ByDanJohnson.com

Affordable and Capable: Merlin Lite
sponsored by Aeromarine-LSA.com

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

Questions & Attitudes Erupt Over EAA/AOPA Plan

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

EAA President Rod Hightower will address some 300 LSA professionals the LAMA Dinner. photo courtesy EAA

Industry association LAMA will hold its fifth annual LAMA Dinner on opening day evening at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo.

“I’m of mixed feelings over this,” express many Light-Sport Aircraft industry participants who have caused my phone to ring regularly since late September *. That’s when EAA and AOPA came together to address requests from some members for a driver’s license “medical,” which would allow aviators with certificates beyond Sport Pilot to fly GA aircraft with clearly defined limitations without the need for an FAA medical. *** In the weeks that followed the announcement, numerous LSA professionals have expressed dismay with the initiative. A dozen cancelled sales have been reported and that is not likely to represent the whole picture. A common complaint is the industry was unaware of the plan announcement until just before it was made; no discussion occurred between the member organizations and the LSA industry. *** For the record… work to formulate a written proposal to FAA is underway; a date for presentation to the agency has not been announced. Many Light-Sport business people appear concerned that the initiative challenges head-on the most compelling sales tool for LSA sellers, specifically, the lack of requirement for an FAA medical. While Light-Sport Aircraft have many other positive qualities that will aid sales — lower prices, lower fuel use, less noise, roomier cockpits, modern technology, etc. — nonetheless losing the #1 selling reason has caused considerable angst among those who have invested years of their time and substantial amounts of money to build the LSA industry. While many are conflicted, others are just confused. *** One intriguing question that just arose regards a new Sport Pilot who may wish to fly a four-seat GA aircraft (with no more than two persons on board, among other limitations). Does the Sport Pilot presently in training have to get a medical (part of the Private Pilot application process) to be able to solo a Cessna 172 or equivalent? Also, the Private certificate demands night and instrument training even though neither kind of flying can be done under the EAA/AOPA proposed initiative. Must a Sport Pilot pay for training to acquire those skills even though they cannot use them (without a medical)? *** These questions and more might be asked of EAA president Rod Hightower, who has agreed to come speak to LSA professionals at the Fifth Annual LAMA Dinner at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo (the LAMA Dinner is not open to the public; only to people in the LSA business). The timing should be good as the Sebring LSA Expo is moving swiftly toward a full engagement. On a recent Sebring visit with new Director Jana Filip, we observed only six aircraft display spaces remain available with two months to go. The event appears in good health as it prepares to launch the 2012 calendar year.

Update 12/5/11 — For more info on the subject of the EAA/AOPA proposal, I invite you to listen to AvWeb’s podcast. —DJ

* The mixed feeling comes as many LSA pros generally believe FAA ought to relax the medical requirement (as do EAA and AOPA members, according to the associations). Most agree that having to obtain a medical adds another barrier to student starts without substantially helping safety. Yet after businesspeople invested significantly in creating an LSA industry, a successful EAA/AOPA plan could install a major obstacle to LSA sales. Neither organization is guaranteeing success with their initiative, though they have addressed reasons that caused it to fail on several earlier attempts.

Compress Post ...

“I’m of mixed feelings over this,” express many Light-Sport Aircraft industry participants who have caused my phone to ring regularly since late September *. That’s when EAA and AOPA came together to address requests from some members for a driver’s license “medical,” which would allow aviators with certificates beyond Sport Pilot to fly GA aircraft with clearly defined limitations without the need for an FAA medical. *** In the weeks that followed the announcement, numerous LSA professionals have expressed dismay with the initiative. A dozen cancelled sales have been reported and that is not likely to represent the whole picture. A common complaint is the industry was unaware of the plan announcement until just before it was made; no discussion occurred between the member organizations and the LSA industry. *** For the record… work to formulate a written proposal to FAA is underway; a date for presentation to the agency has not been announced.

Expand Post ...

More and More, LSA Are Going Global

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Arion’s Lightning LS-1 has sold to Australia. photo courtesy Arion Aircraft

U.S. Sport Aircraft delivered a SportCruiser/PiperSport to Brazil.

Remos is preparing to enter other countries with LSA certified to ASTM standards. photo courtesy Remos Aircraft

Flight Design was first into China with an LSA.

Since the beginning of LSA time, way back in 2005 (when the first LSA was approved), LSA have arrived on American shores from overseas factories. American producers also sold airplanes to Yankees, but none went overseas as governments of other nations had not yet accepted ASTM certification standards. In the last year, a lot has happened. *** At least four companies are selling LSA in other countries with aircraft defined by U.S.-originated parameters and meeting ASTM standards. LSA Global developments are reported by Arion Aircraft, U.S. Sport Aircraft (representing Czech Sport Aircraft), Remos Aircraft, and Flight Design. *** Yankee First? Arion Aircraft is one of the first all-American companies to go global with its production. The Marysville, Tennessee company — a related company to Jabiru U.S., which supplies the J230 and other high wing models to LSA buyers in the USA — has sent aircraft to Australia. The down-under country was one of the first to use ASTM certification after the new approval method was introduced by FAA in America. I am not aware of any other U.S.-based company that has sold LSA products outside the States. Arion’s Pete Krotje also told me of interest from Brazil, one of the newest countries to OK use of ASTM certification standards. *** South American expansion U.S. Sport Aircraft spokesman Donato Martino said, “We believe we are the first company to actually sell and deliver an LSA to a customer in Brazil. Paul Kramer was our ferry pilot who commanded the entire 4,300 nautical mile flight in PiperSport/SportCruiser N297PS from Fort Pierce, Florida to Curitiba, Brazil. Paul kept a detailed log of his journey and wrote a story about the effort. It took several months of planning and document preparation but we did pull it off and will most likely be delivering more SportCruisers to Brazil.” The SportCruiser is built in the Czech Republic by Czech Sport Aircraft. *** German Export Recently reorganized German manufacturer Remos Aircraft has been renewing dealerships around the world including a tour through the USA. The company also reports winning approval from aviation agencies in India and Brazil for their GX design while in South Africa, Remos obtained a Type Certificate, the company added. “This assures that India and Brazil, which have not yet established LSA certification, will grant airworthiness certificates in reciprocal recognition of the EASA LSA Type Certificates,” stated Theo Paeffgen, CEO. He noted that in South Africa, the government has now developed LSA type certification standards. *** Chinese Connection LSA market leader Flight Design has delivered aircraft to China where the German company has earned a Type Certificate under Chinese rules. It was the first LSA manufacturer to gain support from China aviation authorities and, like other aviation enterprises, Flight Design anticipates sales growing significantly as that country opens aviation to personal use for the first time (before last year, all aviation in China was solely military or airline). *** As the second-largest aviation market in the world after the USA, Europe also factors large. The approximate equivalent to FAA, EASA has now issued their Certification Specification for LSA (CS-LSA) so EU countries can also move toward sales of LSA types. Costs remain a concern as EASA charges manufactuers for approvals and oversight where in the U.S., these costs are borne by taxpayers. Another difference: In Europe, no speed limit exists for this category of aircraft; in-flight adjustable props are permitted to generate higher cruise speeds. Since ASTM standards accommodate these features, this presents no problem even if American buyers have a speed limit and must use fixed pitch props. *** My LAMA Europe affiliate, Jan Fridrich, first coined the phrase “LSA Global” and, increasingly, it appears his foresight is proving accurate.

Compress Post ...

Since the beginning of LSA time, way back in 2005 (when the first LSA was approved), LSA have arrived on American shores from overseas factories. American producers also sold airplanes to Yankees, but none went overseas as governments of other nations had not yet accepted ASTM certification standards. In the last year, a lot has happened. *** At least four companies are selling LSA in other countries with aircraft defined by U.S.-originated parameters and meeting ASTM standards. LSA Global developments are reported by Arion Aircraft, U.S. Sport Aircraft (representing Czech Sport Aircraft), Remos Aircraft, and Flight Design. *** Yankee First? Arion Aircraft is one of the first all-American companies to go global with its production. The Marysville, Tennessee company — a related company to Jabiru U.S., which supplies the J230 and other high wing models to LSA buyers in the USA — has sent aircraft to Australia. The down-under country was one of the first to use ASTM certification after the new approval method was introduced by FAA in America.

Expand Post ...

Unintentional Holiday part Deux

By James Lawrence || Leave a Comment

Yours Truly scaring the crap out of hisself

SALSA’s Rand Vollmer and the components for his soon to be built Sinus motorglider…

…which will look like this!

Taurus self-launching motorglider; also comes electric powered!

