ByDanJohnson.com

Virginia’s Festival of Flight runs April 30 and May 1, 2011. aerial photo courtesy Festival of Flight

John Calla shows the Gobosh to a prospective buyer. photo courtesy Festival of Flight

Flight Design and other companies show their aircraft and provide demonstration flights. photo courtesy Festival of Flight

I have more to report from Aero 2011 in Europe, but let’s take a quick jaunt back across the Atlantic for an upcoming event of interest to LSA fans… The 14th Virginia Regional Festival of Flight runs April 30 and May 1, 2011 and it offers special opportunities for the Light-Sport crowd. *** Public Relations Chairman Dee Whittington, noted, “As usual we’ll have a dedicated [light aircraft] runway and parking area. Also, most of our manufacturers who will attend are from the Light-Sport community.” He continues with a bit of very important info both to vendors and those pilots wanting to carefully check out a LSA with a demonstration flight, “A good feature of our full-featured fly-in is the ability of vendors to do demo flights during the day instead of waiting until after 5:00 PM when the event shuts down.” Major airshows like AirVenture and Sun ‘n Fun have windows for free flying that restricts the number of demo flights aircraft sellers can provide (although Sun ‘n Fun offers Paradise City as an on-site alternative which can insure more such purchase evaluation flights). *** The Festival of Flight also offers a packed schedule of forums on a variety of subjects. Among those of keenest interest to the light aircraft enthusiasts are: • “LSA Required Maintenance,” by 2007 Tony Bingelis Award Winner Dick Koehler • “Light-Sport Flying Explained,” by Dave Lubore from Heart of Virginia Aviation • “LSA Basics,” by Doug Hempstead of Allegro USA, as well as issues of importance to all aviators plus sessions for kit builders. In all, Festival of Flight organizers have assembled a forum schedule able to compete with the much larger shows. *** Other activities include a Rally Adventure for those flying in where Dee reports, “Pilots in homebuilt, light sport, and commercial aircraft categories, grouped by horsepower, can fly a timed triangular course against the clock.” *** Sounds like good weekend fun. Take your family as Festival of Flight has several family-friendly ideas like radio-controlled flying, Young Eagle flights and several hands-on activities for kids. Aviation benefits from such local events. You ought to consider attending if you’re within a reasonable distance from Suffolk Executive Airport (KSFQ) located about 40 miles west of the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area.

Compress Post ...

LEAP award winner Elektra One. photo courtesy PC-Aero GmbH

HYNOV aircraft — first to fly 100% on hydrogen. Photo: Gerard Thevenot

Antares DLR H2 fuel cell power: Photo: DLR-Institut f¼r Technische Thermodynamik, Lange Research Aircraft GmbH

