Update 12/6/16 — According to AOPA Online, “The Federal Aviation Administration has reviewed the AOPA Air Safety Institute’s aeromedical online course and confirmed that it meets the third class medical reform requirements that Congress created last summer. Pilots would need to complete the course, which AOPA will offer for free, every two years in addition to seeing their personal physician every four years to operate under the law.
These steps are NOT required for anyone flying a LSA or Sport Pilot-eligible kit aircraft.—DJ
What issues are “most important” to general aviation pilots for 2017? Are “general aviation” pilots different than those of you who read ByDanJohnson.com? The second question can only be answered by each of you, independently.
My guess is that while you might consider yourself a GA pilot, you might also — or distinctively — consider yourself a “recreational” or “sport” pilot. Whatever label you prefer, I found the following chart of interest.
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Sky Writing 2.0 — Flight Tracks in the Sky
Almost every year at AirVenture Oshkosh, some pilot or team of pilots performs some sky writing, that is, trailing smoke while flying precisely enough that you can read what they are writing from the ground.
The slow script building of the letters captivates the attention from tens of thousands on the ground; of course, many are pilots who are compelled by their interest to watch any airplane gyrations. I also enjoy these aerial penmanship exercises. However, in the 21st Century and with the looming 10th anniversary of the iPhone, perhaps it’s about time aviation caught up to the tech wave.
In this story two Light-Sport Aircraft went aloft for a whole different sort of sky writing, call it Sky Writing 2.0. In this exercise the scale is vastly larger and the challenge is perhaps greater as the letters cannot be seen, not from the air or on the ground or by the pilot.
Aeropilot Legend 600 Is Newest Special LSA (#143)
Doesn’t the newest SLSA resemble an aircraft you know? Can you place it? Welcome Aeropilot Legend 600 imported by U.S. representative Aeropilot USA, which received a Special LSA Airworthiness Certificate from FAA on September 21st, 2016. After a bit of delay, we’ve now added Legend 600 to our 143-aircraft-long SLSA List.
Deon Lombard is the American rep. He comes from an aviation family following Anton Lombard, a World War II pilot who founded Safair Freighters in South Africa. They report this was the nation’s first air cargo service and is now the largest air cargo company in the country. An aviation engineer by training, Deon created a flight school in South Africa and now runs Fly Light Sport California in Fullerton.
First introduced in Europe at the 2011 Aero Friedrichshafen show, the Czech-based manufacturer said, “Legend was designed as an 80%-scale version of the very successful Cessna 182, with two passenger seating for [European] Ultralight or LSA.” They added, “But [Legend 600] actually has more passenger room than the Cessna.” Aeropilot’s European model is called Legend 540.
Glasair’s Merlin LSA Coming to Sun ‘n Fun 2017
Glasair Aviation (previously Stoddard-Hamilton) is a storied aircraft company in the USA that has since 1980 manufactured aircraft kits. Previously, they achieved broad recognition for the Glasair II and III series of speedy retractables in several variations. They struck gold again with the Sportsman (formerly GlaStar) with its rugged capabilities. The company reports more than 1,200 of their aircraft are flying.
Merlin LSA is the company’s newest model and its first foray into fully-manufactured, ready-to-fly aircraft. This newest addition gives a complementary stable of aircraft entries to the Washington State enterprise now owned by Chinese investor and businessman, Tieji Fang.
Merlin is a composite high-wing using tricycle-gear airplane that flight schools prefer. Merlin uses a Rotax 912iS engine and has chosen Advanced Flight System glass-panel avionics (a company now associated with Dynon). An optional BRS parachute system is in development. Not offered as a kit, Merlin LSA carries a base price of $149,950.
Icon Aircraft Advances Work of A5 Production
More than any other one light aircraft company tends to resemble a Silicon Valley company (indeed, they are not location too far away, in Vacaville, California). Icon Aircraft markets like the big tech companies with compelling messages, visually striking images, and impressive airshow displays (albeit almost exclusively at AirVenture). They’ve managed to capture all kinds of media in and out of aviation. Cessna or Piper wishes they could market as well as Icon.
However, the company has been so long in coming to market that they’ve also created a group of naysayers. I see it as similar to the elections Americans just endured where one or the other candidate has some vigorous supporters and large chorus of those espousing #NotSomebody.
Indeed when Icon announced a production slowdown this spring, the latter group grew louder. The company said it was “in order to improve the supply chain and production processes.” Not everyone believed them; it depended on which camp was doing the listening.
