I was inspired to write this article by a comment made on a previous article I wrote on MOSAIC. I had indicated that MOSAIC had the potential to bring new aircraft to market at half the price of current legacy offerings. The commenter made the point that even at half the price, this would still not make it inherently “affordable” to most people.
This topic will be covered in two articles. The first will discuss how shared ownership is able to bring down the costs of accessing an airplane and thus, making it potentially more affordable to a wider pilot demographic. The second article will detail two proposals on how some form of shared ownership could be expanded into a regional or national model.
How the Numbers Add Up
Affordability is really not a single quantifiable number that can be used to judge a product. There are simply too many other factors such as income, lifestyle and geographical location that have to be taken into account while, of course, no two people see their life priorities the same way.
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Sport Pilot CFI — A Potentially Less Expensive Path to a Professional Aviation Career
The journey to becoming a professional pilot has traditionally been a long and expensive one, requiring hundreds of flight hours and multiple certifications before being able to earn money. However, the FAA Sport Pilot Instructor Certificate (CFI-S) offers a potential shortcut for aspiring aviators, allowing them to start teaching and earning income with significantly fewer hours than a traditional Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).
Steps to Becoming a Sport Pilot CFI
Private Pilot Certificate: This is the foundation for all pilot certifications. You’ll learn basic flight maneuvers, navigation, and safety procedures. A Sport Pilot Certificate will be sufficient if you do not aspire to larger standard category aircraft, or simply wish to obtain your Private Pilot Certificate at a later date.
Instrument Rating: This rating allows you to fly in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), relying on instruments rather than visual references. It’s a crucial step toward becoming a professional pilot and will be required for flight instruction in standard category aircraft as a traditional CFI.
Buying Used: The Ercoupe — We Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Pedals
Few legacy GA aircraft are as easily recognizable as the Ercoupe. The twin tails and large glazed canopy are distinctive, as are its lack of rudder pedals (on most models). Ercoupe Owner’s Club Executive Director Gene Bunt says, “for lack of a better explanation…it’s got major ‘cute factor’.” But apart from its unique looks, the plane is also known for being easy to fly. It was, after all, designed with the goal of being the safest fixed wing aircraft available—one that would not stall or spin.
While the Ercoupe is a type certified aircraft, many of the variants qualify within the Light Sport category. When MOSAIC comes in all of them will qualify. That’s great news for Sport Pilots looking for something “different” to fly. And, they regularly show up for sale for comparatively little money.
Development
Fred Weick, an aeronautical engineer who would later create the Piper Pawnee and have a hand in designing the Piper Cherokee, designed the Ercoupe after joining the newly formed Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) in 1936.
Sport Pilot Certificate – What You Need to Know
The Sport Pilot Certificate has emerged as a popular option for aspiring pilots who want to experience the joy of recreational flying without the extensive time and financial commitment required for a Private Pilot Certificate. It’s been with us for two decades but there are still questions about the SP certificate. Here’s a rundown.
There are seven main categories of aircraft for which you can be a Sport Pilot, each with variations on training and pilot requirements specific to that Category. This article will be specific to the Airplane Category.
What is the Sport Pilot Certificate?
The Sport Pilot Certificate allows pilots to fly a Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). These aircraft are typically smaller, simpler and more affordable to operate. Key characteristics of LSAs include:
Maximum takeoff weight of 1320 pounds (or 1430 for seaplanes)
Maximum airspeed in level flight of 120 knots under standard atmospheric conditions
Maximum stall speed of 45 knots in landing configuration
Single, non-turbine engine
Fixed pitch or ground adjustable propeller
Fixed landing gear (except for seaplanes)
Note that all of these are under the current LSA/SP rules and are likely to change when MOSAIC becomes reality next year.
Taking Composites “Out Back” — TL Sport Aircraft’s Sirius Backcountry and SE Models
Metal or Fabric… that’s mainly been your choice when you look at LSA that can venture into unimproved landing strips. Composite aircraft with snugly-faired wheels and slippery, shiny exteriors usually stay on civilized airports. You’ve never seen a Cirrus land on a rocky creek bed, have you?
Czech producer TL Ultralight has started down this path and showed a mockup (using images) at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024.
Additionally, recent years have seen several high wing models introduced by LSA manufacturers known for their low-wing designs. High wing aircraft are often considered more versatile on floats or on big tundra tires, though we’ve seen low-wing variations like Bristell’s tundra tire-equipped TDO (Tail Dragger Option).