Fascination Ekarus, electric power.  Photo by W. Dallach

Well, Thomas, you’ve done it again: gotten me to blather on so long with your as-always thoughtful and knowledgeable comments that I exceeded the comment buffer so have to palaver on here in another post. *** Well, that’s why they call it a weBlog I guess: it’s a place to hang our thoughts out to dry. *** So what’s below is a response to your comment from yesterday’s post, with a couple more pix thrown in to thump the eye candy factor. *** I think we can’t overlook the market factor here. Just as car manufacturers know where the buyers are, it could be what we’re seeing with these projects aiming toward higher/faster/more payload electric are manufacturers figuring that they’re since they’re going to sell more of the expensive, travel-capable airplanes than sailplanes and motorgliders anyway, why concentrate time and resources on a transient, historically tiny share of the market? Leapfrog to the future, expect the tech to come along as needed. *** If I’m right, it’s a visionary way to jumpstart an entire new genre, a new epic in fact, of flight. *** And since I don’t profess to be an expert, I’m just observing it like you are and wondering myself exactly which way and ways it will go. *** Your NASA reference is intriguing. I’d like to talk with some electrical bigbrains for enlightenment on the concept as I hadn’t heard that. *** It could very well be that there’s an “economy of weight”, like economies of scale in manufacturing, that comes into play beyond a gross weight threshold, given the current technology. Still, Randall Fishman is quite unequivocal about it: he says he’s crunched the numbers and has no doubt that the heavier the airplane and the poorer the pure aerodynamic efficiency, the less electric power makes sense, given the capacities we have today. *** I’ll save myself from being thought a fool by opening my mouth and removing all doubt, by continuing to watch for what actually comes to market and extrapolating possible futures from that, as we’ve all begun doing to date. *** I do believe we will see 4-seaters like Yuneec is currently promising. *** When? *** Battery advances will surely determine, barring some other superspiffy technology coming in that nobody expects, such as some super solar cell. *** Energy storage remains the holy grail from what I hear and read everywhere. *** I also believe Yuneec has learned very well how to gin up enthusiasm, but it may well be true, like the flying car people, that they’re simply making sure their name stays out there in public view, knowing full well they’d be making an epic mistake by pushing out “vapor wings”, i.e. aircraft that aren’t really refined and truly ready for the market.They can’t fail to have noticed the Billion Dollar Debacle of VLJ, the Very Light Jet, as envisioned by Eclipse, which went down the drain and took most of the other swimmers with it. *** VLJ was trumpeted as the next great thing, the savior of smaller airports, the harbinger of a vast new regional “air taxi” network that would make short- and medium-distance travel more practical by helping many of us, especially businessfolk, avoid the hassles of big airline terminal travel. *** Problem was, the idea was not economically practical as conceived, and few VLJ will ever make it to market. *** Yuneec has plenty of money and is at the vanguard of an entire new industry that they’re helping to create, and surely hopes to cash in on with lots of sales. *** And clearly they’re not rushing anything to market. I wondered if they were having technical problems. But the word I get from Yuneec insiders is they are not going to risk all that potential by rushing anything to market until it is thoroughly wrung out and ready for John Q. (Litigation-Capable) Public to fly safely and enthusiastically.Remember when the iPhone came out? That was a well-refined product. I remember seeing the first commercials with the finger flick-scrolling from page to program, and thinking, “Yeah, right, just another bogus advertising hype.” *** Then I saw one some eager owner couldn’t wait to share with me and anyone else within earshot. *** I bought one as soon as I could and have never regretted it. History changed with that product, just as it will with well-produced electric aircraft. *** Two- and four-seat electrics are in our near future, we can hope, along with practical, affordable electric cars. *** In the meantime, there’s a much broader technology to grow, and we’re so clearly very much in the early Wright Years, so my guess is Moore’s Law of computer tech proliferation (doubling every 18 months I think it is) will not likely happen just yet. *** There’s still an entire, and basic, infrastructure to create and develop. There are economies of scale to create first to make them affordable. *** So that leads me back to concluding that for those of us who really want to fly behind (or in front of) an electric propulsion unit, we’re better off for the next five years flying what I espoused above: light, efficient glider-style aircraft. *** We shouldn’t expect the moon just yet…but we can sure jump in and join the party, rather than gripe that we’re not really saving money or going as far as we can with gas airplanes. *** That’s not the point in this stage of history, not the point at all. *** Would I love to be dead wrong? Would I welcome a two-seat, 2-3 hour electric 100 knot cruiser next month? That didn’t cost $150,000, but more like $40-50,000?   *** You bet I would. *** And maybe we’ll see it happen. *** That’s part of the fun: we get to watch it happen, all of us, and be a part of it as it unfolds.

Compress Post ...

The Electric Swift. Photo from Icaro. No, that’s not a tail, but a folding prop!

Electric Swift’s cockpit view. Photo courtesy Icaro.

Manfred Ruehmer’s electric trike (see video above). Photo courtesy Icaro.

