When I started this website back in 2004, even before Light-Sport Aircraft officially arrived on the aviation scene, I began by uploading hundreds of pilot reports that had appeared in various aviation magazines. Most were very detailed descriptions of many ultralights (both single and two seaters) and light kit aircraft. After flying nearly 400 models, I had information that most buyers lacked, so I often took questions that were similar to, “You’ve flown all these airplanes. Which one should I buy?”
The question turns out to be impossible to answer. It is something like asking me, “Which color car is best?” The answer depends on what you want. What I like is nearly meaningless unless your desires are almost identical to mine …and that’s very unlikely. If we spoke long enough at an airshow, perhaps I could learn enough about you — your experience, your home location, your expected use of an aircraft, your spending budget, and much more — such that I might advise you what might work for you.
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Guardian Avionics — iPads mounts & more
Guardian Avionics made a name for themselves with carbon monoxide (CO) detectors to. well… “guard” against this deadly gas getting into your cockpit. However, the company has expanded into iPad and iPhone mounts that are among the slickest I’ve seen. In this video, I visited with Ash Vij to get the details about their new offerings that include a mount and more for every product Apple makes. If you are like almost every pilot and use an iPad in the cockpit, you need to check this out.
Quicksilver Aeronautics — Sprint / Max 103 (2015)
Quicksilver’s Sprint has long been a great little airplane. Versions of it have sold many, many thousands of units and they consistently deliver good flying qualities with an excellent safety record. However, some may seem a bit underpowered. Not any more! With Hirth’s 50-horsepower F23 twin cylinder engine, Max 103 is highly energetic. Here how it was done on this video.
Nando Groppo — Trail (2014)
We’ve looked at Nando Groppo’s Trail aircraft earlier, both in the USA and over at Aero in Germany. The aircraft remains an interesting modestly priced machine (mid-$80,000s in early 2014, subject to change) with folding wings and bush capability. Now the Trail has a new representative. Steve Bensinger has a long, illustrious history with the CGS Hawk ultralight and now offers the Trail. Get up to date on the airplane and Steve’s business in this video.
Fk Lightplanes — Fk12 Comet (01/11)
Germany’s Fk Lightplanes is an unusually versatile supplier of Light-Sport Aircraft. This well established producer has a high wing (the Fk9), a low wing (the Fk14, with another one in development) and a biplane. The latter, called the Fk12 Comet is the focus of this video and the model has just landed on American shores. Get updated on the plans of importer Hansen Air Group as we speak with Mitch Hansen about a biplane available in various configurations.
Skykits — Rampage
Skykits – formerly of Canada, now of Paris… Tennessee, that is – has offered a series of Italian STOL designs, which they assembled north of the border. These days a U.S.-based company, Skykits branched off with their own design, this gleaming Rampage. Not only does Rampage look terrific in navy blue over highly-polished aluminum, it offers short-field flying capabilities and more. Come inside and have a look with us.
Invasion of the Titan; More LSA Go Big Power
In my many years in aviation, I’ve learned this about light aviation pilots: If 80-horsepower is good, then 100-horsepower is better, and even more is best of all. It explains why interest was so high when Rotax announced their new 915iS that will provide 135 horsepower. It also illustrates why the 180 horses of the Titan X-340 is succeeding in the Light-Sport Industry.
Interest from LSA producers started with CubCrafters adopting the engine several years ago. When that company’s boss, Jim Richmond, held a press conference at Sun ‘n Fun, the reception was somewhat cool. Of ten persons in the audience, only four of us were journalists. The other six (yes, 6!) people were from FAA. No wonder, perhaps, as ASTM standards at the time brought questions to mind regarding the use of such a powerful engine. Those standards have since been modified somewhat.
Indeed, the western producer instructed users that the engine could only be used at full power for takeoff or climbing, but otherwise had to be set to lower power.
Quicksilver’s 103 Sprint Offers Potent Powerplant
You could say 15,000 aircraft buyers can’t be wrong and you’d be right. Quicksilver, in several various corporate iterations, has indeed sold 15,000 aircraft kits for its whole line including what they call the MX series and the GT series. Going back to the early 1980s — or even earlier when the company was a hang glider producer under the namer Eipper Formance — the company has made so many models I could nearly fill a post with the names, so I won’t try to list them all. Suffice it to say this is one of the most prolific airplane companies since the Wright brothers first flew.
Today, the line up includes the aircraft in the nearby photos called Sprint. It’s a single seater, now positioned as the MX-103. As the company notes on their slickly upgraded website, “[We are] launching the MX 103 a legal ultralight with 50 horsepower engine for $18,900 fully assembled.” They note that MX 103 is based on the MX Sprint that has a long track record of safety and ruggedness in an open air flying machine.
Sun ‘n Fun 2015: Part 103 Ultralights Are Hot!
Part 103 ultralight activity was not the news I expected to report from Sun ‘n Fun 2015, certainly not as my first report. After an intense week shooting video interviews at Sun ‘n Fun 2015, I am impressed to report that Part 103 is much more than alive and well. For those that may have missed this unique category, Part 103 ultralight vehicles (FAA’s deliberate wording) are single seat flying machines of varying description that need no medical, not even a pilot license, no N-number registration, and can be sold ready-to-fly. The entire FAA regulation for them can be printed on the front and back of a single piece of paper.
Adding to the charm of rarely having to interact with a government agency in order to have some fun in your airplane are a couple similar efforts in Europe. Germany has its 120-kilogram class (264 pounds) and England has its SSDR category (Single Seat De Regulated).
Belgium D-Motor Declares ASTM Compliance
In the world of FAA-accepted Light-Sport Aircraft, engines choices have been limited to Rotax, Jabiru, and HKS adding to updated versions from certified engine producers such as Continental and Lycoming plus the big Titan engine from ECi. Now, according to the U.S. importer, that rather exclusive club is joined by Belgium’s D-Motor, while earlier reports suggested the UL Power engine is also pursuing ASTM compliance. “We invested 500 hours testing the LF26 D-Motor from summer to fall,” said Doc’ Bailey of Renegade Light Sport, the importer. ASTM requires 100 hours testing by the airframe manufacturer before the engine can be accepted by FAA for installation on a Special LSA.
Doc’ has been in regular contact with the Light-Sport office of FAA. The agency does not audit powerplants the same way as airframe manufacturers, partly as the airframer must add to the engine builder’s testing, but it does keep track of which components the airframe maker has tested.
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