Sometimes I am told I have the best job in the world. Hmm, could be.
My work entails some of those things no one truly loves, like paying bills, but it also involves flying airplanes for review. That part is indeed quite a pleasure.
In this post, I want to tell you what I flew at the DeLand Showcase 2017 plus a little about how we do these VPRs or Video Pilot Reports.
For many years, I wrote such things for print. That still happens but most of my reporting now goes online and my more detailed pilot reports have significantly — though not exclusively — gone to video …hence “VPR.”
At DeLand 2017, I went aloft six times, five to evaluate aircraft and once on a photo (and video) mission.
Video reporting consumes much more time than an interview, 30 minutes or more simply to attach some or all of our eight Garmin VIRB cameras inside and outside the subject aircraft.
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Midwest Light-Sport Aircraft Expo 2017 — Another Success!
It’s over …yet it’s just begun. I refer to the Midwest LSA Expo, which, you might say, kicks off the LSA show season including light kits and ultralights in addition to LSA. Midwest runs in the first weekend in September, followed by Copperstate in October, followed by DeLand in November, and climaxing with the granddaddy of these shows, Sebring, in January.
Copperstate has more than LSA and light kits but it has a focus on those aircraft. The organizers enjoy such light recreational flying machines so they focus on this segment. That show is coming soon. DeLand will later host the second-annual event. Sebring will be hosting its 14th event. The last is the largest and best established of these and, indeed, has been the wellspring from which the others of these evolved …except for Copperstate, which will celebrate its 45th year in 2017 — impressive!
Pipistrel’s Alpha Light Aircraft “Plugs In” at New Charge Station; Fuel by Electrons
Article Updated: 9/18/17 (see below)
Electric airplanes continue to catch the headlines… but don’t impact the market much (yet). That may be changing.
You rarely see advertising for Pipistrel, the Eastern European builder of several very sleek Light-Sport Aircraft. The company feels they generate interesting-enough news that media organizations will cover their accomplishments. As this and other articles prove, perhaps they’re right although most publications depend on advertiser support to allow them to provide coverage.
An example of how Pipistrel seduces the aviation press is with an announcement proclaiming their partnership with ride-sharing giant, Uber …specifically about that tech company’s aerial ambitions. At the recent Uber Elevate Summit in Dallas, Texas, “Uber signed a partnership with Pipistrel aircraft producer for large-scale deployment of electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOLs).” Pipistrel said initial vehicles [will] be used in a flight demonstration by 2020.
“Pipistrel is the only company in the world that builds and sells electric aircraft today … they are a valued partner in making Uber’s VTOL network a reality,” said Mark Moore, Director of Engineering for Aviation.
Intriguing Light Aircraft Views from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017
Before America becomes completely consumed with Eclipse Viewing Fever, you might want to pull your (solar filter-protected) eyes away from the soon-to-darken sky to catch a few glimpses of intriguing aircraft from EAA’s summer celebration of flight.
In this pre-Eclipse weekend post, I’ll show you some images of cool flying things I saw at the big event.
Starting off with my fascination about spaceflight, EAA communications guru Dick Knapinski told of the challenges of arranging an 80-foot-tall flying machine on the central Boeing Plaza square. This is where you see a changing kaleidoscope of aircraft from old to new and slow to fast. However, no aircraft I’ve ever seen in this location flies as fast, stands as tall, or is more unique than the Blue Origin rocket.
From the billionaire-thick wallet of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos comes this space flight company that is competing with Space Exploration or SpaceX among others in the new era of private space companies.
Sonex Homecoming 2017 and Lots of New Products for Kit Aircraft Builders
If you seek affordable aircraft (like most readers), then you already know Sonex Aircraft. If you have somehow missed this iconic brand, you are in for a treat. Great planes, nice people, and more enthusiasm than an airshow crowd watching an aerobatic performance.
The only light aircraft producer based right at the home field of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, Sonex parlays their co-location with the big event to good advantage.
Sonex will again hold its Open House and Homecoming Fly-In the day before EAA AirVenture Oshkosh on Sunday, July 23rd, at their factory headquarters on the east side of Wittman Regional Airport. “Our 2017 event marks the 14th annual gathering for customer-built aircraft at the Sonex facility,” noted the company in a pre-show announcement. “The event runs from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and concludes with a mass taxi ‘arrival’ of customer and factory aircraft across Wittman field to AirVenture grounds (photo).”
This year’s Homecoming Fly-In will feature the first customer-built SubSonex Personal Jet in-attendance, as builder John Corneal will be bringing his SubSonex to AirVenture from Petersburg, Pennsylvania.
