Kappa’s KP-5 … a great trainer and more!
At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2005, 13 aircraft on
display in the Light-Sport
Aircraft (LSA) Mall-
which put LSA on center
stage just south of AeroShell Square-
had their airworthiness certificates as
special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA). (A
14th aircraft, the Savage Cub, exhibited
in the North Commercial Area,
also earned its S-LSA certificate, but
only had one aircraft to display.) That
14 aircraft earned S-LSA certificates
in the short span of three and a half
months since the FAA announced
the availability of the final consensus
standards for LSA-category airplanes
is an unprecedented accomplishment.
No one can recall when so many airplanes
have been certificated in such
a short time.
One of those baker’s dozen plus
one is the Jihlavan (pronounced
“YEE-la-von”) KP-5, better known to
Americans by its importer’s name-
Kappa Aircraft KP-5. It is an elegantly
styled, all-metal LSA with a high-visibility
cockpit, a high-performance
wing with well-regarded Fowler
flaps, tough trailing link landing
gear, and the popular Rotax 912
powerplant.
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How Shall We Count New SLSA?
Barely over a month ago, I reported that Skykits Corp won their first approval for the Savannah. In that SPLOG posting I said that the plane would be produced with three wings mated to the same fuselage. Now, proving the point, Skykits president Eric Giles announced his second SLSA approval…for a Savannah ADV. Eric also claimed the airplane delivered to Hawaii was the first SLSA to be registered in the state (photo). *** Savannah ADV has a tapered airfoil with full-span retractable leading edge slats and double-slotted flaps, both operated electrically with a mechanical backup. Skykits says, “The new wing increases cruise speed by 25 mph while maintaining the STOL capabilities. “As their company name implies, kits are also available. The questions arise, though: Is this a new model or a model variation? Do we count it as a new SLSA? We’re bound to have more such questions as the LSA evolution continues.
A Sporty SportsStar: Leading the LSA Parade
Being first is often good in marketing, sports, or life in general, for that matter. In the light-sport aircraft (LSA) certification race, one aircraft has already won: the Czech Republic-built Evektor SportStar. This all-metal, low-wing, bubble-canopy design was the first aircraft to win its airworthiness certificate as a special LSA (S-LSA), and no one can ever take that distinction away.
Evektor Aerotechnik appointed Sport Aircraft International of Kerrville, Texas, as its American distributor. That company is currently in the process of transitioning to Evektor America as its new trade name. At EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005, it exhibited a beautifully finished SportStar SE alongside Evektor’s four-seat Cobra, which is aimed at the Cirrus market. In the LSA Mall, another SportStar presented itself to thousands of visitors.
I flew the first imported version of the SportStar, then called the EuroStar, a few years ago. The day after EAA AirVenture 2005 ended, I was delighted to join Evektor America President Jeff Conrad and rocket down Wittman Field’s runway in the newest SportStar SE (special edition).
AirBorne’s XT 912 Trike
Racing to be the first weight-shift S-LSA
In early January, the FAA accepted the ASTM consensus standards
for weight-shift control (WSC) aircraft, commonly known as trikes.
The agency’s action paved the way for trike manufacturers to certificate
ready-to-fly machines as special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA). Now,
the race is on to see which company will be the first to complete the
steps necessary to show compliance with the newly approved standards.
One company in the running is
AirBorne Australia, and it is already
accepting orders for its S-LSA model,
the AirBorne XT 912. How can it be so
confident this model will comply? Its
machines already meet Australia’s tough
certification standards, so the effort is
primarily one of paperwork. (Though
preparing documents to the FAA’s precise
requirements is no trivial task, as
anyone who has tried to correctly fill
out the sport pilot certificate application
knows.) Interestingly, Australia is
one of two nations-Colombia is the
other-that have accepted the sport
pilot/light-sport aircraft (SP/LSA) rule
as part of their national program.
Air Création’s High-Performance Floats
Air Création is a serious company and a world-class trike builder with an impressive sales record. Their serious trikes sport beautiful hardware and numerous customized components. Right down to their trademark red color, Air Création is serious about building a remarkable trike, a series of them in fact.
So when Air Création puts a float set on the market, you can count on the fact that it was well researched and exquisitely crafted.
Now, let’s combine that with the XP-17 wing, the largest in the company’s XP series. Floats are mounted under and the wing atop a GTE trike carriage which has been in production for several years. Put this all on a lake in Florida and you have the makings of an interesting experience.
Another 20-Year Veteran
Gilles Bru and Jean Yves le Bihan founded the French company in 1982. Air Création’s dealer in Canada reports, “It has grown steadily ever since, building around 4,000 wings and 2,500 trike-units for sale in more than 50 countries.”
