ByDanJohnson.com

Dr. Richard McGlaughlin gave a stirring account of his BRS airframe ‘chute save that delivered him and his daughter to safety after a catastrophic engine failure… over the water in the Bahamas.

Jeff Burnett of Flight Design helps a future pilot with the Gleim simulator which will soon be available for dealers and home use.

Jeppesen’s lovely display booth at the show.

More eye candy from Jepp: they’re doing cool things for the iPad.

Attendance was down this year. Yet exhibitors weren’t complaining, as attendees came with checkbooks ready and several LSA dealers reported sales.

Derek Kuefler of BRS Aerospace and one model of the company’s airframe parachute which has saved 276 aircraft and their occupants to date. Fascinating stat: Of the 30,000 BRS systems installed over 30 years, 1 in 125 has been  deployed! That’s across all kinds of aircraft and events… hard to argue that any aircraft wouldn’t be safer with a ‘chute on board

The only airplane to ever drop an atomic bomb: The amazing B-29.

Left to right, Jon Hansen, Peter Funk, and Craig, Gigi, and Jerrell C Bartow, the happy new owners of the first Lycoming-powered FK-12 Comet to be sold in America, hand over the check to Jon and “Doc” Bailey, right, head of Renegade Light Sport, which is doing the developmental and installation groundwork for the Lycoming IO-233 in is normally aspirated and fuel injected forms for many LSA makers, including Renegade’s Falcon tricycle and taildragger composite S-LSA. Peter Funk is the highly creative designer of the Comet and FK series of light aircraft.

Photo Wrap Up: Some other stories that will get fleshed out down the road here and in the magazine. Sun ‘n Fun ends tomorrow. Long Live Sun ‘n Fun.

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I caught up with a fellow hang glider pioneer from the 70s’, Scott Severen of U.S. Aviation, Denton, TX who filled me in on the latest events for his broad-based Light Sport/GA service and repair center. *** U.S. Aviation is a large, well-established aviation service center that does it all: flight training, aircraft and avionics sales, service and maintenance (for general aviation as well as LSA). *** Scott has been involved with Indus Aviation and its Thorpedo LSA aircraft for years. That project is moving to a China-based manufacturing base and “It’s a big process to pull it all together,” he says. He was just over there, assembling a couple Thorpedos to support the transition. *** “It will be a beautiful facility over there once it’s built. We’ll still do parts and aircraft sales in Dallas, and US Aviation will assist in factory support of the Thorpedo; it’s one of several LSA we do. *** U.S. Aviation’s vision for the LSA side of their operation “is to create a centrally located, national in scope factory authorized service center for as many LSA manufacturers as we can gather.” *** “We’ve been successful at that: we just became the Flight Design service center for our area, but anyone can come to us, say if they’re flying through and have an issue, and we can give them factory authorized support right there in Texas. We’re real proud to have Flight Design, there’s a lot of CT’s flying in our area and it’s a great airplane.” *** “We also just picked up Evektor and are excited about that relationship too.” *** U.S. Aviation also lists Jabiru, Tecnam, Remos, Allegro, SportAir, Aerotrek and others in their service stable. *** “If you don’t include the Cub LSA aircraft, we’re now authorized to service more than 92% of all Light Sports!” *** (Scott has talked with the Legend Cub guys.”But the factory is only 35 miles away!”) *** Becoming an authorized service center is no casual affair. *** “We have to prove ourselves with each client first. It took quite awhile with Flight Design: there was training to do to really get to know the product before we got the factory stamp of approval. Companies either come to us for training, or we send our people to them.” *** “We’ve also got a Part 145 avionics repair shop so we have a high degree of competency for installing and servicing avionics. We’re dealers or representatives for Dynon, Garmin, Zaon, Aspen, Avidyne, all the major Light Sport names and many of the General Aviation names too.” *** The FBO is a Dynon SkyView center too for the central U.S. and has already been through that training. *** “We already have a SkyView demo so people can come play with it.”

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Here’s an aerial shot from my Courier flight of Paradise City, the Light Aircraft runway at the southeast end of the field that will soon be used year round. Many upgrades, including filling the dreaded ditches that used to run lengthwise. *** The attendance looks down from recent years but I haven’t put boots on that ground yet, time to head over there for a look. *** And below is a shot of the B-29 “FIFI” that crossed our nose on the Courier flight this morning. Not often you get a B-29 in your sights these days…not often at all, at any distance.

