Powerhouse digital instrument maker Dynon Avionics just came out with software version 5.4 for its EFIS-D10A, EFIS-D100 and FlightDEK-D180 units which are in widespread use in LSA and homebuilt aircraft. The upgrade addresses refined pitch control, including some new user-adjustable parameters that optimize autopilot performance for each individual aircraft. *** The idea, explained Dynon, is to improve passenger comfort by custom-tuning the response to turbulence. Support is expanded to a wider range of airframes, too. *** Ian Jordan, Chief Systems Engineer for Dynon, had this to say about the upgrade: “The autopilot now flies just as an experienced pilot would, with crisp, appropriate inputs that really seem to understand the airplane.”
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Sonex Aircraft’s Y-tailed Waiex
Pedal to the Metal
The Y-Tail Waiex combines unusual style with refreshing speed.
The airlines may be suffering and
Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) has yet to
coalesce into a coherent industry
segment, but Sonex Ltd. is having a fine run
of business. During my visit on a beautiful
fall day in Oshkosh, Sonex said it was ready
to break ground on a new hangar, the third
building of what has become the Sonex
campus on Wittman Field. At press time, it
was nearly complete.
Sonex is clearly ready for LSA, but
the company has built its enterprise on
delivering kits to the Experimental/ Amateur-
Built community. Steadily selling kits
keeps Sonex in good business shape while
LSA comes into focus. This company is well
positioned for whatever future recreational
flying holds.
$22,260. That calculates to an amazing $148
per mph.
Most of us don’t think in terms of
dollars per mph-and the comparison
with the RV-9 ignores the fact that
the RV is larger, heavier and, as a result,
more cross-country capable-but it
certainly proves that the Monnett machine
won’t take too much of your money for the
speed it can deliver.
Single Place Onex — Inexpensive Aerial Fun
People tried to call it Oh-nex, but the giveaway is the single seat. I got it… One-ex. The clever name is adapted from the company name and one of its models, Sonex, and fits with the Waiex and Xenos. All are variations on a very successful theme (1,600 kits sold), and like the other models, Onex can be powered by the AeroVee engine. Along with a modestly priced airframe kit, the company’s own low-cost four-stroke engine helps to constrain the budget. *** A primary goal with Onex was to make ownership even more affordable, a challenge for a company that already boasts low prices. Onex is still in development so no performance numbers or costs have been finalized. But with a two-place Sonex at about $25,000 for all components including engine, Onex could be as low as $20,000, says the manufacturer. In 2010, that’s pretty amazing for an 80-hp single place that ought to perform like crazy and is suitable for most positive G aerobatics, says designer and general manager, Jeremy Monnett.
Big Fall Show Looms
Oshkosh is over but wait! There’s more! *** One of the surprise hits last year was the Midwest LSA Expo lead by capable Chris Collins. Held at Mount Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) in Illinois, the new show attracted 42 airplanes and 30 exhibitors and what was reported far and wide as a focused and motivated LSA crowd. *** Many sales were closed in the months following the 2009 gathering. One main factor was the psychological continuity Midwest provided after Sebring (Jan.), Sun ‘n Fun (Apr.) and Oshkosh (July/Aug). By postponing the “end of summer” flying mindset into early Fall, normally an aviation wind-down time for pilots who live in the less temperate parts of the country, potential customers got one more opportunity to refine their buying decision process. *** The Midwest LSA Expo will run a week earlier this year: from Sept. 23-25. Mark your digital calendars! *** Attendance should be strong: there’s a huge population base in the midwestern market that stretches from Chicago to New Orleans, Denver to Charlotte.
Budget Builds (Low Cost Homebuilts)
Yes! You can build and fly a “real” airplane for the cost of a new SUV.
Contrary to popular opinion,
airplanes don’t have to be outrageously
expensive-at least not
all of them. The Sport Pilot/Light-Sport
Aircraft initiative is one program that
promises to lower the cost of ready-to-fly
aircraft. But many of these Special LSAs
and Experimental LSAs will be priced
well more than $40,000 and can run
upwards of $85,000.
One way to get airborne for less
than $40K is to choose an ultralight,
powered parachute or weight-shift
trike. But if you want something more
conventional, more comfortable or
larger, you’re likely to find what you
want in the world of kit aircraft. After
all these years, building an Experimental/
Amateur-Built airplane still qualifies
as one of the least expensive ways
to get a get a great airplane into the air
on a reasonable budget.
Our $40K benchmark is designed
to narrow the field for builders on a
budget-and that benchmark means
a completed, ready-for-flight airplane.