Cessna Literally Scraps Remaining Skycatchers
What must be wrong with the photo you see nearby? Was that airplane damaged in some way resulting in it being sent to the scrap heap? Only Textron executives know for sure, but what I see appears to be a fairly worthy airplane about to be munched by heavy equipment.
Aero-News.Net Aero-News.Net broke this story after scoring some photos from Facebook, they report. That outfit is always fast with news and willing to tackle stories some others resist.
While I have sometimes been slighted for being a mostly-good-news guy, reporting the latest and greatest developments from light aviation, I cannot turn down a story as sad as this one, with regrets to those who prefer my generally cheery attitude.
So… why this destruction? Look, I get it that a billion-dollar corporation like Textron surely sized things up from a legal and accounting perspective. Giant companies don’t take chances with their substantial funds.
Continental Launches Fresh Website; Supports STEM
Continental Motors is known worldwide for its aircraft engines. It is also a true global company with operations bases in Hong Kong, Alabama, and St. Egidien, Germany. Most readers are aware that the longtime Alabama company is owned by interests in Hong Kong but they remain very U.S.-centric, right down to the southern drawl of some employees.
In the world of Light-Sport Aircraft and light kits, Continental is perhaps best known today for the line of Titan engines the company acquired from ECi in 2015. Their Titan has taken the Light-Sport Aircraft and light kit-built aircraft sector by storm. A growing number of these flying machines are embracing the company’s potent 180-horsepower engine. In every so equipped aircraft I’ve flown, that Titan powerplant gives a feel that must feel like a rocket-assisted military aircraft. Oorah!
Continental is a growing conglomerate these days. “We have significant operations on three continents, a global supply chain, highly experienced teams and outstanding Maintenance Repair Organization capabilities in Mattituck.” They also own Southern Interiors; you can find all that and more on their new website.
Sonex B, Now Available In Red!
Pardon a little fun in the title. I recalled the line long ago attributed to Henry Ford, “You can have any color [Model T] you want as long as it’s black.”
Sonex Aircraft had so regularly brought bright yellow airplanes to airshows, folks could be excused for thinking that was the only color available. Of course, since the company sells kit aircraft, you can have whatever color you wallet can handle.
Why wouldn’t you want a red one? The color works for Ferrari.
Indeed, the newest model from Sonex is not about the color at all. “We just wanted to separate the new B models from the earlier models,” said General Manager, Mark Schaible. Changing up their airshow model paint job may stimulate people to look more closely… exactly the idea.
Sonex Aircraft debuted a new B-Model design for the Sonex and Waiex models earlier this year at Sun ‘n Fun 2016.
VIDEO — Dreams Come True with Harmony
This weekend, let’s watch some video. At airshows (where I seem to spend a lot of time), my video partner Dave and I race around from booth to exhibit and attempt to find new aircraft or products we think may be of interest to our viewers. I’m pleased to tell you that we must do this fairly well measured by a million and a half minutes a month spent watching Dave’s YouTube channel according to Google, which owns the popular video outlet.
In the video below shot at the Mid-West LSA Expo, you hear from Steve Minnich, who operates Dreams Come True, a family-run Evektor dealership in Dayton, Ohio.
Harmony is the evolution of the SportStar, the airplane that launched the Light-Sport Aircraft phenomenon back on April 5th, 2005. Along with Flight Design’s CT, the two were honored at a ceremony at Sun ‘n Fun that year where FAA presented the #1 and #2 aircraft to satisfactorily demonstrate compliance to the ASTM standards.
Tecnam Upgrades Popular Sierra, Now Called Mark 2
Fourteen years ago, light aviation leader Tecnam brought their only low wing, the Sierra, to market. It went on to become one of their most popular airplanes …and that’s truly saying something since the Italian company has a broad line of beautiful airplanes.
On the 65th anniversary of this company founded in 1948, Tecnam brought their sparkling new Astore to the market (so named in honor of the very first aircraft the company offered). At its debut most thought Sierra had been replaced by Astore, perhaps never to be seen again. Happily, that is not the case.
An old line is: Nothing succeeds like success. Therefore, given the impressive run of Sierra the First, and even with the Astore, Sierra Mark 2 may be utterly logical. “The market is always demanding greater comfort and more features,” says Tecnam Managing Director, Paolo Pascale, “so improving and updating our product is a must.”
The Capua, Italy-based company announced, “Tecnam has introduced a substantially updated and improved Mark 2 version of the company’s popular P2002 Sierra.” The model name P2002 indicates the original design was created that year.
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