[from a talk given at DeLand Showcase 2017…]
After more than 13 years of LSA, I believe the industry can stand tall and proud…
Even with more than 140 attractive, innovative, and roomy LSA of every description, much of what makes LSA a strong and worthy addition to aviation is less obvious to many.
Sure, pilots love the nuts and bolts and hearing about performance or flight characteristics of our favorite aircraft but what has really brought LSA to the forefront of aviation… worldwide?
I’m lucky. I’ve had a front row seat to what I consider to be the greatest modern story in aviation.
Since the 1970s, I watched hang gliders evolve into ultralights and ultralights transform into LSA. Then I watched as a worldwide fleet launched into the skies over the past 15-20 years. This has been humbling to experience and a source of constant delight …as well as a source of material for thousands of articles and hundreds of video.
Search Results for : CT AND hand control
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.
Italy’s JetFox Redux — InnovAviation FX1 Moving toward SLSA Acceptance
We reported on FX1 shortly after it began flight trials in the hands of American light aviation expert John Hunter. This article offers John’s perspective on flight characteristics along with specifications; you should definitely read this if FX1 stirs your imagination.
InnovAviation is an Italian company founded in 2001 by Alfredo Di Cesare, who began his aviation career in the early 1980s as an importer and kit builder of Striplin Aircraft from the USA. Later that decade, Alfredo started importing Germany’s Comco Ikarus C22, which lead to C42 that became that country’s most popular light aircraft.
Alfredo saw room for improvement.
He probably also saw the success of America’s Flightstar, which was significantly based on work by Hans Gygax, the brain behind Comco’s C42. While resembling Flightstar, you can also see FX1 is much more developed.
FX1’s cabin is fully enclosed and sports large, curved doors.
SeaMax Light-Sport Aircraft Seaplane Returns to American Market—Pilot Report
SeaMax from Brazil has been somewhat absent in recent years. I will spare you the detail but the company used a lot of energy to repel an undesired takeover. In recent months that was resolved and the company is now ready to move forward smartly.
SeaMax was an early LSA to meet the consensus standards as required by FAA. The first was the Mermaid in February 2006. Second was the Colyaer Freedom on January 2007. On Christmas Day 2007, SeaMax became the third.
However, of those three only SeaMax has remained in regular production for the last ten years. More recently, SeaMax was followed by SeaRey, Super Petrel, and A5 as ASTM-compliant LSA seaplanes. See our SLSA List for all aircraft shown in sortable columns.
At Sun ‘n Fun 2017, I did a video interview with designer Miguel Rosario that you can watch below.
Sonex’s Xenos Motorglider Kit Aircraft Upgraded to B Model
Sonex made a splash earlier when they announced their “B Models” for the Sonex and Waiex. Read about the B-model changes in this article. Now the Oshkosh, Wisconsin company has brought these same upgrades to their Xenos Motorglider.
Over many years I’ve asked many pilots why they fly, what their top reason might be. The answers are nearly as numerous as the number of pilots asked. For me, it’s probably aerial sightseeing, enjoying the view from above. Right after that, though, it is easily and clearly soaring. I’ve logged hundreds of hours soaring hang gliders and the sensation of rising thousands of feet in thermals remains one I cannot top with any other kind of flying.
Sonex’s Xenos is a motorglider and is quite adept at soaring.
So, I got excited when I read the Sonex Aircraft announce the new Xenos B-Model. You can order a Xenos-B now, kits are shipping, and, earlier purchasers may wish to check out the Xenos-B Conversion Kit.
Just Aircraft …No “Just” About It. SuperSTOL Leaps Aloft.
CubCrafters now leads the field for Special LSA (see this report to learn more) thanks significantly to their early installation of the 180 horsepower Titan engine. Outback Shock is starting making waves in the sky with their impressive entry. Outback with Shock options is sold in America by SportairUSA.
Both these companies are to be congratulated for advancing the light aircraft field, but one aircraft really lit this space on fire: Just Aircraft and their ground-breaking SuperSTOL. Just Aircraft went beyond vintage appeal by extending SuperSTOL ability with several distinctive features.