US Flight Expo Wraps First Year Event in Arizona
The Marana Regional Airport, in Marana Arizona was the site of the first annual U.S. Flight Expo May 3–6, 2017. The west coast of the U.S. appears to lack major aviation events of the sort commonly seen in the easter U.S. This is especially odd considering the large number of pilots and aircraft in western states! (Some have observed how western populations are spread over a much larger area, which possibly accounts for this disparity. —DJ)
One of the most successful annual aviation events not sponsored by a member organization is the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring Florida, which will celebrate its 14th year in 2018! Others have followed (Midwest LSA Expo &DeLand) but these sector-specific shows are still concentrated in the east.
So it was about time for another western event other than Copperstate, which will celebrate its 45th year in 2017.
Using the template that original director Robert Woods used to make Sebring such a success, Greg Hobbs — one of the leading organizers of the U.S.
Light-Sport Aircraft Market Shares for Fleet and 2016
A dozen years after FAA created aviation’s newest sector, we have a new leader among manufacturers of fully built Light-Sport Aircraft. CubCrafters has been moving upward with several years hitting 50 deliveries. In 2016 the west coast builder finally topped perennial leader Flight Design, which slipped to second place. The CT builder had occupied the #1 position since the beginning of Light-Sport Aircraft. Only four aircraft separate the two brands. Note: this article has been updated twice; see at end. —DJ
In the single-year race, Czech Sport Aircraft won convincingly with almost double the next closest producer. The Czech builder performed well in 2015 but significantly increased last year. Congratulations to both companies.
To explain further, our “whole fleet” market share chart — the one we have published going back to 2006 — keeps track of all Special LSA (SLSA) airplanes in the U.S. fleet. Regretfully, we are unable to properly account for weight shift trikes, powered parachutes, gyroplanes, or motorgliders because the database is too variable.
Remos Light-Sport Aircraft Has a New Owner: Stemme
On April 13, 2017, only briefly after the Aero Friedrichshafen show ended, LSA manufacturer Remos has a major announcement. “Remos has a New Owner,” exclaimed the German company on their website home page.
Stemme and Remos decided to work together more closely. “The only logical step was to merge both companies. Stemme AG ist the new owner of Remos AG. Remos now is a 100% subsidiary of Stemme,” said Stemme CEO Paul Masschelein. Stemme’s facility in Strausberg and the Remos facility in Pasewalk will continue to operate.
To reassure customers old and new, Masschelein added, “The Remos GX is a major part of our plans for the future.”
Both companies are referring to the move as a “merger.” This transaction follows a cooperation beginning in 2014 when Remos AG began producing structural composite parts for Stemme.
“The agreement has been unanimously approved by both companies’ supervisory boards,” they reported.
Searey Kit Aircraft Gets More Push… Simply!
Could Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, and even ultralights benefit from in-flight adjustable propellers? After more testing and data collection answering that question should be easier.
Prominently displayed in front of the Rotax Aircraft Engines exhibit at Sun ‘n Fun — right at the main entrance to the large spring show — was a strikingly-painted Searey kit-built aircraft (photo). Why? The mission was to showcase how a Rotax-powered amphibian aircraft can get more push… without complexity.
Named Searey ATD, Advanced Technology Demonstrator, the collaborators include Progressive Aerodyne, producer of the Searey, Rotax Aircraft Engines, and MT Propeller, all coordinated by key developer, RS Aerotech of Nassau, Bahamas.
A joint news release said, “For the first time in the Light-Sport Aircraft category*, Searey ATD offers a single-lever operated constant speed propeller, which significantly improves performance and dramatically reduces power management complexity for the pilot.”
Searey ATD “will be used for long-time testing of new engines, propellers, and electronic systems.” To serve this goal, Searey ATD has been equipped with a state-of-the-art flight data acquisition and reporting system, which combines engine data with aircraft and navigation data.” Called a “first time” accomplishment, Searey ATD can “automatically transmit its engine and aircraft data via LTE networks worldwide.” The data “will be used by Rotax to perform engine health monitoring” similar to what airlines do globally.
List for All Special Light Sport Aircraft
Special Light-Sport Aircraft, or SLSA, are 100% factory built light aircraft that may be used commercially for instruction and rental. These aircraft are accepted by FAA after the manufacturer demonstrates compliance with industry consensus standards and proves they have proper manufacturing controls.
Since the first SLSA approvals in April 2005, the LSA industry has gained FAA approval for more than 150 aircraft models. ByDanJohnson.com is pleased to list all of these models in the order in which they were approved for a LSA airworthiness certificate.
How the SLSA List works… and how you can help
If you know of an approved aircraft not on this list, send us an email and tell us about it.
Keep up with all these new approvals returning to this page frequently. The newest FAA-accepted SLSA appear at the top (default view). Click the No. header to see which aircraft received certification first.
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