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Day 2 at AERO: The Show Gets Busier and So Does Our Correspondent!

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Day Two of AERO at Friedrichshafen, and after a slow start footfall-wise yesterday there were considerably more visitors thronging the massive Messe today.
Aura Aircraft

The day started with a visit to the Aura Aircraft press conference, where the French airframer announced that it was signing a deal with the Deutsch aeroclub to use its Integra E electric two-seater as a glider tow plane. As a very experienced tug pilot and having been Tug Master at two different gliding clubs. I found this initiative both extremely interesting and very exciting. Noise and pollution are two very hot topics in Germany—and indeed most of Europe, and while all the gliding clubs are keen to promote the sport as being both green and sustainable, critics will always point to the noisy, gas guzzling Piper Pawnees and Robin DR400s and observe that it isn’t as green as they claim. 
This initiative is certainly very laudable and could have significant implications for the gliding community.

Day 1 at AERO: Affordable Aviation at Friedrichshafen

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Editor’s Note: Correspondent Dave Unwin is at the AERO show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, this week and will be reporting on news from the show. Here’s his first report.
Europe’s top general aviation event, AERO at Friedrichshafen, Germany opened on Wednesday, April 17, and runs through Sunday. It is no exaggeration to say that AERO has grown to become one of the biggest and best GA events on the planet—and certainly the biggest outside of North America.
This year is the 30th time the event has been staged and the organizers claim that more than 680 exhibitors from 36 countries are attending, which may well make the 2024 AERO the biggest ever.
The amount and diversity of aircraft on display was truly breathtaking, from a full-scale Me163 replica, powered by a small jet engine typically fitted to self-sustaining sailplanes, to the very latest bizjets. Unsurprisingly, there were several electric aircraft on display, and Bristell—in partnership with H55—had flown its final prototype of the electric Bristell B23 Energic to the show.

A First Look at Sun ‘n Fun — LSA, We Got ‘em!

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Editor’s Note: Here again let’s take a quick look at some of the LSAs we’ve seen so far at Sun ‘n Fun and welcome Mark Timney to our contributors for this show.
The first-day crowd at Sun ‘n Fun 2024’s Paradise City was a little smaller than usual according to long-time attendees, but what the event’s light sport area might have lacked in numbers it made up for in aircraft evolution.
Of particular note: A sleek, new low wing from Italy’s CFM Aviation that could set the bar for tomorrow’s MLSAs; Magni Gyro’s long awaited M26 Victor; and, a speedy new ultralight flexwing from FlyLight called the ‘Nine. ‘
The hustle and bustle of opening day prevents a detailed report on these aircraft at this time… only an entry-level tease of what Sun ‘n Fun is offering up this year.
The Nine trike, which Great Britain’s Flylight sells through Blue Collar Aviation (BCA) in the US, is distinguished by its 56 mph hands-off cruise speed.

Super Petrel XP Arrives in Florida; Proven Product Significantly Upgraded

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A few days ago a couple Super Petrel XPs arrived in Florida. In no time, Roger Helton‘s team had the pair assembled and had earned their Special Airworthiness Certificates, from two different FAA inspectors no less.
Development happens fast in light aviation; Mosaic will further quicken the pace.
Welcome to Light-Sport Aircraft where the swift thrive and those that can’t move fast enough fall behind. LSA is a market full of seasoned competitors. They’ve learned their trade well, surviving and some even gaining during the Covid upset. Any new creation coming to market will be measured against tough standards.
You think the pace of development is fast now? Wait as Mosaic approaches and company after company announces new products to take advantage of the “Christmas in July” list of new privileges FAA offered in the summer release of their Mosaic proposal (view list at bottom). The regulation is currently in review by the agency and according to their own statements, it should go live by second quarter 2025 (2Q25).

The Shape of Tomorrow? Pegaso Is Another Beautiful Light-Sport Airplane You’ve Never Seen

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Pilots who have attended the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany may have spotted Pegaso since it first exhibited in 2018. Six years later, the model lacks American representation so Yankee pilots generally don’t know this flying machine.
This is Pegaso, a European “ultralight” that expresses a beautiful style we expect from Italy.
Promecc is better known for their low-wing Sparviero but Pegaso drew lots of admiring looks at Aero 2023.
Let’s take a deeper look at an aircraft that can help imagine what we’ll see as Mosaic emerges from FAA rule making in the second quarter of 2025.
Promecc Pegaso
Promecc Aerospace specializes in the design and manufacture of European-style ultralight aircraft predominantly using carbon fiber construction. As is more common in Europe, the company behind Pegaso and Sparviero has a larger operation involved in professional aviation.
The company’s first design, Sparviero, which translates to Sparrowhawk in English, was introduced in the early 2000s.

