FK Lightplanes FK9 Mk IV becomes our 21st SLSA since April 15 (a rate of 3 per month!). A longtime ultralight enthusiast with a list of FAA ratings, importer Tony Anderson has moved fast since securing distribution of Germany’s FK Lightplanes. Since my SPLOG two days ago, Tony was able to confirm by copy of his Airworthiness Certificate the SLSA approval for the FK9 Mk IV on November 17th. Here is a proven microlight design built very lightly (590 pounds empty) using fiberglass over steel construction. Powered by a Rotax 912 or 912S, FK9 cruises at 105 knots and climbs 1,500 fpm at gross (with 100 hp engine at 1,146 pounds gross weight). In service for many years in Germany, FK9 is quite popular with flight schools. It also has the slickest of wing folding mechanisms. A single person can unhook the wing — from the tip — and fold the wing.
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State of the Art in Hang Gliding
In the last 10 years there have been significant developments in hang glider wings. That may come as a surprise to KITPLANES® readers. After all, the wings don’t look much different from one another, so the changes must be subtle, right?
Well, yes and no. In fact, many subtle changes have occurred as these wings have steadily progressed from a glide angle of 4:1 in the 1970s to the 15:1 glides that are common today. Even as they gained efficiency, the wings haven’t changed a lot in appearance.
But not all of the changes are so subtle. The ATOS VX I flew in late 2004 illustrates a radically different approach to wing design. The ATOS VX can achieve a glide angle of 20:1 and a sink rate of only 118 fpm. The latter number makes this wing competitive with many sailplanes, even though the pilot hangs in the airstream.
An Innovative Design
The design is produced by Aeronautic Innovation Rühle (AIR) and is the creation of Felix Rühle, who worked with composite materials for many years in his role with the German government’s Center for Research and Development in Aerospace Technology in Stuttgart.
Sebring 2004: First Impressions
The U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in October 2004 was the first event to focus exclusively on Light-Sport Aircraft.
ou never get a second chance to make a first impression. With that in mind, you might ask how visitors regarded the first U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, held in Sebring, Florida, from October 28-31, 2004. The Expo was the first of its kind aiming at the new Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) segment, and it was a focused event, featuring only LSAs and ultralights. Is that two strikes against it or two good reasons for it to succeed?
From what I could see, those who attended the Sebring event were satisfied. Set aside for the moment reports elsewhere that the show was sparsely attended. It was the first of its kind. And as word of mouth is accepted to be the best marketing tool for shows, the attendance figures should present no surprise. The vendors were satisfied, and visitors also seemed to feel good about the selection of aircraft, the availability and ease of demo flights and the wide array of educational forums.
Part 103 Ultralights Shine
even in a Light-Sport Aircraft World.
Despite the intense focus on the FAA’s new Sport Pilot/Light-Sport Aircraft rule, EAA’s big summertime airshow brought the introduction of at least four intriguing, legitimate ultralights—aircraft that truly meet the 254-pound rule. Many observers believed LSA would sound the death knell for Part 103. I guess not!
Not only were new ultralights common, their diversity was broad. You could see a fixed-wing, a weight-shift trike, a powered parachute and a helicopter. As if seeking to prove the new rule won’t eliminate Part 103, these machines were proudly displayed by vendors who also supply larger, heavier models.
Skymaster Light Trike
One bright spot at EAA AirVenture was—literally—the glowing yellow Skymaster Light Trike. Excellent detailing kept viewers looking carefully.
Mike Lane is the man behind the project at Skymaster. He’s a hang-glider pilot looking for an easy way to launch in the flatlands of Wisconsin. His ultralight vehicle benefits from the supply bins at Skymaster powered parachutes, helping this prototype look production ready.
Ultralight Flyer Goes the Distance
There’s only one Carbon Dragon currently flying; it belongs to Steve Arndt, who calls his beautiful version of this ultralight sailplane the Magic Dragon. What he can do with it is indeed quite magical.
On a day when experienced hang glider pilots were only getting in short, half-hour soaring flights at Florida’s well-known Wallaby Ranch Flight Park, Arndt appeared to be gearing up for an entire afternoon of soaring.
“Oh, he’ll be up 3 hours, and we won’t see him until he decides to come back for dinner,” said Wallaby Ranch proprietor Malcolm Jones. Such is the nature of flying the unusually lightweight Carbon Dragon. Most soaring pilots would agree that Arndt’s sailplane and his flying are both remarkable.
