A couple fun things before I lose the day entirely.Just got word from Tecnam today, via Plane & Pilot publisher Mike McMann, that the Italian aircraft producer has adapted one of my favorite LSA, the P92 Echo and Eaglet (trainer version), for water operations. *** Dubbed the P92 Sea-Sky Hydroplane, this waterbird should prove to be yet another fun entry into the SLSA sweepstakes. *** My impression of the Eaglet remains: a lively, forgiving, fun-to-fly all metal trainer that I expect will appeal even more with web feet, for those of aquatic inclinations. *** Some details: The Hydroplane is the 6th generation model of the successful P92. *** Takeoff run is spec’d at under 200 meters, along with “an impressive climb rate” from its 100-hp Rotax engine. And I wonder how the Eaglet’s landing performance, for example (26 knots, full flaps, no power) will translate to the water and extra weight.
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.
New Tecnam Float Plane; Impossible Turn 2
A couple fun things before I lose the day entirely.Just got word from Tecnam today, via our publisher Mike McMann, that the Italian aircraft producer has adapted one of my favorite LSA, the P92 Echo and Eaglet (trainer version), for water operations. *** Dubbed the P92 Sea-Sky Hydroplane, this waterbird should prove to be yet another fun entry into the SLSA sweepstakes. *** My impression of the Eaglet remains: a lively, forgiving, fun-to-fly all metal trainer that I expect will appeal even more with web feet, for those of aquatic inclinations. *** Some details: *** The Hydroplane is the 6th generation model of the successful P92. *** Takeoff run is spec’d at under 200 meters, along with “an impressive climb rate” from its 100 hp Rotax engine. And I wonder how the Eaglet’s landing performance, for example (26 kts., full flaps, no power) will translate to the water and extra weight.
Demystifying The Killer Turn
Everyone gets the big scare speech early on in their flight training: “If you lose power on takeoff,” say our trusty CFIs, with the requisite sobering tone of voice, “DO NOT try to return to the airport if you are below X feet above ground… always find an emergency landing area somewhere ahead.” *** Everyone has their favorite altitude number for “X”, which is a factor of many variables, including aircraft engine off glide ratio and density altitude. Usually it’s a comfortably conservative number, say 1000 feet minimum AGL. *** There’s a good reason for that cautionary buffer zone of course: many pilots — and passengers — have died trying to make the killer turn back to the airport from too low an altitude. *** In an attempt to demystify the infamous “Impossible turn”, AOPA online managing editor Alyssa J. Miller goes about the worthy business of investigating firsthand just how high one should be above launch airport altitude to feel safe about turning back for that oasis of engine-out safety: the runway.
LSA News Bits as 2011 Draws to a Close
In 36 hours or so, Chief Pilot S. Claus will be on final for a few billion chimneys worldwide. Here’s what’s popping up in one of my last looks at LSA news webwide for 2011. Meanwhile, my best wishes for a Merry Flying Christmas and new flight horizons for all in 2012! *** Cubcrafters flexes its market success muscle with a new manufacturing facility and the hiring — yes, hiring! — of new personnel to build its popular LSA Piper Cub clones. *** A newly leased 15,000-square-foot building near the Yakima, Washington airport boosts existing capacity by almost 40% and is already in operation. Congrats to CubCrafters and we wish you continued success. *** Included are a new welding shop and CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machine shop. *** The new space will make room in the main plant for an R&D facility and an updated, more centralized parts department. *** Owner Jim Richmond says, “Our planes are selling well, and if we get even a little help from the economy, we will need to increase our production rate.” *** Check out those job openings.
REMOS GXeLite: Super Diet?
Sign of the times: cut costs wherever possible. And kudos to those LSA makers who can cut weight too! *** Remos Aircraft has a lower-priced, dramatically lighter version of its flagship GX that bears closer scrutiny. *** It’s called GXeLite, and lists at $133,924.The model is targeted at pilots, clubs and flights schools that don’t feel the need for all the latest high-tech glass and embellishments. Typically, “loaded” models like the GX and new GXNXT models price out at well over the wallet-flattening $150K mark. *** The eLite is dramatically lighter in empty weight too: just 638 lbs. (My recent flight report on the NXT listed that model’s empty weight at 718, or 90 lbs. heavier!). That would allow full tanks as well as some truly hefty passengers too, since the useful load is 682 lbs.! *** The main steps taken to lighten the load on the eLite include reinstating the composite landing gear, using carbon fiber instead of metal wing struts, new carbon fiber seats and a new instrument panel, which is lighter as well as lower.
