Sebring is off and running! The day in pix and captions…
Search Results for : Sebring LSA Expo
Not finding exactly what you expected? Try our advanced search option.
Select a manufacturer to go straight to all our content about that manufacturer.
Select an aircraft model to go straight to all our content about that model.
Adieu Sebring 2013
Sebring’s final day ended at 2 p.m. with lighter attendance typical of a Sunday and gathering clouds. I spoke with a couple of the principals of the Expo staff that did such a superb job making this no doubt the smoothest running, most feature-packed event that I’ve certainly been too. Kudos to all: it was a beautifully run event, from the many friendly, helpful volunteers to the new food vendors who upped the available comestible quotient (say that three times fast) with tasty food and good selection (Cheese Louise sandwich anyone? I had four! Buzzard Balls were also popular – it was a beef meatball kind of thing if you must know.)
The official end of show release claimed record attendance for the show so I won’t argue, though it did seem lighter than last year but it’s easy to underestimate. More importantly, many vendors were actually pleased with their results with sales or solid leads from the LSA-focused crowd.
Pre-Sebring 2013 LSA News Wrap
Patty Wagstaff and LSA? This week brings the start of the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo and excitement is high. Following are some news items to those who follow this event and the light, recreational aircraft space. On Friday, January 18th, Sebring EAA Chapter 1240 is sponsoring a dinner featuring aerobatic expert Patty Wagstaff who will perform at the event … with such an airshow being a first for Sebring. Proceeds will support youth aviation education programs. •• The Sebring EAA chapter has engineered a rare partnership between the chapter, the airport, and the local school board to provide educational activities for kids. This sufficiently impressed aviation philanthropist James Ray that he ended writing a check for the entire structure, a new 60 x 70-foot building at the Sebring Airport with classrooms and facilities including a large hangar space where high school children are involved in restoring two aircraft.
More LSA Seaplanes … How About A Biplane Amphib?
Sebring starts next week … yes, next week! A new year is here and for nine years now that means it is time for the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, or just Sebring LSA Expo if you prefer. Executive Director Jana Filip and her team have been putting in the long hours to get ready and to enlist all the right exhibitors. You should get to see all the Light-Sport and other light aircraft you want in this concentrated event. One of those aircraft has not been seen in America for years and even then not as the Super Petrel LS. Longtime veterans of recreational aircraft might remember the Petrel — it’s been around for more than 10 years — but this soon-to-be SLSA entrant will look fresh to nearly everyone.
New Flight Design dealer and Florida Light-Sport Aviation owner Brian Boucher is assisting airport neighbor Jerry Scheid to bring this first-of-its-kind Super Petrel LS to Sebring for your closer examination.
Happy New Year LSA News Wrap
CubCrafters Set Records In a second year of modest recovery for the LSA sector, most companies were happy to sell the same as the year before. Against this plain backdrop CubCrafters stands out sharply. The company announced that it delivered 58 new airplanes (52 of which were LSA models), a 23% increase over 2011, and more units than any year in the company’s history. They’re aiming for deliveries of 66 ready-to-fly aircraft this year. CubCrafters’ 2012 deliveries are divided among their three models: Carbon Cub SS, Sport Cub S2, and Top Cub (the latter not a Light-Sport). • They also reported shipping 24 of their Carbon Cub EX kits in 2012, another record. That’s 82 aircraft and makes them likely the light aviation leader for the year (we hope to publish our customary market report soon). CubCrafters General Manager Randy Lervold said, “Despite the economic climate, we’ve managed to defy industry trends.” Congratulations, Team CubCrafters; job well done!