Today Air Créationemploys 25 people, four of whom are in the technical department designing new products, and 14 work on the production of ultralight trikes and wings.With annual sales of about $2.5 million, Air Création exports 60% of its products.
Buckeye Convertible
I never really noticed before just how much the Buckeye Industries powered parachute carriage looked like a trike carriage. Maybe you didn’t either, but in your mind’s eye, remove the prop guard and see if you don’t agree. They aren’t identical, of course, but the visual relationship is uncannily close considering the two aircraft types developed separately.
What a perfect situation. Ralph Howard’s family members and friends have built Buckeye from “nothing” to one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, all in the ’90s and without even using the entire decade! Whatever combination of talent, money, timing and luck was involved in this tale of success, the Howards want to keep it going strong. That won’t be easy, but these Indiana Hoosiers may be up to the task.
Take the momentum of a reported several hundred powered parachute units sold each of the last few years. Revise the hardware slightly to expand into the manufacture of trikes, and you have a potent mixture that could emerge as one of America’s largest trike builders.
The AirBorne Edge
AirBorne Windsports is no johnny-come-lately to the ultralight flying scene. The Australian company has been making hang gliders for the international market for years. AirBorne’s owners – Russ and Rick Duncan – once flew for Moyes Delta Pty., another Australian hang glider company (now known for its Moyes-Bailey Dragonfly aerotug), but later branched out on their own.
While both men are thirty-somethings today, they have long experience, starting with competition in hang gliders back when folks still called them “the little Duncan brothers.” They were hot pilots at a young age. Later on, they proved to be solid competitors to the Moyes juggernaut.
Then Came Trikes
A divergence occurred. After linking up with Florida designer Bobby Bailey to produce the 3-axis Dragonfly aerotug, Moyes’s interest in trikes fell by the wayside. They focused on the already popular Dragonfly for their towing promotion.
Meanwhile, the Duncans – now on their own, producing hang gliders – engaged in building trikes.
Aventura II
If you’ve never flown an airplane on floats, you’ve missed a glorious experience in flying. Good as any ultralight on floats may be – and that means “quite excellent” in my opinion – even those pilots with that experience may have missed the unique sensation of a boat-hulled ultralight.
With a few thousand hours in my logbook covering everything from foot-launched hang gliders to twin-engined Barons, I can honestly say my absolute favorite hours are spent in one of two ways: first is soaring flight, but a close second is warm summer day flying in an ultralight floatplane.
It just doesn’t get any better.
Having stuck my personal opinion into this article, I must tell you about a most promising company and their 2-seat floatplane, the Aventura II. Since Arnet Pereyra exploded into the ultralight scene in 1995, this new company has filled out their line of floatplanes with a roomy and fun 2-seater which deserves a close look.
Eye On the Sky Watch
There was a time when a company called Beaver RX Enterprises – which produced the Canadian Beaver designs – was among the leading North American ultralight manufacturers.
In particular, the Beaver 550 tandem 2-seater attracted many customers. The company once claimed more than 3,500 ultralights flying. Certainly the model dominated the western Canadian market but also had a presence in the U.S. and other countries.
The old Beaver RX Enterprises company went through a number of leadership changes and, driven by overly-ambitious management goals, finally succumbed.
When I visited the now defunct company, the firm was a publicly-held corporation listed on the Vancouver Stock Exchange. Even the stock exchange has experienced a transformation, so perhaps it isn’t surprising that Beaver RX Enterprises also lost its heading.
As we’ve seen with other good designs, however – such as Quicksilvers, Phantoms or Drifters – the better ultralights can outlast their ownership. The Beaver line is among those survivors.
Canadian-Based Savannah Wins SLSA #39
The first Canadian company to win SLSA approval was Summit and their powered parachute, itself the first (and still only) such to declare compliance with ASTM standards. Now comes the High River, Alberta-based Savannah (photo). Skykits Corporation president Eric Giles — whom I met at his display at the Arlington Fly-in — called to say he had gained approval for two Savannahs on August 15th, becoming the 39th SLSA. Savannah was created in Italy as a variation of the CH-701 though to many eyes it enjoys a more pleasing appearance. Savannah is available in three models all using the same fuselage but with different wings. The standard Savannah offers fixed, leading-edge slats while the VG model uses vortex generators to increase STOL capabilities. Savannah ADV has a tapered wing featuring electrically operated slats and electrically operated double-slotted flaps with separate ailerons. For those seeking a utility airplane with very short takeoff and landing, Savannah offers a new choice.
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