questions are clear choices, any bias I have tends not to show …after all, an aircraft is either a high wing design or it is not. Only a few categories are more subjective.

(1) Hoverover with a mouse, or tap on a device to (2) Read a description of what the category means — most but not all are so described.

One category that is devilishly hard is Price Range. This is not hard to understand. What is the price of a Ford F150 pickup truck? Doesn’t it depend on which of dozens of options you choose? An airplane is no different. Plus, prices change based on currency exchange rates and as manufacturing component costs change.

So, after we moved the older ByDanJohnson.com website (BDJ1) to a new, modern website (BDJ2) that works on smartphones, tablets, and computers, it took some time to make all the details function across all platforms. My webmaster has done a terrific job and PlaneFinder 2.0 is now available for your buying education …or just for fun. Use it however you want. To access, we ask only for your name and email address. Like most of ByDanJohnson.com PlaneFinder 2.0 is completely free. ENJOY!

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When I started this website back in 2004, even before Light-Sport Aircraft officially arrived on the aviation scene, I began by uploading hundreds of pilot reports that had appeared in various aviation magazines. Most were very detailed descriptions of many ultralights (both single and two seaters) and light kit aircraft. After flying nearly 400 models, I had information that most buyers lacked, so I often took questions that were similar to, “You’ve flown all these airplanes. Which one should I buy?” The question turns out to be impossible to answer. It is something like asking me, “Which color car is best?” The answer depends on what you want. What I like is nearly meaningless unless your desires are almost identical to mine …and that’s very unlikely. If we spoke long enough at an airshow, perhaps I could learn enough about you — your experience, your home location, your expected use of an aircraft, your spending budget, and much more — such that I might advise you what might work for you.

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Pipistrel’s Alpha Light Aircraft “Plugs In” at New Charge Station; Fuel by Electrons

By Dan Johnson || 2 Comments

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. He’s wrong about Pipistrel being the “only company” working on such developments but the impact of his quote is nonetheless impressive.

On another front closer to home, Pipistrel announced working with academic and engineering partners for a “prototype of the first electric charging station for airplanes.”

“The goal of the project was the production and installation of a (public) charging station for electric airplanes, because the need for a stationary type of charging has been shown,” wrote the company.

On August 30th, 2017 the electric charging station was officially turned on at the Pipistrel company and was used to charge one of their Alpha Electro aircraft. The project was “financed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the European Union from the European Social Fund.”

  • Technical characteristics of the charging station:
    — Capable of charging two electric aircraft at the same time
    — Current strength: 2 x 20 kW
    — Charge speed: one hour to fully charge Alpha Electro
    — Operating voltage 3 phase 400 volts alternating current
    — WiFi connection to the network

Big Boys of Light Aviation

In Pipistrel’s 25 years, the Slovenian company has produced 600 aircraft of the Sinus-Virus family (the ones most familiar to Americans) plus 120 aircraft of the Taurus-Apis family (motorgliders and gliders). Together with approximately 500 weight shift trikes — the aircraft that started this company back in Soviet times — Pipistrel has manufacturered about 1,300 aircraft. Update 9/18/17: According to Pipistrel’s Australian dealer, Michael Coates, the numbers on the company website are dated and the aircraft produced total is now 1,260 units. Adding the 500 trikes, their total shipments some 1,750 aircraft.

A few producers have delivered even more in the LSA or LSA-like space, but not many. Italy’s Tecnam is the clear leader, well ahead of all others, followed by German builders such as Flight Design, Icarus Comco, and gyroplane builder, AutoGyro. Honorable mentions are deserved for other players in fully-built aircraft: The Airplane Factory and Jabiru. Big as Cessna and Piper may be in GA aircraft, their success in LSA sales is far smaller than the others mentioned. Based on deposits, Icon may be a future volume leader but their ramp-up is still in process.

We are unable to factor in kits from producers like Americans such as Sonex, Van’s, Rans, or Zenith as they are difficult to accurately count, given widely varying names for each (a homebuilt has the builder’s name as its manufacturer, for example). FAA N-number registration data entry clerks can be excused for not knowing each of these many variations.

With similar regrets and for the same reason, we do not include figures for weight shift trikes, powered parachutes, powered paragliders, or gyroplanes but these add measurably to the total LSA or LSA-like aircraft flying all over the globe.

Will electric aircraft producers change this ranking order? Only time will tell. Meanwhile you can follow our market share data at this link.

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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.

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The Airplane Factory USA’s Sling Flying Machine Continues to Climb

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

“Oshkosh is all about airplanes, right?” asked The Airplane Factory USA‘s Jean d’Assonville. I loved his remark since that is how we promote ByDanJohnson.com. “It’s all about the airplanes!” is how we modeled our line after Apple’s Steve Jobs famously said, “It’s all about the music,” when promoting iPod (remember those!?) in the early 2000s.

Jean — one of the TAF heroes who has done long portions of the South African company’s several (yes, several!) flights all around the globe — went on to write, “This was my third Oshkosh and what rang true for me is that Air Venture is actually all about people who love airplanes! It is the people who dream them, build them, fly them, polish them, sleep in or under them and just simply love them. Yes, it’s the people!”

Jean is right. The airplanes are the main message here and at AirVenture but they exist to give satisfaction, education, and inspiration to those who fly our wonderful light aircraft.

The Airplane Factory USA’s Sling Taildragger.