(Note to my readers: the first part of this tome is just below) *** So here I was in Slovenia, unable to fly and three more days before I could return to my wife in Hamburg, unless I wanted to pay another $200 to change the flight. Modern air travel, what a concept. *** Undaunted and determined to enjoy my first visit to this lovely country after two days in bed with a virus (the physical kind, not the airplane), I crawled back into the light and joined up with Rand for a thoroughly enjoyable factory tour, courtesy of Ivo’s daughter Taya (she’s also a partner in the firm), who speaks very good English indeed and gave us a very informative and enjoyable peek at how the company does it’s day-to-day.And what a factory! High tech geothermal heat, solar power (enough to run the entire factory year round, and sell excess back to the grid) and open, sunny, airy spaces all make for a wonderful working environment. *** Then Ivo invited Rand and me to join him and the entire Pipistrel crew for a “team building” weekend trip. We followed the bus jammed full of Pipistrelians east for a couple hours and found ourselves in the middle of one of those ropes course-like facilities meant to scare the bejeezus out of people. It’s a fair-weather season facility that lives atop a ski area in eastern Slovenia. *** Now remember, I was just out of a sick bed and still pretty wobbly. And when I saw that the first task my teammates and I would have to perform was climbing up a 10 meter wooden pole (that’s 33 feet, folks), lumberjack style (albeit safely belayed by ropes carabinered to a body harness), and then stand up on top of said pole, I got a tad wobblier. *** The flat top of that pole was about as big around as a medium-sized pancake, maybe 9″ in diameter, 10″ at the most.  *** Are you kidding me? *** After attaining that precarious perch (and not everybody did), to get max points for the team, we then had to gingerly pussyfoot our feet around on top of the pole until facing in the opposite direction. Then we could take a leap of faith into space, expecting/trusting/hoping like hell we’d be safely arrested and lowered to the ground by our teammates who held the lifeline ropes. *** Let me tell you right now: a 33-foot tall pole is an excellent harmonic device for magnifying the timid, overcorrecting uncertainties of your thigh muscle/knee joint mechanisms. *** Let me say it another way: the more you shake, the more that damn pole gyrates at the top, like a plate spinner gyrating a plate atop a long stick…and you the plate! *** So brother, you haven’t lived until you’ve stood on top of an oscillating pole, willing your legs (unsuccessfully) to stop quavering and unsuccessfully trying to convince your body to believe what your mind knows: that you’re safely backed up by the rope harness…and that your teammates are paying attention. Looking down from almost forty feet (bugged-out eyeball elevation) to see your big boots completely eclipsing that pancake-sized pole top and, in the vast distance beyond those boots, the foreshortened bodies of people’s little white heads as they look up at you to shout encouragement (in Slovenian), is one of those “WTF am I doing here?” moments in life that shouldn’t be missed. *** The purpose of the weekend trip of course was to give people who work so diligently together a chance to share some bonhomie away from the factory, which no one seemed to have any problem with at all. The Pips are a very friendly crew indeed. Traveling out of country is great…even when you don’t get to fly a single minute. And spending that day with the crew, facing some other fun team challenges together, knocking back more than one glass of blueberry schnapps, sharing meals and tasting wine, feeling the warmth, good cheer and open amiability of all, watching groups at different tables at an ancient Slovenian winery dinner burst into song, made me wish for a spirit of nationality and camaraderie that seems missing on the American scene these days. *** Anyway, no, I don’t yet have a single Pipistrel flight story to share (other than the Virus I wrote up after Oshkosh which should be out in the mag very soon.) *** But I do plan on getting my Private Pilot motorglider rating this winter, and escape the New England snows in the process: Rand and I hope to enlist Jim Lee of Phoenix Air USA, who impressed everyone with the Phoenix motorglider’s 47 mpg performance at the GFC on conventional fuel power, to take us through the training down in Florida. We’ll fly Rand’s 40-foot Sinus Touring Motorglider and I for one, shoveling the wet snow from our upstate New York Halloween porch just a few days ago, muttering “disgusting” to myself the entire time, can hardly wait to head south and strap on that sleek, beautiful airplane. *** Meanwhile, keep your eyes on Pipistrel. They’ve got a lot of excitement coming down the taxiway.  *** En route, I’ll be looking at the virtues of getting your private pilot glider rating down the road too, since it automatically removes a lot of the Sport Pilot restrictions (10,000 altitude max for instance) with very little additional effort…and you don’t need a medical to fly a glider either…even a motorized glider with retractable gear. Not a lot of pilots are fully aware of that, so we’ll be kicking it around once I start my training. *** Meanwhile here’s Jim Lee’s treatise on how to fly a glider without a medical certificate…or even a driver’s license! Of course as always, and as Jim notes, we want to be sure we self-certify that we are indeed fit to fly.

Compress Post ...

(Note to my readers: the first part of this tome is just below) *** So here I was in Slovenia, unable to fly and three more days before I could return to my wife in Hamburg, unless I wanted to pay another $200 to change the flight. Modern air travel, what a concept. *** Undaunted and determined to enjoy my first visit to this lovely country after two days in bed with a virus (the physical kind, not the airplane), I crawled back into the light and joined up with Rand for a thoroughly enjoyable factory tour, courtesy of Ivo’s daughter Taya (she’s also a partner in the firm), who speaks very good English indeed and gave us a very informative and enjoyable peek at how the company does it’s day-to-day.And what a factory! High tech geothermal heat, solar power (enough to run the entire factory year round, and sell excess back to the grid) and open, sunny, airy spaces all make for a wonderful working environment.

Expand Post ...

Electric Aircraft Development Alliance Takes Form

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Calin Gologan is the man behind PC-Aero’s Electra One that impressed AirVenture 2011 visitors. The design has also been shown on tricycle gear.

Sonex has been putting heart and soul (and a good measure of cash) into their eAirplane, which debuted in 2007.

Another eAirplane in development is the Alternair Amp.

A wide range of people sat in a room used all day long by the ASTM Committee that develops the LSA certificate standards. Apparently sitting in a room all day — while the sun shown brightly and the flying would have been great — was not enough punishment for this hard working crowd. Indeed, nearly 30 persons willingly stayed into the evening. What drove such dedication? Electric-powered aircraft. *** The G-30 assembled to work at forming the Electric Aircraft Development Alliance (EADA), a brand new industry organization specifically aimed at electric-powered aircraft. Representatives came from Sikorsky, Yuneec, Pipistrel, Sonex, Alternair, Electra One, Cessna, Bye Aerospace, Lockwood Aircraft, Embry Riddle, FAA, EASA, LAMA, and others. LEAP, the Lindbergh organization, lent energy to help assemble the group and, indeed, they drew a number of people that had not traveled to Tampa, Florida for the ASTM meeting. *** Passion was on display as individuals spoke strongly about the need for an industry organization and how to bring it to reality. The brain trust in the meeting saw many potential applications for electric power from leisure aviation to military (for duties such as surveillance) to air transport. Yet for now, the focus is on Light-Sport Aircraft and on true Part 103 ultralights, the latter being viable electric aircraft today. Yes, you can go out and buy and fly a pure electric Part 103 ultralight now from
Electra Flyer. Does it seem too far out to you, especially those readers that will not consider an ultralight? *** Perhaps, but celebrated developer Calin Gologan grasped the charm and appeal of Part 103 and stated that he plans to bring a legal Part 103 Electra One — with batteries counted in the tight 254-pound limit and meeting Part 103’s speed and other parameters — possibly by May 2012. I quizzed him to be sure he meant total empty weight of 254 pounds includes the battery. He did and this will deliver a 20-minute flight under power. However, with a great glide (30:1) and with solar collectors to recharge the batteries, 20 minutes of power could yield hours of flying. Now this aircraft will be a more expensive choice (beyond $100,000) but it is different than most Part 103 aircraft as it has a full fuselage and enclosure plus composite structure. Even a small number of buyers would allow Gologan to collect data valuable to further prove the electric concept to regulators and others. *** Calin observed that while battery development continues, airframe and motor investigations should continue. Assuming batteries evolve that store plenty of power and charge quickly, it would be a shame if the aircraft or if regulation development fell behind and had to be rushed once the batteries were ready. Thus, Calin feels these should be parallel investigations perhaps compared to the great chef who prepares a meal such that it can be served at one time. *** Part 103 aircraft require no pilot license, no medical, and no N-numbers. Aircraft can be sold ready to fly. A few buyers intrigued by electric flight could choose the Part 103 Electra One and enjoy high-tech electric-powered flying in a “real” aircraft in the very near term. Those early adopters would be contributing to the development of electric airplanes. It’s an exciting time in aviation.

Compress Post ...

A wide range of people sat in a room used all day long by the ASTM Committee that develops the LSA certificate standards. Apparently sitting in a room all day — while the sun shown brightly and the flying would have been great — was not enough punishment for this hard working crowd. Indeed, nearly 30 persons willingly stayed into the evening. What drove such dedication? Electric-powered aircraft. *** The G-30 assembled to work at forming the Electric Aircraft Development Alliance (EADA), a brand new industry organization specifically aimed at electric-powered aircraft. Representatives came from Sikorsky, Yuneec, Pipistrel, Sonex, Alternair, Electra One, Cessna, Bye Aerospace, Lockwood Aircraft, Embry Riddle, FAA, EASA, LAMA, and others. LEAP, the Lindbergh organization, lent energy to help assemble the group and, indeed, they drew a number of people that had not traveled to Tampa, Florida for the ASTM meeting.

Expand Post ...

Third Quarter 2011 LSA Market Report; Cessna Jumps

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Cessna’s Skycatcher now ranks #2 in FAA N-number registrations. Read my Skycatcher pilot report. photo courtesy Cessna Aircraft

Van’s has registered 132 kit RV-12s since Brad Stiefvater flew this first customer-built version in September 2009. photo courtesy General Aviation News

Sure enough, by several measures and based on multiple conversations, 2011 is shaping up to be a better year than 2010. Of course, that’s not saying much as all of aviation worldwide was slow last year and in 2009. When you’re near the bottom of the well, everything starts looking up. *** With those thoughts in mind, we present the newest market share report, this one through the third quarter of 2011. In recent years we’ve had folks tell us we ought to show charts of this year’s or this quarter’s performance. But most readers want to know the “installed base,” to borrow a phrase from the trend-setting tech industry. When people talk about Windows versus Apple market share or iOS versus Android, they generally mean how many of all buyers have those systems. *** Nonetheless, we recognize pilots are hungry for more recent info. So for several years, we have discussed near-term performance in the text of our articles even while we present a graphic showing FAA N-number registrations since the beginning. The nearby chart has become a staple of this industry used by all sorts of people: other airframe producers, avionics and other equipment manufacturers, insurance companies, FAA, and member organizations. *** For the last nine months, Cessna is far and away the leader, with 140 registrations logged in 2011. The Wichita giant once boasted of nearly 1,000 Skycatcher customers and they have been fulfilling those orders with increasing speed. Following them is CubCrafters with 29 registrations this year so far. Other top producers include CSA’s SportCruiser (20), Flight Design (17), and Jabiru USA (8). *** One new arrival in the top 20 is Arion and their Lightning (6 in 2011). Another up and comer is Pipistrel, fresh from their third-in-a-row victory at the NASA Green Challenge. For all other companies, 2011 has continued the very sluggish sales pace of 2008, ’09, and ’10. Notice: As always, we observe for you that all numbers here are derived from FAA’s N-number registration database. These figures are not identical to sales logged by the companies although, over time, the numbers get closer.*** A few kit producers deserve mention even though we struggle to count these numbers accurately due to confusion by entry clerks regarding the fuzzy distinctions between kit ELSA, amateur-built kits, and ELSA converted from two-place ultralights (the latter being, by far, the largest single component of what are called Light-Sport Aircraft in America). Nonetheless with 132 FAA N-number registrations, Van’s Aircraft and their RV-12 earned our attention. Rans is another significant kit producer of aircraft meeting all parameters of Light-Sport Aircraft — the Kansas company also sells SLSA and ELSA versions of some models. *** Cessna’s rise to the #2 slot from the #8 place at the beginning of the year pushed everyone else down. Onetime #2 producer American Legend now finds itself in #5 with 5 new registrations in 2011. *** Yet the top 10 have remained remarkably stable, and indeed, they account for more than 70% of all SLSA fixed wing airplanes delivered since day one in April 2005.

