As we move toward MOSAIC as a new reality in the Light Sport/Sport Pilot world, it’s worth knowing how we got here. MOSAIC does, after all, leverage right off of the success of the LSA category. In this casual conversation, I chat with Dan Johnson about the early days of LSA and get some questions answered on how some decisions came to be made.
Looking Back to See Ahead — Dan Johnson Recalls the Beginning of the LSA Movement
As we move toward MOSAIC as a new reality in the Light Sport/Sport Pilot world, it’s worth knowing how we got here. MOSAIC does, after all, leverage right off of the success of the LSA category. In this casual conversation, I chat with Dan Johnson about the early days of LSA and get some questions answered on how some decisions came to be made.
As we move toward MOSAIC as a new reality in the Light Sport/Sport Pilot world, it’s worth knowing how we got here. MOSAIC does, after all, leverage right off of the success of the LSA category. In this casual conversation, I chat with Dan Johnson about the early days of LSA and get some questions answered on how some decisions came to be made.
How much investment has this California company attracted? Numbers I’ve been quoted vary enormously but all estimates run into many millions of dollars. If these guesses are even close to accurate, Icon has generated more investment funding than nearly any LSA producer. Only one outstrips them. That was a reported $200 million sale of Pipistrel to Textron, owner of Cessna and other aviation brands. I hope the aerospace conglomerate got all they hoped for because that is a super-premium valuation for any LSA company, even one as tech-savvy as Pipistrel.
Icon has performed reasonably well in recent years (
Yicai reported on May 22, 2024 that “shares of stock in Shang Gong Group soared to the exchange-imposed limit after the Chinese sewing machine maker and logistics service provider said that it will invest $13.5 million to buy insolvent US light airplane maker Icon Aircraft and take on its debt.”
“As the assets will be sold by auction, Shang Gong will bid against any other competitors and the actual transaction cost may be higher than the current offer price,” Yicai continued.
The market for recreational aircraft like Icon A5 is very small in China. The country leans toward practical solutions like transportation rather than leisure flying, although any opening of the lower-altitude airspace might quickly change that situation.
In our exchange, Tai and I agreed that the idea of eVTOLs may be technically achievable now, at least to some range of operation, but public acceptance of this aircraft development may still take years.
Editor’s Note: This news release came across our (virtual) desks today and we feel it’s of interest to provide this update now. However, our man Dan Johnson has arranged to speak with current CEO Alex Rolinski in the next few days to get more detail on these changes and what to look for from Aero Adventure in the near future.
James came to aviation from the computer business, where the pace isn’t fast — it’s furious! Over the years Dave and I covered James and his output, we’d make a new video at every airshow, it seemed, as he had moved on from the last design to the next. That’s what they do in the world of computers but it made pilots’ heads spin.
It also probably slowed sales because, as with computers, why buy this airplane when the next one will be even better?
James founded Belite and began with ideas about carbon fiber tube airframes. It was a marvelous, modern, even exotic idea but it was quite unorthodox for most builders. Plus, in those days, carbon fiber was expensive and a Part 103 aircraft needed to be affordable.
Even then, James kept making changes, ever improving the product like an engineer does. Images with this article reflect Chipper STOL, although Chipper 2 coming later this year will have all of James’ last refinements to the aircraft.
The pair is at an early stage of the development in this project. SkyKicker’s website is in process. However, given a design that has already proven itself, and adding the high level of energy Nick and Charlotte are bringing to the task, I doubt it will be long before Chipper becomes a product on the market.
The episode discussed how an Alaska pilot had repaired his aircraft after a bear attacked it and clawed the fabric covering in several places (see simulated bear claw). The pilot made repairs with — you guessed it! — duct tape, and flew home successfully.
When thinking of affordable aviation, it’s impossible not to talk about the 
LSA seaplanes constitute a highly fluid market yet we can see clues suggesting what might be ahead for some of the main brands. With summertime approaching, this State-of-the-Sector article attempts to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape (or waterscape).
We’ll first look at two high-end entries that have been in the news and conclude with present LSA seaplanes and their status in the market.
Russ continued, “Founder Paul Vickers said the company is now raising capital to fund the push to begin deliveries on its backlog.”
Wave has had a long development cycle but their timing with Mosaic approaching next year looks prescient.
“The decision to designate a stalking horse bidder underscores our commitment to ensuring the long-term viability of our business,” said Jerry Meyer, CEO of Icon. “We believe that this proactive approach will help employees, partners, and customers have confidence in our ongoing operations, enabling the company to achieve the best possible outcome.”
Icon announced more promising news
However, Searey won 
According to a party I know to be reliable, new buyers are ready and have proposed to reacquire the onetime American company. Even original designer Kerry Ritcher is said to be part of the group interested in taking over from the Chinese. While plans remain uncertain, an American group could quickly breathe life back into a moribund brand. In recent years, the company’s appearance at airshows was modest and unenthusiastic. Over the last year, no one has answered the phones. Now the factory is shuttered.
The lightest-of-SLSA-seaplanes 
“The company owes several million dollars to creditors and customers,” a reliable source told me. “Employees have voiced concerns and some are taking action.” Seamax leaders have reportedly managed to keep their core team using “informal payments.”
While “buyer beware” is always good advice, one thing I’ve learned from decades of reporting on this particular sector of aviation: Never write off a worthy design as dead and gone. I’ve seen many popular aircraft such as Seamax return after internal reforms or under new leadership..
Let’s do this up front: the price of a ready-to-ship kit is $59,900. It’s available today.
If you believe it’s worth a closer look, 
I have often written about many seaworthy aircraft and invite you to 
When we last wrote about the 
Not just any prop. This special “non-planar” three-blade prop designed by Craig Catto features an unusual bit of blade shape near the tips, all aimed at reducing noise while retaining or, even better, increasing efficiency. As tested on the Whisper Sling, the 
Throughout the ’70s, hang glider designs accelerated smartly in glide performance and sink rate, stretching from slope-hugging 4:1 triangular-shaped wings to elegantly long and slender “bladewings” that could exceed a 20:1 glide yet remain foot-launchable and still be an aircraft you could carry on your shoulder (when folded down). Passionate enthusiasts thrilled to a 5X performance improvement in a decade or so.
In the beginning, most pilots launched off mountains to get enough height to catch thermals. Yet lots of America doesn’t have mountainous terrain. Florida had plenty of pilots eager to fly hang gliders but to find the best soaring, they had to load up their gliders and drive 10-12 hours to the hills of Tennessee where flight park operators like me catered to them with mountain launch sites. At home they did boat towing regularly but that rarely got them high enough to catch thermals. One Florida man dreamed of a solution.
This central-northwestern area is home to fancy equestrian ranches and the spacious airport has begun to thrive from light aircraft operations. Airport manager Mike Grawe supported by industry expert Roy Beisswenger and airfield entrepreneur Troy Townsend welcomed Randy Dorsey along with another business setting up to build the former Belite Chipper 2, the latter operated by husband-and-wife team Nick and Charlotte Jones. Along with two powered parachute operations and 40 brand-new T-hangars (sorry, already fully booked), X35 looks alive and thriving.
Is It Affordable?
A man of highly innovative design but very few words, many knew Bobby for years yet learned little about him. He was rarely one to talk about himself in public settings. I always figured that much of the time he was designing the next aircraft in his mind.
There’s little question 