The Airplane Factory USA assembled a team of ten to man the stand. “It’s always enjoyable sharing the Sling story because it is a pilot’s airplane that has been refined by pilots for pilots,” observed Jean.

TAF-USA reported that their Midwest SkySports’ build center had two of their beautiful Sling 2 LSA on display. In addition, the Southern California company based at the famous Torrance Airport (near Los Angeles) brought the legendary Sling 4-4-40, a four seat model that was built from a kit in 4 days by 40 people. Their main display was in the kit-centric North Aircraft Display area but TAF-USA also had an exhibit in the ultralight arena, now commonly called the Fun Fly Zone.

Jean discovered a fact of Oshkosh. “As a demo pilot during the Air Venture, it’s really exciting — but quite stressful — flying in the extreme traffic with only 500 feet of vertical separation while only listening (not talking back) on the radio,” he said. “It was worth it, though. Almost everyone that went for a demo flight has purchased or is in the process of purchasing a Sling aircraft or a kit.”

Vastly easier demo flying can be done at events like the just-concluded Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon Illinois. “Our dealers, Midwest SkySport of Caro, Michigan and AeroSport of Wonder Lake, Illinois were present with their Sling Light-Sport Aircraft!”

Slings have mid-range pricing among all LSA but that makes them, in my opinion, fairly priced. Nonetheless, if you don’t a hundred grand laying on your kitchen counter you might need an option and TAF has one.

“You can now finance a Sling LSA for less than $900 a month*,” the company said. A new Sling is therefore about the same monthly payment as a luxury automobile, although with a longer payment period:

  • Sling LSA Basic – $135,000 (approx. $880/mo.)
  • Sling LSA Garmin VFR – $142,000 (approx. $920/mo.)
  • Sling LSA Garmin IFR – $165,000 (approx. $1,060/mo.)

* With 20% down, 15 year term, fixed rate as low as 5.24% (4.99% with 25% down) through AOPA Finance.

To keep up with demand and spark more TAF-USA hired Barry Jay as North American Sales and Marketing Manager,  who will work closely with Matt Liknaitzky and Jean D’Assonville. “Barry comes to us with decades of experience in the general aviation and automotive industries,” said The Airplane Factory USA. Jay has sold new Piper and Mooney aircraft, managed Lexus national advertising  and worked with Toyota’s aviation business development department.” A private pilot with over 900 hours, Barry has been a member of the Sling Flying Club for over four years and has been a strong promoter of The Airplane Factory brand. An FAA Safety Team Representative, Barry was also recently reelected to the post of President of the Torrance Airport Association for a twelfth term.

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“Oshkosh is all about airplanes, right?” asked The Airplane Factory USA‘s Jean d’Assonville. I loved his remark since that is how we promote ByDanJohnson.com. “It’s all about the airplanes!” is how we modeled our line after Apple’s Steve Jobs famously said, “It’s all about the music,” when promoting iPod (remember those!?) in the early 2000s. Jean — one of the TAF heroes who has done long portions of the South African company’s several (yes, several!) flights all around the globe — went on to write, “This was my third Oshkosh and what rang true for me is that Air Venture is actually all about people who love airplanes! It is the people who dream them, build them, fly them, polish them, sleep in or under them and just simply love them. Yes, it’s the people!” Jean is right. The airplanes are the main message here and at AirVenture but they exist to give satisfaction, education, and inspiration to those who fly our wonderful light aircraft.

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Breezer Aircraft Debuted New “Sport” Model Light-Sport Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

In a eNewsletter to what they call “Breezerians,” the German company with the same name as their model reported a festive debut to their newest model called Breezer Sport.

At their home field and despite weather problems for arrivals coming from the south, the airport got “overloaded” with traffic.
The Breezer event was “not too hot, not too cold, great clouds for such an event, and little wind,” reported Wolfgang Nitschmann. “In short, a dream; even the catering was excellent.”

Among a collection of airplanes, rare and contemporary, Wolfgang and team unveiled their new Breezer Sport, joining other models called LSA Elegance and LSA Attraction. All Breezer models are available as B400 or B600 editions, the former being those conforming to Europe’s Ultralight Class, limited to 472.5 KG (with a parachute system, as is mandatory in Germany). The latter are the 600 kilogram Light-Sport Aircraft models.

Here’s our earlier looks at Breezer when first announced in the U.S. and Breezer II when updated.

Find more about Breezer Sport, and check out the snazzy paint schemes at the top of the page. The company has often displayed very striking and artistic paint jobs at their Aero Friedrichshafen show exhibit.

Breezer Sport has not flown yet. “The weather has so far prevented it,” said Wolfgang. “Pictures and videos of the first flight will come over the well-known channels,” as soon as practical.

Breezer Sport
“Aluminum at its Best”

Breezer Sport is focused on speed, said the company. “The B400/B600 design philosophy had its roots in the ease of building for the homebuilder market back in the early days,” noted Wolfgang.

“Today, we can do things differently and that’s why the Breezer Sport has a totally different approach. Plus, the current integration of 3D CAD/CAM systems enables us to create form factors meeting the expectations of strength and performance.” Breezer Sport is not only an enhancement of the B400/B600, series they say. “It is a completely new aircraft with totally different technology approaches.”

“Aluminium is our core competence,” said Wolfgang, “so it had been a fascinating task to design a round fuselage. It was all done on computer making the first article close to the proposed production version. The new aircraft has several distinctive qualities compared to earlier models.