“The dual slatted wing significantly enhanced performance and slow flight control,” said design engineer Troy Woodland. His SuperSTOL wing design incorporates self-deploying leading edge slats and wide span Fowler flaps to increase stall range. SuperSTOL also uses vortex generators to further stretch slow flight performance and handling (photo).
“This provides access to considerably more off-airport landing sites, making the SuperSTOL one of the most versatile backcountry machines out there,” Troy added.
Here Comes FX1 Light Aircraft from Italy
In the late 1990s, the Italian JetFox 97 flew as an evolved ultralight. Resembling the FlightStar that sold around 1,000 units in all configurations, JetFox differed by enclosing the engine and cabin. Instead of a simple tail boom the European ultralight had an aft fuselage among other refinements. As Light-Sport erupted into the marketplace, JetFox appeared to slip away. However, good ideas can be recycled and revived. Such appears to be the case for FX1.
John Hunter has extensive experience with Drifter, AirCam, and several Aeroprakt models. Recently, he has been in Italy visiting Innovaviation to conduct the first test flights.
Created by JetFox designer, Alfredo Di Cesare, FX 1 is a modern aircraft cabin and fuselage structure made primarily of light weight carbon-graphite composite with wings and tail built from aluminum. Under the shapely skin is a cage of welded chromoly steel that provides robust occupant protection.
Alfredo wrote, “FX1 is a fourth-generation sport plane [that] evolved from successful European designs of the last three decades.” Using computer-aided design FX1 “has been carefully engineered to optimize all aspects of a proven configuration.”
Additional details including many more photos plus design considerations can be found on Innovaviation’s website.
Aero 2017 Approaches; Remos GXiS & More
We are fast approaching an important time of year… only this year I am a bit conflicted. The good news is Sun ‘n Fun and Aero Friedrichshafen are terrific shows. I have been attending both for more years that I care to admit. (OK, I guess I don’t ming saying Aero 2016 was my 20th in a row. I’ve been going to Sun ‘n Fun so long, it makes me feel old to say how many years it has been.)
Both events are vitally important to the light aircraft space I enjoy and as steadily reported on this website. Both have strong sectors serving Light-Sport Aircraft (and in Europe, LSA-like aircraft) plus light kit-built aircraft and ultralight aircraft (in Europe called 120-kilogram class or SSDR, which means Single Seat De-Regulated).
These classes of aircraft are the ones I love to report and probably the ones you also enjoy.
SportairUSA
SportairUSA is a pioneering LSA distributor featuring the top-performing STOL, the Savage Nomad Shock Ultra, and Z~Floats—amphibious floats for light aircraft. It is a full-line, mid-America operation providing LSA & Part 23 airframe, engine & prop maintenance, repair and avionics.
North Wing Design
North Wing is America’s leading manufacturer of weight shift LSA and Part 103 ultralight trikes. The company’s wing designs are so good that most other trike manufacturers use them. Aircraft prices are highly affordable by all.
Sebring…Meet Elf, a LSA Motorglider from Ekolot
News from Sebring Expo 2017…
“We had a lot of interest in Elf,” said Don Reece, the man behind Apogee A.C.E., the Florida dealer for Ekolot. Indeed, though even smaller and tucked behind Ekolot’s better known Topaz, Elf caught the attention of Videoman Dave and I as we scoured the Sebring exhibit grounds looking to shoot video of any aircraft or development of interest. We get to do this at many shows so catching our attention means something. (Watch for an upcoming video on Elf after editing is complete.)
Ekolot Elf — It looks small and is physically smaller because Elf seats comfortably (but narrowly) a single occupant. It read “Light-Sport” on the outside but it has not completed the proof of compliance as of Sebring 2017. However, that’s the plan after an FAA regional office told importer Krzysztof “Kris” Siuba that Elf was too fast for Part 103 and any attempt to remedy that would be fruitless so it could not qualify for FAA’s simplest, least regulated category.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 26
- 27
- 28
- 29
- 30
- …
- 62
- Next Page »