Recently I wrote about an American classic, Luscombe’s Model 8 LSA. We can go back even further in time and uncover a handsome flock of highly affordable airplanes that also check the vintage box.
Welcome to Robert Baslee‘s amazing production of vintage early 20th Century airplanes that ordinary people can build and fly.
Airdrome’s many models — five of which can be built as Part 103 ultralights — look like a page from history but fly well in the modern world.
Here is one man’s very successful mission to both preserve aviation heritage and give you the chance to participate in the fun …without having to do all the research Robert does. As a bonus, many of these kits assemble much faster than many kit designs.
Modern Pilots,
Meet Airdrome Aeroplanes
Robert is incredibly productive. In the video below, he notes he has introduced 25 new models in 25 years.
Search Results for : Flight Design
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.
Much-Loved Luscombe Has Returned — Again, Crossing the Continent
Of all the airplanes earning rave reviews over the years, one model stands out above most others in the distinction of handling quality. Over and over I’ve heard from pilots of a certain, umm… maturity, and Luscombe is the brand often mentioned.
After flying many airplane models, I’d be hard pressed to tell you which one I thought out-handled the rest. What does that even mean?
Handling can be quite personal. Some like a docile, forgiving airplane. In all honesty, that’s probably most of us. It’s annoying (and possibly threatening) to be forced to constantly stay on top of an airplane. Other pilots prefer fast response and a light touch.
Luscombe offers a delightful combination of light forces with great response that will make most of us feel comfortable. That’s magic!
Welcome Back
to the Shiny Silvaire
From its mid-century origin in Kansas City, Missouri, Luscombe moved to Trenton, New Jersey.
New or Old? … Deluxe or Simple? … Quicksilver or Smithsilver? — Here Is Tri-State’s Falcon 503
One of the most successful airplane designs of all time is the Quicksilver. Van’s Aircraft of RV fame has delivered more kits, yet with 10,869 RVs presently flying, Quicksilver still remains far ahead with more than 15,000 flying. Naturally, such market success spawned other builders.
Those who attempted to copy and duplicate Quicksilvers have mostly faded away but some enterprises (see at bottom) built a business out of supplying parts and components that Quicksilver itself never offered.
One of the most successful of these is Tri-State Kite Sales, based in Mt. Vernon, Indiana — and no, not Mt. Vernon, Illinois where the Midwest LSA Expo is held every September.
Andy Alldredge started his Falcon project 18 years ago when he was a lad of 20. The airplane looked good enough that I thought it was something new but, nope. This is a well flown aircraft that has been well maintained.
Does Affordable Aviation Interest You? Then You Should Learn About Affordaplane
This website promotes a focus on affordable aviation, but the word “affordable” means different things to different people at different times.
For some “affordable” may include Special LSA selling for more than $200,000. After all, that’s a fraction of a loaded Cirrus SR22, for example. For others, even $20,000 is more than they wish to spend.
Fortunately, you have a wide variety of choices. Our April 2020 series was composed of ten articles about used light aircraft you can buy for less than $10,000.
We also continue work on our Part 103 list. From the current count of 57 producers, most have choices that are affordable to most pilots plus you get the benefit of almost no regulatory authority over your flying activity (no pilot certificate, no N-numbers, no medical, plus you can buy ready to fly and maintain any way you wish).
So, Now…
Affordaplane
Any design so named seems to fit our mission perfectly.
2020 Is History — How Did Light Aircraft Fare in this Year of Fear?
Everyone knows 2020 was arguably the most unusual year in anyone’s recollection. In such a time of global upheaval, how did the light aircraft industry fare?
This report took a bit more time as the effort to begin counting Part 103 ultralights altered our view of the FAA aircraft registration data. Most of you may prefer this simpler report, but the data hounds among readers can drill all the way down to the last aircraft on Tableau Public.
As always, my sincerest thanks goes to our premier datastician Steve Beste. His work is the primary resource for this report. While I deeply appreciated the work done for years by former data guy (and personal friend), Jan Fridrich, Steve’s career in databases gave him skills that few others possess. Since he’s also “one of us” — a trike owner and pilot — Steve understands what we hope to achieve better than data experts outside affordable aviation.
Modernized Part 103 Ultralights; Here Is Aeroplanes Dar Solo UL and More
Excitement surrounding Part 103 Ultralights continues. Considering what a nightmare of a year the entire world has experienced, many find it incredible that 103s are not only surviving, but thriving.