  • Counter-sunk rivets support the clean design in smooth surfaces.
  • Tapered wings are new in all aspects from profile to main spar.
  • Breezer Sport uses a spar in a center section connecting to the landing gear.
  • The Sport model’s wings are shorter and are attached to the main section.
  • To support low-speed behavior, Fowler flaps provide additional lift.
  • Breezer Sport is designed to accept Rotax engines including 912 UL, 912 ULS, 912 iS and even the new 135-horsepower 915 iS.
  • The new engine cowling is shaped to generate less drag and allows a large opening for coolants or intercooler. The visual dominance in the future is the large side intake.

Original Breezer importer Mike Zidziunas poses with an earlier model.

As Breezer Sport still awaits flight trials it is premature to talk about performance and other specifications. However, the earlier Breezers were reasonably speedy, flying to 120 mph, so a 915-powered, retractable gear, slimmed fuselage Sport may be quite fast. European regulations do not limit speeds of their Ultralight models and allow both retractable gear and in-flight adjustable props.

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In a eNewsletter to what they call “Breezerians,” the German company with the same name as their model reported a festive debut to their newest model called Breezer Sport. At their home field and despite weather problems for arrivals coming from the south, the airport got “overloaded” with traffic. The Breezer event was “not too hot, not too cold, great clouds for such an event, and little wind,” reported Wolfgang Nitschmann. “In short, a dream; even the catering was excellent.” Among a collection of airplanes, rare and contemporary, Wolfgang and team unveiled their new Breezer Sport, joining other models called LSA Elegance and LSA Attraction. All Breezer models are available as B400 or B600 editions, the former being those conforming to Europe’s Ultralight Class, limited to 472.5 KG (with a parachute system, as is mandatory in Germany). The latter are the 600 kilogram Light-Sport Aircraft models. Here’s our earlier looks at Breezer when first announced in the U.S.

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Midwest Light-Sport Aircraft Expo 2017 Opens Today

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Article updated…

Stuck as I am in Florida preparing for the onslaught of Hurricane Irma… with great regret, I am missing for the first time the Midwest LSA Expo in Mount Vernon, Illinois (about an hour east of St. Louis).

Yet the good news is that some airplanes for which I expected to do Video Pilot Reports will still be in attendance even if I am not. My ever-present videographer Dave Loveman is also onsite, coming all the way from Canada, so those cross country flying efforts will not be in vain.

Traveling from Arizona is Ed Ricks and the Paradise. Flying even a bit further from California is the Aeropilot L600. Those of you able to attend Midwest LSA Expo 2017 this year can examine those aircraft and a ramp full of other top brands that have so faithfully attended this event (see the layout and exhibitors here).

Update: You can also watch the Mt. Vernon scene for yourself using AirportView, just installed by good friend and aviation entrepreneur, Jacob Peed on behalf of the growing AirportView network. Check this out!

“We feel the Midwest LSA Expo is the most convenient and affordable of its type in the country,” said host and extremely well-liked airport manager, Chris Collins. He observed, “Mt. Vernon and the airport are within an 8 hour drive for 50% of the entire U.S. population!”

Paradise Aircraft P1NG model revealing its third door.

Sure, it’s nothing like EAA’s AirVenture Oshkosh with its massive throngs nor as large as Sun ‘n Fun with its dizzying array of aircraft of all types. It also lacks the airshow both of those major events stage. However, the reason to come to Midwest LSA Expo is precisely because the lack of those grand features means you can actually spend quality time talking to the representatives of various aircraft and you can go take a demo flight within literally a few minutes. By sharp contrast, going for a demo flight at Oshkosh can tie you up for half the day and that means not many folks get the privilege.

That is one of the main reasons why I have attended eight in a row, missing only this Ninth Annual MWLSA.

It is also the reason Videoman Dave and I encourage airplane vendors to make the trip, so we can attach our collection of seven Garmin VIRB video cameras all over an airplane, inside and out, to give you the very best look at an aircraft while we flight evaluate it. The success of Dave’s YouTube channel proves we capture this segment of aviation better than anyone. I’m unhappy I could not be present this year but the show will go on. I hope you can make it.

Aeropilot’s Legend — L600 in the USA — in flight.

Paradise has been absent from the U.S. scene for a few years but Ed Ricks assured me yesterday that the brand will be back and, after some reorganization in its home country of Brazil, Paradise Aircraft is in fine business shape, as he reported after a weeklong visit. He and new partners will be representing the all-metal, yoke-controlled, three-door P1NG and other models starting at Midwest. They also plan a major splash at Sebring in January 2018, Ed promised. If you can’t make Midwest, please plan to see them at Sebring.

Our newest supporter, Aeropilot USA took our advice after Oshkosh and brought their also-yoke-controlled L600 — the one that looks uncannily like a Cessna 182… by design — directly from Oshkosh to Midwest. The ever-graceful and always-helpful Chris Collins housed the new LSA for Aeropilot boss Deon Lombard to save him the long flights from Wisconsin to California and back to Illinois.

You won’t see me if you attend — darn it! — but you can get an eyeful and take some demo flights if you attend Midwest LSA Expo 2017. I hope you make it!