Yesterday a reader commented on my electric flight post, specifically about the LZ FES, a pretty sexy add-on that just won the Lindbergh LEAP prize for best new electric propulsion system. He wondered whether electric flight for now required light weight motorgliders or whether heavier, 15M plus sailplanes/motorgliders would be workable for electric power. *** My answer began to get too lengthy to stick in comments so I’m posting it here, and thanks Thomas for your enthusiasm. *** I talked over this very subject this week with Randall Fishman, the award-winning electric flight pioneer. His take on where we’re at right now is in my Profiles in Vision column, coming in the July issue of P&P. *** Randall’s whole trip is to get people up in the air with electric power right now, and not for 150,000 clams either. To summarize his own one-man research and development plan, it’s all about lightweight motorgliders. *** There are two key factors — light weight and a good low sink rate. The less power you need to get airborne and maintain flight, the better contemporary electric flight technology works. *** Randall hopes to debut his latest design, a composite two-seat LSA called ElectraFlyer X, at Oshkosh this year. It’s a very cool looking airplane…and a motorglider. *** Previously, as I’ve noted here more than once, he rocked the electric world with the ElectraFlyer Trike, currently available for sale, and the prototype ElectraFlyer C, a single-seat model (more below). He’s also in test mode with newly designed motors he’s had built for the X and other projects. *** There are lots of other electric motorglider projects out there, for this basic reason: the less amount of thrust you need to stay airborne, the more viable electric propulsion is. For now that has to mean less transportation-style flying and more “pure enjoyment” local flying. *** Can we live with that? Hell yes…how cool is it that we are able to fly this completely revolutionary technology right now? *** My favorite story of Randall’s recounts the time he took his electric trike off from Ellenville, NY’s little airport, motored over to where the hang glider guys were soaring the popular ridge a couple miles away, turned off the motor and joined the thermaling gaggles. *** Typically, and I’ve done this myself, you work up into ever-stronger lift bands at E-Ville by ramping up the sloping ridge, which can get you good and high but also back half a mile or more from launch. *** That particular day, some guys were way high but way back. Randall, because he had the boost of electric power when he needed it, was able to penetrate out in front of the hill and catch some really strong lift that the pure soaring craft couldn’t risk trying to reach for fear they’d land out from the LZ, the landing zone. *** He flew two hours that day — and landed with plenty of “juice” to spare. *** This is one highly doable scenario for electric powered flight. No, it’s not 100 knot A-to-B flying, but we’ve got plenty of gas-powered aircraft for that already.This is something new, but also old: flying again for the pure joy of it…without the many detriments of gas engines. *** On a good soaring day, you can take a current-tech electric, whether it’s a hang glider trike or a lightweight motorglider or a flying wing like the Swift at left, motor up into the lift, and fly as long as the lift holds out. That’s possible right now. *** And to repeat my electric-flight mantra: no mess, no smell, dramatically less noise, no vibration, no annuals, no oil, no gas, long-life motors, rechargeable battery packs that cost under a buck to charge, and will last many hundreds of hours, and will get increasingly affordable as more people jump on the electric bandwagon, not just in the air but also for ground vehicles like cars, bikes and cycles. *** We’re in the beginning stages of a paradigm shift that will outlast all the greed-based attempts to forestall it. It’s here, it’s growing, and it will be glorious. *** Okay, down with the pom poms and back on topic. *** There are more pure “muscle” electric aviation projects out there as well, of course. Before those become reality, before the “higher, faster, more payload” visions become reality, battery efficiency will have to improve by a few scales of magnitude.So the answer to your question, Thomas, about electric powered flight right now, remains with lighter weight and more efficient airframes, and that spells motorgliders. *** Bigger motorgliders will work but are more exotic and complex to deal with (trailers, special hangars, elaborate feathering/streamlining systems, and higher costs for sure.) *** Meanwhile, the electric powered hang glider trikes that Randall and others have developed work, and work very well. *** They serve up more than an hour of flight and don’t require 130 lb. pilots to do so (Randall weighs 200 lbs. and has consistently had 1 1/2 hour and longer flights.) *** Some other notable projects, including the video below, are popping up around the world. Search for “electric trike” to get an idea.  Here’s a link to get you started learning about various electric projects already for sale or imminent. *** Let’s take a closer look at Randall’s ElectraFlyer C prototype (which he is selling for $49,000, see my earlier post). The C is a single-seat, converted all- aluminum Monnett Moni motorglider he built from a kit. And Randall also gets 1.5 hours and more on a full charge too, along with 70 mph cruise and 90+ mph top speed.Yuneec is of course fine tuning its many electric projects. Notable are several one- and two-seat motorglider frames, the e-Spyder ultralight, a trike, and a four-seat electric airplane just announced…and all are electric powered. *** Some time pretty soon, certainly in the next year or so, we’re going to have a lot of electric aircraft on the market, to suit a broad range of budgets. *** This will not be solely another rich person’s hobby, although it will take time to get the electric industry up and running because important technologies need to be developed and proofed, such as higher-storage batteries and more sophisticated, safe electronic motor controllers. *** It is happening. It is happening now. We will be flying electric globally in a rich variety of planforms and applications before very much longer, you can count on it. *** This year’s Oshkosh, in particular, should bring more exposure and new electric aircraft to a broader audience. *** Keep a lookout for my survey of electric flight projects around the world, also coming in the July issue of P&P.