Compress Post ...

Sure enough, by several measures and based on multiple conversations, 2011 is shaping up to be a better year than 2010. Of course, that’s not saying much as all of aviation worldwide was slow last year and in 2009. When you’re near the bottom of the well, everything starts looking up. *** With those thoughts in mind, we present the newest market share report, this one through the third quarter of 2011. In recent years we’ve had folks tell us we ought to show charts of this year’s or this quarter’s performance. But most readers want to know the “installed base,” to borrow a phrase from the trend-setting tech industry. When people talk about Windows versus Apple market share or iOS versus Android, they generally mean how many of all buyers have those systems. *** Nonetheless, we recognize pilots are hungry for more recent info. So for several years, we have discussed near-term performance in the text of our articles even while we present a graphic showing FAA N-number registrations since the beginning.

Expand Post ...

FK Lightplanes Earns SLSA #123: FK12 Comet

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

FK Lightplanes won SLSA approval #123 for their biplane FK12 Comet with multiple cockpit configurations. top photo courtesy FK Lightplanes; inset photo courtesy Hansen Air Group

FK12 Comet is the first LSA biplane on the SLSA List. photo courtesy FK Lightplanes

FK Lightplanes wowed crowds at Aero 2011 with this gorgeous cockpit treatment in the LeMans tradition. photos courtesy FK Lightplanes

FK9 ELA (for European Light Aircraft) is the latest in a long evolution for this popular design. photo courtesy FK Lightplanes

As they’ve done numerous times, Hansen Air Group — a team of dedicated pilots, nearly all of whom fly or formerly flew airliners for their day job — has helped shepherd another Light-Sport Aircraft through the ASTM standards process to get a FAA airworthiness certificate. The Altanta area importer has done this with several aircraft including some Tecnam models, Sky Arrow, and Peregrine. In recent months, Hansen took over U.S. import duties for FK Lightplanes, which has facilities in Germany and Poland. *** Welcome to SLSA #123, the dashing FK12 Comet biplane. FK12 is the first-ever biplane to win SLSA approval, the second qualified LSA for FK Lightplanes, and the second LSA type to arrive in the USA for aerobatic flight (the first was the Snap from SportairUSA). FK12 made a first official U.S. appearance in the LSA Mall at AirVenture 2011 (as did Snap). Crowds frequently gathered around Comet, thoroughly stomping down the grass all around the airplane. Unveiled this summer with the Rotax 912, Hansen Air Group is working with Renegade Aircraft to install a Lycoming AIO-233. Rotax does not permit aerobatics with their engines — manufacturers have full authority over such use under LSA rules — but Lycoming does permit unusual-attitude flying. Given the Hansen team’s high level of pilot skills, aerobatic flying is of great interest. *** Biplanes are often used for aerobatics as their short spans and high roll rates are useful for that sort of maneuvering. Hansen brothers Mike and Mitch report measuring FK12’s roll rate at 1.07 seconds for a 60-to-60 roll reversal. (If you don’t know these numbers, that’s fast.) Comet’s 22-foot span and four full-span flaperons account for the zippy handling. I can report from my own experience (my pilot report will soon appear in Light Sport and Ultralight Flying) that FK12 Comet may be blazing fast in roll but is a very docile cruiser, holding straight and level with minimal input. *** FK Lightplanes, headquartered in Speyer, Germany but with their own production facilities in Poland, is well regarded for its handsome designs. Also prolific, FK Lightplanes often shows distinction in the shapes and details of their airplanes. This year at Aero, the big show in southern Germany each April, FK Lightplanes captured visitors with their exquisite LeMans version of their low wing Polaris FK14 (the same model selected by Cirrus Design as their LSA entry, the SRS| which project, regretfully, was shelved.) Though more basic, the new FK9 ELA is a highly evolved folding wing monoplane available in taildragger, tricycle gear, and floats. Polaris/LeMans is also available as a taildragger or on tricycle gear. FK12 Comet is only available as a taildragger but with three cockpit configurations.

Compress Post ...

As they’ve done numerous times, Hansen Air Group — a team of dedicated pilots, nearly all of whom fly or formerly flew airliners for their day job — has helped shepherd another Light-Sport Aircraft through the ASTM standards process to get a FAA airworthiness certificate. The Altanta area importer has done this with several aircraft including some Tecnam models, Sky Arrow, and Peregrine. In recent months, Hansen took over U.S. import duties for FK Lightplanes, which has facilities in Germany and Poland. *** Welcome to SLSA #123, the dashing FK12 Comet biplane. FK12 is the first-ever biplane to win SLSA approval, the second qualified LSA for FK Lightplanes, and the second LSA type to arrive in the USA for aerobatic flight (the first was the Snap from SportairUSA). FK12 made a first official U.S. appearance in the LSA Mall at AirVenture 2011 (as did Snap).

Expand Post ...

Is Flying for Fun Shrinking? Here’s Another View.

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Titan’s Tornado Experimental Amateur Built “fun” flyer. photo by Scott Wilcox of Light Sport and Ultralight Flying magazine

Cessna’s 172 Skyhawk. photo by Lonna Tucker courtesy of Check-6.com

Quicksilver‘s GT 500 ultralight that also was the first-ever Primary Category aircraft to be certified.

Our good friend, Mary Grady, posted an article on AVweb, one of our favorite aviation news sites; lots of good content available. Mary recently editorialized about electric aircraft and their potential appeal. Following the NASA Green Flight Challenge, her timing was as impeccable as her writing. I encourage you to go read the editorial, but what you’ll find at least as entertaining as Mary’s editorial are a great many reader comments; the topic clearly inspired aviators. *** That said, I had to write Mary* about one line and I want to share some of what I told her. *** Mary wrote, “For people who fly for fun — presuming there are many of those left, it seems to be one of the fastest-shrinking segments of GA — electric airplanes are sure to appeal.” *** In my communication to Mary, I asked about the source of the knowledge that flying for fun is shrinking. Is it really? Who says? On what information? I am keenly aware light aviation is suffering, via sales in particular as are all segments of aviation, but I am not aware that flying for fun is shrinking fast. Reminded of the impeachment-hearing logic of ex-President Bill Clinton, I’m inclined to ask, “What is the definition of “flying for fun?” As one answer to the question, let me recount a story. *** Years ago when I visited the Cessna 172/182 Club Annual Convention, my travel mate and fellow ultralight pilot, Gregg Ellsworth, and I came away thinking, “These 172/182 pilot/owners are essentially ultralight pilot/owners.” (In those days, we didn’t yet have LSA.) We felt this way because we observed that their flight missions were remarkably similar. Asking simple questions we discovered these owners commonly flew one long trip per year (several states away) and a few regional trips (one or two states away). Mostly they flew local trips (in-state or within a couple hours). So far as we were concerned, these GA pilots used their aircraft in almost identical ways to ultralight owners. If ultralight pilots fly for fun, these these 172/182 pilots do so as well, even if someone might not consider their aircraft as “fun” flying machines. Our information came from 150 attendees at the event. Our methods weren’t scientific but we had a decent sample of 172/182 pilots and nearly every one told a similar usage story. *** Now, I don’t know how someone else might characterize such flying, but I’d say those 172/182 owners were “flying for fun.” Such airplane trips are certainly not business or commercial flying. If accurate and if those surveyed truly represent fun flyers, then I can’t imagine how the number of pilots flying for fun are shrinking any faster than the pilot population as a whole. Of course, I might be wrong and statistics can be manipulated to bolster an outcome. I simply don’t see shrinkage among the fly-for-fun set that is my entire focus in aviation. If you fly for fun, maybe you better speak and be heard!

* Mary Grady’s Reply — “You’re right [about the ‘shrinking’ comment], it’s just a statement of opinion based on casual chitchat and input we get from readers who say they have put off fun flying to save money. I’d be glad to be wrong on it. *** What also has given me the impression of less fun flying is the slump in ballooning, which is where I got my start in aviation. I guess my thinking is that business-related flying is easier to justify and maintain.

Compress Post ...

Our good friend, Mary Grady, posted an article on AVweb, one of our favorite aviation news sites; lots of good content available. Mary recently editorialized about electric aircraft and their potential appeal. Following the NASA Green Flight Challenge, her timing was as impeccable as her writing. I encourage you to go read the editorial, but what you’ll find at least as entertaining as Mary’s editorial are a great many reader comments; the topic clearly inspired aviators. *** That said, I had to write Mary* about one line and I want to share some of what I told her. *** Mary wrote, “For people who fly for fun — presuming there are many of those left, it seems to be one of the fastest-shrinking segments of GA — electric airplanes are sure to appeal.” *** In my communication to Mary, I asked about the source of the knowledge that flying for fun is shrinking.