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Article updated… Stuck as I am in Florida preparing for the onslaught of Hurricane Irma… with great regret, I am missing for the first time the Midwest LSA Expo in Mount Vernon, Illinois (about an hour east of St. Louis). Yet the good news is that some airplanes for which I expected to do Video Pilot Reports will still be in attendance even if I am not. My ever-present videographer Dave Loveman is also onsite, coming all the way from Canada, so those cross country flying efforts will not be in vain. Traveling from Arizona is Ed Ricks and the Paradise. Flying even a bit further from California is the Aeropilot L600. Those of you able to attend Midwest LSA Expo 2017 this year can examine those aircraft and a ramp full of other top brands that have so faithfully attended this event (see the layout and exhibitors here).

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Belite’s Chipper Two-Seat Light Kit Aircraft Proves Itself

By Dan Johnson || 2 Comments

Belite entrepreneur James Weibe has successfully used his tech industry background to raise interest for his latest project, this time his first two seater called Chipper. (It was named Pipper but that apparently energized the anxieties of Piper Aircraft lawyers so James altered the name.)

James has informed his Facebook and email readers with continual updates. After making initial flights fairly recently, he has judged the aircraft able to make a cross country flight.

Chipper uses power from the 912 Rotax, but rather than the more common 100-horsepower ULS model, James is using one of my favorites, the 80-horsepower, regular-autogas-burning version. I like it because for lighter aircraft, such as Chipper, this 912 has plenty of power and it is about as trouble-free as any aircraft engine I’ve ever flown.

“I flew Chipper to Angel Fire, New Mexico,” James exclaimed. “I flew nonstop one way (960 miles roundtrip) from Wichita, Kansas to Angel Fire, performed flight tests, and then returned to Marion, Kansas before the sunset.” Now that’s a good day’s flying.

“Angel Fire is the fourth highest elevation airport in the United States at 8,322 feet above sea level,” James reported. “Density altitude was 10,400 feet.” Three conditions can degrade aircraft performance at altitude: higher elevation, higher temperature, and higher humidity. The latter is not much of a problem in desert-like New Mexico but all affect aircraft performance. (Humid air, made up of water vapor, is less also dense.)

In my experience, operating at more than 10,000 feet density altitude causes a Cessna 150 or 172 to take significantly more runway to get airborne and climb performance can be sharply reduced.

“Chipper’s takeoff roll length was 600 feet,” said a proud James. “Why did they make the runway 8,900 feet long at Angel Fire,” James wondered with a twinkle in his eye?

“Climbout was greater than 200 fpm,” he added. Now that’s not nearly as fast as a 80-horsepower Chipper would perform at sea level but it’s better than a Cessna 150. “Everything in the pattern was normal,” James continued, “it just took longer to climb.”

For his evaluation, Chipper’s test weight was 950 pounds. He observed that a normally-aspirated (carbureted) 80-horsepower Rotax develops 52 horsepower at Angel Fire’s pattern altitude.

Interested in Chipper?

Not only are Belite’s performance numbers for the Chipper shaping up well, the purchase price has also remained within the “affordable aviation” range. Here’s a few figures:

  • $10,495 — taildragger airframe kit (1,000 pound gross, 80-horsepower max)
  • $11,995 — taildragger airframe kit (1,200 pound gross, 100-horsepower max)
  • $2,595 — taildragger finishing kit (1,000 pound gross, 80-horsepower max)
  • $2,995 — tricycle gear finishing kit (1,000 pound gross, 80-horsepower max)
  • $3,195 — taildragger finishing kit (1,200 pound gross, 100-horsepower max)
  • $3,695 — tricycle gear finishing kit (1,200 pound gross, 100-horsepower max)

This pricing is locked in with your $500 deposit, but you must take delivery this year.

  • 5 gallon fuel tanks —” $900 per pair
  • 14 gallon fuel tanks — $1,400 per pair
  • Any Radiant instruments with purchase of a Chipper kit — 25% discount. James said, “This does not include the radio, transponder, or ELT, but you can put together a very nice Radiant panel for less than $1,000.”
  • Belites recommend Oratex fabric (see video) and DUC Hélices propellers.
  • Some items, such as engine cowls for either Rotax engine or engine mounts will be determined later.
  • Prices do not include: engine, propeller, mount, cowl, instruments, fabric, paint, glue, etc.

See our Sun ‘n Fun interview with James Weibe below…

Learn more about Oratex aircraft covering fabric in this video:

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Belite entrepreneur James Weibe has successfully used his tech industry background to raise interest for his latest project, this time his first two seater called Chipper. (It was named Pipper but that apparently energized the anxieties of Piper Aircraft lawyers so James altered the name.) James has informed his Facebook and email readers with continual updates. After making initial flights fairly recently, he has judged the aircraft able to make a cross country flight. Chipper uses power from the 912 Rotax, but rather than the more common 100-horsepower ULS model, James is using one of my favorites, the 80-horsepower, regular-autogas-burning version. I like it because for lighter aircraft, such as Chipper, this 912 has plenty of power and it is about as trouble-free as any aircraft engine I’ve ever flown. “I flew Chipper to Angel Fire, New Mexico,” James exclaimed. “I flew nonstop one way (960 miles roundtrip) from Wichita, Kansas to Angel Fire, performed flight tests, and then returned to Marion, Kansas before the sunset.” Now that’s a good day’s flying.