The Lazarus Machine
Back finally from 12 days at Oshkosh and the DC-3 fly-in that preceded it, I’m cranking out images and stories gathered there but couldn’t wait to get this one to you. *** Below is a condensation of my column that will run in the November issue. It involves an airplane that caught everybody’s eye when it debuted a few years back, but languished from lack of development and promotion and seemed on its way to obscurity. *** It was called the Phantom then, when T&T Aviation brought it to America from its native Hungary. *** Cruising into the big Lycoming display at Oshkosh in search of the new 115 hp, IO-233-LSA, I was once again gobsmacked by the low-riding, beautiful Falcon LS — the name T&T certified it under back in 2008 — as number 82 on the current list of 109. *** In the interim, Renegade Light Sport and its principal go-to guy Chris “Doc” Bailey have just bought out T&T’s interest in the LSA.
Oshkosh Day 3
<> Jan Fridrich , head of Europe’s LAMA, just sent me some intriguing stats from his comprehensive data crunching of S-LSA (or overseas equivalents) official registrations up to now. *** Europe continues to lead overall numbers with just under 1850 total. The U.S. tally is now over 1200. *** Sales have been light for the majority of the 70+ suppliers but there has been some shifting of position in the ranks. The top ten U.S. sellers to date are: *** Flight Design (CTLS, MC) 316 *** American Legend (Piper Cub models) 156 *** CubCrafters (Piper Cub models) 136 *** Tecnam (P2008, several others) 133 *** Czech Sport Aircraft (SportCruiser) 126 *** Remos (Remos GX) 121 *** Jabiru (J-230, -250 etc.) 96 *** Evektor (SportStar Max) 91 *** TL Ultralight (Sting S4, Sirius) 73 *** AMD (Zodiac models) 72 *** You may be interested in how the numbers fall for country of origin of all 3-axis S-LSA registered aircraft: The U.S.
Breezer Aircraft and the New Breezer II
Close to Perfect
It usually takes more than one
try to get something right. To
get close to a perfect aircraft
usually takes many iterations, but
Breezer Aircraft has come very close
to producing a wonderful light sport
aircraft with their Breezer II.
We’ve seen the Breezer before when
the U.S. importer brought the thennew
model to AirVenture Oshkosh
’05. I flew it that year and recently
got the chance to fly the Breezer II.
While many of the good qualities
found in the earlier model were
retained, some nice improvements
have been made. But it isn’t the airplane
that is the real story. As experienced
airplane buyers know, it is
often the company behind the airplane
that is the main story.
Breezer’s Brief Design History
The design history is brief because the Breezer
is a new aircraft, not seen before ’05 except during
its early development. That older, original Breezer
was produced under agreement by Comco-Ikarus,
the same folks that make one of Germany’s bestselling
ultralights (a different class than American
ultralights), the C-42.
Global LSA in Paris… Tennessee, That Is
In the endless tree-covered rolling terrain of northwestern Tennessee resides a Canadian manufacturer of Italian aircraft. Welcome to Skykits, producer of two models of Savannah, a STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) design from ICP of Italy plus a newer variation of ICP’s Vimana, which Skykits calls Rampage. *** Starting out in his native Canada, Eric Giles found a willing Tennessee community offering incentives if he set up shop at the local airport. Housed in a new facility (photos), Skykits ranks in the top 20 producers that generate about 90% of all SLSA registered to date. *** After ASTM-certifying four models Skykits offers three today: Savannah VG with vortex generators replacing earlier fixed leading edge slots; Savannah VGW, the VG’s larger brother done in wide body form (“47 inches plus bubble doors”); and Rampage with electrically-deployable leading edge slats mated to Fowler flaps.
Paris Green Air Show
A couple days ago I promised to follow up on the Paris Green Air Show so here we go. *** The show is held (2010 is the 2nd year) at the Musee Air + Despace, at Le Bourget airport, the field where Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis and where the huge Paris Air Show takes place every other year (next up in 2011). *** It’s mission statement is implicit from the phrase on the evocative splash drawing: “L’aviation du futur”. It took a bit of digging and some web translations to find out more about the show that Gizmag first posted about the other day. *** The explosion of imaginative designs and concepts at the show is staggering: very much like the first years of aviation after 1903. Dirigibles large and small, including man-powered balloons; aircraft engines with zero CO2 emissions; aircraft powered by electric, solar and hydrogen fuel cell engines; noise and pollution reducing sustainable development concepts for airports, runways and aircraft “villages.” All in all, quite a hoot; I’d love to go to the next one.
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