Three If By Sea
Some bright minds at LISA Airplanes, a French company, had a great idea to take the hydrofoil concept and apply it to an LSA seaplane. I’d often wondered why hydrofoils haven’t been done before, it’s such a great concept.Anyway, the airplane is the AKOYA. The technology for the entire package is patented and called Multi-Access, not the most sizzling name but what the hey, look at how cool those little moustache water wings look sticking out from the hull! *** Now get this: the company claims AKOYA operates as easily from land as from water…or snow! First, to those water wings sticking out: they’re called Seafoils, a trademarked name, which adds a little more marketing sizzle to this steak. *** They’re connected to a retractable gear that can be rigged with wheels or skis, I guess, and also to motor-driven, pivoting wings! There’s also a chute onboard. Very neat.
A Pair of New SLSA Arrive Before AOPA Summit 2011
Just in time for this year’s AOPA Summit, welcome to a pair of Special Light-Sport Aircraft, numbers 121 and 122: the first, the formerly named NG 5 LSA, rebadged as the Bristell Fastback by importer Liberty Sport Aviation of Pennsylvania; and the second being the fourth approval for Pipistrel, specifically for their Sinus motorglider (previous Pipistrel approvals included the Virus, Virus SW, and Taurus). *** NG 5 LSA was not previously offered in the U.S. though it was sold in Europe as the NG 4 from Roko Aero. When Roko closed its doors production stopped for the NG 4. It became NG 5 as the company reformed into BRM Aero. Changes occur in any industry but Bristell Fastback designer, Milan Bristela, is a steady hand on the joystick known for his foundational work on the SportCruiser (for a year known as the PiperSport) that is presently ranked #2 in U.S.
October Shows Aim to Strongly Support LSA Sector
Just when you thought the airshow season was over, well… except for AOPA’s Summit starting in 10 days, here are four events in October, every one with substantial or exclusive Light-Sport Aircraft attention. |||| First up is LoPresti-Powered LSA fun at the Sebastian, Florida airport where the “speed merchants” are based. Before the event starts Phil Lockwood will give a maintenance training class on October 6th and 7th with service training following the event on 10th and 11th. Contact Lockwood Repair for preregistration info. *** The main fly in begins on October 8th with breakfast starting at 9 AM. Speakers are planned for the morning hours and at noon music starts with the Latin Festival that runs until 9-ish. At around 3 PM LoPresti promises three different bands with the headliner starting at 6 PM. *** Skydiving demos run all day. Also featured will be a LSA spot landing competition and flour bombing.
The Great LSA Tour Continues Down Texas Way
At the recently concluded Midwest LSA Expo in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, SportairUSA boss Bill Canino and American Legend rep’ Dave Graham confirmed the continuation of a successful series called the LSA Tour. This traveling show-after-the-show concept set in motion a plan to follow airshows with a tour of several LSA manufacturers or importers. The idea is that many interested aviators cannot make the airshows for various reasons. So, as exhibitors head home they schedule a series of stops that may bring the show to your home field. *** The start of the LSA Tour followed the Sebring show in January 2011 with a series of stops in Florida. Then after the Sun ‘n Fun show, a group of vendors went to Georgia and North Carolina. Another series happened in Colorado. Now they’ll be invading Texas, specifically the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, an expansive aviation concentration of 50 airports within the 30 nm traffic area surrounding DFW, according to Graham.
FAA Rulemaking: Sport Pilot Training To Count For Higher Ratings?
The FAA just published a petition for rulemaking from EAA, AOPA, NAFI, and GAMA that calls for sport pilot instruction hours to count toward Private Pilot and higher ratings. *** The petition calls for a change in the current regs that disqualify flight training hours for counting toward higher ratings, if those hours were taught by a CFI-S, which is a flight instructor who only has the Sport Pilot rating. *** The petition addresses FAR Part 61 and seeks to simplify and harmonize all flight training areas, and beyond that, actually makes sense when you think about it. After all, why should sport pilots have to repeat their initial flight training because they learned the basics in an LSA from an LSA-only-rated instructor? *** FAA personnel upon reflection (and prodding from the above named orgs) seems to have realized the unintentional discrimination against Sport Pilot CFIs, and by extension, Sport Pilot students, among other considerations, was making a statement about Sport Pilot training (or CFI-Ss) being somehow inferior to traditional CFIs and their training methods, which is probably pretty silly when you think about it.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 68
- 69
- 70
- 71
- 72
- …
- 94
- Next Page »