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Rainbow Aviation Offers Owners a Light-Sport Aircraft Repairman National Map

By Dan Johnson || 1 Comment

As we work on PlaneFinder 2.0, our one-of-a-kind method to help pilots find the best Light-Sport Aircraft — watch for it in a few more days — we have another list-in-waiting. It is our FIRM List or FI.R.M List, meaning it helps you find Flight Instruction (FI), Rental (R), or Maintenance (M).

Classes at Rainbow over many years have have been given to more than 5,000 graduated students, including those in the 16-hour course.

These two — PlaneFinder 2.0 and FIRM List — complement our currently operating SLSA List as guides to help people interested in light, affordable aircraft. Even the SLSA List will go through further refinement; these steps were necessary after we moved from an old website built in the early days of the World Wide Web to a thoroughly modern website you can read on any device you have from desktop to smartphone.

Meanwhile, Rainbow Aviation has a new offering for those of you seeking a trained, qualified mechanic to help you keep your Light-Sport Aircraft in top-top flying shape.

You may already know Rainbow Aviation. Lead by Brian and Carol Carpenter, Rainbow has been in the mechanical training game since before LSA was even introduced as a regulation. They saw a coming need and got in front of the parade. More than 13 years later, they still lead in providing these needed services.

What Is a LSRM?

LSRM is shorthand for Light-Sport Repairman–Maintenance. When FAA created the LSA category in 2004, part of it addressed maintenance. Instead of burdening mechanics with the need to earn a two-year, 2400-hour A&P (Airframe and Powerplant) rating, they offered an alternative system and let private providers offer courses.

A simpler inspection rating is available by attending a 16-hour, two-day repairman course. On completion, you are called a repairman but are limited to performing an annual inspection on a Experimental Light-Sport Aircraft you own.. The maintenance rating is only available by attending a much longer 80-120 hour Repairman course. Get a deeper explanation by going to Rainbow’s web page for this.

  • Here’s a key point: A person who has earned a Repairman–Maintenance rating can perform maintenance and inspections on any Special LSA or Experimental LSA and can charge for his or her services.

More than 5,000 students have attended Rainbow’s courses from nearly every U.S. state and from more than 20 countries, Rainbow Aviation Light-Sport Maintenance training programs are internationally accepted as the leading Light-Sport aviation maintenance training programs.

This map shows where Rainbow-trained LSRMs are located. Find the current edition at the nearby link.

“We have gathered contact information since 2005. We decided to so this early on, from the very first class we taught,” said Carol Carpenter. “It has grown to be an invaluable tool.” Recently, they decided to share this information. Go to this map page to see where you can find a LSRM nearest to you.

After instructing thousands of folks plus more who find out about Rainbow and ask questions, Carol said it has become impossible to answer everyone’s questions and provide support.

“So we have created a network and today we have a private, exclusive, online support site for the folks who have taken our 15-day workshop,” Carol added. “We answer their questions in a group format and they, in turn, support the LSA community. I refer callers to this listing when they reach out for help or services.”

“When you go to the map you can select, say, just gliders, and find all the LSRM with the glider rating,” explained Carol. “Currently we are surveying the group and will flag all who are offering Light-Sport maintenance services to the public.”

Brian and Carol have created a valuable service by their work for more than a decade. The LSA industry is lucky to have them hard at work.

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As we work on PlaneFinder 2.0, our one-of-a-kind method to help pilots find the best Light-Sport Aircraft — watch for it in a few more days — we have another list-in-waiting. It is our FIRM List or FI.R.M List, meaning it helps you find Flight Instruction (FI), Rental (R), or Maintenance (M). These two — PlaneFinder 2.0 and FIRM List — complement our currently operating SLSA List as guides to help people interested in light, affordable aircraft. Even the SLSA List will go through further refinement; these steps were necessary after we moved from an old website built in the early days of the World Wide Web to a thoroughly modern website you can read on any device you have from desktop to smartphone. Meanwhile, Rainbow Aviation has a new offering for those of you seeking a trained, qualified mechanic to help you keep your Light-Sport Aircraft in top-top flying shape.

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BRM Aero, Maker of Bristell Light-Sport Aircraft Models, Rolls Out 300th Unit

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

I believe you should applaud Milan Bristela. Now a veteran of the Light-Sport Aircraft sector, he has steadily built a successful aircraft manufacturing enterprise — BRM Aero — that recently rolled out Bristell #300.

With its first delivery to a customer in 2011, this represents an average pace of 50 aircraft per year, a wonderful business size for a LSA manufacturer. Every company starts smaller and grows, so assuming a spooling up of their production engine, BRM is now completing between one and two aircraft per week. Good job, Milan and team!

BRM Aero started in 2009 with two employees. Over the course of several years the team has grown to 50 employees, they report. When growth demanded, they moved into larger quarters but they’ve also maintained a family feel with father Milan and son Martin running the enterprise as partners.

The full name of their very handsome aircraft is Bristell NG 5 LSA. The “5” is a hint of this being the fifth generation since the first aircraft I know Milan to have worked on — SportCruiser, also for a time known as PiperSport. For that legacy company’s rather brief entry into the world of LSA, this was the aircraft they chose …more correctly, an earlier, not as refined version of the Bristell.