Compress Post ...

Pipistrel also offers a transport trailer with solar cells on the top, able to recharge the batteries while driving down the road.

Eric Lindbergh, grandson of Charles A. Lindbergh, awarded the LEAP Prize to Pipistrel’s Ivo Boscarol at the just-finished Aero General Aviation convention in Friedrichshafen, Germany. *** The 3rd annual e-Flight gathering took place there also, and Lindbergh’s Best Electric Aircraft award went to Pipistrel’s Taurus Electro. *** There were some notable challengers in the category and three finalists: the Taurus, the Electric Cri-Cri (power by Electravia), and Eric Raymond’s Sunseeker II solar airplane. *** Also awarded was the Best Electric Propulsion. The two finalists were the LZ Design FES (Front Engine Sustainer) system and the Rapid 200 Fuel Cell propulsion system from Polytechnic Torino. *** The LZ FES was the winner. *** The LEAP 2011 Outstanding Achievement Award went to Bertrand Piccard, Andre Borschberg and the Solar Impulse Team for its electric around-the-world project airplane. *** A romantic, and apt, spin on the awards is linking today’s electric pioneers to Lucky Lindy’s amazing transatlantic flight in 1927, which pretty much singlehandedly changed the global perception of aviation from a daredevil hobby or foolhardy mail delivery system to the common transportation, recreational and warfare tool it has become. *** It may be years before there is a viable non-motorglider style electric aircraft. Battery density advances are needed, since gasoline still has more than 70 times the energy per pound of the best commercially available batteries today. *** But…it’s coming, and publicity-rich enterprises like the LEAP award are helping fuel public acceptance of the new technology. Meanwhile, we can all have fun thinking about flying for pure enjoyment…on near-silent propulsion. *** And congratulations to all the winners, including Pipistrel for the Taurus Electro, which is the first commercially available electric two-seater aircraft in production. And it sells with a Solar Trailer, which charges the batteries with sun power while the bird is stored. *** Kinda cool.

Compress Post ...

