Plenty of folks think LSA are mainly carbon fiber speedsters with autopilots and huge computer screen instrumentation. No doubt, we have some beauties that are equipped like luxury sport planes. If you’ve got the budget, the Light-Sport industry has the aircraft. Yet not everyone can afford those birds and not everyone wants one. *** FAA pretty much eliminated ultralights when they came out with the SP/LSA rule… well, except for genuine ultralights of the single place variety. The latter still exist, and yes, you can still buy a ready-to-fly ultralight “vehicle” for which you need no N-number, no medical, and no pilot license. Those 254-pound (max empty weight) aircraft prove America remains the land of the free and I, for one, love to fly them. *** On our way north for AirVenture my wife, Randee, and I made a series of stops. In Alabama — just a mile apart — we hit two fixed wing producers of “ultralights” that qualify as official SLSA.
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E-Spyder Ready For Prime Time
*** Everyone interested in electric flight will want to know that the E-Spyder electric-powered ultralight is poised to enter the marketplace. *** A few days ago Tom Peghiny invited me out to Woodstock, CT, about three hours drive from my house, to fly the latest prototype (v. 3) of the venerable FlightStar ultralight. *** I had to pass since I was prepping for a family visit to Germany. *** Checking in from Hamburg, I found a post on his website from my pal and LSA colleague Dan Johnson, who scooped me on the following info: *** The E-Spyder will be marketed by Yuneec, which bought the rights to produce the design from Tom and continues development on several other projects: the graceful E430 S-LSA which has won several prizes already; E-PAC power backpack for paragliders; and electric motor systems for a variety of aviation applications.
Whirring into the Air on Electricity
You’re probably aware of the auto industry’s billion-dollar bet on electric cars. Skeptics are plentiful. Same for airplanes. Despite doubts, even Cessna and Bye Energy are teaming up on an electric 172. Other LSA electric projects are also underway and it’s all good in my mind. *** Most e-powered aircraft remain in the future. Yet here today is the E-Spyder. You can place an order that’ll set you back less than $30,000. Plus it’s a true Part 103 ultralight meaning you don’t need no stinkin’ government license to fly it. *** I wish I lived closer to Woodstock Connecticut where co-developer Tom Peghiny is flying Yuneec’s E-Spyder along with a few trusted friends. The one they’re flying has longer wings and a battery-hiding compartment (top photo, circled). Tom wrote, “We have been flying a lot since finishing the plane in mid September.” So far Tom and team have taken 15 flights on the upgraded version. This prototype (#3) has many changes over the original that was shown at Airventure in 2009.
FPNA A-22 Capetown Amphibian
Capetown RacingLight-sport floatplane that’s a joy to fly
America has far more lakes than airports. By itself, my home state of Minnesota has more lakes than the entire nation has airports. Given this 50:1 advantage, floatplanes or seaplanes make a lot of sense; there are many places you can land, plus you can reach interesting locations you never considered in a land plane.
Lucky me. I’ve gotten to fly lots of light floatplanes and I get a huge smile on my face every time I launch from water or splash down in a lake. The sensation has no match in landplanes. Once you’ve flown a floatplane, you’ll forever look at flying through a new lens.
Imagine flying a mere wingspan above the water, safely|hopping over small islands and zooming down to the water’s surface on the far side, always landing directly into the wind, taxiing up to a dock or beaching on the sand or stopping to do a little fishing while standing on one float.
TL Ultralight Debuts Evolved Sting S4
Not a company to rest on their laurels, TL Ultralight — represented in America since the beginning of LSA by Sportair USA — debuted their Sting S4 at the German Aero show in April. Besides developing an all-new high-wing design (the TL-3000 Sirius …photo inset) — the S4 is the newest generation of the Czech company’s popular low wing, all-carbon-fiber Sting. Sting was the #5 SLSA ever certified and it has developed a solid U.S. following. *** TL designers know how to mold smooth lines into their designs, but they have also been dedicating hours of work to further refine one of the more evolved LSA on the market. Here’s a short list of the new developments for the Sting S4: * A stiffer-framed, better-sealed canopy improves ventilation with a vent port built right in the canopy frame; * A new instrument panel better accommodates large screen systems like Dynon’s SkyView (lower photo); * The top of the instrument panel now provides a couple handholds to assist entry/exit plus a central cavity that can hold a few small items; * Adjustable rudder pedals range 10 inches via an easy control between your lower legs (see in lower left photo in front of joystick); * Baggage capacity has been increased to 55 pounds, the compartment has been upholstered, and has a cargo net; * The entire tri-gear has been completely redesigned to provide better shock absorption and ground handling; * A new engine cowling improves cooling; * the vertical tail has been enlarged to improve stability; and, * Manual flaps have given way to easy-to-use electric flaps with the controller placed in a slightly enlarged center console.