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Bret Koebbe of Sporty’s Pilot Shop introduced me to a cool new ADS-B weather uplink product, the Stratus. *** US built by Appareo Systems, it’s a completely portable, wire-free, subscription-free weather solution that works in conjunction only (so far) with the Foreflight ap for the iPad. *** The Stratus provides ADS-B-based weather, Nexrad, Metars, TAS, Airmets, Sigmets, TFRS, “the whole nine yards of everything that’s included with ADS-B” as Bret describes it, all wirelessly transmitted to your in-cockpit iPad. *** It uses the iPad’s WiFi connection, and can be broadcast to more than one iPad in the cockpit. Just open Foreflight, link it to the Stratus box, and you’ve got all your weather info with you. *** The ADS-B weather coverage will be coast to coast-complete sometime in 2013. *** It’s a simple device: eight-hour battery, wire free, built-in ADS-B antenna buiilt into the box, and also includes WAAS GPS with 1-2 meter accuracy. *** Price is $799, with preordering now for April 23. *** And it’s all American-made; “It’s manufactured in North Dakota,” says Bret. “Designed and developed by pilots for pilots, something we all wanted: ADS-B without a lot of work or wires.”

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“Higs” (R), and partners in crime: Jeb Burnside, co-host and founder, and Jack Hodgson, producer and co-host/founder.

Ran into my old pal Dave “Higs” Higdon who’s been an aviation journalist/photo Iron Man for decades. We go back to the early ultralight days of 1981 I think, and Dave has hammered out a long and respected career producing quality insights and images for the aviation industry, willing to work harder than most of the rest of us. *** So here’s a plug for hisUncontrolled Airspace: News & conversation about the world of General Aviation flying website. *** Lots of entertaining jabber about all things aviation, including contributions from people like my old collaborating pal Jim Wynbrandt, who like Dave is an avid pilot and aviation journalist and widely respected in the industry. *** It’s an aviation-centric podcast, which presents itself this way: “Every week the UCAP gang gathers in the virtual hangar to talk about all things GA. You can listen-in as some of General Aviation’s most knowledgeable, opinionated, and plain-speaking characters, do some online hangar-flying.”

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Tecnam North America is banking on what CEO Phil Solomon believes is a strong market interest in taildragger LSA. *** Tecnam is putting their R&D into attracting some of that market share with the revamped P92 tricycle gear S-LSA into a tail dragger version, and adding in some spice to boot: either a Lycoming YO-233-B2A or a Rotax 912/S2 powerplant is available to power it. *** The new version of the long-popular, well-proven P92 comes with a host of typical Tecnam quality features too, including a new wood-grain panel, adjustable seats, luggage compatrments, map and storage compartments on the door, epoxy corrosion proofing, lock/key entrance, tinted windows and lots more. *** Hydraulic toe brakes, electric flaps and lots more to join the electric trim and free castoring tail wheel. *** I’m hoping to fly it the week after the show, if some paperwork issues with the brand new plane get resolved. More on this along with excerpts from a lively interview with the ever-insightful Mr. Solomon to come. *** The P92 joins the Renegade Falcon and some other LSA hoping that the taildragger interest isn’t just for Cub-style LSA. Time will tell.

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Jim Dehart and the FK12 Comet-mounted Lycoming IO-233 fully aerobatic engine – first in the U.S.

Christian Mundigler of Rotax BRP.

The 912 iS was wheeled in with great fanfare under a shroud to accompanying, powerful classical music of the Russian persuasion… all the world’s a stage. It is a beautiful engine to be sure.

Dave Graham, right, shows off the magazine he created to show off Legend’s fine Cub line. He credits Randy Schlitter of Rans Aircraft, who did the same for his line of SLSA and kits, with the idea. Both have done superb jobs, and it’s fun to read about an airplane in so much detail. Great idea guys! That snazzy AmphibCub behind Dave belongs to the happy owner Frank (L).

Here’s the scan code so you can get your own free copy with a smartphone and bar code reader.

Sun ‘n Fun got off to a great start with weather in the low 80’s, a helpful breeze and lots of new buildings and of course massive traffic jams coming in to the show because some things should never change no matter how many improvements are made. *** Seriously, the Sun ‘n Fun folks do a great job and there are many new things on the field to make life more enjoyable for spectators and those of us here to work.First up: Jim Dehart of Atlanta Light Sport Aviation was excited to show off his school’s new FK12 Comet with the first-in-US Lycoming IO-233 fully aerobatic light sport engine. *** “The airplane is really powerful,” Jim says, “and at 696 lbs. will be a real performer.” *** He quotes the horsepower at 125 hp but I’ve seen it at 116 max everywhere else so either I’ve got it wrong and there’s a bump in power from the inverted fuel/oil system on the aerobatic version (standard carburetted version also available, as well as a Rotax version, or he meant to say 116 hp. *** At any rate, the starting price for the fully aerobatic Comet is $135K ($130K for normally aspirated mill). *** “This will create a new category of competition airplane in the IAC,” he says. IAC is the International Aerobatic Club, the governing body for sanctioned aerobatic events. *** Jim says flight test will commence on the Comet in the middle to the end of next month, and he hopes, though it’s a stretch, to enter the first aerobatic competition by July. *** “We will try to have the first Light Sport aerobatic school in the country too. Our regular LSA flight school signed up more than 36 students last year and we’ve put 22 through to their license so far, and have 32 renters of LSA currently.”Next up was a morning of press conferences including a dramatic wheel in of the new Rotax 912 iS which I’ve got a ton of notes on but once again, hotel wifi problems have caused undue stress and strain on your erstwhile blogster, plus it’s late and I’m tired from a long day so I’ll let pix suffice for now and will fill in with details down the road.<

