Top selling aircraft models in the LSA space over the last couple years are manufactured by CubCrafters. It’s not too strong to say they’ve done well because the Yakima, Washington company got the formula right: Start with an iconic design; add features the original Piper version never dreamed of having; pump it up with lots more power; add in a finer finish, modern materials, and instruments; upgrade it steadily; and finish by doing it all in the USA. To continue building on the best performance among any LSA producer, the company announced a range of updates for their Carbon Cub SS and Sport Cub S2 Light-Sport Aircraft for 2014.
Soon we’ll release the first market share stats of 2013 and through the first nine months of the year CubCrafters has a clear lead. Last year, Cessna registered more aircraft but the Wichita giant has been completely quiet in 2013 giving room for CubCrafters to soar.
Search Results for : MG 21
Not finding exactly what you expected? Try our advanced search option.
Select a manufacturer to go straight to all our content about that manufacturer.
Select an aircraft model to go straight to all our content about that model.
Aero Adventure: Kit Seaplane Company’s New Factory
The city of Tavares, Florida ought to be feeling good about their effort to become their adopted name: America’s Seaplane City (FA1). The city built a fine facility and seaplanes are using it. Yet the strongest measure of their success may be that the city, located about 45 minutes northwest of Orlando, has attracted not one but two seaplane manufacturers. I’ve written about Progressive Aerodyne and their SeaRey several times. We’ve done video with Aero Adventure since Alex Rolinski took over the operation. Recently, we were hosted by Alex Gutierrez as we paid a visit to their new factory following a laborious move from Rockledge, Florida to Tavares.
In 2013, this a tale of two men named Alex and a familiar brand in the light kit arena. The longtime friends got together in central Florida after Alex R purchased the rights, designs, and inventory of Aero Adventure.
Beetle Power in a Jaunty Jodel D9
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a pilot not in possession of a good fortune will be in want of a VW-powered aircraft.” Well, I’m not entirely sure Jane Austen would’ve put it quite like that but one thing is irrefutable: If you want to fly an affordable aeroplane then it may well have a Beetle engine! And, here’s a very interesting factoid: the most produced aero-engine ever is probably Lycoming’s O-360, with around 250,000 made. However, Volkswagen made more than 21 million Beetle engines!
An interesting facet about lightweight taildraggers such as the D9 is that they have to be ‘flown’ all the time, even on the ground. Consequently even while taxiing I’m very aware of the wind, because even with differential braking turning out of wind can be a bit tricky. Of course, such simple machines have very simple checks, and while running through my generic SEP checks (which take the form of an unwritten ‘flow check’ around the cockpit), I often get the feeling (and particularly if I’ve flown something a bit more complex the day before) that I’ve forgotten something.
Super Legend Gets SLSA Certificate #133
Available previously as a kit (more on that below), American Legend recently provided photos proving that the Sulfur Springs, Texas company has now won a Special LSA certificate for the Super Legend, topping our SLSA List at number 133. The model has other differences but a key reason for the name is the Lycoming O-233 engine supplying 115 horsepower that gives a nice boost to its performance on wheels or floats. Super Legend will go up against the CubCrafters Carbon Cub SS (with 180 horsepower) and the Zlin Cub-S (also 180-hp). While it may not provide the same excess of power it is more affordably priced than Carbon Cub SS, although the latter is a highly developed offering that is generous in its use of carbon fiber, as its name implies, and in an overall sense of stylized design.
American Legend noted, “The closed cowl Super Legend has the same power-to-weight ratio as a 150-hp Piper Super Cub.
Skycatcher: To Be or to Be, Not
A story posted by Daniel McCoy, a reporter for the Wichita Business Journal, claims the star-crossed Cessna 162 Skycatcher will likely not enjoy the longevity and success of other notable Cessna icons such as the C-172 and C-150/152. Skycatcher was one of the first SLSA out of the gate for the new category created by FAA in 2004. But troubles with manufacturing and two highly publicized airframe parachute deployments during flight testing, including an airframe redesign after the first one, contributed to the dark cloud that seemed to follow the once-bright promise of Cessna’s entry. The market-perceived lackluster specifications sheet and barebones/industrial interior finish relative to many other LSA entries also contributed to the steady attrition in the once-1000-plus order sheet for the Skycatcher.
The news came yesterday at the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) confab in Las Vegas. Company CEO Scott Ernest made the remark that Skycatcher had difficulty attracting market share and had lost a sizable percentage of its multi-year back orders.