We still have such models as the popular CGS Hawk and Aerolite 103 that are gusseted-tube structures with Dacron wings; this remains a great choice for light aircraft.
However, we are also getting some advanced configurations. Examples reported recently here are the Aeromarine LSA Merlin Lite, Sector’s Spark, and Top Rudder’s Solo.
In this article, I look at another entry after a reminder from an alert reader …one on which I had previously reported. This one has been around a few years but never established any U.S. presence. That could change as 103 types continue their growth.
Small Airplane Specialist
Aeroplanes DAR
Airplanes Dar is a small innovative company with a long history that started in the previous century… on June 24th, 1917.
Direct Fly Alto LSA — It’s Back with All its Sweet-Flying Qualities (Ghostbuster Optional)
Back when Light-Sport Aircraft were still youngsters in aviation (LSA are teenagers now), Ron Corbi imported the Direct Fly Alto 100. In those early days, competition was fierce and only a few of the nearly 100 manufacturers who entered the race were able to rise into the top 20 best-selling brands.
Then, life got more complicated for Ron and he chose to quietly bow out of representing Alto.
However, Czech Republic producer Direct Fly never stopped. Indeed, the company has supplied more than 80 aircraft to dealers in places as close as Europe and as distant as Australia.
Given the deluge of handsome LSA offered to Americans, Alto slipped off the radar for most Yankee pilots but not before Ron demonstrated the design’s worthy qualities. Check this video with Ron regarding a flight school using Alto 100.
As we prepare to start the third decade of the new millennia, learn more by visiting Alto North America.
Not Just Any Ultralight — Introducing Top Rudder’s Solo 103 and Ruckus
When I first reported about — and did videos about — Just Aircraft’s Part 103 entry back in 2017 and 2018, lots of readers got excited. Here was the company that astounded everyone with their thrilling SuperSTOL that can take and land on what seems little more than a postage stamp. With a background in Part 103 models from an earlier enterprise, Just seemed to be perfect to bring a new model to market …and let me remind you how active is the 103 industry.
Those who watched our video (viewed more than 350,000 times), saw my article, or viewed it themselves at Sun ‘n Fun 2018 knew the new Part 103 aircraft as the Just Solo. Now welcome new producer, Top Rudder. This change represents neither a sale nor divorce.
“Our 103 Solo is manufactured by Top Rudder Aircraft LLC, not Just Aircraft LLC,” explained associate Amy Minnich.
Whisper Quietly Sneaks into the USA — A Composite RV-like Speedster from South Africa
Priced between an RV-7 and RV-14, Whisper is clearly a very similar aircraft but sleekly built of all carbon fiber composites. This was bound to happen and some readers may be delighted. While the RV series is the most popular kit-built airplane ever, it can be a demanding build for some and Whisper offers some advantages in that regard.
This article goes outside our normal range but Whisper is represented by Deon Lombard of Aeropilot USA, seller of the L600 and importer of the FX1. Aeropilot USA will be moving to the newer L600 Eagle when ready; this is a spin-off from the L600 Legend with changes effected by an an engineer who departed Aeropilot. I will have more on Eagle when it is close to delivering — “soon,” Deon observed. Meanwhile…
Whisper Aircraft cut its teeth building motorgliders. If you’ve ever examined any motorglider up close, you’ll know designers obsess over tiny flaws in the finish, sealing every gap that might cost a millionth of a point in glide.
Year-End Holiday Festival at Sun ‘n Fun — What Did Visitors See?
On an overcast day with mild temperatures, my wife Randee and I hopped in an RV-12 and zipped from Daytona to Lakeland, Florida, home of the famous Sun ‘n Fun campus situated on the south side of the municipal airport. The occasion: Sun ‘n Fun’s Holiday Festival, a car and airplane show.
Like many of you, I’ve been having airshow withdrawal. Even with a wide-open attitude about traveling to these events, I have only made three shows this year: Copperstate at Buckeye, the Midwest LSA Expo, and this Sun ‘n Fun event. I gotta tell you it was again great to get out among the flyboys and flygirls for the day. We did not return on Saturday, which was a bright, sunny day but AviNation publisher Jacob Peed reported, “The crowd [size] was very impressive and much improved from Friday. The vendors I talked to were very happy!”
With its full name, Holiday Flying Festival and Car Show, Sun ‘n Fun marketing boss Greg Gibson said the event is the nonprofit’s first large-scale holiday show.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- 63
- …
- 148
- Next Page »