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Searey LSX will be on prominent display at Sun ‘n Fun starting Tuesday. photo courtesy Progressive Aerodyne

The Terrafugia Transition nears production and will be at the show. photo courtesy Terrafugia

The Searey from Kerry and Wayne Richter’s Progressive Aerodyne — guided by new principal, Adam Yang — just sent out word that the popular design celebrates its 20th anniversary this year by “making a big splash at Sun N Fun!”The Searey, perhaps the most successful kit amphibian ever (and which is still on the trail of certifying its latest LSX model to the LSA ASTM standard — they thought they’d have it done by end of 2011) will be at the show in demonstrable abundance. *** Five will be on exhibit from the nearby factory, and a “very large ‘Gaggle’ of Seareys” is expected to arrive en masse on Thursday, March 29th at 10:00 a.m. — 20 or more from the cohesive and enthusiastic Searey community of more than 500.  *** Half an hour later a smaller group will overfly the Sun ‘n Fun crowd. *** The Searey will be on display at three locations: Booth 58, the LSA Mall and the Seaplane Pilots Association display.   *** I had a ball flying the amphib at Sebring 2011. It’s a great way to enjoy water flying at either a kit price or, in time, prebuilt as an S-LSA.Another must-see aircraft that will be at the show is the long-in-development Terrafugia Transition flying car, which is also slated for the New York International Auto (not Air) Show this year, April 6-15 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC.   *** The “production ready” version of the two-seat, LSA-legal Transition is scheduled for delivery to the first of 100 pre-order buyers by the end of this year after a long development process and ever- increasing price level — currently around $250,000. *** The reconfigured and refined design, which originally had a type of canard forward of the front “bumper”, touts a max speed of 115mph. “Roadable” mileage after the pushbutton transition to folded-wing land vehicle is claimed to be around 35 mpg. *** I’ll be visiting these folks and lots more and posting here as I’m able during the show.

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With Americans “on the grow”, how much room should LSA have?

Renegade’s Falcon sports a 46″ wide cabin — “six inches wider than a Cessna 172” say the ads — but ever-larger people beg the question: what will be considered “tiny” 20 years from now? And do designers need to factor those trends into their designs…yet still feel the pinch of weight-restricted airframes?

Barry Pruitt is a good sized guy and he’s showing plenty headroom ***  in the new Bristell Fastback, one of the more “commodious” LSA.

Could four-seat, ASTM-certified aircraft *** like this Piper Archer LX be in our future?