Back in 2003, when I was still involved with BRS Parachutes, I traveled to the Czech Republic. My contact was American Chip Erwin, then head of Czech Aircraft Works and now the man behind Aeromarine LSA and its super-affordable Merlin PSA single seater. As the new millennia arrived, Milan was employed by Czech Aircraft Works and he graciously took a day off to travel around the country with me as we visited parachute developers. I had no idea then that in just six more years Milan would become head of his own company making one of the LSA sector’s most attractive designs. However, I easily perceived his skills, experience, and drive so I am not surprised by BRM Aero’s recent achievement, reaching number 300 of his own designs delivered to customers.

The company began selling the first version of Bristell Classic in 2011, a fixed-gear aircraft. In 2012 Milan developed a Bristell RG retractable gear aircraft and in the following year Bristell TDO, their taildragger option (photo) that lends a very sporty look. BRM Aero acquired their own production facilities only five years after starting the business. Since moving, production capacity more than doubled over the next two years.

Today’s Bristell Ultralight (the European regulatory description) and BRM Aero’s LSA variation is offered in these three configurations that obviously pleases many pilots. A tricycle gear fixed undercarriage configuration is the right choice of aeroplane for use in flight training at flight schools, glider towing and for most recreational flying. Thanks to the solid performance, combined comfort involving thoughtful ergonomic design with and the largest cockpit in its category, and modern instrumentation, any of the Bristell models is an excellent choice for cross-country flights. A Bristell HD version offers heavy-duty wing spars, which make cross-country flights safer in stronger weather conditions.

In the USA, Bristell now enjoys a highly experienced and dedicated team at Bristell USA, lead by longtime industry expert, Lou Mancuso along with his team of dedicated and experienced professionals. BRM Aero also has representation in several other countries.

Take a short video tour of the BRM Aero factory (watch for the airplane elevator)…

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I believe you should applaud Milan Bristela. Now a veteran of the Light-Sport Aircraft sector, he has steadily built a successful aircraft manufacturing enterprise — BRM Aero — that recently rolled out Bristell #300. With its first delivery to a customer in 2011, this represents an average pace of 50 aircraft per year, a wonderful business size for a LSA manufacturer. Every company starts smaller and grows, so assuming a spooling up of their production engine, BRM is now completing between one and two aircraft per week. Good job, Milan and team! BRM Aero started in 2009 with two employees. Over the course of several years the team has grown to 50 employees, they report. When growth demanded, they moved into larger quarters but they’ve also maintained a family feel with father Milan and son Martin running the enterprise as partners. The full name of their very handsome aircraft is Bristell NG 5 LSA.

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Italy’s JetFox Redux — InnovAviation FX1 Moving toward SLSA Acceptance

By Dan Johnson || 1 Comment

We reported on FX1 shortly after it began flight trials in the hands of American light aviation expert John Hunter. This article offers John’s perspective on flight characteristics along with specifications; you should definitely read this if FX1 stirs your imagination.

In-flight photo by Guido Pulcini, courtesy of InnovAviation.

InnovAviation is an Italian company founded in 2001 by Alfredo Di Cesare, who began his aviation career in the early 1980s as an importer and kit builder of Striplin Aircraft from the USA. Later that decade, Alfredo started importing Germany’s Comco Ikarus C22, which lead to C42 that became that country’s most popular light aircraft.

Alfredo saw room for improvement.

He probably also saw the success of America’s Flightstar, which was significantly based on work by Hans Gygax, the brain behind Comco’s C42. While resembling Flightstar, you can also see FX1 is much more developed.

FX1’s cabin is fully enclosed and sports large, curved doors. The tail is joined by a more conventional looking fuselage rather than a simple tailboom. The engine is now fully enclosed. Flightstar built it the way they did for some 1,000 aircraft to keep the weight down to a minimum because of the ultralight regulations of the day. That was also a simpler time and today’s FX1 may have appeared bulky and expensive back in the early 2000s.

After bringing in the aircraft of other producers Alfredo began work on his own design resulting in the JetFox 91 (in 1991), followed by an upgraded model called JetFox 97, and finally the JetFox GT in 2005. That was about the time Light-Sport Aircraft burst on the scene and caused pilots to look in new directions bringing doubt about the future of JetFox.

A dozen years later, Alfredo is back with his best looking project yet, called FX1, a fourth-generation sport plane evolved from multiple European sport planes over the last three decades. “This modern computer-aided design has been carefully engineered to optimize all aspects of a proven configuration,” said Di Cesare (see sidebar). “It incorporates countless improvements and refinements that came from the knowledge and experience of working with similar designs.”

Given a fresh design with Italian styling and the promise of future sales, InnovAviation announced several developments.

“We’ve got financial support to ramp up our serial production,” said the company. They plan to demonstrate Special LSA compliance and will seek FAA acceptance “within 2017.”

Their first sale went to their dealer in Israel and they noted, “We are in negotiations for dealerships in France, Scandinavia, Australia, and Iran.”

For U.S. consumption, “We are in negotiations with a group of investors from Florida in order to establish a US sales and assembly point.”

“We’ve people coming to our factory for demo flights every month,” added Alfredo.

Looking for more? Contact Alfredo via email.

What’s Good about FX1?