Expand Post ...

Doing What You Cannot Do in Most Aircraft

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Air-Cam N912LA looks (and is) completely airworthy after suffering major damage in the Tornado that hit Sun ‘n Fun 2011. photos by Randee Laskewitz

For most, like passenger and friend Pat Lehotsky, flying in an open cockpit airplane is extremely rare; a tiny fraction of the population will ever experience anything like this. photo by Randee Laskewitz

Fall at Jekyll Island was much better for Air-Cam N912LA than spring at Sun ‘n Fun, where a Tornado turned the twin-engine aircraft into a pile of tubes and fabric.

The Jekyll Island Club main buildings seen from Air-Cam. photo by Randee Laskewitz

My good friend and Air-Cam developer, Phil Lockwood, likes to hold fly-outs for his customers. More than 160 kits have been delivered and built; each fly-out has attracted several of these owners. Phil and his Lockwood Aircraft associate George Weber have invited me several times but I’ve had to miss earlier gatherings for owners of this iconic “twin engined ultralight” (it isn’t really an ultralight but has its roots in that category). For once I got to attend. The destination was the beautiful Jekyll Island resort area of Georgia; it’s near St. Simons Island, another popular vacation destination. *** On a stunningly beautiful day, I was privileged to take my wife and two friends aloft for 30-minute tours of the Island. This was great fun for all. But what made it especially interesting is that I did this in N912LA, one of three Air-Cams badly trashed by the tornado at Sun ‘n Fun 2011 (photo). In an effort typical of the hard-working staff at Lockwood Aircraft, this and two other Air-Cams were returned to flight after looking like a crumpled pile of tubing and fabric. *** The Air-Cam is neither ultralight nor Light-Sport Aircraft but it acts like either one in some ways. For touring an idyllic setting like Jekyll Island, Air-Cam allows what you would be unlikely to do in any other airplane with which I’m familiar. Air-Cam, in which I obtained my multi-engine rating, flies so well on a single engine that you can fly low over marsh lands or stray over the ocean in near-certain safety. I have successfully taken off (solo) in Air-Cam with one engine at idle thrust; this is something you never consider trying in other twin-engine aircraft. If you lose an engine in flight at almost any attitude or altitude you can barely discern you’ve lost an engine, far different from the workout most twin-engine aircraft will give you after an engine quits. *** Air-Cam is so confidence inspiring at 50-200 feet off the surface that such becomes the standard cruising altitude on site-seeing missions as we flew over Jekyll. We literally had to climb to cross bridges, to allow the safe altitude mandated by FAA while flying above people on the surface. We also climbed to enter pattern altitude… yes, climbed. These amazing flight capabilities are backed by Lockwood’s legendary maintenance. I’ve known Phil for decades and if he says an airplane is right, I ask no more questions. His word is gospel in matters of maintenance. *** Not only was the flying experience wonderful, we discovered those Air-Cam’ers really know how to pick excellent destinations. We stayed in the Jekyll Island Club hotel, an early 1900s facility kept in marvelous repair. It was pricey but worth the money. Twice we dined at hotel restaurants for some of the tastiest food any of us has enjoyed.

Compress Post ...

My good friend and Air-Cam developer, Phil Lockwood, likes to hold fly-outs for his customers. More than 160 kits have been delivered and built; each fly-out has attracted several of these owners. Phil and his Lockwood Aircraft associate George Weber have invited me several times but I’ve had to miss earlier gatherings for owners of this iconic “twin engined ultralight” (it isn’t really an ultralight but has its roots in that category). For once I got to attend. The destination was the beautiful Jekyll Island resort area of Georgia; it’s near St. Simons Island, another popular vacation destination. *** On a stunningly beautiful day, I was privileged to take my wife and two friends aloft for 30-minute tours of the Island. This was great fun for all. But what made it especially interesting is that I did this in N912LA, one of three Air-Cams badly trashed by the tornado at Sun ‘n Fun 2011 (photo).

Expand Post ...

Hit or Myth? Flying with an All-Duct-Tape Covering

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

James Weibe is a different sort of airplane pioneer. He doesn’t make an LSA. He bought the rights to the former Kitfox Lite and has gone through several iterations of changing and improving the airplane. This makes sense considering his background in the computer accessory field, where he learned the constant upgrade path so common in the tech industry.

Belite’s aircraft can meet Part 103 and other variations are Experimental Amateur Built. Evidently that wasn’t enough work, so Belite also developed a line of superlight instruments. Just keeping up with this prolific fellow tires many folks. However, he also knows how to reach outside the aviation community. For example, on TV… mainstream TV.

When I was a kid, I used to say, “Just scotch it.” I mean that Scotch (brand) tape could fix anything, or so my young mind thought at the time. Apparently, duct tape is the new Scotch tape, at least for aviators trying to fix tears on a fabric-covered aircraft. But, Mythbusters TV show asked, “Can an airplane actually fly covered only in duct tape?” The answer is, yes, it can.

Mythbusters TV personalities Kari, Grant, and Tory patched up an airplane that had been mauled by a bear. Well, OK, not a real bear. It was Kari Byron using a mechanical claw. The show’s storyline was invented from a true incident about two years ago when an Alaska pilot used duct tape to repair fuselage and tail damage to his Super Cub after it had been attacked by a bear.

In genuine Hollywood fashion Mythbusters went the distance, not merely patching with duct tape, but covering an entire Belite with the silver sticky stuff carefully striping the Belite vertically and horizontally (photo… yes, that’s all duct tape!). After a very short flight without a turn, they found no tape had come loose; the Duct Tape Belite had achieved flight.

James Wiebe flew the plane during filming in June. And therein lies the real story, in my opinion. Through his duct-tape-airplane suggestion, James put light aircraft on national television. Mythbusters reaches about two million Americans, many of them younger people, with a science-is-fun message. I think it’s great James got his bird on the show… heck, as the star of the show. OK, the Belite and duct tape.

Wiebe’s blog noted that the Mythbusters show drove so many people to Belite’s website immediately after it aired that their website crashed. Another proof that even in an age of mobile Internet devices, television still plays a major role in global culture and communication.

Compress Post ...

James Weibe is a different sort of airplane pioneer. He doesn’t make an LSA. He bought the rights to the former Kitfox Lite and has gone through several iterations of changing and improving the airplane. This makes sense considering his background in the computer accessory field, where he learned the constant upgrade path so common in the tech industry. Belite’s aircraft can meet Part 103 and other variations are Experimental Amateur Built. Evidently that wasn’t enough work, so Belite also developed a line of superlight instruments. Just keeping up with this prolific fellow tires many folks. However, he also knows how to reach outside the aviation community. For example, on TV… mainstream TV. When I was a kid, I used to say, “Just scotch it.” I mean that Scotch (brand) tape could fix anything, or so my young mind thought at the time. Apparently, duct tape is the new Scotch tape, at least for aviators trying to fix tears on a fabric-covered aircraft.

Expand Post ...

Green Flight Challenge A Teachable Moment

By James Lawrence || Leave a Comment

The winnah! Pipistrel’s Taurus Electro G4. photo courtesy Pipistrel

Up to the Challenge: eGenius takes flight.  photo courtesy NASA

Posting from Istanbul, Turkey where I’m on vacation with my family, but just couldn’t wait another day to talk a bit about what most everybody in aviation’s been talking about these last several days: the CAFE Green Flight Challenge (GFC). *** History was made when the Pipistrel Taurus Electro G4 twin-fuselage electric-powered aircraft carried four adults, around 1000 lbs. of batteries, one electric motor with a bit prop, and a lot of engineering and piloting savvy to victory in the GFC. They earned themselves $1.35 million in the process. Huge and well-deserved congratulations to Pipistrel!But for my money, the deeper story is not just that they flew off with the biggest aviation dollar prize ever, or even that they accomplished the task of flying 200 miles on one battery charge while also averaging more than 100 mph for the entire flight, or that they did it while “burning” the equivalent of 1 gallon of gas per passenger, or four gallons total…but…that they accomplished all that yet consumed the equivalent of around 1/2 gallon of gas per passenger! *** Looked at another way, they took off with full “tanks”, and landed with just a bit less than the electricity equivalent of half a tank of gas. *** And get this: The eGenius entry had similar economy numbers, though it used a very different design approach, using a conventional motorglider planform, albeit with a tail mounted motor to afford a larger, more efficient prop. Also, it flew with two, not four, people onboard. *** So here we have two teams with different aerodynamic approaches that both met the challenge, and met it easily. *** And as soon as they release numbers on the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Eco Eagle, I’ll post them too, as the ERAU team also flew but as a demonstration flight — they were disqualified from competition for a couple technicalities. *** But here’s the deal, restated from my last post: at least two, and possibly three of the entrants didn’t just meet the task: they killed it! *** Here are the official numbers: e- Genius (which won the second place prize of $120,000 as well as the Lindbergh LEAP award of $10,000 for quietest aircraft) tallied 375.8 passenger miles per gallon. *** And the G-4? An astounding 403.5 passenger miles per gallon! *** That is nothing less than stunning. *** Electric flight is here.Yes, battery tech needs to keep advancing, and dramatically, to bring e-flight into the mainstream GA hangar. But the GFC proves that the page has been turned. From here on in, it’s a race to market affordable, practical electric airplanes. *** As Eric Lindbergh, Lucky Lindy’s grandson, said recently, the first company to make a viable electric trainer will usher in the new age. The G4 accomplished its victory on around $7 worth of electricity. Imagine the rental/training cost of an e-trainer being $125…or $135 “wet”. Kinda funny. *** Dr. Calin Gologan, the Romanian designer of the PC Aero Elektra One, which won the LEAP award this year at Oshkosh, believes battery efficiency (expressed as energy density) will improve by 11% per year. In 9 years, that’s double what we have today. Anybody want to bet it won’t happen faster than that? *** Lest we forget, kudos and bravissimos to Pipistrel, the eGenius team, the Embry Riddle team which converted a Stemme motorglider, to Jim Lee, who entered the contest with a conventionally powered Phoenix motorglider (I’m looking forward to seeing his numbers too), and all the others who originally entered but couldn’t quite make it to the starting line. *** They all have their place in history, and all mark the beginning days of a tide that will change aviation forever. *** Look for my just-submitted story on electric flight in the upcoming December issue of Plane & Pilot, which hits the stands in Nov. *** Meanwhile, check out this video of the event’s highlights.