Supersonic flight pioneer and WWII ace Chuck Yeager is famous for using, if not coining, the term “pushing the envelope,” which has entered the popular lexicon for just about anything to do with growth and meeting challenges. *** In that vein, since the day the Light Sport category became a fixture of the aviation regulatory landscape, there have been calls to do everything from abolish it outright to expand it’s current parameter. The parameters invoked to arrive at the perfect light aircraft involve the Usual Suspects: faster, bigger, stronger, heavier, better load, no altitude restrictions etcetera etcetera etcetera. *** In that vein, I want to share with you some cogent email comments received from Plane & Pilot magazine reader Dr. Barry Gloger who puts forward a well-reasoned argument for reworking the LSA concept. *** Whether you agree or not with his point of view, it’s hard to refute his logic, since it’s based on his expertise in the actual physical size of the “average American.” *** And now for The Usual Disclaimer: his viewpoint does not necessarily reflect my opinion or that of the staff of P&P mag. |||| Rather than paraphrase his comments, I’ll let Dr. Gloger take it from here: “At 6 foot 4 inches and 250 pounds, this is a subject near and dear to me. As an orthopaedic surgeon, who designs joint prostheses, I am quite aware of the ever enlarging American body. There are numerous LSA that I literally cannot shoe horn my body into. Due to either height, width or weight restrictions, I estimate that most LSA could not fly with two top 50th percentile persons together — and big people tend to associate with other big people. That’s a huge market share that LSA cannot serve. *** “In addition to cabin width, I wish manufacturers would list headroom above the seat, so customers knowing their torso length or sitting height (measured from the ischium [sit bones] to the top of the head) could figure out if they’ll be able to close the canopy. *** “I cannot close the canopy of (many) aircraft and one plane, which advertises enough headroom for someone 6 foot 8 inches, has a well behind the spar. Sure, my head fit back there, but I could not even see the panel, never mind the fractured skull I would suffer in any hard landing. *** “Did you see the new Bristell at Sebring — it looks like a more commodious version of the Sport Cruiser — hope it is not as sensitive…” (My comment: I did fly the Bristell at Sebring — see my report in the next issue of P&P. It advertises sufficient headroom for a 6 foot 6 inch pilot, which seems to be a truthful claim based on my time in cockpit. *** “My major gripe is with the LSA rule is the rather arbitrary choice of 1,320 pounds as the maximum gross weight limit, a number seemingly chosen by the FDA, just because its metric equivalent, 600 kg, is a nice round number. FAA also took into consideration existing foreign “ultralight” aircraft that had already produced many designs at [a similar] weight spec. *** “In order to meet the 1,320-pound gross weight limit, manufacturers resort either to expensive components, such as carbon fiber, or build flimsy undercarriages. *** “The average American is no longer the 5 foot 7 inch, 155-pound individual as when the FAA and Coast Guard originally set occupancy/capacity/ergonomic standards. The 75th percentile man now weighs 200 pounds and no longer fits an 18 inch stadium seat. Imagine how much larger the LSA market could be if planes could be designed to meet all the other LSA requirements (such as stall speed, maximum speed, fixed prop, etc.) and yet safely carry a full fuel payload of 500 to 600 pounds. Perhaps you and your friend, Dan Johnson, could petition the FAA to modify the LSA rule. *** (AOPA, EAA and other orgs plus some individuals are pushing this effort on several fronts, along with the LSA-style driver’s license/self certify flight worthiness in lieu of a current FAA medical for lighter GA single-engine aircraft.) *** “Terrafugia is struggling to bring its drivable aircraft in at 1,320 pounds. [The Massachusetts company has received a limited exemption to seaplane weight of 1,430 pounds. —DJ]. Think how much cheaper it would be if their Transition did not have to meet this unnecessary weight restriction. So what are the chances of modifying the LSA rule? And for that matter how about creating an ASTM/FAA standard/rule for a cheap, inexpensive four passenger, Sport Pilot-eligible plane similar to the current crop of LSA airplanes? *** “That brings up the problem with LSA; they don’t have large enough payloads. I understand why the FAA and LAMA came up with the requirements that a LSA shall be a passenger plane that stalls at 45 knots max, flies at 120 knots max, has a single engine with fixed prop and landing gear. [LAMA had nothing to do with these decisions. —DJ] *** “But they should have stopped there… left the gross weight unspecified, so manufacturers would have the flexibility to design planes with full fuel payloads of 500 to 600 pounds. Yes a plane heavier than 1,320 pounds has more kinetic energy and momentum, but that has no effect on safety unless you crash into someone’s house. *** “So I propose that the FAA revise the LSA rule to eliminate max gross weight restrictions, replacing it instead with standards governing landing forces, wing loading, or whatever design parameters are needed to produce a docile plane that doesn’t break up in routine flight or hard landing, maintaining the important restrictions of a two passenger plane that stalls at 45 knots max, flies at 120 knots max, has a single engine with fixed prop and landing gear.” *** Thank you Dr. Gloger. There are many, many ways to go at this argument both for and against such a proposal: we could fill a magazine several times a year just with this topic alone.Update 3/24/12 — In addition to other comments inserted above, this very subject has often been debated at ASTM meetings but the responsibility for any such change, as well as the original rule, resides solely with the FAA —DJ

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No details yet from Cessna on the crash of its second Skycatcher (AKA Cessna 162). According to numerous online reports, the SLSA production prototype crashed March 19 while on a flight test near Wichita, Kan. *** A Kansas cable tv news channel posted a story online that claimed the plane landed under a BRS ballistic airframe parachute canopy, hit a fence and flipped over. *** Good news: the pilot was not injured. *** That’s about all the good news though for Cessna, which had reworked the vertical stabilizer and rudder after its first prototype crashed in a stall-spin accident last fall. *** According to Cessna personnel, the company had conducted further wind tunnel tests after the first crash, then picked one of two aerodynamic solutions which led to the tail mod. *** A Cessna spokesman also commented on a recent online video that Cessna had begun production on the Skycatcher at the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, China plant. No news yet whether production will be halted, or if so, for how long. *** Cessna had hoped to have first deliveries for the more than 1,000 orders in the second half of 2009. All that appears to be in limbo for at least the next few days to weeks, until the cause of this latest crash is revealed by NTSB investigators.