Aero Friedrichshafen, Europe’s big annual GA convention, has more than 600 exhibitors showing their wares and innovations right now through tomorrow. *** Sub-titled The Global Show for General Aviation, if you want to see what’s happening and what’s coming down the pike, you’ll not find a more intensely focused representation than at Aero. *** The show spreads displays from many big names and newcomers alike, up through bizjets, across its 11 big hangar-style display areas. *** I like this show, although lamentably I’ve yet to go, because it never fails to draw cool new stuff, in particular Microlight/LSA developments and electric and solar powered birds. Thousands of visitors flock to the “e-flight Expo” at Aero, in its third year as part of the show. *** Two big events will highlight the show this year: the Berblinger Flight Competition and the awarding of three LEAP prizes from Erik Lindbergh (Lucky Lindy’s grandson). *** The Berblinger event involves 36 teams, most of them from Germany (23), although none from the U.S., and two parts: a technical award (and €100,000 prize) to be awarded today at Aero; and a flight competition later this year in the city of Ulm in which teams fly a specific course while being judged by several environmentally significant parameters including noise level, energy use and overall performance. *** The Lindbergh LEAP prize will award the most notable electric advance, best electric design, and best electric systems and technology, similar to its Oshkosh 2010 awards. *** And now for Something Completely Different: FlyNano, a kind of… well, stay with me here. Look at the artist’s concept photo. Now, do you agree with me that it looks like a personal flying watercycle? *** This no-cargo, one-person, fun-flying, joined-biplane ultralight will take off and land in the drink. Wow! What a hoot this thing could be… or a complete boondoggle. *** Call it Icon-Light: • Empty weight (it’s mostly carbon fiber-built) will be under 155 pounds; • gross weight 485 pounds; • wingspan 15.7 feet, nose to tail; 12.4 feet; height 5 feet; • cruise 87 mph; • landing speed 43 mph; • nearly 600 fpm climb rate; • and a range of 21 miles. *** Power comes from a pylon-mounted 20kW electric motor (24hp and 35hp gas motors also available. *** Deliveries projected for summer of this year. Prices range from €25,000 to €27,000, around $40,000 USD. *** I’ll be watching to see how this takes off in Europe *** Could this be the market-killer fun-flying jetski concept that Icon’s much-ballyhooed amphib, still in development after three years, has yet to deliver to the market? (Latest delivery projection from Icon: late this year) *** If FlyNano does what it claims, even though it only carries one pilot, heck, people could buy four for the same price as one Icon and have money left for gas… a lot of gas.  *** And in the U.S., it would qualify as an ultralight — no sport pilot license needed as with the Icon, since it’s well under Part 103’s max 254 pound ceiling. *** Of course, these are two decidedly different aircraft… but Icon’s stated mission — to create a fun-flying, easily portable flying water craft — well, that’s kinda the same. *** Stay tuned on this one. I want to see one of these puppies fly. *** Tomorrow, I’ll have a report on the Elektra One electric monoplane I blogged about a few weeks ago: it’s at Aero 2011 also.

Compress Post ...

Catching up on some particulars with Randall Fishman of ElectraFlyer after our chat at Sun n Fun, he told me he’s selling his prototype C model for $49,000.

Here’s what he had to say about it and other aspects of his electric powered aircraft pioneering efforts: “We have sold trikes since 2007. Most of our sales are propulsion kits, batteries and chargers for people either building something new or converting to electric. The first two of the new motors are in my shop now and we will be mounting them for testing.

“The C is a one off conversion of a plane I already owned (a Moni kit motorglider). I want to sell it now to help finance the new projects. It is really the first successful electric airplane other than some exotic million dollar science projects such as the solar planes. I hope there is a collector out there.

“The ElectraFlyer X is running now. Have to button up all the details and get the airworthiness certificate. I’d made arrangements to bring it to Sun ‘n Fun but the weather and field conditions prevented this. Lucky for me, this probably saved the plane.

“The original ElectraFlyer trike, (is) I believe, the very first successful electric aircraft of any kind that can be bought, stored and flown by a regular guy. The trike had its first flight of over one hour May of 2007. Shortly after that I had flights of 1.5 hours in calm air and then more than two hour flights in Ellenville (a renowned New York hang gliding site) with the help of lift.”

So now, of course, I’m thinking of getting an electric trike conversion for my Wills Wing Sport 2 hang glider, as my bod’ doesn’t tolerate the strain of flying prone very well any more.

Compress Post ...

Hard on the heels of their prototype LSA Tour after Sebring last January and the recent Sun ‘n Fun 2011 in Lakeland, Florida, the 2011 Georgia LSA Tour gang is at it again. *** Three makes of Cubalikes alone will be there, as well as the other LSA you see in the nearby mailer. *** This time they’re swinging north from the Sunshine State to bring The Word to several Southern airports.  *** Here’s a great way to avoid the airshow crowds and have some meaningful one-on-one with top industry reps. *** Specifics below: be sure and call in case of changes due to weather.

Update later on 4/7/11 — See our earlier report on the Georgia LSA Tour where you’ll find more readable phone numbers plus dates for the stops. —DJ

Compress Post ...

