The last airshow of 2021 is over. The Christmas holidays are beginning to dominate everyone’s calendar. Yet recreational pilots — being enthusiastic aviators — are thinking about flying in 2022.
The Covid pandemic of 2020/2021 appears not to have slowed enjoyment of flying for fun… for most of us anyway. I sincerely regret anyone who suffered during this period but sport aviation has held up surprisingly well.
In this article, I will tackle a couple reader questions, the sort I hear all the time. To answer several people with one response, I asked reader John Joyce if I could use his question and name. He consented, so here we go…
Buyers Without Remorse
John started, “Skyleader 600 looks like a great aircraft. I had actually just noticed this model a couple days ago because there is a used one listed for sale on the Web. As a potential first time buyer, I would be interested to have you address the question of service for these smaller manufacturers.
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Affordable Aviation — Can You Find a Budget-Meeting Aircraft for 2022?
This website regularly promotes affordable aviation. Can you genuinely find an aircraft you like that is affordable? If so, are the smaller shows — ones I call “sector-specific” — the place to find them?
Those two questions come up all the time on ByDanJohnson.com.
When you read Flying magazine or AOPA Pilot, the odds are low that readers of this website will find something they can afford. Both titles do a high quality job of covering aviation and I am glad they continue (though Flying is scaling back their print magazine to just four times a year). Yet the aircraft these two periodicals cover are almost never something I can afford; you may feel similarly.
The fact is most aviation magazines and the bigger airshows are full of aircraft most of us cannot afford.
DeLand Showcase
Midwest LSA Expo
and Affordability
First the good news. Yes, you can find affordable aircraft (here is a series of examples).
Thinking about 2022? — Check Out Skyleader 600, One Deluxe Light-Sport Aircraft
You’ve seen this airplane before but recreational flying enthusiasts with a good memory may ask, “Hmm, that looks a lot like an older LSA …what is it?”
Those LSA veterans may be recalling Kappa KP5, one of the earliest entries on our SLSA List (#9). It was originally sold under the European brand name Jihlavan and that challenging name for Americans may be a good reason the Czech producer changed to the better marketing name, Skyleader.
For the last few years, Skyleader has been represented by Michael Tomazin doing business as Skyleader North America.
I caught up with Michael at Sun ‘n Fun 2021. He had flown the aircraft clear across the U.S. as he is based on the west coast, in Madera, California. You can hear his description of that jaunt in the video below.
In the interview, Michael also provides other desirable features of the Skyleader 600.
LSA Seaplanes — Sophisticated New Entries or Established, Proven, Affordable Aircraft?
UPDATE 11/28/21 — Vickers Aircraft sent fresh images and additional comments. See ••• below. —DJ
Excitement is in the air, even as the season wraps up activity here in the USA. Remember, while winter approaches for Americans, summer is coming to New Zealand.
That might explain an information deficit of late from LSA seaplane developer, Vickers Aircraft. People have been asking questions and reports have become infrequent. Uh, oh…!
Fortunately, the quiet period appears to have a good explanation.
Received November 24th, 2021 — “Hi Dan. Sorry (for a delayed response),” wrote Paul Vickers. “We are pushing very hard for a 10 December first flight. We are structurally testing the wing today.”
Often called a “strongback,” Paul refers to the I-beam steel testing jig seen in the nearby photo. “This was custom designed and manufactured by our Wave team,” he added proudly.
••• “Wave is not just another LSA,” clarified Paul in follow-up email.
Ion Aircraft Takes Off — Twin-Boom Tail Tandem, Light-Sport Aircraft or Experimental
A few years back at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, I discovered a good-looking design but I did not see it each year. When I talked to developer Steve Martin, the project appeared interesting but it was not complete (at that time). The next year, I’d look for Ion Aircraft and might not find them.
Such is the nature of developing a small aircraft. Most aircraft buyers have little idea about the million and one things that must come together to create a design.
Once the aircraft has proven itself, the challenge starts anew to put a completed model into production. Usually financing becomes an obstacle to clear. I’ve faced this scenario myself — with a motorglider called Cumulus back in the 1990s — so I can confirm this is no easy task.
Nonetheless, I was pleased to receive a notice that Ion found a buyer for the project, a venture capital company at that.