An Ultralight Glider
Designed by a team led by the late Jim Maupin and Irv Culver, the Carbon Dragon has a 44-foot wingspan with full-span flaperons, an empty weight of 145 pounds and a gross weight of 335 pounds.
Can An Oldie Be a Goodie…as a LSA?
I find it ironic that our first new SLSA certification of 2006 is one of the oldest. Welcome to the Taylorcraft Sport as Number 24 in our parade of newly FAA-approved Special Light-Sport Aircraft. A bright red Taylorcraft Sport showed at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo last week after winning its approval on January 9th. The taildragger Sport comes with a Continental O-200 100 horsepower engine and without flaps for $69,995, a fairly modest price in this time of Light-Sport Aircraft hitting six figures. Taylorcraft has a rich historical background, starting in 1935 and including a run of thousands of aircraft built. In mid-1946 the company was producing 30 new aircraft a day!…so many that, even today, the majority of Taylorcrafts flying are from that year. Now, buyers can obtain a brand new Sport from the revived company.
Ramping Up for a New Year of LSA
As we prepare for a new year of Light-Sport Aircraft, companies are ramping up production to assure greater supplies of aircraft. Leading companies have each claimed 2005 deliveries of 20-40 aircraft but are forecasting double to triple that number for 2006. Aircraft such as the Jabiru and Allegro — plus others yet to formally announce their plans — bring component parts to the USA for final assembly complementing U.S. production by companies such as IndUS Aviation (see photo), Legend (building a new plant), and RANS. The new year should be an exciting one, indeed. As the year closes, I’d like to add my voice to those thanking LAMA founder and president, Larry Burke, for his decades of work to nuture the industry organization. He is stepping back — becoming Chairman Emeritus — while myself and Tom Gunnarson take over the reins. THANKS, Larry…for a job very well done!
Leza AirCam Gets New Owners with Ambitious Plans
As mentioned in the SPLOG from Friday Oct. 21st, I have some big news in the world of recreational flying…literally big in the sense of involving the biggest “ultralight” of them all, the AirCam twin. This delightful flying machine, first created by Phil Lockwood and crew, has been languishing under the leadership of investor Antonio Leza who became full owner of the design a few years ago. That’s all about to change when Antonio and Shawn Okun, the ambitious head of Sebring-based Floatplanes & Amphibs, make a detailed announcement at the LAMA/LSA Marketing Group “hospitality tent” during AOPA’s Expo in Tampa November 3-4-5. They will announce that a group assembled by Okun has signed an agreement to take over ownership of Leza AirCam and its building and land lease on the Sebring, Florida airport. Come hear the details at the Peter O.
Air Creation Buggy/Kiss
For many years, I’ve been critical of trike handling. While I try never to forecast the future, I’ve gone out on a limb and predicted that rigid-wings will eventually become commonplace on trikes (though I don’t also predict delta wings will disappear).
Going Rigid?
Rigid-wings look a lot like modern hang gliders and trike wings in many ways, but they have control surfaces. Because these surfaces are deployed via weight-shift movements they neatly combine the benefits of 3-axis ultralights – lower control forces and good control authority – with the elegant simplicity of weight-shift. Rigid-wings can carry good weight and are somewhat faster than delta wings (called “flex wings” by hang glider pilots), and they also handle more easily. I think this makes them a nearly inevitable development.
While I still believe rigid-wings are coming to trikes, it may take longer than I thought because the trike industry may finally be rising to the challenge.
Infinity Power Parachutes
On a warm summer evening, a large field of 3-foot-tall oats sways gently in the breeze. In this pastoral setting a runway is cut down the middle. The farmer who owns this field has a light aircraft he flies from his country property, and he’s kind enough to allow Tim Norling, a local powered parachute pilot, to use it, too. Norling operates Let’s Fly, an Infinity powered parachute dealer 20 miles north of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
By the time Norling gets his Infinity powered parachute set up, the winds have quieted down, as we hoped they might. It is a beautiful evening for flying in Minnesota, and I am ready for a flight.
Some pilots say, “Oh, those powered parachutes are too vulnerable. You can only fly them in gentle winds.” Yeah, so? Is it really imperative to fly in strong winds? Is being restricted to mild conditions a bad thing?
Powered parachutes tend only to be flown when it’s pleasant to do so.
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