Thanks to a well-established production facility paired with computer-aided design, importer TL Sport Aircraft will take its all-composite Sirius into backcountry flying.
Summer Celebration
Oshkosh brings out the best in new aircraft.
Where Is the World Headed with Low-Altitude Airspace Freedom?
With the excitement of EAA’s summer celebration of flight — AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 — slowly beginning to fade from headlines, this might be a good time to broaden our outlook.
AirVenture features aircraft from everywhere and of every conceivable type. It’s a veritable smorgasbord of airplane-examining pleasure and thoroughly covers nearly every aspect of aviation, from foot-launched powered paragliders to multiengine warbirds and everything in between.
Some were searching for the newest innovations, by which such attendees may mean drones, UAVs, multicopters, eVTOLs… whatever you might choose to call them. Finding these machines at KOSH was much less obvious perhaps because the truth is, Yankee pilots remain focused on aircraft they can get in and fly using their own skills.
American Dream
We live in a country of great aviation freedom and lots of wide open spaces. Those of us interested in flying light aircraft for the sheer enjoyment of it can do so in way the rest of the world can barely comprehend.
Flight Review: Riding the Shark!
“You never get a second chance to make a first impression” is a wise old saw, and my initial impressions of the Shark were all very positive. Some aircraft look like they’re moving even when they’re standing still, and the Shark definitely falls into this category. From the tip of the sharp-looking spinner to the top of the swept-back fin, it’s easily the sexiest-looking microlight I’ve ever seen. Indeed, my first thought is that it looks rather like a scaled-down PC-21.
Walking around the aircraft, I note that the 100-hp Rotax 912S is very tightly cowled, and that access to the engine bay is adequate, but not outstanding, as quite a lot of Camloc fasteners need to be undone to remove the entire cowling for a full engine inspection. There’s a large electrically actuated NACA scoop in the bottom half which supplies air to the oil cooler and radiator, and small intakes in the top half on both sides of the spinner for cooling the cylinders.
Buying Used: Aeronca Champ—A Plane That Deserves Your Respect
The Aeronca Champion might be the Rodney Dangerfield of light aircraft. The plane, which has historically played second fiddle to the Piper Cub, doesn’t get the respect it deserves, according to its fans. “Take all the light planes from that era and look at which offers the best characteristics… I would place the Champ at the top,” argues John Weigel, a Boston area pilot who twice flew a Champ from coast to coast. “I love the Cub,” he says, “but the Champ has no bad qualities. And if I’m taking someone up with me, I’ll take it over other similar planes every time.”
When compared to the Cub, as well as the Luscombe, Taylorcraft and Cessna 120 and 140, among other tailwheelers, the Champ is easier to get into, offers more comfort, has better visibility, more forgiving landing gear and is probably the better training/low-time pilot aircraft. All are good reasons to consider a Champ if you’re looking for a simple, relatively inexpensive and fun to fly aircraft.
If It Flies Like a Duck and Floats Like a Duck, Maybe It IS a Duck
Article Updated July 17, 2024 — After this article was posted, Miguel Rosario reported, “Duck is still in tests. Now we will install a 912 ULS 80-horsepower engine, as requested by future customers.” He continued, “Molds are under construction for production, which we hope to start in three months” (approximately October 1, 2024). He finished, “I will keep you updated on all developments regarding Duck.” —DJ
You probably know Seamax. This longtime, performance-oriented LSA seaplane was one of the first to make a splash in the U.S. light aircraft market way back in December, 2007.
Today, regretfully, the Seamax company is going through some very difficult circumstances as noted in this State of the Seaplane Sector report. We don’t know the end of those stories yet.
Nonetheless, Seamax M-22 designer Miguel Rosario remains active. You can’t keep a good man down but apparently you can keep him on the water.
Longest-Running Midwest Event Celebrates 16 Years — GO! FLY! MORE!
Let me be clear — I think the Midwest Aviation Expo is the premiere event I’ve ever attended for pilots to take demonstration flights in several aircraft as they consider a purchase. That’s a major benefit.
Sure, Sun ‘n Fun, Aero Friedrichshafen, and AirVenture Oshkosh are far larger… and that’s the problem. Size does matter but not always the way you think.
At these wonderfully huge events, you have so much to see and so many people to talk to that you cannot get to everyone. When you do end up in the front of a waiting line to talk to a vendor, you may have be quick as many others are waiting and the vendor wants to serve all the customers he or she can. The sheer size of these events also means literally miles of walking on some days. I don’t even want to mention the lines of plastic portapottys baking in the sun.
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