  • Improved forward visibility — to enhance flying enjoyment and safety.
  • Comfortable cabin with less noise and vibration — positioning the exhaust pipe above the wing helps FX1 reduce noise for neighbors and other people on the ground.
  • Accelerated Lift & Control Response — with the engine mounted close to the wing, the propeller directs accelerated airflow over the wing enhancing take-off performance, said Alfredo. “This is called ‘accelerated lift,’ a phenomenon common to twin engine designs,” he added. “This effect also tames departure stall characteristics, contributing to the FX1’s forgiving flight qualities. In a similar way, the propeller is also closer to the vertical and horizontal stabilizers and associated control surfaces (rudder & elevators) for enhanced control response.”
  • CG & Balance — “mid-ship” engine placement, common for exotic sports cars, places FX1’s engine mass closer to the aircraft’s center of gravity. This is said to decrease the aircraft’s moment of inertia for faster response in the pitch & yaw axes, and for the roll axis, raising the engine to the level of the wings on a high-wing design increases roll response.
  • Safety — experience with the FX1’s predecessor, the JetFox 97, proved that a “front & center” engine placement can help in the event of an impact. “Rather than having the engine transmit force directly to the cabin, a forward impact is transmitted to the airframe, independent of the cabin, for greater survivability,” noted Alfredo. FX1’s cabin employs a cage of built-up welded steel-alloy tubing (chromoly), wrapped in a carbon-fiber composite structure.

The following video from InnovAviation provides more detail and shows the flying aircraft.

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We reported on FX1 shortly after it began flight trials in the hands of American light aviation expert John Hunter. This article offers John’s perspective on flight characteristics along with specifications; you should definitely read this if FX1 stirs your imagination. InnovAviation is an Italian company founded in 2001 by Alfredo Di Cesare, who began his aviation career in the early 1980s as an importer and kit builder of Striplin Aircraft from the USA. Later that decade, Alfredo started importing Germany’s Comco Ikarus C22, which lead to C42 that became that country’s most popular light aircraft. Alfredo saw room for improvement. He probably also saw the success of America’s Flightstar, which was significantly based on work by Hans Gygax, the brain behind Comco’s C42. While resembling Flightstar, you can also see FX1 is much more developed. FX1’s cabin is fully enclosed and sports large, curved doors.

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Intriguing Light Aircraft Views from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Before America becomes completely consumed with Eclipse Viewing Fever, you might want to pull your (solar filter-protected) eyes away from the soon-to-darken sky to catch a few glimpses of intriguing aircraft from EAA’s summer celebration of flight.

In this pre-Eclipse weekend post, I’ll show you some images of cool flying things I saw at the big event.

Starting off with my fascination about spaceflight, EAA communications guru Dick Knapinski told of the challenges of arranging an 80-foot-tall flying machine on the central Boeing Plaza square. This is where you see a changing kaleidoscope of aircraft from old to new and slow to fast. However, no aircraft I’ve ever seen in this location flies as fast, stands as tall, or is more unique than the Blue Origin rocket.

From the billionaire-thick wallet of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos comes this space flight company that is competing with Space Exploration or SpaceX among others in the new era of private space companies. The latter corporation may be snatching the lion’s share of mainstream news but Blue Origin actually made the first successful landing of a rocket and this was the very equipment on display, charred exterior and all. Crowds lined up to have a gander.

Nearby, from one of light aviation lightest aircraft sellers — Michael LeMaire and his X-Air LSA — was the first public debut of the Stratos 714. Talk about having all the right toys in your hangar, eh? One one hand you could have a very lightweight fun flyer like X-Air LS for joy-ride flying around the patch or around the region. Or, if you gotta go places in a hurry, hop in your sleek jet and zoom past 400 knots.

Michael has been pursing the Stratos project for several years, since before 2011, and the aircraft is now flying. It reminds me of another project called Sportjet from Colorado. It also looks a bit like Cirrus single engine Vision jet. All three are similar by virtue of being single engine jets. The latter already has orders and a factory to produce it while Michael and his team are still assembling the myriad pieces of this puzzle.

Machines like Stratos aren’t what we usually cover here — any more than space rockets — but since it was beautiful to behold and is coming from one of our LSA suppliers and supporters, I enjoyed a look-see and thought you might as well.

On the way to the Ultralight Area — rebadged as the Fun Fly Zone (an accurate name, IMHO) — we passed by the antique airplane area with its own red barn, seen in the background of the nearby image. What caught my attention was the snazzy paint job or decal on this taildragger.

It doesn’t compare to the superlative FK-51 that may (or may not ever) arrive in America. Jon Hansen and his family team has been waiting far too long for their order to arrive but what I saw at Oshkosh ’17 was a mighty fine paint or decal job on which some owner invested many hours and considerable amount of cash, I’m guessing. The bullet hole effect has been seen everywhere but I admired the detailed patchwork finish resembling an airplane covered with hundreds of tiny aluminum pieces. Well done!

Finally, we arrived in arguably my favorite area of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the Fun Fly Zone, where we found many aircraft I will report — and about which Videoman Dave and I shot many videos.

We didn’t do a video on the two-seat version of Adventure Aircraft’s EMG (Electric Motor Glider) but we shot a video on the single seater earlier. Creator Brian Carpenter has invested a few years in this nifty project as he breaks new ground; the two-seater tells me the product is getting closer to the market.

EMG-2 (my name) has Brian’s signature look to it and I’m guessing it would be a hoot to fly. You can see his shiny electric motor at the aft end of the fuselage, giving a vaguely equivalent look to a Piper Cub with the engine cylinders sticking out of the cowling …only Brian’s bird will make a lot less noise slipping through the sky.

I hope you enjoyed this glance at four completely different aircraft.

Now, go enjoy the eclipse but don’t forget your solar glasses!

