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The great spring airshow everyone knows as Sun ‘n Fun starts in about six weeks. One day after the big event kicks off (on April 10th), Time Trials are planned. Such trials are not new but this year brings something new.
For 2018… “Sport Pilot-eligible aircraft* cruising 120 knots or less may compete in the Sport 20 Time Trials,” wrote Sprint Chairman, Craig Payne. “Classes will be established for land, amphibious, bush planes, and gyros.” He added that this event is intended for Sun ‘n Fun exhibitors and their sponsored entries as a means to show off their aircraft in front of the crowd. In prior time trials, private individuals have also run the course.
Immediately following the Sport 20 comes the Sprint 20 for aircraft capable of cruising over 120 knots.
The “Gentlemen, start your engines” auto-racing line does not precisely apply as the aircraft race against the clock not each other.

While I doubt airliner behemoths Boeing or Airbus are aiming to create aircraft you might buy, their work along with other developers, may nonetheless lead to something new in the future for recreational aircraft pilots and buyers.
According to a report in Wired magazine, “On the morning of January 31, eight buzzing rotors lifted a black bubble of an aircraft off the ground for the first time … Vahana Alpha One spent 53 seconds aloft, under its own power and autonomous control. It reached a height of 16 feet. The flight may not sound like much, but the team from Airbus … and aerospace experts say such flights of experimental aircraft mark the start of a fundamental change in the way we get around.”
Writer Jack Stewart goes on to state, “Alpha One … is a full-scale demonstrator of a single-person, vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The idea … is to remake the way we fly.

We started a few shows back doing a drive-by shooting (except in a good way). In this effort, we pair up on a golf cart with Videoman Dave running the camera and yours truly trying my best to keep up and not flub my lines.
All this is extemporaneous (a fancy word for un-scripted) so if I stumble now and again with an airplane fact, please pardon the error. We like to knock these out and that doesn’t allow for retakes. I think I got most of it right or at least Dave managed to edit out any disqualifying errors I may have made.
According to new Sebring Expo Program Manager, Janice Rearick, we have a few facts to pass along from Sebring 2018.
More than 100 exhibitors displayed their wares. As mentioned in our earlier report, a good number of aircraft were sold and Janice indicated, “Several vendors we surveyed waved long sheets of leads collected at the show.” When vendors succeed, we pilots get more and better aircraft choices with better service from healthier companies.

Let’s be clear. Boeing, Airbus, Google, Amazon, and other immensely deep pockets are not seeking to build fun flying machines for you and me. Well… not initially, at least. And even that statement is somewhat wrong based on the development of the Kitty Hawk Flyer (video below).
Big money doesn’t begin investing hoping to sell 100-200 aircraft per year. Such a performance would be more than acceptable to most manufacturers of Light-Sport Aircraft, light kit aircraft, or ultralights. Indeed, 200 deliveries a year would qualify as a major success for most such builders.
The billionaire class dreams much bigger, probably thinking they can sell many thousands of aircraft or much higher cost aircraft than we recreational aviators want to buy. Most will center on doing transportation or package delivery. Most will not seek to increase your weekend flying fun.
You know what, though? Neither did the Wright Brothers or the other pioneers of flight have recreation in mind.