I’ve observed aviation for more years than I’m comfortable admitting. As an aviation journalist I’ve often had a front row seat. I’ve talked to a ton of pilots (one of the great joys of my life is to have met so many fine folks). Over those years, I’ve distilled the kind of pilots we are to one or the other. Yes, just that simple: this kind or that. *** I believe you either fly to “Get Up,” or “Go Long.” Go Long flyers include all those who want to go some distance in their flying machine. Flying your own plane is a great way to travel. Speed is a big part of why flying is useful but that quality is merely one aspect of the enjoyment. *** Me? Sure, I like to Go Long. I’ve logged hundreds of hours of cross country flying, to all corners of America and some out of the USA.
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New 2-Stroke Oil From Shell
Just got off the horn with Phil Lockwood of Lockwood Aviation today about Shell‘s announcement, which kicks off at the Sebring LSA Expo next week, about its newest lubricant, AeroShell Oil Sport PLUS 2. *** Phil is the go-to guy for anything Rotax. He built his company from scratch into the Mecca for engines, parts, service, maintenance, training and a lot more. He also produces the AirCam and Drifter sport aircraft, sells LSA and I could go on for pages. Super guy too. *** Anyway, here’s Phil’s take on this new 2-stroke engine oil: *** “It’s actually a big deal for people who use 2-strokes — that’s about 10,000 aircraft. We used Pennzoil, (now owned by Shell), before that, but the formulation constantly changed due to chemicals in it becoming unavailable.” *** One problem was severe carbon packing around high performance rings, requiring regular decarbonizing.
ELSA Trainer Owners – 1/31 Deadline!
January 31st (about 3 weeks away) is an important date for anybody who owns an E-LSA aircraft that’s used for training, whether or not they actually use it for training operations. *** If owners don’t apply for the amended certificate by the 1/31/2010 deadline, their current airworthiness certificate will expire, and another will not be issued! *** Kinda serious stuff. *** Not sure your ELSA falls under this category? Check your airworthiness certificate. On the right side under the serial number and model is the word “expiry.” If the box has “unlimited” in it, you’re golden. But if it has the date “January 31, 2010”, it was originally given the operating limitations for flight training, and you must renew it! *** The fedgov rationale in play here: you cannot amend a certificate if it’s expired. After Jan. 31, you’re toast. *** Quick background: Apparently the ruleworks involved in permitting flight training in ELSA to continue in general is bogged down at FAA.
Ticket to Ride… er, Fly… Well, Both… Maybe
You’ve surely seen news coverage of Terrafugia’s Transition, the “roadable” LSA from a brain trust of award-winning MIT engineers in Woburn, Massachusetts. This modern version of the well-worn flying car concept has attracted plenty of media attention, and deservedly so, I think. I have been reviewing all their materials and info for an article to appear in Light Sport and Ultralight Flying magazine and I’m impressed with the task’s complexities. *** Step one is the effort to create a powered-folding-wing, four-wheel aircraft that flies as the designers wish. That’s hardly a trivial project especially as the folding wing must work in such a way that you can then drive down the road without removing those wings. (In comparison, Icon’s A5 also has powered folding wings but they stay full length, sweeping back against the seaplane’s fuselage.) *** Step two is making a road-capable drive train using the same Rotax 912 powerplant.
Aero-Lite Revisited
[UPDATE fall 2009 — Aero-Works left the business several years ago (though in late 2009, originator Terry Raber said he will return to production). Meanwhile, producer Wings of Freedom has begun work on the Phoenix-103, a derivation of the Aero-Lite 103 but with numerous small changes.
This article refers to the aircraft built by AeroWorks and will not be identical to the Aero-Lite 103. The companies are different and Terry Raber has no association with Wings of Freedom.
In the uncertain “new world of Sport Pilot,”
one thing remains exactly as it was – FAR Part 103. While new rules and regulations may shake the ground under the feet of ultralight pilots, Aero-Works continues to produce their popular AeroLite 103. If you build it carefully, you can still enjoy a twin-cylinder ultralight with lots of features that fits Part 103.
Even airline pilots who normally fly under smothering regulations appreciate FAA’s simplest, least intrusive rule, Part 103.