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Before America becomes completely consumed with Eclipse Viewing Fever, you might want to pull your (solar filter-protected) eyes away from the soon-to-darken sky to catch a few glimpses of intriguing aircraft from EAA’s summer celebration of flight. In this pre-Eclipse weekend post, I’ll show you some images of cool flying things I saw at the big event. Starting off with my fascination about spaceflight, EAA communications guru Dick Knapinski told of the challenges of arranging an 80-foot-tall flying machine on the central Boeing Plaza square. This is where you see a changing kaleidoscope of aircraft from old to new and slow to fast. However, no aircraft I’ve ever seen in this location flies as fast, stands as tall, or is more unique than the Blue Origin rocket. From the billionaire-thick wallet of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos comes this space flight company that is competing with Space Exploration or SpaceX among others in the new era of private space companies.

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Atol Light-Sport Aircraft Amphibian — Design and Production Update

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

“Coming to America” is a common refrain from light aircraft producers in some countries. Why? The obvious reason is that most designers perceive a huge market in the USA. Another is that shipping from the USA to other countries proves easier than shipping from their home countries. Other reasons also exist but those two are enough to decide in favor of the move.

One builder of a LSA seaplane is Atol Avion, based in Finland. They have been moving steadily toward approval, production, and sale of their Atol amphibian.

Anssi Rekula, co-founder of Avion and the director of sales said, “We have a lot of news and it’s centered on delivery of production airplanes. He enumerated:

  • We have received new investment to support our European certification, which is expected by the end of 2017.
  • We have established our North American operation in Brunswick, Maine.
  • We are scheduling customer demo flights in Finland as soon as the crew is back from Oshkosh 2017 where customers can see and fly the all-new cockpit design (images), and,
  • We have received our first order from Australia …so all is good and very positive.

Refreshed Design

“Atol’s cockpit is totally newly designed and looks great,” added Anssi. The long established tradition in aviation (and most industries) of adapting the good ideas of other designers shows in Atol’s new MVP-like approach.

Anssi explained, “Atol’s new articulating canopy retracts up and back, getting out of the way, allowing pilot and passenger to stand upright and access the cockpit from the front if desired, which makes docking and beaching easy. Our avionics retract with the canopy allowing them to be out of harm’s way, avoiding water spray. The seats are removable so when operating solo you can load up with gear to take advantage of our industry leading 600 pound useful load. Carbon fiber is accented with beautifully finished wood trim providing the feel of a classic automobile… it truly is striking.”

Among LSA seaplanes a 600 pound useful load is also striking. Anssi explains how they achieve that, “The outer layer of our hull is Kevlar with cold-molded, foam-cored birch. This combination is extremely rugged, light and strong. We use fabric covered wings featuring Oratex. These can be lighter than carbon fiber with the added benefit of field repairable. This is a real plus for a seaplane.”

“Finland has 188,000 lakes,” said Anssi, “so we know the joys of water flying as well as the demands. Many of these lakes are remote and require range and reliability to access so we designed the Atol 650 for this environment.” Atol’s 650 designation refers to 650 kilograms, the metric equivalent of FAA’s 1,430 pound seaplane weight limit.

U.S. Production Site

Anssi introduced Paul Richards, Avion’s official rep and president for Atol USA, Inc. “He will be in charge for fundraising and starting production for ATOL 650 LSA in Maine,” noted Anssi.

“We think Atol USA is the best and fastest solution for us to be able to serve our North American customers. Our Rovaniemi factory in Finland (photo) will produce for the rest of the world and continue product development,” Anssi added.

Atol USA will produce the 650 at Brunswick Executive Airport (KBXM), site of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station. A local development authority has created a manufacturing technology incubator and is “currently constructing an environmentally-controlled composites layup room, curing oven and paint booth designed to aviation standards and sized to accept wings, fuselages and other large structures. These complement our CNC machining center, welding shops, 3D printers and on-site Composites Engineering Research Lab,” said development director Steve Levesque. “We make these assets available to companies throughout the State of Maine.” The northeastern state has a long history with amphibious flight having been the home to Lake Aircraft for decades.

We expect to deliver these airframes beginning in the first quarter of 2019 and at a firm fixed price. What price? “Current pricing is $179,000 for delivery through 2018, although most of these positions are allocated so our open slots begin in 2019,” explained Paul.

Want to know more? Review Atol’s technical specifications here. Or, contact Paul at Paul.Richards@Atol.US or call 603-828-5373.

This video shows Atol in action:

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“Coming to America” is a common refrain from light aircraft producers in some countries. Why? The obvious reason is that most designers perceive a huge market in the USA. Another is that shipping from the USA to other countries proves easier than shipping from their home countries. Other reasons also exist but those two are enough to decide in favor of the move. One builder of a LSA seaplane is Atol Avion, based in Finland. They have been moving steadily toward approval, production, and sale of their Atol amphibian. Anssi Rekula, co-founder of Avion and the director of sales said, “We have a lot of news and it’s centered on delivery of production airplanes. He enumerated: We have received new investment to support our European certification, which is expected by the end of 2017. We have established our North American operation in Brunswick, Maine. We are scheduling customer demo flights in Finland as soon as the crew is back from Oshkosh 2017 where customers can see and fly the all-new cockpit design (images), and, We have received our first order from Australia …so all is good and very positive.

Expand Post ...

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