The One, The Only, The Blue: 100 Years of Naval Aviation

Garmin’s new touchscreen GPS

Randall Fishman’s ElectraFlyer C

Kannad’s XS4 Personal Locator Beacon

Dave Gustafson models the new Lightspeed Zulu headset

After the disastrous tornadic storm that blew through the area last Thursday, Lakeland was blessed with warm, then hot, picture book Florida weather and good crowds, right up through final day Sunday, as the fabulous Blue Angels, a stunning demo by the Air Force F22 Raptor, Patty Wagstaff’s always-incredible acro routine, and the Aeroshell T-6 squadron doing its thing: always great to see those (noisy but iconic) big old WWII trainers do such graceful, precision loops and rolls in formation through the sky, leaving billows of white smoke to mark their path.I was a bit under the weather last night so no blog…knew I shouldn’t have eaten that chicken…but back at it today to fly with Bill Cox as he previewed Garmin’s exciting new GTN touch screen technology. *** Then pounding the sneaker rubber to finish up the rounds of the five exhibit hangars and survey new products and gadgets. I even bought myself some oil-filled insoles to calm my throbbing tootsies…one ends up walking miles and miles at these airshows, unless you can pop $60/day or more to rent a small personal electric cart. *** And riding around in those little carts invites derogatory digs from friends, so maybe it’s better just to suffer. Manly honor and all that. *** Caught up with Randall Fishman to divine the latest on his ElectraFlyer X two-seat LSA, which didn’t make it to the show (and a good thing since the tent it would have been in was destroyed by the wind storm). *** We swapped old hang gliding and ultralight stories — like me, he flew several Seagull gliders back in the day — and I met his very first customer, an 87 year old pilot, still current, who bought his first prototype electric trike…which Randall told me now gets up to 1.5 hours of endurance with a 70 lb. battery pack. I had made a slip in an article I wrote a couple years ago saying the trike had “limited” endurance so let me correct that mistake now, and sorry Randall.I’ll be working on an electric aviation article after Aero finishes in Europe next week. Exciting developments in the electric aviation field to be sure, so stay tuned. *** I also met lots of good people who introduced me to their aviation products. Photos and links of a few below for you to explore. *** I’ll have more details in the Sun ‘n Fun roundup article I’m doing for the mag. *** All told, it felt like a three-day show. My late arrival in the Dakota Cub Super 18 due to weather, the storm, 69 (at last count) damaged airplanes and the cancelled show day made for lots of running around playing catchup. *** Some disappointing sales results for several LSA companies, not to mention folks like Lockwood Aviation which lost four display aircraft and Aviat’s extensive Huskie losses, put a bit of a damper on the hopes of vendors. I’ll survey more companies soon for the overall picture. *** Now, assuming the weather doesn’t have different ideas, it’s about time we had some decent spring and summer flying. *** On to Oshkosh. *** And Sun ‘n Fun 2011 be done: Long Live Sun ‘n Fun!

Compress Post ...

I was just leaving So. Lakeland AirPark (X49) today, bemoaning the lack of activity down there — LSA dealers used to bring their aircraft down there for demos but not many people seem to do that the last couple years, and I don’t know why. *** That’s a shame because it’s a long grass strip with a wonderful country ambience…a great place to try out an LSA without the hussle and bustle of the airshow a few miles north. *** Departing the field, I came across the Dakota Cub folks. They were finishing the unhappy task of bringing the wreckage (fuselage on one trailer, wings on another) to a hangar at X49 until they could get a determination from the insurance people as to whether to rebuild it or write it off as salvage. *** Back at the airshow later, I talked with Amy Gersch and Speedy Richardson, my companions on the interminably long (weather-delayed) trip out to the show all last week. They were both understandably blue about the loss of the airplane Speedy had flown down, and the damage to Amy’s favorite “Little Airplane” as she affectionately, and constantly, calls it. *** She talks to it like it was her personal teddy bear…and Speedy reportedly had a few tears himself when the 180 he flew was trashed. *** But nothing holds these folks down for long. As we watched the opening of the airshow, they both spoke of the Cub enclave at New Holstein, where I hope to meet up with them during Oshkosh this year.

Compress Post ...

