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Flight schools —- like many private buyers — are hyperfocused on, “What does an aircraft cost to operate?” Busy flight schools operating at high volume simply must track how all the pennies add up. In this article we asked US Aviation’s Scott Severen for info (based on an earlier post). Why US Aviation? While much of aviation has been down in the dumps, this Texas operation has been growing rapidly. Everybody is else down. They’re up. How to explain? Could it be the company’s willingness to embrace change?
*** “Many factors drive the operational experience and maintenance costs in flight school,” wrote Scott. “If a facility is set up for a particular type of aircraft, with flight instructors knowing the aircraft intimately, with experienced mechanics well trained in the upkeep of that aircraft, and a parts department with well-established suppliers, then you can create a business model to work very efficiently.

I caught up with a fellow hang glider pioneer from the 70s’, Scott Severen of U.S. Aviation, Denton, TX who filled me in on the latest events for his broad-based Light Sport/GA service and repair center. *** U.S. Aviation is a large, well-established aviation service center that does it all: flight training, aircraft and avionics sales, service and maintenance (for general aviation as well as LSA). *** Scott has been involved with Indus Aviation and its Thorpedo LSA aircraft for years. That project is moving to a China-based manufacturing base and “It’s a big process to pull it all together,” he says. He was just over there, assembling a couple Thorpedos to support the transition. *** “It will be a beautiful facility over there once it’s built. We’ll still do parts and aircraft sales in Dallas, and US Aviation will assist in factory support of the Thorpedo; it’s one of several LSA we do.

Savvy companies find a way through even the worst of economic times. *** Case in point: CubCrafters will deliver its 200th LSA (see Update below). *** The Yakima, Washington-based LSA maker can thus secure bragging rights for being the top US-made producer of ASTM-certified Light Sport Aircraft eclipsing its Cub clone rival American Legend out of Texas, which has led the pack for some time. Coming just a couple days before Sebring’s US Sport Aviation Expo kickoff on Thursday, the forecast should be welcome to industry watchers and potential buyers eager for a cheerier outlook. *** The company offers two Cubalikes: the Sport Cub S2 (100hp) and the Carbon Cub SS (180hp, and what a climbout monster it is!) *** The company started up in 1980 and recently added 15,000 square feet of space to its manufacturing facility. *** And yes, they are a-hirin’. *** Keep up the good work, you guys!

INDUSTRY BITS — Flight Design has a new warranty program that should entice buyers. Called the XP (eXtended Protection) Warranty. The German company is extending the warranty without cost and even lengthening the Rotax engine warranty beyond what the engine producer offers. Of course, some conditions apply, but this is a strong move to assure buyers of their aircraft that Flight Design means to support customers in a professional manner. *** As part of its focus on premium service for its aircraft customers, Flight Design USA linked up with Dallas aviation dynamo US Aviation. This fast-growing aviation enterprise (and, yes, you read that correctly… growing) has a expanding presence on the Denton airport (DTO). They will now be an official factory-authorized service center for Flight Design. The Texas company offers such service for several LSA brands and has a dedicated facility for this work.
|||| Dynon will be holding 3.5-hour classes at Sebring to help users of their SkyView Synthetic Vision glass cockpits better use these very capable devices.

After my own Labors of Hercules, I arrived at the EAA Oshkosh Airventure seasonal highpoint event Tuesday mid day. Since it was a beautiful day by anybody’s standards, I decided not to brave the hordes at the show and headed out, once I got settled in my digs for the week, to a lovely little airport named Brennand about 10 minutes northwest of EAA’s Wittman Field show grounds. *** I was in luck with more than just weather: the San Antonio Light Sport Aircraft (SALSA) gang from Texas was there demo-flying its all-composite Pipistrel Virus SW 80/100, tricycle-gear (there’s also a taildragger version), composite touring motorglider. *** The Pipistrel line includes several designs I have admired from afar but not had the opportunity to share air with. *** All that changed when Salsa’s prime mover and shaker Rand Vollmer introduced me to a big, friendly Texican fella named Dave White.

More than 20 Top LSA You Can Buy
The light-sport aircraft industry hangs in there, although sales numbers, as with general aviation, still struggle to gain safe altitude in the stormy economic skies. Encouraging item: LSA sales in 2009 represented nearly 25% of all GA piston purchases. Another surprise: Most of the 107 models available for sale here and abroad are still in production with more new models in the pipeline! Nobody’s getting rich (this is aviation, remember?), but most makers believe the turnaround will come. That’s the spirit!
And with the Euro taking heat against the dollar lately as Europe goes through its own econoclysm, U.S. prices for foreign-produced LSA could drop. Many airframe makers lowered prices, but the industry still faces challenges: ongoing dyspepsia imbued by the sluggish recovery; market recognition… many people still aren’t aware of what an LSA is, maybe that’s why 20% of all U.S. sales in the U.S.