Search Results for : MG 21

I’d call this Day 4 but rush-deadline work for the mag intervened after the last day at Sebring so just getting to it now. *** The Sebring experience gets better every year, I believe precisely because Bob Woods keeps it consistently valuable without tricking it up with a lot of extraneous booths selling things like Miracle Kitchen Knife or iPhone WonderMuffin Pocket Baker and the like: it’s an LSAshow, pure and simple, and a great opportunity for folks to crawl out from wherever winter is tap-dancing on their heads and let them see, compare, fly and even buy aircraft and peripheral stuff.Many airframe makers reported sales at the show, or expected deals to close afterward. Exhibitors hope for sales of course, but realize folks often need to go home, reflect on what they’ve seen, then push the button or think more on it. *** I’d say from everybody I talked to, optimism was rekindled that 2011 will be better than the last — a real toughie.

Cessna’s Skycatcher program is really gaining traction. I had a fun chat with Julie Filucci, Mgr of Cessna Pilot Centers (an excellent formation stick too — she flew for my Cessna shoot a year ago). *** Matt Tutton, an Orlando Cessna dealer, and Bob Stangarone, Cessna’s VP of Corp. Communications also weighed in the haps in Wichita. *** By the end of 2010, 30 Skycatchers had been delivered, mostly to flight schools across the U.S. *** “We expect to deliver 150 more by the end of this year,” says Bob, “and more than that in 2012, although we don’t have an exact number yet.” *** Cessna’s working tirelessly working away at that backlog that initially climbed to 1000 orders when the scratch-built LSA was first announced a few years back. *** Both Julie and Matt Tutton had recent long XC trips with the Skycatcher. Julie’s reached out to Oshkosh from Wichita, while Matt’s went southeast from Wichita to Orlando.

In a tersely worded and OMG-style announcement, Piper Aircraft today said today it “will terminate its business relationship with Czech Republic-based Czech Sport Aircraft to market that company’s Light Sport Aircraft, citing differences in business philosophies.” *** Piper’s CEO Geoffrey Berger said, “After a year working with Czech Sport Aircraft, Piper determined that it is in our company’s best long-term interests to discontinue the business relationship…Clearly, the company (i.e. Piper) has a different business perspective and approach to the market than Czech Sport Aircraft,” he added. *** Piper excited the LSA world with its announcement last year, when helmed by former CEO Kevin Gould, that it would virtually take over rebadging, and upgrading, the popular but problem-plagued Czech Sport Aircraft SportCruiser, a beautiful and popular aircraft. *** “We at Piper have a close affinity with this emerging segment of the marketplace,” Berger continued, “and we have great expectations for the LSA industry.

Followers of these exciting pioneering days of electric-powered aircraft will be happy to know the  all-electric Waiex just made its maiden flight at Wittman Field, home of Oshkosh Airventure — and Sonex Aircraft. *** John Monnett, head honcho of Sonex, which built the proof-of-concept version of its Waiex kit aircraft as part of its E-Flight Initiative, took the controls for the flight, tasked primarily with breaking out of ground effect to analyze in-flight system performance. *** After landing, John said, “Whew. It’s different! Lot of power.” *** The program started four years ago, and involves the airplane and Sonex’s development of its own proprietary motor, battery and speed controller — all vital parts of electric propulsion technology.Jeremy Monnett, John’s son and CEO/General Manager of Sonex, said the company will test the aircraft over the next several months and has already begun design work on the fourth version of the motor and twelfth version of the motor controller, which will be integrated into the current Waiex test bed.

Dan Johnson’s periodic LSA market share report (compiled by Jan Fridrich of the Czech LAA) reveals some interesting trends. *** For those who haven’t seen these snapshots of the U.S. LSA market before, Dan focuses on FAA registrations, not sales quotes from manufacturers. While this indicator may lag sales figures, over time it gives a more accurate view of who’s actually delivering airplanes to customers. *** The not-surprising but important highlight has to be Piper’s shot in the arm to overall LSA production. *** The venerable company registered 43 airplanes this year (24% of all registrations!) and will no doubt be stronger in 2011 as sales continue to mount for its sexy PiperSport. *** CubCrafters really surged this year with 37 registrations, a 20% market share, on the strength of its 180hp-powered Carbon Cub SS. My local field has one, and it’s quite a performer.