Amy Gersch

Dave “Speedy” Richardson

Frame of the new Super Legend

Super Legend frame detail

Well, Day One for me anyway; the show started yesterday but I was still stranded in Alabama by soggy and intractable weather with a couple Dakota Cubs.We made it into Plant City at about 5:30 last night after squeaking under some very low ceilings, then running east once we hit the Gulf Coast. *** A 6-day odyssey…and we’re just glad to have made it at all. Several VFR pilots are still stuck in the South and the storms continue. *** Here’s a video I quick-shot today, thanks to Legend Cub’s Dave Graham, who took me over to meet the owner of a fabulous Piper Cub J3 restoration. LEGEND NEWS UPDATE *** It’s really gorgeous. My video doesn’t do it justice but it’ll give you a bit of a peak. The owner is having it judged and hoping to snag a Grand Champion Award. And it’s sure got a shot: absolutely immaculate. *** The restoration cost upwards of $80K! Now that’s commitment. *** Dave and Kurt Sehnert also clued me in a new airplane about to debut from Legend, as well as a quick glance on how this top selling American-produced LSA builder has weathered the sluggish economic recovery. *** “Our new Super Legend Cub,” says Dave Graham, “has a flapped wing for reduced stall speeds and we’re putting a lot of carbon fiber into the structure, in doors, wing tip bows and other components. The tailfeathers are Super Cub size with slightly more area, and aerodynamically balanced for more control authority.” *** “Power is a Lycoming 0-233. It’s a 115 hp, multi fuel engine to help address the ethanol fuel situation. The Super Legend will have the same power to weight ratio as the original PA-18 Piper Super Cub with a 150hp engine, so it will be a good performer.” *** Legend’s anticipated timetable: *** [] Lycoming expects to complete certification testing by the end of Quarter 3, 2011, *** [] ASTM certification for the airplane end of 2011, and ready for the market by Sebring 2012 *** Intro price is $139,900. 20% down will hold a slot. *** It will be an SLSA first, then a kit. Kurt Sehnert weighs in on the new plane and the company’s fortunes: *** “The Texas Sport (kit) version will come after the SLSA version is done, probably by Sun ‘n Fun 2012. The kit can be built either Experimental Amateur Built or as an ELSA. Of course we will offer our factory built program too as we do with our other models.” *** Kurt tells me the SLSA Legends continue to dominate sales, and buyers are ponying up for loaded versions with all the toys installed. *** “Kit builders tend to build Experimental rather than ELSA because most want their own customized version, which you can’t do with an ELSA, which has to be built to the same exact specs as the SLSA.” *** The amphib float option Legend offers had a curve ball thrown at it when Baumann Floats recently surprised the aviation world by closing its doors. *** “We’ll have to see what happens,” says Kurt. “We’re looking at other players, but it’s been a bit of a shock and it’s a shame, they made an excellent product. But like all business, we’ll just go to plan B.” *** On the Economy: “Well, we figure if we got this far, we’ll make it. It has been a skinny two years. But it feels like things are moving again.”

Compress Post ...

photo courtesy Harvey Reidel and Sun ‘n Fun

Sun ‘n Fun 2011 kicks off, even as scores of planes — yours truly included — remain scattered around at airports up to hundreds of miles away, trying to beat the storm system that’s prevented them from making it to Lakeland, Florida so far. *** The big airshow’s big boss, John Burton, promises an impressive line up: • Blue Angels performances four different days; highlighting the celebration of the 100th anniversary of naval aviation; • a 20-year retrospective on Desert Storm; • a 10-year commemoration of September 11, 2001; • the formal opening of the new Central Florida Aerospace Academy (CFAA) on the Sun ’n Fun campus; • F-22 Raptor flight three different days; • AvBid Airplane Auctions; • Hot air balloon launch at dawn on Saturday, April 2; • Daily and nightly airshows with fireworks; • AOPA “Rally GA” Day; • Lindbergh Foundation Awards for electric-powered flight advances; • “Green Space” exhibit of environmentally friendly, aviation-related products and services, anchored by Lindbergh Foundation; • 75th Anniversary Cub Convoy mass arrival to Sun ’n Fun on Monday, March 28. *** And, of course, Sun ‘n Fun will have all the mix of colorful booths, new aircraft (including the LSA Mall, filled to capacity once again), and a whole lot more.Be there or be square! *** Speaking of square, I may have to pull the plug, rent a car and drive the last 500 miles from Sparta, TN… but I’m hanging in until the last minute because it would sure feel a lot better to land in the same Dakota Cub in which I started this flight.