Dealmaking and Consolidation? New LSA Directions?
What to the following events have in common? …Sebring LSA Expo, Heart of Texas LSA Expo, Midwest LSA Expo, Sport Pilot Tour… Answer: All are focused marketing shows generating keenly interested crowds to examine Light-Sport Aircraft. When that happens, business arrangements sometime result, and not all deals are between airplane buyers and sellers. *** At the Sebring LSA Expo FK Lightplanes USA struck an agreement with Hansen Air Group. The latter, an Atlanta-based national seller of the Sky Arrow and new FP-04 Peregrine, signed on to represent the Fk9, seen in Florida atop Baumann BF-1500 floats. One aviation family helps another as FK’s father-and-son Tony and Adriel Anderson linked up with twin brothers Jon and Ron Hansen. *** Recently I attended an open house for another mini-conglomerate in light-sport aviation based at the Melbourne, Florida airport.
Heart of Texas LSA Expo Judged a Success
Exhibitor Chris Regis of Paradise USA (representing the P-1) reported “good visitor traffic” and “excellent organization” from the people behind the Heart of Texas LSA Expo. The new event, held over March 8 & 9 is one of two planned shows following the strong 2009 performance at the pioneer of LSA Expos, the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo. *** Several reports reminded me of the 13-city Sport Pilot Tour held during 2005 and 2006. Each of those events drew 10-20 exhibiting LSA and attracted 300-700 people at locations across the USA. The numbers sound small to those enamored of the huge crowds at Oshkosh. But, in fact, the Sport Pilot Tour, with its focused marketing on LSA only, helped customers find the manufacturer they were seeking. Everyone who came was interested in LSA and a vendor could speak to nearly all of them.
Green Power — Earthstar’s All-Electric eGull
The hum of interest in electric-powered aircraft continues, a parallel to development of electric automobiles. Despite their woes all over the news, the auto industry is spending millions on electric power. In sharp contrast, electric airplane developments are being done on tiny budgets by entrepreneurs.
Yet enough development is happening that the German Aero show will have a show-within-a-show, the e-flight-expo. Says German publisher and co-organizer of the event with Aero management, Willi Tacke, “At this moment we have a dozen trend setting exhibitors to participate at the first e-flight-expo April, 2-5, 2009.”
I’ve written about electric projects: Electra Flyer/others and Sonex. The newest entry involves one of my all-time favorite airplanes, the Earthstar Aircraft Gull 2000. This ultra-light single seater flies efficiently on a very small wing, so when I spoke to Mark Beierle recently I got excited when he told me he’s working on the eGull.
After Assessments, FAA Expresses Confidence in LSA
In FAA’s official letter sent by John Colomy, Acting Manager of the Small Aircraft Directorate, the Federal Aviation Administration states, “The majority of facility assessments are now complete and the FAA is confident that LSA manufacturer’s compliance can match that of the commercial aviation manufacturers.” Colomy continues, “This will be a major accomplishment since using consensus standards and compliance self-declarations is a new way of doing business for the LSA industry.” Well, actually, this is the only way the LSA industry has done business. It is “a new way” for the FAA to do business… and congratulations to this federal agency for stepping back from their normal regulatory control. *** At a briefing to industry officials including myself, FAA said they had finished 23 of 29 planned assessments. While FAA was generally pleased with industry participant cooperation and with the compliance of aircraft to the standards, officials conclude, “It is evident that there remain areas for improvement.” How could it be otherwise?
Zenith & AMD Update CH 601 & CH 701 to 650 & 750
Consider the Zenair / Zenith / AMD family of enterprises… Following family patriarch, Canadian Chris Heintz (the designer) are Missouri-based son Sebastien Heintz (the kit supplier) and Georgia-based son Mathieu Heintz (the aircraft producer). Another sibling, Michael Heintz acts as a dealer in California. The Heintzes also have a family of aircraft models. *** Zenith Aircraft Company supplies kits for the 2-seat CH-650 and CH-750 plus the 4-seat CH-801. AMD supplies fully built versions of the 650 and 750 plus the Part 23-certified Alarus. In 2008 the family companies upgraded their top sellers: CH-601 and CH-701. Of these the CH-750 LS is the newest Special LSA on our list. *** Though it visually looks like the CH 701, the 750 LS stands two inches taller and is 11 inches longer with a 2-foot 9-inch greater wingspan, bumping wing area to 144 square feet from 122 on the CH 701.