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BRS test of the SR20 canopy from the late 1990s.

Step-by-step view of a BRS rocket-deployed parachute deployment from the Cirrus SR20.

The circular ring in front of the main canopy is called the slider. Seen doing its job in the four-view photo (frames 2 & 3), the slider controls the opening speed of the main canopy.

Watch the video. Open your mind. Put yourself in this cockpit. Imagine it happening to you. Think of the people you love and who love you. *** Dan Johnson wrote about this yesterday in his blog post (my writing home away from home) with some tasty comments based on his years at BRS parachutes, so I’ll direct you there for his in-depth overview. *** My purpose in posting here is more personal. I want you to fly safely your entire, long life. *** But any pilot — and you know who you are — who has so far convinced him/herself that an airframe parachute shouldn’t be an essential component of any aircraft, please watch the video. *** Then try to make a rational argument afterwards against recreational aircraft carrying onboard chutes. *** Yes, the pilot is engaging in high-stress aerobatics, which the vast majority of us will never do. And yes, you can make an argument that carrying a chute increases your likelihood of taking more chances in the air because you feel you always have a backup. *** But do you drive more recklessly because you buckle up in your car? Most of us don’t. I think this is not a strong argument against having one when you might need one… because if you don’t have one, you’ll never need one again. That much we can say with certainty, as would the young pilot in this video. *** Finally, who can say with certainty that nothing catastrophic will ever happen to us in flight? Nobody. Absolutely nobody.
Scroll down to see the video below or click here.
*** I bet you know somebody who would be alive today if they’d had an airframe chute on board. I can think of several over the years… friends and colleagues I miss, some a great deal. I think sometimes about how their families must miss them still. We never forget the people we love.
*** BRS Aerospace keeps stats on their saves. The tally is now 253 people who are still alive because of this technology, including the young man here who walked away unhurt after losing an entire wing just 700 feet above ground. *** If you want to cut to the chase, fast forward 1:50 into the video to see the breakup itself, and watch the rest for a slow-motion replay. *** Here’s what’s remarkable to me: • How fast the pilot deployed the chute… and still the main lanyard connected to the chute seems to have wrapped around the fuselage at least once, which is why I think it descended — very slowly as you’ll notice — in a nose-down attitude. • How quickly the chute deployed even with the high-speed rotation around the roll axis • How the pilot was completely unscathed, though as Dan reports the airplane caught fire after “landing” and burned up (more pix on his site). *** I’m going to beat this drum until the drum breaks, then I’ll get another one, because airplanes are mechanical devices. Something, in time, will fail. You can count on that. We don’t need to fly in fear, but we shouldn’t kid ourselves either. Why not be as safe as we possibly can? *** The other day I pulled into a rest stop on the interstate, opened the door, and watched as a tide of oil ran out of my engine onto the asphalt. I called it Mini-Gulf of Mexico because five quarts makes quite a flood. *** Four hours of cleanup and an auto tow later, the mechanic told me the engine drain plug had unscrewed, although it took 2,000 miles since the last oil change — at the VW dealer — to do so! *** Again, my point: an airplane is a mechanical device. Something can and will fail in time, and you might not catch it in a preflight. *** Or you might hit a bird or an airplane and be disabled and unable to land safely. *** In the news, a high time pilot had a midair the other day and was killed. It happens, and piloting skill or lack of it had nothing to do with his death. *** With 35 pounds of parachute on board, you’ve got a hole card against the unknown. *** Why wouldn’t you want that? Why wouldn’t your friends and loved ones want that for you? *** The young pilot in this video was 5 seconds from losing his life after that wing let go. Instead, because he was smart enough to install an airframe parachute, he’s got one hell of a story to tell for the rest of his life, and a family and friends who will welcome him home for all the years ahead. *** That’s an incredible exchange for a few thousand bucks and 35 pounds of weight, wouldn’t you say?

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Before I go forward with this story, let me tell you that for 18 years, I was a VP at BRS Parachutes.

I was the one who kept the early list of the company’s “saves,” that is, the sparing of a human life by the use of a whole-airframe parachute (usually rocket deployed). As the keeper of such a list, I always sought information on what happened and why, seeking ways to help BRS engineers further improve its products and to better prepare pilots for the use of such a system. Always, always… the most valuable thing was a video of the deployment event. Rarely did any such video surface.

But today, BRS sales rep Derek Keufler reported a deployment in Santa Fe, Argentina. He wrote, “We are still looking to obtain more information, but it appears that the pilot was doing aerobatics and his wing collapsed at 700 feet above ground level.”