Compress Post ...

Posting from Istanbul, Turkey where I’m on vacation with my family, but just couldn’t wait another day to talk a bit about what most everybody in aviation’s been talking about these last several days: the CAFE Green Flight Challenge (GFC). *** History was made when the Pipistrel Taurus Electro G4 twin-fuselage electric-powered aircraft carried four adults, around 1000 lbs. of batteries, one electric motor with a bit prop, and a lot of engineering and piloting savvy to victory in the GFC. They earned themselves $1.35 million in the process. Huge and well-deserved congratulations to Pipistrel!But for my money, the deeper story is not just that they flew off with the biggest aviation dollar prize ever, or even that they accomplished the task of flying 200 miles on one battery charge while also averaging more than 100 mph for the entire flight, or that they did it while “burning” the equivalent of 1 gallon of gas per passenger, or four gallons total…but…that they accomplished all that yet consumed the equivalent of around 1/2 gallon of gas per passenger!

Expand Post ...

Green Flight Challenge Down to Final Three!

By James Lawrence || Leave a Comment

The eGenius all-electric CAFE Green Flight Challenge competitor. photo courtesy Eric Raymond

eGenius, designed by Univ. of Stuttgart engineeers. photo courtesy Airbus

Updates 10/4/11 and 10/5/11 — Congratulations to Pipistrel for their unprecedented third win at a NASA Challenge. Picking up a cool $1.35 million, the company won with their unorthodox dual Taurus G2 fuselages joined by a larger, centrally-mounted electric engine. The custom-configured, four-seat aircraft achieved an amazing 403 passenger miles per gallon of fuel (or its equivalent). After this string of wins, Pipistrel has firmly placed itself in the lead position among highly efficient light aircraft and those powered with electric motors. *** NASA claims the prize purse was the biggest ever awarded for an aviation competition. In second-place a much smaller but still hefty check for $120,000 went to the German eGenius team, NASA announced. *** Read more from our friends at AvWeb and at Flying online. In addition, Aero-News offers a video with more on the potential of electric power (scroll to or search for “The Green Flight Challenge”). —DJ

The CAFE Green Flight Challenge is at last underway — it was originally planned for mid-July — and as of the end of today’s flying, just three of the original 13 entrants are still qualified to keep going for the $1.65 million prize money. *** The event, centered in Santa Rosa, California (between Los Angeles and San Francisco), is sponsored by Google and is seeking to advance public awareness and the technologies of electric and high-efficiency flight. Electric-driven aircraft have garnered most of the advance press, though most of the electric entrants have either been eliminated or couldn’t get their aircraft ready in time.It’s a pretty simple task: fly 200 miles averaging 100 mph or greater… with one teeny tiny hitch: fuel burn or fuel equivalent use (electric or electric/hybrid) can only be one gallon of fuel. That’s right: one (1) gallon. Put another way, that’s 200 mpg. Daunting, to say the least. *** Every task day there are different challenges to test the full mettle of each aircraft and pilot, such as a strictly economy run, a maximum decibel test, then the final speed/economy run on the last day. *** One entry, the Eco-Eagle, in the works for 2 years from Embry-Riddle Aviation University, was just disqualified because the race rules specify a two-place airplane must fly with two people, not just a pilot and an equivalent copilot weight in the other seat. But Embry-Riddle’s rules specify only one ERAU participant can fly in a competition event. The Eco-Eagle also did not have a fully functioning airframe parachute system, although one was aboard, and that violated another CAFE requirement. *** The officials, with full consent of the other competitors, will allow the aircraft to fly in the race as a demonstration aircraft, and although it’s not eligible for an award, it will be interesting to see how it fares against the others. *** Gotta say, somebody didn’t do their homework. Those poor kids at Embry Riddle worked for two years and nobody figured out they wouldn’t be legal because of a basic rule: flying with all seats filled? Hard to figure that one, but kudos to the team and the competitors for encouraging the ERAU team to be part of the event: they’ve certainly earned it. The aircraft was performing very well in practice runs according to varied reports from the field. *** In a bit of a surprise, old friend Jim Lee in the Rotax-powered Phoenix USA is one of the three remaining competitors (along with Pipistrel‘s Taurus G4 and Germany’s e-Genius)! Jim’s a master at squeezing every last bit of performance out of whatever he flies (as I’ve written before, he held the distance hang glider record for years back in the ’80s and is an accomplished sailplane pilot). And he really loves nibbling the thermal potential in his elegant, high tech Phoenix motorglider, for which he’s also the U.S. distributor. *** Ah, my misspent youth: if only I could afford one… or a Pipistrel Vinus or Sinus… or Eric Raymond’s Sunseeker… alright kid, snap out of it. *** I don’t know yet what happened to the electric version, the PhoEnix, other than it couldn’t be made ready for race date in time or perhaps wasn’t performing up to expectations. *** Many people are reporting that it’s the electric version that’s flying, but Jim’s comments in the video below would seem to put the kibosh on that. Too bad PhoEnix is out, it was a promising entry… but also kind of cool that a gas-powered motorglider is even in the finals. Good hunting Jimbo! *** Having the stock 100 hp Rotax-powered Phoenix in the final running should be a great PR boost too for what is already the sweetheart motorglider of the LSA genre. Motorgliders are gaining more attention from pilots who want more than point A to point B flying on their plates. *** One of the other two remaining entrants is the Pipistrel Taurus G4 (this link goes to Pipistrel’s Michael Coates’s gallery of GFC photos, worthy of a look). The G4 is in essence a purpose-built joining of two Taurus G2 electric motorglider fuselages onto a larger wing with an electric powered motor-only pod at wing center — a wild jump of ingenuity because being able to carry four passengers, two in each pod, (which CAFE rules require them to do) does qualify the aircraft to carry the equivalent of four gallons of gasoline in electric power storage capacity — one gallon per person is the rule, for 200 miles at 100 mph. The G4 may turn out to be a winning strategy, if the economy is there.The final entrant is e-Genius, built by University of Stuttgart aeronautical engineers and students and a formidable entry in its own right. *** Today’s event required all entrants to meet the noise level ceiling of 78 dBA during full-power takeoff, as measured from 250 feet away. All three (four counting the non prize- qualified Eco-Eagle) met the challenge.

Compress Post ...

Updates 10/4/11 and 10/5/11 — Congratulations to Pipistrel for their unprecedented third win at a NASA Challenge. Picking up a cool $1.35 million, the company won with their unorthodox dual Taurus G2 fuselages joined by a larger, centrally-mounted electric engine. The custom-configured, four-seat aircraft achieved an amazing 403 passenger miles per gallon of fuel (or its equivalent). After this string of wins, Pipistrel has firmly placed itself in the lead position among highly efficient light aircraft and those powered with electric motors. *** NASA claims the prize purse was the biggest ever awarded for an aviation competition. In second-place a much smaller but still hefty check for $120,000 went to the German eGenius team, NASA announced. *** Read more from our friends at AvWeb and at Flying online. In addition, Aero-News offers a video with more on the potential of electric power (scroll to or search for “The Green Flight Challenge”).

Expand Post ...

REMOS GXeLite: Super Diet?

By James Lawrence || Leave a Comment

All photos courtesy Remos Aircraft

This Remos panel chart also shows a Flymap moving map.

Sign of the times: cut costs wherever possible. And kudos to those LSA makers who can cut weight too! *** Remos Aircraft has a lower-priced, dramatically lighter version of its flagship GX that bears closer scrutiny. *** It’s called GXeLite, and lists at $133,924.The model is targeted at pilots, clubs and flights schools that don’t feel the need for all the latest high-tech glass and embellishments. Typically, “loaded” models like the GX and new GXNXT models price out at well over the wallet-flattening $150K mark. *** The eLite is dramatically lighter in empty weight too: just 638 lbs. (My recent flight report on the NXT listed that model’s empty weight at 718, or 90 lbs. heavier!). That would allow full tanks as well as some truly hefty passengers too, since the useful load is 682 lbs.! *** The main steps taken to lighten the load on the eLite include reinstating the composite landing gear, using carbon fiber instead of metal wing struts, new carbon fiber seats and a new instrument panel, which is lighter as well as lower. *** All of this adds up to good news for people interested in Remos. I’ve found the GX in general to be among the easiest, most enjoyable all-around airplanes I’ve ever flown. It has a wonderfully harmonious control balance, light, solid control feel, well-behaved takeoff and landing characteristics, and is simply a joy to fly.The eLite also offers a ballistic parachute safety system as an option rather than standard equipment, along with that lower-profile panel which enhances forward visibility. *** The panel still mounts a good rack of gadgets, starting off with Dynon’s workhorse D-180 EFIS/EMS panel and Becker’s Com AR6201 transceiver and BXP6401 transponder. Power comes from the proven 80 hp Rotax 912. *** Even though the lower-cost electrical system eliminates interior lighting needed for night flight (something day VFR-restricted Sport Pilots don’t deal with anyway), the eLite still has anti-collision, position and landing lights. *** An interior storage area has been removed and there is now only one coat of paint, to help with the load-lightening engineering. *** But think about that Remos diet plan: they took an already-light weight LSA airplane and managed to trim more than 11% more! *** Owners can still opt for all the Remos options the more robust models have, but I’d like to compare this lighter version to the heavier GX to see if there’s an appreciable difference in crosswinds and turbulence. 

Compress Post ...