Compress Post ...

American Legend Cub on Baumann Floats. photo courtesy American Legend

Pilots interested in a floatplane LSA and airplane sellers seeking floats lost a good supplier today when Baumann Floats, based at the South St. Paul, Minnesota airport closed its doors. *** In an email, General Manager Joe Birkemeyer wrote, “Due to the unfortunate economic conditions we have all faced in the past couple of years, our current owner of Baumann Floats LLC has decided to discontinue production of all of our float models. The equipment, design data, STCs and inventory will be relocated to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and placed with Basler Turbo Conversions LLC. I personally as well as the rest of my crew will not be moving over to Oshkosh with the company and we will no longer be employed by Baumann Floats LLC. Randy Myers, head of production at Basler Turbo Conversions will be the new interim contact person for any parts orders after April, 1, 2011. I realize that many of you have invested significant amounts of hard earned money into your airplanes by purchasing and equipping your planes with floats from Baumann Floats LLC. It is my sincere hope that there will be continued customer support addressed in a timely fashion for parts and products manufactured by Baumann Floats LLC.” *** Phil Lockwood, developer of the twin-engine AirCam, lamented the loss as “Bad news for the LSA industry.” He explained that Baumann’s all-metal floats were quality built and perfectly suited to Light-Sport Aircraft.

Compress Post ...

Fuel station available as a turn-key purchase for airports and other facilities who want to sell Sport Fuel.

Many GA airplanes can be modified with a Peterson STC to use auto fuel.

Unless you’ve avoided every aviation magazine or website, you’re no doubt aware of the push by big aviation organizations to address future availability of 100 low-lead avgas. We wish the alphabet groups the best in arranging a replacement fuel or another solution for those operating high performance aircraft. But one solution does not fit all. Why? *** First is the often-quoted statistic that 70-80% of all “legacy” airplanes can use 91-octane and preferably zero ethanol (“E0”) mogas. No question that Light-Sport Aircraft can almost universally use E0 mogas and in fact, Rotax and Jabiru powerplants prefer premium unleaded (the 80-hp Rotax 912 can even use 87-octane satisfactorily for still greater savings). Only a modest percentage of U.S. aircraft must have high octane. • Secondly, 100LL is now more expensive and any replacement will share this quality. Mogas can be $1-2 or more less per gallon. • Thirdly, airplanes like LSA and those many older GA airplanes are not the only ones who can benefit from wider availability of E0 mogas. Aviators are joined by literally millions of owners of vintage cars, motorcycles, boats, and more. That represents a lot of clout when it comes to persuading governments to support the E0 mogas initiative. *** One organization — the Aviation Fuel Club (AFC) — is working hard to shore up support and improve availability. The AFC has a plan. “In January of this year, U-Fuel announced the creation of the Aviation Fuel Club, a grassroots effort to help pilots and airports find affordable fuel options. Two weeks ago we announced our Sport Fuel Program, intended to provide the highest quality ethanol-free autogas for aviation and other applications. Both actions have met with strong resonance among pilots and airports from California to Maine,” announced U-Fuel representative Kent Misegades. “Today we are announcing the third phase in our strategy to lower the cost of flying, the introduction of our new affordable, self-service, ‘Sport Fuel Station.'” *** These seem calculated steps to bring this issue to the forefront while also laboring to do something concrete to provide for E0 mogas. “Since launching the Aviation Fuel Club in late January, pilots, airport and FBO managers, aircraft manufacturers, flying clubs and flight schools across the country have endorsed the concept of a grassroots organization aimed at making sport aviation more affordable through better options in aviation fuel,” reported Kent. Get on their email list to stay informed.

Compress Post ...