Bristell USA distributes the highly-refined Bristell aircraft in North America. The Czech-built aircraft is a 5th generation design with excellent performance, wonderful handling, and a most appealing shape. Other airplanes may look similar but Bristell has gone far beyond.
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Zlin Aviation — Outback Shock (Sportair USA)
Here’s an airplane almost certain to grab your attention. It has huge power (180 horse Titan X340); a “hyper”STOL wing; double Fowler flaps; tremendous shock absorption, including on the tailwheel; and enormous tires. It’s also finished extremely well and has every little detail done just right. Outback Shock, the U.S. name for this model from longtime producer, Zlin, has entered a sub-sector of the LSA world with some stiff competition but Outback Shock meets the bet and raises the others one or two. Video shot at Aero 2016 at its debut.
Shock Treatment for Real Get-Up and Go
Once upon a time, the producer of a yellow LSA taildragger installed the industry’s most powerful engine resulting in a performance leader. This gambit succeeded handily and the builder enjoyed several strong years of sales. Others looked upon this success and saw that it was good.
So, of course, being aviation entrepreneurs, others worked to do the original one better. How about not only an excess of power but other features and macho good looks to cause jaw-drops at every airshow? You may believe I am writing about Just Aircraft and their magnificent SuperSTOL. I’ve enjoyed flying this aircraft and you can research it further here.
Adding exceptional wing qualities to a potent engine results in a sub-market within the LSA sector that has been drawing strong interest and the sales that follow. With newcomers offering appealing features and reducing the price into more affordable realms, it’s not hard to see why pilots are learning about these new flying machines and bringing one home.
The Future of Flying… Could It Happen?
Two forms of flying are racing at us at increasing speed. This is both scary and promising at once. What can we expect? My crystal ball is no better than yours, but let me tell you what I can imagine may be headed our way.
I refer to two generally unrelated activities in the air: autonomous aircraft and FPV drones. Most pilots to whom I’ve spoken seem intrigued by these innovations and a few are enjoying their quadcopters, myself included.
Others are not so sure if they like the idea of either unmanned but man-carrying aircraft or a swarm of drones buzzing about the airport or neighborhood. I understand this viewpoint. Most of us treasure our privacy and don’t want it invaded.
Yet I invite you consider the following scenario… perhaps 3-10 years in the future.
Think about why you like recreational flying, in your LSA, light kit, or ultralight.
Video — BushCat Is Fun and a Bargain!
Are Light-Sport Aircraft too expensive? With yellow taildraggers from some companies exceeding $200,000, it certainly sounds so. Gorgeous and modern carbon fiber LSA run $125,000 to $180,000. So, yeah, if your budget is leaner or if you merely want to keep the price tag down for a recreational aircraft, it’s tougher than imagined before the SP/LSA regulation was announced in 2004.
Tougher, but not impossible. In fact, I’ve long maintained that we do have more reasonably priced LSA for sale but some folks want the more expensive, every-bell-and-whistle aircraft even while they resist the prices such gear costs. Our PlaneFinder 2.0 feature tries to address this with a price above-or-below $100,000. Even determining that can be difficult as some aircraft offer most optional equipment as standard while others prefer a very basically equipped airplane for a low price and let buyers add the stuff they want. Fair enough; a free market in aircraft should offer more choices and let the buyer decide.
SkyReach (Aerosport) — BushCat
If you’ve been saying that Light-Sport Aircraft are too expensive, here is an airplane that may force you to readjust your thinking. While some carbon fiber beauties are indeed rather costly, BushCat has always been one of the true bargains. True, it is simpler in construction but that also means it is lighter which helps it perform well. In early 2017, BushCat starts at just $65,000 ready-to-fly. By any measure that’s a bargain. Find out more detail in this video from the Midwest LSA Expo 2016.
Video—Jabiru J-230D Reviewed at Midwest LSA
Why do we go to all the little airshows? Good question. Everyone knows that a professional journalist or true-blue aircraft enthusiast almost has to trek to the big events like AirVenture or Sun ‘n Fun — with the latter coming up soon April 4-9, 2017. Fine. Yet are the smaller events worth the travel expense and time?
For Videoman Dave and I this is a no-brainer. Gotta go! Why? Because events like Sebring just finished or DeLand‘s end-of-the-season show or the Mid-West LSA Expo early in September in Mt. Vernon Illinois (about an hour’s drive east of St. Louis) are perfect for us to collect video footage and flying experiences that we can relate to viewers on Dave’s widely-watched YouTube channel (to the tune of a million and a half minutes every month!) or here on our LSA Video page.
Video—Race Around Sebring 2017…a Quick Tour
At last November’s DeLand Showcase, I tried something new. I didn’t know how it would work or be received but I took a shot. As it turned out, a good many folks seemed to enjoy my “Race Around DeLand 2016” video. I literally used a golf cart and did a drive-by video shooting of most outdoor booth spaces at the Florida event. A surprising number of pilots told me they enjoyed it.
With those comments in mind, I thought to repeat this with “Race Around Sebring 2017.” You can see it below. This would be tough to do at Sun ‘n Fun or Oshkosh where the LSA, light kits, and ultralights are scattered all over the grounds. It might work, though, in Sun ‘n Fun‘s Paradise City or in AirVenture‘s Fun Fly Zone… we’ll see about that.
Until those spring and summer extravaganzas, I hope you’ll enjoy this rather speedy glimpse of Sebring 2017, the 13th running of this grandaddy of the small, focused events that draw enthusiasts of these recreational or sporting aircraft.
Race Around Sebring 2017
Following the good reception to the earlier “Race Around DeLand 2016” video, I repeated for the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo 2017. If you cannot attend these shows, this gives you a quick, basic view of what the layout and booth spaces look like. It’s better if you can attend, of course, but if not, then… well, Race Around with me at these events. Perhaps more will follow. Meanwhile, I hope you can enjoy this 13:45-minute video. Thanks to Videoman Dave for the edit clean-up.
Dynon Avionics — SkyView HDX
Dynon Avionics has become the leading seller of glass screen instruments in Lihgt-Sport Aircraft and light kit-built airplanes. One way the company has kept their leadership position in a crowded field is by constant innovation, by always taking another step (often ahead of their competition). Now, here comes HDX, a new version of SkyView that makes operating this terrific instrument that much easier, especially in situation where the sky is delivering a few bumps. Get the update from Dynon guru, Kirk Kleinholz. (9 minutes)
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