Sign of the times: cut costs wherever possible. And kudos to those LSA makers who can cut weight too! *** Remos Aircraft has a lower-priced, dramatically lighter version of its flagship GX that bears closer scrutiny. *** It’s called GXeLite, and lists at $133,924.The model is targeted at pilots, clubs and flights schools that don’t feel the need for all the latest high-tech glass and embellishments. Typically, “loaded” models like the GX and new GXNXT models price out at well over the wallet-flattening $150K mark. *** The eLite is dramatically lighter in empty weight too: just 638 lbs. (My recent flight report on the NXT listed that model’s empty weight at 718, or 90 lbs. heavier!). That would allow full tanks as well as some truly hefty passengers too, since the useful load is 682 lbs.! *** The main steps taken to lighten the load on the eLite include reinstating the composite landing gear, using carbon fiber instead of metal wing struts, new carbon fiber seats and a new instrument panel, which is lighter as well as lower.

Expand Post ...

Three If By Sea

By James Lawrence || Leave a Comment

AKOYA artist’s rendering…but the airplane is flying. Photos courtesy LISA

Spacey interior…maybe AKOYA and ICON’s A5 can go on a date. 

Skis…wheels…water…what’s not to like?

Some bright minds at LISA Airplanes, a French company, had a great idea to take the hydrofoil concept and apply it to an LSA seaplane. I’d often wondered why hydrofoils haven’t been done before, it’s such a great concept.Anyway, the airplane is the AKOYA. The technology for the entire package is patented and called Multi-Access, not the most sizzling name but what the hey, look at how cool those little moustache water wings look sticking out from the hull! *** Now get this: the company claims AKOYA operates as easily from land as from water…or snow! First, to those water wings sticking out: they’re called Seafoils, a trademarked name, which adds a little more marketing sizzle to this steak. *** They’re connected to a retractable gear that can be rigged with wheels or skis, I guess, and also to motor-driven, pivoting wings! There’s also a chute onboard. Very neat. *** LISA Airplanes _ AKOYA premiere from LISA Airplanes on Vimeo. *** The airplane is spec’d out at 18.5 gallons yet can fly 680 miles at 110 knots! No restrictions to local pond hopping for this seabird. *** Gérald Ducoin, a test pilot who flew the plane, praises the revolutionary Seafoils which “offer both fast lift-off and stability. They also considerably simplify landing manevers and taking off from water.”With a 100 hp Rotax, the company claims a 650 foot take/landing distance. *** The company is clearnly not worried about it’s high price: €300,000! That’s Euros, cousins, not greenbacks. *** I hasten to add that LISA will throw in pilot training for all three modes of landing, “personalization” of the airplane, and three years of maintenance and full-time customer assistance. *** The more this LSA phenomenon grows, the more interesting it gets.AKOYA is in flight test mode in France and announces it expects to get LSA certification by mid-2012. 

Compress Post ...

Some bright minds at LISA Airplanes, a French company, had a great idea to take the hydrofoil concept and apply it to an LSA seaplane. I’d often wondered why hydrofoils haven’t been done before, it’s such a great concept.Anyway, the airplane is the AKOYA. The technology for the entire package is patented and called Multi-Access, not the most sizzling name but what the hey, look at how cool those little moustache water wings look sticking out from the hull! *** Now get this: the company claims AKOYA operates as easily from land as from water…or snow! First, to those water wings sticking out: they’re called Seafoils, a trademarked name, which adds a little more marketing sizzle to this steak. *** They’re connected to a retractable gear that can be rigged with wheels or skis, I guess, and also to motor-driven, pivoting wings! There’s also a chute onboard. Very neat.

Expand Post ...

Lockwood Rotax and Bristell at AOPA Summit 2011

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Phil Lockwood (R) visits with a customer at AOPA Summit 2011.

Van’s Aircraft’s RV-12 LSA made the cover of Lockwood’s new catalog.

BRM Aero’s Bristell debuted at AOPA’s Airportfest 2011, attracting steady crowds.

At AOPA summit I spent time in the Lockwood Aviation booth giving me a chance to speak with a few RV-12 builders. *** Van’s has reportedly sold approximately 600 RV-12 Light-Sport Aircraft, of which 150 may be flying, making RV-12 by far the most successful Experimental LSA. RV-12 would among rank high among all Light-Sport Aircraft were we able to include ELSA in the SLSA List (…we cannot, for several reasons). In a sign that proprietor and industry leader Phil Lockwood sees good potential in RV-12 service work he displays the leading ELSA on his latest Lockwood Aircraft Supply catalog. Van’s did not exhibit at Summit 2011. *** I found it equally interesting to hear much improved reception to the Rotax line compared to earlier AOPA Expos or Summits. Perhaps it’s the 2,000-hour overhaul time. Maybe it’s the 40,000 9-series engines Rotax has installed on aircraft. Possibly more widely available Rotax service as seen on our FIRM List. Regardless, it seems likely Lockwood Repair services — and those provided by other Rotax centers — should enjoy good maintenance business for many years. |||| At the airport, visitors were greeted by a Cessna Skycatcher, which the big company positioned as the first aircraft inside the gate. Among LSA purveyors, Remos, Flight Design, Jabiru U.S., Arion Lightning, and CubCrafters had displays, as did Terrafugia though the latter was in the convention hall regularly folding its wings in and out. *** At Airportfest, Liberty Sport Aviation‘s Bristell was a hit, making its U.S. debut. People liked the 51-inch-wide cockpit, “…as wide as the Cirrus SR22,” said rep’ Barry Pruitt, who also stated that a 6-foot-8-inch father and son duo sat, and comfortably fit, under the bubble canopy with headroom to spare. Many were impressed with the smooth curves on the all-metal SLSA. Prices start about $125,000. |||| On Saturday, EAA and AOPA made a joint announcement that they will petition FAA next year to drop the third class medical for certain GA aircraft, limiting such privilege to one passenger and no more than 180 horsepower in day VFR. Read more from EAA. Though EAA and AOPA say doing away with the medical is supported by experience from Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft, the message was received warily by LSA sellers even as AOPA members gave loud approval at the morning session. Because many LSA are sold to pilots concerned about their medical, some felt the surprise announcement could chill sales that are already slow. However, other experts didn’t perceive the negative and most pilots are aware the number of medically-related accidents is vanishingly small, plus generally, removing any barriers to more flying activity is a net gain. Yet even EAA and AOPA officials agreed the chance for victory is uncertain on this sixth try to go to a driver’s license medical and approval may take two to five years, if ever. With disparate reactions to the announcement, only time will show how this new initiative might benefit aviation growth and activity. Regardless, it is fascinating to see the onetime rival member organizations harnessing their considerable horsepower in a combined effort.

Compress Post ...

At AOPA summit I spent time in the Lockwood Aviation booth giving me a chance to speak with a few RV-12 builders. *** Van’s has reportedly sold approximately 600 RV-12 Light-Sport Aircraft, of which 150 may be flying, making RV-12 by far the most successful Experimental LSA. RV-12 would among rank high among all Light-Sport Aircraft were we able to include ELSA in the SLSA List (…we cannot, for several reasons). In a sign that proprietor and industry leader Phil Lockwood sees good potential in RV-12 service work he displays the leading ELSA on his latest Lockwood Aircraft Supply catalog. Van’s did not exhibit at Summit 2011. *** I found it equally interesting to hear much improved reception to the Rotax line compared to earlier AOPA Expos or Summits. Perhaps it’s the 2,000-hour overhaul time. Maybe it’s the 40,000 9-series engines Rotax has installed on aircraft.

Expand Post ...

Electric Whirlybird Flies!

By James Lawrence || Leave a Comment

Historic hovering flight lasted 2 minutes 10 seconds. All photos courtesy Gizmag

Weight shift control!

Detail: power controller and battery pack (upper left)

Anyone still in doubt that we’re in the midst of the birth of electric flight need look no further than this story, just posted today on the online tech zine Gizmag.Pascal Chretien, an enterprising electrical/aerospace engineer and chopper pilot, made the world’s first fully electric helicopter flight in the prototype he designed and built almost entirely by himself…in just 12 months! Hang glider and ultralight trike pilots will delight in hearing a weight shift control system is involved. *** For me, the big story here is once again we see that innovation lives, not just in megabuck corporate and government R&D departments but in the garages of individual megabrains as well…as it always has and we can expect always will.Chretien, in making his 2 minute, 10 second test eggbeater flight, threw whipped eggs in Sikorsky’s face since that aviation giant’s well-funded electric project, in development for some time now, has yet to fly. *** Gizmag quotes Chretien as he acknowledged the risks of his flight: “In case of crash I stand good chances to end up in kebab form.”Pascal, from case of your success, we pops cork of champagne pour vous! *** The article goes on to rightly point out that the electric chopper concept faces a huge hurdle when compared to winged electric aircraft because the latter doesn’t need to constantly run at higher power drain settings like helicopters do. *** Practical electric helicopters will only come to pass when batterytechnologies advance to a much higher power-to-weight storage capacity(i.e., higher energy density) than we have now, precisely because choppers do require high power for hovering, takeoff and for descent, unlike airplanes. *** Winged birds use max power for takeoff or high speed cruising, but can lope along at significantly reduced level flight power, enabling longer duration flights. That’s why we’ve seen so many motorglider-style electrics; once airborne, their highly efficient wings make possible extended flight times without much power burn. *** Still, that takes nothing away from Pascal Chretien’s achievement, (funded by the French car racing company Solution F), which is nothing short of magnificent. His super-light, super-simple chopper serves notice that electric flight as a whole is gaining global momentum across a broad range of projects. *** And once again we get a lesson in an ancient truth: the soul of invention is alive and well and knows no boundaries.

Compress Post ...