Modestly-Priced, Easy-Flying Challenger Series
For 21 Years, Quad City’s Challenger has proved a good choice.
It’s enough to create a serious case of envy among producers vying for the market the Challenger seems to own year after year. Even in 2003, a slow year for all aircraft manufacturers, Quad City Ultralight Aircraft pumped out another 120 kits. Most light-sport aviation companies would consider that an excellent performance. For Quad City, it was a down year!
The venerable company from the Quad Cities area of Iowa, near the Illinois border, has put more than 3000 aircraft in the air. Van’s Aircraft has done even better, and Quicksilver has more than 10,000 ultralights flying, but the Challenger is clearly one of the industry’s leaders. And the company has enjoyed the same leadership since it was founded more than two decades ago.
Despite this success, Quad City maneuvers rather quietly. Last year the company celebrated 20 years of operation, yet many ultralighters and most aviators were unaware of the accomplishment.
Successful Low-Cost Light Planes
“I started the company in 1983, and I still own it,” reports Dave Goulet, the main man behind the Challenger aircraft design and Quad City Ultralight Aircraft Corporation. “In fact,” he adds, “it’s probably the oldest ultralight company still under the same management. “After reviewing all the ultralight companies I can think of, I’m inclined to agree.”
Thinking of other long-term operations, Goulet mentions The New Kolb Aircraft Company, whose roots are also planted deep, but even that storied company has now changed ownership… twice in the last decade, and most recently just a couple years ago.
Quicksilver Mfg. has been around longer, but the revolving door of managers and several changes of ownership have long since taken that familiar brand out of contention for continuous leadership.
About the only challenge to Challenger’s continuity reign that I can think of would be Chuck Slusarczyk, designer of the Hawk series, and his company, CGS Aviation.
FPNA’s Roomy A-22 Valor
Ukraine Design Meets Florida Know-How
Early in the new millennium, I took a trip to Kiev, Ukraine. My mission was to visit two companies producing
aircraft for what was to become the light-sport aircraft segment. I didn’t
know then that the A-22 I flew with designer Yuri Yakovlev would become a
U.S.-assembled special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA).
Before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Americans hardly knew Ukraine,
a large and diverse country with a rich aviation heritage that once employed
lots of skilled aviation workers and engineers building large transport aircraft
and fighters. Ukrainians spent decades toiling for the Soviet state, and
most speak Russian today despite having an indigenous Ukrainian language.
Antonov, an aerospace name Americans have come to know, had a massive
Ukraine operation under the Soviet leadership.
When the communists withdrew, tens of thousands of experienced technicians
and engineers found themselves out of work. A few ended up building
little airplanes to earn a living.
Icon’s A5 Flies! Check the YouTube Video
I’ve rarely promoted watching a YouTube video in a blog post. And this obviously isn’t the first SLSA (candidate) to make a first flight. But I’d repeat this many times if all first flights were as well documented as the first flight of the Icon A5 LSA seaplane. *** The L.A. company has shown unusual levels of professionalism and showmanship. So their creation of a quality video for a first flight comes as little surprise. *** Icon engineering team member Jon Karkow made the first flight on Wednesday, July 9th. Beside his engineering duties, Jon is an accomplished test pilot with a slate of first flights including the late Steve Fossett’s GlobalFlyer from Scaled Composites. *** “Everything went as well as an initial test flight possibly could go; so I was very pleased,” said Karkow. “The aircraft flew exceptionally well and met or exceeded our design expectations.
LSA Industry’s Fast Pace…Approaching Model #100
Despite an economic slowdown shared by all of aviation, the LSA industry is rich with entrepreneurs. Innovative new designs hit the market regularly. Consider this: In just over three years, the industry has certified an astounding 81 aircraft designs and several more are on the horizon. One hundred certified LSA might be available by 2009, in less than four years since the category was created by FAA. No one remembers anything close in FAA history. *** All Light-Sport Aircraft presently total about 1% of the U.S. piston engine fleet including all FAA registrations of all aircraft types and models. Yet three LSA years compare to 80+ Cessna years, so the new segment remains in its infancy. Consequently, the LSA industry may be acting precisely as needed — focusing on innovation and diversity as proven by the number of new models meeting ASTM standards. Big sales will follow, many experts believe.
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