Whatever they later find out, the video shows the situation quite clearly. A stunt pilot flying a RANS (what appears to be a S-9 model) was inverted when his left wing broke at the fuselage. The pilot was identified as 22-year-old Dino Moliné by the newspaper El Trébol (“The Clover”) via their online story titled, “Miracle in the Sky.”

He deployed in plenty of time and you can watch his remarkably slow descent to the ground. I have seen video for a handful of actual events and I’ve observed many parachute canopy tests and Moliné indeed experienced a slow descent rate. The airplane subsequently caught fire — with the parachute still inflated and pulling on the fuselage — but the pilot can be seen walking away from the incident. The Fire Chief reported, “The pilot was fine, in perfect condition, walked and talked with us all the time.”

Articles like this help us learn the value of an airframe parachute. And I remind you this is an extremely rare capture of one of these event. BRS reports this as “save” number 253.

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This pump at a Wisconsin Qwik Trip already serves the non-aviation market for “E0 fuel.”

Looking for MoGas for your flight to Sun ‘n Fun, Oshkosh or another event? Check this interactive map.

AFC observes that airports or other enterprises can buy turn-key fuel stations from U-Fuel.

“Things are really popping with autogas,” said Kent Misegades, one member of a group trying to assure more LSA-friendly fuels (like zero ethanol or E0). Though the new Rotax 912 iS can handle ethanol, it truly loves E0 and many experts say it runs more powerfully and cleaner with such fuel plus wear and tear is reportedly reduced. Another big plus is that such fuel is significantly cheaper than avgas like 100LL. *** Kent reported that they found a new supplier in California resulting in the Santa Rosa airport beginning to sell it. “With the recent rise in avgas prices and the latest news of the Friends of Earth lawsuit against the EPA, my inbox is full of requests for help to get autogas,” added Kent. “Todd Petersen is even busier with autogas STCs, which have been selling well in recent years.” *** Kent further described the benefits “As LSA owners know, autogas is not only an excellent fuel for the engines that power the vast majority of light aircraft, but it is the only affordable, lead-free, FAA-approved aviation fuel we have in any quantity. Despite FAA’s continued insistence on a single, drop-in, one-size-fits-all unleaded replacement to avgas, pilots and airports across the country are working on their own to add autogas as an option.” *** Expected rises in avgas prices paired with renewed efforts by environmental groups to reduce aviation use of leaded fuel has increased interest in autogas, judging from the frequent requests for assistance that the directors of the Aviation Fuel Club (AFC) are receiving. *** AFC Director Dean Billing recently added an interactive map (see nearby map with link) to his web site showing the location of all public airports selling autogas. Further details on these airports can be found at his FlyUnleaded.com site. Note that like the list of gas stations selling ethanol-free fuel (Pure-Gas.org), Dean’s list of autogas sellers gains accuracy as users contribute their local knowledge. AFC asks pilots to use this form to update information about E0 sources. “Please help tell us if you have fuel outlets in your area not shown on this list and map,” added Misegades. |||| Going to Oshkosh? — AFC, with assistance from fuel system maker U-Fuel and autogas STC owner Petersen Aviation, is organizing an event this summer called “Unleaded to Oshkosh” (U2OSH) to promote the use of autogas and demonstrate that a grassroots effort of pilots can make important reductions in the use of leaded fuel while also lowering the cost of flying. Details on U2OSH as well as other topics related to aviation fuel may be found in the March issue of the AFC Newsletter. To receive these regularly, all pilots are urged to join the AFC, which costs nothing. AFC has been endorsed by this website, the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association, and leading LSA manufacturers.

In a related note, Kent said, “I was in Wichita, Kansas recently, where I spent the day with Todd Peterson visiting AirPlains, the company that is commercializing the ADI water injection system he developed some years back. With ADI, virtually any piston engine will run with 91 octane autogas.” So those who think E0 won’t work for them may need to think again.

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The new Flight Design CTLSi fitted with the 912 iS