News Bits — Sun ‘n Fun 50th Birthday, Hexa Draws Big Media to Lakeland, VREF & LSA

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To start off your new workweek, here are fresh light aviation news bits from last week.
Not all aviation news items justify a whole article but that doesn’t mean these accomplishments should be ignored. Here are three such items. Each exerts an influence on the future of flying.
Let’s get the newsday started…
Whoo Hoo!
Sun ‘n Fun Turns 50!
Keen to celebrate their 50th anniversary, Sun ‘n Fun sent out a special invitation that may be of great interest to fly-in campers.
Sun ‘n Fun e-blasted, “6 Things To Do When You Land at Sun ‘n Fun 2024!” The half-century-old event runs April 9 to 14, 2024 in Lakeland, Florida.

After you park your airplane and find your camping spot for the week, head on over to The Island.
Check in at the Pilot Welcome Center brought to you by Phillips 66.
Visit the Island Country Store and stock up on your basic necessities.

Top 50: Just Aircraft Escapade > Highlander > SuperSTOL and More…

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Here we go again… in a great way, I hope. Returning to our Top 50 Video series, we come to Just Aircraft and their jaw-dropping SuperSTOL. At airshows in recent years, lots of pilots spoke with excitement about STOL competitions. Just’s SuperSTOL was often part of the conversation.
Videos highlighted in our Top 50 series are the most popular 50 selections from a library of about 1,000 videos appearing on Dave Loveman’s Light Sport and Ultralight Flyer YouTube channel. They represent the “Best of Dave & Dan” videos as determined by your views.
Just Aircraft has a long history of building close to 1,000 aircraft, the company said in early 2024. A large share of these, around 800, were SuperSTOL kits. The lines are a bit indistinct because SuperSTOL is at heart a Highlander kit hopped up on steroids (or the airplane equivalent). These days, Highlander remains a good seller for Walhalla, South Carolina-based Just Aircraft, said main man Gary Schmitt on a recent phone call.

First One in the USA — Flying TL’s Luxurious, Mosaic-Ready Sparker Aircraft

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Some pilots can hardly wait for Mosaic. It takes all kinds, of course.
Many aviators want to use Sport Pilot’s no-medical aspect to fly a Cessna or Piper that they can buy inexpensively (or already own). That makes sense. These affordable aircraft are familiar and proven, even if they are products of the 1950s with mostly analog instruments and powerplants that burn 10 to 15 gallons per hour of 100LL.
Another group, owners of modern LSA, wants a little more weight than allowed by current regulation. Still others may want to fly at night or in IFR or to use an economical LSA for some form of aerial work.
Then we have what I’ll call the Mosaic LSA crowd. These are pilots with larger budgets — perhaps they sold a Cirrus or Bonanza and have equity to put toward a new aircraft. These experienced pilots are accustomed to well-equipped aircraft with generous cruise speeds.

Made for Mosaic? Scissortail Aerosport Imports G750 wth 2+2 Seating

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Are you ready for Mosaic? Let’s be crystal clear. You have almost no time left to comment on FAA’s proposed rule. Mere days remain before the comment window closes. (Comment links at bottom)
However, we won’t see Mosaic LSA for many months yet. …Or, is that wrong? In this article, we look at G750, a 2+2 seat Mosaic LSA candidate.
Mosaic as a completed regulation is still 16 months away, according to FAA’s oft-repeated statements about how long they need after comments have closed. The agency has a lot of work remaining on this proposed regulation.
After a group of maintenance organizations asked for more time, FAA extended the comment period to January 22, 2024. That means you have less than one week left as this article is posted. After that, FAA begins huddling internally to review all comments and make other changes (and hopefully fix a number of weak areas; see other reporting on Mosaic).

Latin for Eagle, Aquilae is A New Kit Entry in the STOL space from North American Eagle

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Let’s get that name dealt with right away — say “ACK-will-lay.” The model name looks more awkward than it is and sounds more graceful than it looks. The word translates from Latin as Eagle. Though unusual, Aquilae is a worthy name for a light aircraft.
When you glance at the photos nearby, do you get the feeling you’ve seen this before? You should, but you may be wrong.
Popular Design Configuration
Aquilae looks very much like but is not the G1 STOL seen earlier (see this article). Some years before G1 arrived here in America, I’d written about French-produced version after seeing it equipped with hand controls and with its wings folded compactly on a trailer at the German Aero Friedrichshafen show. The basic design has been flying for close to 25 years.
Originally developed as the Yuma by Alisport, a French company, the design was later taken over by G1 Aviation, another French company that does extensive machine shop work for several aircraft builders.

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