Grand LSA News Wrap-Up… Pre-Oshkosh
CESSNA’S DISCOVER FLYING
I met new business leader for the Skycatcher LSA, Tracy Leopold, at Sun ‘n Fun 2012 where she confirmed the Wichita giant’s support for their lightest aircraft, now being assembled in Independence alongside other Cessna models. As summer began, Tracy’s Skycatcher group amped up their game with a program called Discover Flying Challenge. *** After hiring eight university graduate flight instructors — plus a ninth to act as dispatcher — the team took off in all directions and will reunite again at AirVenture 2012. Meanwhile, the youthful team is visiting Cessna Pilot Centers and non-CPC FBOs plus fly-ins and air shows all the while doing what college grads do these days: updating Facebook and Twitter feeds and blogging about their activities. *** “We wanted to do something different, something that would get the attention of the next generation of pilots while at the same time getting the Skycatcher in front of the public,” explained Tracy.
Sebring 2013 — “Innovation Meets Aviation”
OK, even to me it seems rather early to be writing about Sebring 2013. (I’m a huge fan, having attended all eight Expos.) The event is months away and summer just arrived so why are we thinking about next winter? Truth be told, you don’t get anywhere in the airshow biz without planning months, even years, in the future. So, to their credit, organizers of the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo — a mouthful most of us just abbreviate as “Sebring LSA Expo” — are laying plans for the ninth Expo well in advance.
*** Today, those organizers, lead by last year’s new boss, Jana Filip, sent out a new grounds layout. I’ll be headed down to Sebring on Monday with FlightTime Radio entrepreneur Milford Shirley in his Cherokee for a meeting with the Sebring honchos and folks like Jacob Peed from Aviators Hot Line plus Bahamas guru and Breezer importer, MikeZ.
Sebring’s Record Crowds, Brisk Sales & Sunny Skies
The eighth running of Sebring just finished and a resounding success it was on nearly all counts. A few dour faces noted exhibitors were off a rather modest 5% (according to officials) but in every other category, smiles were broad from most attending or exhibiting at Sebring 2012. *** The weather was the best ever with temperatures hitting 80 degrees and every day was sunny and pleasant. My colleague, Jim Lawrence, presents many interesting points in his January 21 article. Here I’ll add my own views and experiences and both of us will have more in the days ahead. *** Metric #1 — Attendance set an opening day record on Thursday the 19th, surprising many, though perhaps expectations were low after the last three years of economic sluggishness. On Friday evening, airport manager Mike Willingham told me an all-time Sebring Expo record was set on the second day and judging from the thick crowds clustered around nearly every booth and filling the walkways, that was easy to believe.
Sebring EXPO: 2.5 Perfect Days
Sebring is alive and well and gliding along better than ever. That’s more than I can say for the wireless where I’ve tried to post since Thursday night, so today, you get two point five posts for the price of one. *** First bit of news: Opening day Thursday was the best attended in the show’s eight year history (not five years as I doofishly reported the other day). Aiding and abetting: beautiful, absolutely beautiful weather. No hurricanes, no clouds of leaflets from Republican Presidential hopefuls, just a lavishly enjoyable (for us snowbirds at least) 70 degrees, with a steady 10 knot wind a good part of the day, followed by a crisp, clear night. Thank the Maker. *** Your humble blogster took full advantage of opening day by spending almost half of it shooting and flying the new BRM Bristell S-LSA (yes, it’s ASTMified). A very, very sweet ship.
CubCrafters Will Deliver 200th LSA in February
Savvy companies find a way through even the worst of economic times. *** Case in point: CubCrafters will deliver its 200th LSA (see Update below). *** The Yakima, Washington-based LSA maker can thus secure bragging rights for being the top US-made producer of ASTM-certified Light Sport Aircraft eclipsing its Cub clone rival American Legend out of Texas, which has led the pack for some time. Coming just a couple days before Sebring’s US Sport Aviation Expo kickoff on Thursday, the forecast should be welcome to industry watchers and potential buyers eager for a cheerier outlook. *** The company offers two Cubalikes: the Sport Cub S2 (100hp) and the Carbon Cub SS (180hp, and what a climbout monster it is!) *** The company started up in 1980 and recently added 15,000 square feet of space to its manufacturing facility. *** And yes, they are a-hirin’. *** Keep up the good work, you guys!
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- …
- 24
- Next Page »