Rotax Aircraft Engines just raised the bar with its new Rotax 912 iS, fuel-injected, 100-hp engine, based on the truly ubiquitous core 912 mill we all know so well. *** FYI: Did you know more than 170,000 Rotax aircraft units are in service worldwide? Wow! That’s a lot of engines. *** The new powerplant is being hailed as the most fuel efficient aviation engine for light sport aircraft. *** Alas, the 912 iS won’t download your email, doesn’t have a Retina display and has nothing in fact to do with Apple. Watch the video below for more details on the new engine’s operation. *** The “i” of course stands for fuel injected, and with this happy development come beaucoup bennies: • Up to 30% lower fuel consumption than previous versions, and up to 78% lower than “comparable competitive engines”. Could this lead to smaller fuel tanks in LSA? That would easily make up for the 13 pound increase in engine weight and then some without giving up range. • increased fuel efficiency from optimized fuel/air mixture for each cylinder at any altitude (no more dual carburetors!) • easier starting (hardly a problem before) • more electrical power • easier preflight check • uses premium autogas up to grade E10. • reduced CO2 emissions • lower operating and maintenance costs (200 hour carb service/sync goes away!) • same 2,000-hour TBO as current 912 variants. *** Flight Design USA’s head honcho Tom Peghiny said this about the new CTLSi with the engine: “With fuel injection, Rotax has leaped forward… Carburetors demand more mechanical oversight and tuning the dual carbs increases complexity. *** With fuel injection, balancing carbs is no longer necessary. Pilots will find increased torque, easier starting, and smoother operation. Carb ice concerns become a thing of the past.” *** FD and, I would assume, everyone else in the industry will be offering the 912 iS in their aircraft once mass production kicks off, in May. *** The actual fuel injection process is run by a Rockwell Collins Electronic Control Unit (ECU) similar to the one in fuel injected cars. The ECU can be software optimized for peak-efficiency burn by a mechanic with a laptop due to its computer interface. *** Each cylinder has two injector ports for redundant fuel supply and reliability. Overall weight is 13 lbs. heavier. Size is virtually the same as the 912. *** The 912 iSc will be the certified version. *** No word yet on how much more we’re talking about in cost. *** For a closer look, Rotax will have one at the LAMA LSA Mall inside the Sun ‘n Fun 2012 entrance later this month in Florida. Experts will be there to chat! Tech wienie dream!

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New BRP Rotax 912 iS engine

LSA market leader Flight Design showed their new CTLSi. Workers at BRP Rotax assemble the new powerplant. photo courtesy Flight Design

Pipistrel was ready with the environmentally-friendly engine. photo courtesy Pipistrel

In a product launch somewhat comparable to an Apple Inc., product event, BRP Rotax drew a large group of attendees to their facility in Gunskirchen, Austria.

Update 3/12/12 — See the impressive list below for airplanes displayed at the 912 iS launch. —DJ

The occasion was the launch of their new 912 iS engine. In the tech world, “i” means Internet. In the light aviation world, or more specifically BRP Rotax’s world, “i” now means injected. *** “Pilots will appreciate the easier pre-flight check and starting procedures offering them an enhanced flight experience,” stated Rotax/BRP. They add that this removes “the need for servicing and synchronizing the carburetors every 200 hours.” Fuel injection also “eliminates” carburetor icing. Users of the engine will appreciate these improvements. *** Fuel injection is controlled by an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) similar to automotive applications. A mechanic can connect to the ECU with a laptop for easier maintenance. Rotax engineers employ the ECU to time and configure each fuel input. All cylinders also use two fuel injectors per cylinder for redundancy much like dual spark plugs on carbureted aircraft engines. *** Rotax-Owner.com, a Canadian enterprise assisting owners and mechanics of the popular engine, attended the launch event and reported, “Rotax, a company always known for cutting edge innovation and technology, really hit the ball out of the park today with the introduction of their new 912 iS 100 HP fuel injected engine.” *** A look at the engine parts on their new special 912 iS website shows Rotax is thinking green. The Austrian producer is positioning the 912 iS to be an environmentally-friendly engine thanks to improved fuel economy and with lower emissions as major elements of the design. |||| More 912 iS engine facts — The new 912 iS engine maintains the same output (100 horsepower) as do current carbureted versions of the 912. However, they scrapped the Bing carburetors that demanded periodic adjustment. The company claims up to 30 percent lower fuel consumption than competing aircraft engines providing the same power. *** Physically, the 912 iS remain essentially the same size as earlier 912 engines. However, weight increases about 13 pounds, totaling about 140 pounds installed weight before fluids. The engine has an external alternator to power both the ECU and aircraft systems. *** BRP reported that the engine can be ordered in two versions: one non-certified plus the 912 iSc for certified aircraft. The company says production will begin this month and the 912 iS features the same 2,000-hour time between overhauls (TBO) as their present 912 engines. For those concerned, the 912 iS can use premium autogas up to E10. *** If you seek even more detail including technical descriptions, you can download their 912 iS PDF brochure. In this document, readers can see charts comparing the new powerplant to existing engines used to power Light-Sport Aircraft. If that’s still not enough, make your way to the LAMA LSA Mall right inside the entrance to Sun ‘n Fun 2012 where the company will host a large display staffed with experts who can help explain the new development. Power up and head to Florida!

* Jan Fridrich, who attended the Rotax launch event reported the following airplanes were shown with the new installation — Flight Design CTLSi; Evektor Harmony; Skyleader 600; WT 9 Dynamic; TL Sting S4; TL Sirius 3000; FK-14 Le Mans; Tecnam P2008 LSA; Breezer B600; Pipistrel Virus SW iS; and, two autogyros: Auto Gyro cavalon; Arrow copter AC 10.