Anyone still in doubt that we’re in the midst of the birth of electric flight need look no further than this story, just posted today on the online tech zine Gizmag.Pascal Chretien, an enterprising electrical/aerospace engineer and chopper pilot, made the world’s first fully electric helicopter flight in the prototype he designed and built almost entirely by himself…in just 12 months! Hang glider and ultralight trike pilots will delight in hearing a weight shift control system is involved. *** For me, the big story here is once again we see that innovation lives, not just in megabuck corporate and government R&D departments but in the garages of individual megabrains as well…as it always has and we can expect always will.Chretien, in making his 2 minute, 10 second test eggbeater flight, threw whipped eggs in Sikorsky’s face since that aviation giant’s well-funded electric project, in development for some time now, has yet to fly.

Expand Post ...

A Pair of New SLSA Arrive Before AOPA Summit 2011

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

New Bristell Fastback from BRM Aero. photos by Barry Pruitt courtesy Liberty Sport Aviation

Pipistrel’s latest approval is for their Sinus motorglider. Shown at bottom is the Sinus with tundra tires. photos courtesy Pipistrel

GAMA and LAMA members will meet again at AOPA’s Summit.

Just in time for this year’s AOPA Summit, welcome to a pair of Special Light-Sport Aircraft, numbers 121 and 122: the first, the formerly named NG 5 LSA, rebadged as the Bristell Fastback by importer Liberty Sport Aviation of Pennsylvania; and the second being the fourth approval for Pipistrel, specifically for their Sinus motorglider (previous Pipistrel approvals included the Virus, Virus SW, and Taurus). *** NG 5 LSA was not previously offered in the U.S. though it was sold in Europe as the NG 4 from Roko Aero. When Roko closed its doors production stopped for the NG 4. It became NG 5 as the company reformed into BRM Aero. Changes occur in any industry but Bristell Fastback designer, Milan Bristela, is a steady hand on the joystick known for his foundational work on the SportCruiser (for a year known as the PiperSport) that is presently ranked #2 in U.S. registrations. The Bristell is certainly similar to the SportCruiser/PiperSport though not identical as a close examination at AOPA Summit 2011 will show. |||| Pipistrel is one of those ambitious companies that seems to create new models with ease. Their line is extensive including a weight shift trike, a sailplane (Apis), a self-launched side-by-side motorglider (Taurus), the twin Virus models, plus, now, the Sinus. I first flew the latter as it entered the USA as an Experimental-Exhibition aircraft. Certification rules differ for genuine motorgliders and the company’s U.S. representatives first traveled down that path before achieving no less than four SLSA approvals in the last three months. Pipistrel is only bested by Tecnam‘s five SLSA approvals and is matched only by Jabiru US and ICP/Skykits (which itself is going to new ownership… we commonly see changes in this most dynamic sector of aviation). A regular at air shows, Pipistrel is not on the exhibitor list for AOPA Summit perhaps as they are competing in the NASA Green Challenge, which is scheduled to begin immediately as Summit 2011 ends. Update 9/21/11 PM — See Pipistrel USA’s blog postings about the NASA Green Flight Challenge 2011. |||| Among many other activities at AOPA Summit 2011, GAMA and LAMA will hold the second of a series of strategy meetings with delegates from both LSA and general aviation companies. As LSA further integrate into the broader fleet of aircraft, the general aviation industry is anticipating a rewrite of Part 23 certification rules. While helping LSA to develop and grow into a solid sector of aviation, the “experiment” of industry consensus standards certification offers guidance about how to simplify rules. Put another way, the LSA industry has much to learn but also has fresh experience to offer. *** Kudos to GAMA‘s staff for their foresight in helping to bring the two groups together. The combined group plans to meet about four times per year at major airshows.

Compress Post ...

Just in time for this year’s AOPA Summit, welcome to a pair of Special Light-Sport Aircraft, numbers 121 and 122: the first, the formerly named NG 5 LSA, rebadged as the Bristell Fastback by importer Liberty Sport Aviation of Pennsylvania; and the second being the fourth approval for Pipistrel, specifically for their Sinus motorglider (previous Pipistrel approvals included the Virus, Virus SW, and Taurus). *** NG 5 LSA was not previously offered in the U.S. though it was sold in Europe as the NG 4 from Roko Aero. When Roko closed its doors production stopped for the NG 4. It became NG 5 as the company reformed into BRM Aero. Changes occur in any industry but Bristell Fastback designer, Milan Bristela, is a steady hand on the joystick known for his foundational work on the SportCruiser (for a year known as the PiperSport) that is presently ranked #2 in U.S.

Expand Post ...

October Shows Aim to Strongly Support LSA Sector

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

Festival is being reintroduced to Americans at Copperstate. photo courtesy Aerostar

“It’s a sight to see that many CTs all lined up,” said organizer Roger Lee.

Just when you thought the airshow season was over, well… except for AOPA’s Summit starting in 10 days, here are four events in October, every one with substantial or exclusive Light-Sport Aircraft attention. |||| First up is LoPresti-Powered LSA fun at the Sebastian, Florida airport where the “speed merchants” are based. Before the event starts Phil Lockwood will give a maintenance training class on October 6th and 7th with service training following the event on 10th and 11th. Contact Lockwood Repair for preregistration info. *** The main fly in begins on October 8th with breakfast starting at 9 AM. Speakers are planned for the morning hours and at noon music starts with the Latin Festival that runs until 9-ish. At around 3 PM LoPresti promises three different bands with the headliner starting at 6 PM. *** Skydiving demos run all day. Also featured will be a LSA spot landing competition and flour bombing. Visitors can also try fishing or kayaking and golfers get special pricing for Sunday. Several events will be off-airport. *** Check at LoPresti for hotel rooms. Shuttle service is available from the airport to nearby hotels. |||| Next up is the Fifth Annual National CT Fly-in scheduled for Page, Arizona over October 13-16, 2011. “This is the world’s largest CT Fly-In. We take up the entire FBO ramp and then overflow to another ramp,” stated organizer Roger Lee. Participating CT owners fly Grand Canyon, Lake Powell (which has more coastline than California!), Monument Valley, Bryce & Zion National parks and other attractions in the area. People come from Germany, Canada and from all over the USA in their CTs. “After the mornings fly outs we have day tours and question & answer sessions,” added Lee. ” All transportation is provided free, we have an entire restaurant to ourselves and we not only fly out each morning to breakfast at the above mentioned scenic spots, but we have ground-based day tours that include Antelope Canyon and Glenn Canyon dam.” For more info call Roger Lee at 520-574-1080. |||| In the third weekend of the month is Arizona’s Copperstate Fly-In over October 20-21-22, 2011 in Casa Grande. This year’s event, which has run since 1973, has a renewed focus on LSA, thanks to VP Steve Bass. “We had just over 7,000 paid attendees through the gate in 2010 compared to 5,600 in 2009, so we are growing,” reported Bass. Steve has a further goal of creating a standalone LSA Expo as are held elsewhere around the country. Exhibit space is still available for LSA vendors eager to gain access to west coast light aviation enthusiasts. *** One aircraft to look for is the reintroduced Festival 40S-GC (glass cockpit version). |||| Finally, at the end of the month is the Southeast Aviation Show on October 29th, sponsored by the South Carolina Aviation Association (SCAA). Designed after the Northwest Aviation Conference, the event at Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU) will include aviation products, a static aircraft display, and educational sessions. The event is open to the public and costs $5. *** “For 28 years, the Northwest area of the United States has had an aviation conference and trade show that attracts more than 10,000 people,” said show official Eric Ramsdell. “The SCAA wants to provide a show for aviation enthusiasts in our region.” KGMU is the busiest general aviation airport in South Carolina and is a self-sufficient entity with financial strength that doesn’t rely on local taxpayers for funding. The airport is home to more than 25 aviation related businesses.

Compress Post ...

Just when you thought the airshow season was over, well… except for AOPA’s Summit starting in 10 days, here are four events in October, every one with substantial or exclusive Light-Sport Aircraft attention. |||| First up is LoPresti-Powered LSA fun at the Sebastian, Florida airport where the “speed merchants” are based. Before the event starts Phil Lockwood will give a maintenance training class on October 6th and 7th with service training following the event on 10th and 11th. Contact Lockwood Repair for preregistration info. *** The main fly in begins on October 8th with breakfast starting at 9 AM. Speakers are planned for the morning hours and at noon music starts with the Latin Festival that runs until 9-ish. At around 3 PM LoPresti promises three different bands with the headliner starting at 6 PM. *** Skydiving demos run all day. Also featured will be a LSA spot landing competition and flour bombing.

Expand Post ...

The Great LSA Tour Continues Down Texas Way

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

SportairUSA will bring the iCub (above) and two TL Ultralight models, Sting and Sirius. photo courtesy SportairUSA

U.S. Sport Aircraft will host one event at their Dallas-area location and will present the SportCruiser.

US Aviation at Denton Texas represents both the Tecnam line and the Remos GX pictured here.

With the largest selection of LSA models, Tecnam will be represented in the Texas LSA Tour.