Skycatcher: To Be or to Be, Not
*** A story posted by Daniel McCoy, a reporter for the Wichita Business Journal, claims the star-crossed Cessna 162 Skycatcher will likely not enjoy the longevity and success of other notable Cessna icons such as the C-172 and C-150/152. *** The Skycatcher was one of the first SLSA out of the gate for the new category created by FAA in 2004. But troubles with manufacturing and two highly publicized airframe parachute deployments during flight testing, including an airframe redesign after the first one, contributed to the dark cloud that seemed to follow the once-bright promise of Cessna’s entry. *** The market-perceived lackluster specifications sheet and barebones/industrial interior finish relative to many other LSA entries also contributed to the steady attrition in the once-1000-plus order sheet for the Skycatcher. *** The news came yesterday at the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) confab in Las Vegas. Company CEO Scott Ernest made the remark that Skycatcher had difficulty attracting market share and had lost a sizable percentage of its multi-year back orders.
Tom Poberezny; AOPA Survey; Good Bye, Skycatcher!
Once upon a time, way back at the dawn of LSA — 10 years ago come next Oshkosh — I consulted to EAA about the then-new emergence of Sport Pilot / Light-Sport Aircraft. In those days, Tom Poberezny was running the show. In 1989 he took over from his dad, affectionately known to some as Pope Paul. By then, Tom had been a major figure in aviation for many years. When I worked inside EAA HQ during 2004 and 2005. I often had the pleasure of meeting with Tom and occasionally his wife Sharon. I can’t say we became good friends, but we got to know each other and we both wanted great things for aviation. Zap ahead to AirVenture 2011 when a troubling thing happened. As since-departed Rod Hightower took over as President of EAA, the organization appeared to abruptly shove Tom to the sidelines. About the same time, Phil Boyer left the top job at AOPA and the contrast could not be more sharp.
Are You D2?…Tiny Instruments from Dynon & Garmin
An amazing thing happened as we all prepared to go to AOPA last-ever annual show in the sprawling Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Two top suppliers to the LSA sector came out with products bearing almost the same name. However, they’re quite different, fun, and well, yes … surprisingly practical. So, are you D2? Even the Star Wars robot of a similar sounding name might have desired these gizmos, neither of which were remotely possible back in the late 1970s when that movie franchise began.
Dynon’s D2 — The maker of the ubiquitous SkyView glass panels installed in so many higher end LSA has a smaller product that sells well in the GA world, where non-certified equipment cannot be mounted with FAA approval. So, just stick a D1 to the windscreen and you get a mini-Dynon panel for your older, round-gauges aircraft. Now, Dynon has introduced the D2, a second model to what they call their “Pocket Panel product line.” D2 adds WiFi connectivity to allow flight data to be sent to iPad, smartphone, and tablet aviation applications, and has a second screen with a G-Meter (photo).
LSA Seaplane Companies Cluster in Central Florida
Icon Aircraft receives a high percentage of the attention paid to LSA seaplanes. They’ve worked hard on marketing and been quite successful; their Facebook page has nearly 300,000 “Likes!” Yet, as I’ve written, this is a growing subset within the LSA industry with several interesting designs already flying plus new ones to come that are really going to widen people’s eyes. However, some of that remains in the future while we have present-day success stories. If you want a seaplane you can afford and you want it soon, you have several choices, for example: Progressive Aerodyne’s SeaRey and the hot little SeaMax, both of which are SLSA approved, plus Edra Aeronautica’s Super Petrel LS, and in the world of light kits, don’t forget another longtime player, Aero Adventure. The latter Florida company recently reported news.
“Here We Come Tavares,” exclaimed a recent newsletter from Aero Adventure!
Oshkosh 2013 Elements, Part 3: Slide-Out Panel
Elements are basic components of nature. As in our first two parts, I see Oshkosh Elements as worthy ideas other than airframes or engines. One such is World Aircraft Company‘s roller-bearing pull-out drawer instrument panel. Now, if you are like me and don’t spend a lot of time around your airplane with a wrench or soldering iron in your hands, you might not see why this is important. For panels with a collection of round instruments, maybe it isn’t as fetching an idea. Yet I’m willing to guess that nearly every mechanic who reads this or hears of World’s innovation is going to say, “Yes! Why hasn’t this been done before and why aren’t all instrument panels done this way?”
Early this year, I watched while two avionics mechanics maneuvered around the instrument panel in a Flight Design CTLSi. Their task was to install ADS-B hardware to coordinate with the dual-screen Dynon SkyView that fills left and right bays of the instrument panel.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 58
- 59
- 60
- 61
- 62
- …
- 94
- Next Page »