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LSA like this Alto 100 can surprise GA pilots ***  with robust takeoff performance.

Many GA pilots have never flown an aircraft with a stick

Many GA aircraft like this Cessna 170 ***  use a yoke for pitch and roll

Spicy LSA: the FK 12 Comet comes with Rotax or Lycoming 233-LSA engines for sport flying or acrobatics.

Full EFIS cockpits are standard for many LSA cockpits

Time to wrap up this week’s discussion with John Lampson, CFII and veteran Flight Design CTLS instructor. *** Our topic: How and why are LSA different than GA airplanes and what transition challenges do they present for experienced GA pilots?”LSA really perform,” says John. “When you add power in the CT, it wants to just leap off the ground. That’s not true of most heavier GA airplanes.” *** “As I said earlier, GA experience shouldn’t hold pilots back in an LSA. But I’ve noticed they’re often surprised at the lighter, more dramatic, responsive feel of LSA, especially when they make the exact same control inputs that they’re used to for a GA airplane.” *** “New pilots on the other hand, with no prior flying experience, have no preconceptions. I can teach them from the ground up. They don’t have to combat and unlearn those old habits first.” *** Does that mean baby blue students get with the program quicker? “Not at all. The brand new pilot still has the whole ‘learning to fly’ curve to climb, while the seasoned GA pilot just needs to amend some ingrained habits. It’s called the Law of Primacy: things that are first learned are best remembered… and can be difficult to unlearn.” *** “But I sure don’t mean to scare away GA pilots”, he hastens to add. “Most of the time they do just great, there’s just some transition time needed, to make individual adjustments to these new aircraft.” *** “I have had pilots with thousands of hours expect that all they’ll need is a quick, ‘around the patch’ flight, rather than any actual training.” *** “Usually, they’re surprised at how different the LSA is once they get in the air.” *** He recounts a recent flight with a gentleman he unabashedly describes as “a phenomenal pilot. I’d wanted to fly with him because I expected I’d learn something. But he expected I would just sign him off without flying. ‘Let’s go up for just half an hour,’ I said.” “After we landed, he said, ‘Wow, I’m really glad we did that! It’s worth it to go up with someone who knows the plane better I do.’ Obviously I didn’t teach him how to fly; he did really great in the CT. But his whole attitude toward LSA changed after that flight.” *** John points out some adjustments specific to the CTLS that illustrate the general idea that proper transition to LSA flight is important: *** “The sight picture forward takes a bit of getting used to during taxi, takeoff and landing.” *** I struggled with this myself: the short, puppy dog-curving nose sets up a false sense of where straight ahead is that gave me problems, particularly on landings. I’d slide into final thinking I had the wheels lined up straight down the runway, and was surprised to find I as several degrees off, putting a bit of a side load on the tires. That took awhile to adjust to. *** “You sit in a little more reclined attitude too,” John continues. “It’s a little more sporty than many GA planes.” *** “Also, we forget sometimes that some GA pilots people have never flown using a stick before. That yoke-to-stick transition can take a bit of time.” *** “And again, the sheer performance of it: it’s simply a quicker, more sensitive airplane. People are always surprised, pleasantly of course, by the climb performance and dramatic deck angle. We get 1200 to 1500 fpm sometimes in the CT.” *** “‘Hey, I didn’t expect that from a 100 hp engine!’ is something I hear all the time.” *** Engine rpm is another surprise. *** “GA pilots are used to 1700 rpm for runup and 2400 rpm for cruise. In a Rotax, which is a reduction drive-geared engine, the numbers approach twice that: 4000 and higher for cruise, 3000-4000 rpm for run up.” *** “Glass panels present another challenge for transitioning pilots.” *** Since LSA don’t require FAA certification for EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument Systems), there’s a proliferation of affordable “glass” cockpits in the industry. They’re not nearly as common in the existing fleet of GA cockpits, especially in training airplanes like the C-172 that have been around forever. “ Everything in LSA is moving away from steam gauges,” says John. “Not only do LSA perform differently, but there’s the whole visual difference in the cockpit to learn. Students can feel overwhelmed by having to hunt for the altitude, airspeed, turn and bank and other indicators are on the screen, not to mention how to hit the right buttons to change the displays. Getting used to EFIS screens can be more challenging for Cessna and Cherokee pilots than the performance difference.” *** “It all boils down to this: I tell new students, first timers and veteran GA pilots alike: ‘Don’t even worry about trying to absorb the EFIS avionics today; let’s fly the airplane first. It’ll quickly become very familiar and easy to digest once you’re exposed to it a bit.’” *** Many thanks again John for sharing your expertise!

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