At the recently concluded Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, SportairUSA boss Bill Canino and American Legend rep’ Dave Graham confirmed the continuation of a successful series called the LSA Tour. This traveling show-after-the-show concept set in motion a plan to follow airshows with a tour of several LSA manufacturers or importers. The idea is that many interested aviators cannot make the airshows for various reasons. So, as exhibitors head home they schedule a series of stops that may bring the show to your home field. *** The start of the LSA Tour followed the Sebring show in January 2011 with a series of stops in Florida. Then after the Sun ‘n Fun show, a group of vendors went to Georgia and North Carolina. Another series happened in Colorado. Now they’ll be invading Texas, specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, an expansive aviation concentration of 50 airports within the 30 nm traffic area surrounding DFW, according to Graham. Over October 14-15-16, the LSA Tour will visit these metroplex airfields: Addison (KADS) with aircraft on display from 2:00 pm to 7:30 pm on Friday, October 14th (to accommodate pilots after their work hours); Denton (KDTO) from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, October 15th — with the LSA Tour organizers predicting “a probable visit by Craig Fuller, president of AOPA; and, Dallas Executive airport (KRBD) from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday, October 16th. *** At all events, LSA Tour organizers enlist local support, sometimes making a donation to the local organization. At Addison, “Refreshments will be provided,” said participating host U. S. Sport Aircraft, the local sponsor. *** In the Dallas-Fort Worth series of stops companies are expected to show as many as a dozen Light-Sport Aircraft including (and subject to change): • TL Sting S4, • TL Sirius, • Zlin iCub, • CSA Sport Cruiser, • Remos GX, • Flight Design CTLS, • Legend Cub, • JabiruUS J-230, • Arion Lightning, • Rans S-7LS and S-19 Ventera, • CubCrafters Carbon Cub, plus selected • Tecnam models. These represent most of the best-selling Light-Sport Aircraft in America. When gathered in one group at popular airports, these displays make it very easy for interested aviators to see the best of the breed. |||| LSA Tour contact info… for Addison is Patrick Arnzen (of U.S. Sport Aircraft) 972-735-9099 or 859-496-5777 or email Patrick… for Denton, contact Scott Severen (of US Aviation) 469-585-0680 or email Scott… for Dallas Exec, contact Lana Furra (of the Dallas City Hall) 214-670-7612 or email Lana.

Compress Post ...

At the recently concluded Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, SportairUSA boss Bill Canino and American Legend rep’ Dave Graham confirmed the continuation of a successful series called the LSA Tour. This traveling show-after-the-show concept set in motion a plan to follow airshows with a tour of several LSA manufacturers or importers. The idea is that many interested aviators cannot make the airshows for various reasons. So, as exhibitors head home they schedule a series of stops that may bring the show to your home field. *** The start of the LSA Tour followed the Sebring show in January 2011 with a series of stops in Florida. Then after the Sun ‘n Fun show, a group of vendors went to Georgia and North Carolina. Another series happened in Colorado. Now they’ll be invading Texas, specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, an expansive aviation concentration of 50 airports within the 30 nm traffic area surrounding DFW, according to Graham.

Expand Post ...

Legal Eagle — CTLS Eye in the Sky

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

David Williams (R) accepts the keys to the new CTLE from Flight Design USA president, Tom Peghiny, while fellow pilot/officer Lt. Marsh Carter observes. photo courtesy Flight Design USA.

Flight testing of the CTLE was conducted near Airtime Aviation’s operation in Tulsa Oklahoma. photo courtesy Roger Crow

Echo Flight Resources installed special law enforcement equipment on the CTLS’ right wing. photo courtesy Roger Crow

An adjustable video display screen can be folded to a stowed position and is operated via the “iKey” keyboard. photo courtesy Roger Crow

Light-Sport Aircraft can be working aircraft (think: flight instruction and rental, each potentially a commercial activity) but read about this new twist. *** Recently, Flight Design USA delivered a customized Light-Sport Aircraft to a sheriff’s department in California. A CTLS fitted with police camera, radios, and custom controller was dubbed CTLE for “Law Enforcement.” The specially equipped CTLS was completed at Flight Design USA headquarters. Near the end of August 2011, two police officers from Tulare County, California traveled to Connecticut and then flew the special LSA back across the country. *** Commonly police departments have used helicopters or larger general aviation aircraft for activities like surveillance work. Helicopters are especially expensive… to buy, to operate, and to maintain. Realizing this, Flight Design USA’s big distributor, Airtime Aviation worked with Roger Crow of Echo Flight Resources on a second CTLE modified with a pod for the CTLS right wing. The team installed a Cloud Cap Technology TASE 200 gimbal camera unit. The CTLE’s interior received an adjustable video display screen that folds to a stowed position in a side pocket and an  “iKey” keyboard is used to operate the on-board computer/processor and video recorder. *** In initial flight testing “CTLE didn’t even know there was a pod hanging on its wing. With a density altitude of over 4,000 feet (temperatures above 100 degrees) the indicated airspeed was reading 117 knots,” observed Crow. *** The first CTLE was bought by California’s Tulare County Sheriff Department Captain (and pilot) David Williams who noted that his department will be the first agency in the U.S. to put a Light-Sport Aircraft into full time service in support of patrol. “The Flight Design CTLS can do much of what the department’s existing plane, a 1973 Cessna Skymaster, can do with lower fuel and maintenance costs,” said Williams. He reported that CTLS can slow down to about 50 mph, allowing it to circle and conduct aerial searches for suspects on the ground. “You can make the same sort of orbit as a helicopter without any problem,” Williams concluded. *** Police cruisers can cost a sheriff’s department $60,000 and typically those hard-driven cars are retired from service after only three years. “Even after adding high-tech surveillance equipment, a $250,000 Flight Design CTLE should serve more than 12 years,” said Flight Design, making their CTLE “a worthy investment even compared to police automobiles, much less helicopters.” *** Exploiting the advantages of the Sport Pilot certificate, Williams observed, “It is easier to train existing [police] personnel since the CTLE is a Light-Sport Aircraft.” *** Following market leader Flight Design other LSA suppliers are also pursuing law enforcement sales of LSA.

Compress Post ...

Light-Sport Aircraft can be working aircraft (think: flight instruction and rental, each potentially a commercial activity) but read about this new twist. *** Recently, Flight Design USA delivered a customized Light-Sport Aircraft to a sheriff’s department in California. A CTLS fitted with police camera, radios, and custom controller was dubbed CTLE for “Law Enforcement.” The specially equipped CTLS was completed at Flight Design USA headquarters. Near the end of August 2011, two police officers from Tulare County, California traveled to Connecticut and then flew the special LSA back across the country. *** Commonly police departments have used helicopters or larger general aviation aircraft for activities like surveillance work. Helicopters are especially expensive… to buy, to operate, and to maintain. Realizing this, Flight Design USA’s big distributor, Airtime Aviation worked with Roger Crow of Echo Flight Resources on a second CTLE modified with a pod for the CTLS right wing.

Expand Post ...

Two New (Yet Familiar) LSA Return to America

By Dan Johnson || Leave a Comment

New NG 5 LSA from BRM Aero. photo courtesy BRM Aero

Does it look familiar, perhaps a little like the SportCruiser or PiperSport? photo courtesy BRM Aero

Lambada was thought to be a goner, but it’s back. photo courtesy Distar

Choices increase for LSA motorgliders. photo courtesy Distar

Here’s a tale of two planes. One has been seen and sold in the U.S. (Lambada motorglider). The other has a fascinating history and should look familiar to you… quite familiar. It’s now known as the NG 5 LSA and that probably rings no bell. However, NG 5 and the #2 ranked SportCruiser share a common history. NG 5 designer, Milan Bristela, once lead design work at Czech Aircraft Works, the first company to create and bring to market the SportCruiser. In 2010 that model took a yearlong debut as the PiperSport though once again U.S. Sport Aviation returns to their long support for and sales of SportCruiser, now produced by Czech Sport Aircraft. *** Along the way, Milan departed and worked for a time with another company called Roko Aero; the aircraft was then called the NG 4. The newly formed BRM Aero company said, “[We] finished collaboration with Roko Aero and stopped production of their NG 4 aeroplanes.” Now, Americans can welcome NG 5 LSA to be represented by Liberty Sport Aviation in Pennsylvania. *** Timing is close but Liberty’s Barry Pruitt wrote, “The Milan Bristela design … will be here the first week of September for the AOPA show!” Details are scant now, but if you can attend AOPA Summit 2011 in Hartford, Connecticut you can discover more. If you are unable to make the show, I hope to gather additional information from Summit. Barry Pruitt has long LSA experience with another all-metal low wing, Evektor. He worked for two of the importers and built many models flying in the U.S. today. |||| Joe Kulbeth wrote, “I have recently become the new distributor of the Lambada and the Samba XXL.” Urban Air’s products were taken out of bankruptcy by another Czech company named Distar s.r.o., which has resumed the manufacture of these two aircraft and is now ready to take orders from buyers. Lambada had a decent early run but fell out the market when Urban Air went down. *** After Lambada disappeared, Jim Lee formed Phoenix Air USA to distribute a significantly revised, second-generation LSA motorglider of the same name: Phoenix. *** Kulbeth’s partner Mike Tomazin acknowledged the challenges. “Not too long ago it was believed … that the Lambada, manufactured by Urban Air s.r.o., was going to pass into LSA aviation history,” he wrote. That proved incorrect. *** With a reported empty weight of 627 pounds Lambada has a useful load of 693 pounds for pilot, passenger, baggage and fuel. Tomazin reported the long-winged beauty is available with either 80-hp Rotax 912 UL or 80-hp Jabiru 2200. Aeronautical & Industrial Resources, abbreviated as AIRUSA, said it is the exclusive North American representative for Distar. Current Lambada pricing with an 80-hp 912 Rotax engine and basic instruments is $83,500 (not including shipping).

Compress Post ...

Here’s a tale of two planes. One has been seen and sold in the U.S. (Lambada motorglider). The other has a fascinating history and should look familiar to you… quite familiar. It’s now known as the NG 5 LSA and that probably rings no bell. However, NG 5 and the #2 ranked SportCruiser share a common history. NG 5 designer, Milan Bristela, once lead design work at Czech Aircraft Works, the first company to create and bring to market the SportCruiser. In 2010 that model took a yearlong debut as the PiperSport though once again U.S. Sport Aviation returns to their long support for and sales of SportCruiser, now produced by Czech Sport Aircraft. *** Along the way, Milan departed and worked for a time with another company called Roko Aero; the aircraft was then called the NG 4. The newly formed BRM Aero company said, “[We] finished collaboration with Roko Aero and stopped production of their NG 4 aeroplanes.” Now, Americans can welcome NG 5 LSA to be represented by Liberty Sport Aviation in Pennsylvania.

Expand Post ...

Privacy Policy
Terms of Use