Big Producer of Small Engines — Rotax Reaches a Major Production Benchmark
Two decades into the new millennia, few aviation companies can claim impressive growth. In two decades, one company that everyone now recognizes as a climber is Cirrus Design and their successful SR-series of general aviation aircraft.
Back in 1998 many pilots were doubtful about Cirrus.
I was close to the company during these years. Over and over I heard statements such as: “They’ll never complete the design.” “They’ll never get FAA to approve it (especially with that parachute on board).” “They’ll never raise the money to produce it.” “They’ll never get production to a profitable level.” “They’ll never develop beyond a single model.” Those doubters were wrong on all counts.
Only a few years earlier, in 1992, Americans got their first glimpse of the 9-series Rotax engine. At the time, many aviation mechanics dismissed it as “…just a snowmobile engine.” They also turned out to be wrong.
Starting with their lightweight, advanced-technology, liquid-cooled, 80-horsepower engine, Rotax developed a line of powerplants and went on to dominate the light aircraft aircraft market globally.
Brazil’s Montaer MC01 Rises to a Need: Hand Controls to Let All Pilots Fly
Over many years, many people have done solid work to accommodate people who are physically challenged in one way or another. That’s great! More opportunities to bring in motivated pilots is worthwhile.
Yet designers have been hampered from making such changes, partly as they are burdened by a certification system that is simply too rigid to make the effort of approval worth it for small numbers of specially-equipped aircraft.
Cars, hotel rooms, curb construction, building ramps, smartphones, and more …all accommodate persons with disabilities. That’s wonderful, however…
All those arrangements that make life easier for someone in a wheelchair must nonetheless cope with strenuous regulatory demands. Cars, hotels, and smartphones are created by vastly larger enterprises with staff to handle regulatory burdens.
In the more intimate world of recreational aviation, the industry is composed of much smaller enterprises. A lighter regulatory hand (using ASTM standards instead of full FAA certification) allows easier airframe customization for specific purposes — such as hand control fittings and linkages — and this system allows changes on a dramatically faster schedule.
Composite FX
Composite-FX manufactures a line of light helicopters. Choose a fully-built Part 103 model or the exciting turbine-powered XET kit-built model. Whatever you pick, the price is remarkably low for any ultralight of this sophistication and stunningly low for a helicopter. Learn more about this fascinating entry…
SW-51 is Shipping Quick-Build Kits — Create Your Ultimate Mustang with Incredible Detail
North American’s World War II-era P-51 Mustang has consistently won polls of pilots asking to identify their favorite aircraft.
You may love your LSA or Sport Pilot kit or an ultralight aircraft, but nearly all pilots occasionally dream of owning — or at least flying — a P-51 Mustang.
Let’s face it. You probably can’t afford to buy one and it’s almost certain you don’t have the budget to maintain it and fly it. The fuel bill alone for an hour’s flying will make you gasp.
So, what do you do if you have a Walter Mitty-esque urge to own and fly a P-51 but you don’t have a couple million laying around unused?
Why not build your own?
When It Looks This Good!
You can follow my previous reporting of this superlative development in other articles:
SW-51 Production Model First Flight (2021)
SW-51 Kit Introduced (2019)
SW-51 ScaleWings Takes Over (2018)
SW-51 Makes Maiden Flight (2014)
As you see from the timeline above, it has taken a while for the twists and turns of development to unravel themselves.
Affordable and Familiar — Well-Established Excalibur Continues to Please Customers
Video Updated 10/25/21 — See at bottom for a video recorded at Sun ‘n Fun 2021… —DJ
Ever in search of recreational aircraft pilots can afford, I had a closer look at Excalibur’s display at Sun ‘n Fun 2021.
I’ll excuse you for thinking this is a Quad City Challenger. It’s not.
I’ll also excuse you if you never saw this aircraft before. Developer Tom Karr has been building Excalibur for 25 years, nonetheless, Sun ‘n Fun 2021 was his first time displaying at the season-starting event.
Excalibur’s Edge
In his effort to differentiate his Excalibur kit aircraft from similar looking models, Tom made numerous changes, for example: He uses all push-pull tubes to control surfaces, not cables. The tandem seater has a “wide-body” cockpit that should fit more Americans. Shock cord suspension and a spring-loaded nosewheel make for soft, well-supported landings. Instead of flaperons, Tom uses discreet flaps.
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