Some have likely forgotten that the Allegro was the third Special Light-Sport Aircraft ever certified, following only Evektor’s SportStar and Flight Design’s CT. It was also a market leader early on…in fact, it did so well, Fantasy Air (the now-bankrupt Czech designer and producer) still holds the #12 position even without a sale in nearly two years. *** The founding company’s troubled history is now being replaced with an all-American manufacturing effort based on the revised Allegro 2007 model that saw improvements to better suit the American market. Allegro USA LLC, the newly-formed company, announced in June that Allegro will now be built completely in Roseburg, Oregon. Allegro USA believes this will eliminate concerns for warranty, parts, delivery, and financing. *** Some LSA suppliers may be cautious in today’s economy but Allegro USA is taking strides to regain its market position.
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Steady Subtle Changes Add Up to the Max
Evektor’s SportStar became the first-ever Special Light-Sport Aircraft a little over four years ago, a distinction no one can ever take away from the Czech company. Yet that exclusive title has not encouraged the company to rest on their laurels. While Evektor has not re-certified their airplane (for example, like Flight Design and their CTLS, Remos and their GX, or TL Ultralight and their Sting S3), the design has nonetheless changed (photos). SportStar was also one of the first success stories gaining entry to the GA flight school market.
Now for Oshkosh 2009, Evektor will launch their Max model in two variations. Their SportStar Max BT (“Basic Trainer”) is the entry model, fleet priced at $110,000. But flight schools that focus on instrument training may opt for the $155,000 Max IFR model which comes equipped with the certified Rotax 912S (different than the ASTM-compliant “ULS” version).
Coming Together Globally; Kolb’s Flyer SS
A Canadian design — the Pelican 700 — was reengineered into a SLSA by an American company — New Kolb Aircraft — and is being manufactured by a Brazilian company — Flyer Industria Aeronautica. Such international collaboration is becoming common. *** Kolb won approval for the Flyer SS in July (#87 on our SLSA List). Leading the SLSA project is Izek Therrien who said, “The master lines [of the Pelican] were kept. The fuselage was then rounded, enlarged and equipped with a new flight control system.” He reported 57 have been sold in South America and that a second Flyer SS will enter the USA in October.” *** Some SPLOG readers may be unfamiliar with the Kolb name, but this 30-year old brand has produced 3,000 of their popular models including the Mark III and the Kolbra. Every one until the Flyer SS has been a kit.
First Major Corporate Change in LSA World
A long and winding trail in the sky, this story is… Once upon a time an American traveled to the Czech Republic, founded a small business to build kit aircraft, grew that into a full-fledged LSA producer, gained an investor with whom he later disagreed, and lost his enterprise. That’s the shortest possible take on it. When Chip Erwin’s Czech Aircraft Works dissolved, the chrysalis produced Czech Sport Aircraft… the new owner of the SportCruiser (photos). As Chip takes an unplanned sabbatical from this business, the new team under Martin Zikes is taking action. *** Czech Sport Aircraft (CSA) says its roots date back to 1934 when “a group of aviation enthusiasts opened a small workshop and started to build gliders.” Around World War II a related factory was seized by the Luftwaffe and served as a repair and maintenance facility. “After the war the company worked on all types of airplanes then flying in Czechoslovakia.
SeaRey LSX; Popular U.S. Seaplane Launching SLSA
Seaplane enthusiasts comprise a niche of American aviation but are some of the most passionate of all powered aircraft pilots. Among these, owners of almost 500 SeaRey aircraft belong to one of the tightest knit communities I’ve seen. Kerry and Wayne Richter, the son and father team that gave birth to the SeaRey (and several other models) have quietly built one of the strongest brands in light seaplanes… and now they are moving into the Special Light-Sport Aircraft space with their new LSX. Kerry says the new model, while visually similar to earlier SeaReys, possesses no fewer than 78 new or revised features including a custom interior and complete rework of the panel. *** I flew with Kerry in the new machine from my Florida home base at Spruce Creek Fly-in. We hopped LSX over to a nearby lake and Kerry executed a couple perfect water landings.
FK Lightplanes New Model; Offsetting Cirrus Stall
Most American pilots don’t recognize the brand FK Lightplanes, though many do know of one of their models. Cirrus Design based their celebrated entry into Light-Sport Aircraft upon the Fk14 Polaris. This lovely low wing looks enough like a Cirrus that the Duluth, Minnesota manufacturer selected it as their platform to offer what they called the SRS. *** The producer of the best-selling SR22 felt they needed to “Cirrus-ize” the Fk14, but now with the GA industry in sharp decline the company put the SRS project on hold to focus on their Vision jet (which sells for 10X more). *** Yet FK Lightplanes also builds a handsome high-wing model, which has gone through significant refinements in more than a decade on the market. “We’ll still make our Fk9 Mark 4 [the earlier model],” said company director Peter Funk, but his company is now launching the Fk9 ELA (as in European Light Aircraft), a version that more closely matches LSA specifications.
Dealmaking and Consolidation? New LSA Directions?
What to the following events have in common? …Sebring LSA Expo, Heart of Texas LSA Expo, Midwest LSA Expo, Sport Pilot Tour… Answer: All are focused marketing shows generating keenly interested crowds to examine Light-Sport Aircraft. When that happens, business arrangements sometime result, and not all deals are between airplane buyers and sellers. *** At the Sebring LSA Expo FK Lightplanes USA struck an agreement with Hansen Air Group. The latter, an Atlanta-based national seller of the Sky Arrow and new FP-04 Peregrine, signed on to represent the Fk9, seen in Florida atop Baumann BF-1500 floats. One aviation family helps another as FK’s father-and-son Tony and Adriel Anderson linked up with twin brothers Jon and Ron Hansen. *** Recently I attended an open house for another mini-conglomerate in light-sport aviation based at the Melbourne, Florida airport.
Light-Sport Aircraft… Leading the Way Up?
Sebring was a welcome event for all who participated. Companies that stayed home may be wondering if that was the right move. With record crowds, airplane orders taken, and merchandise selling out, the Florida LSA show gave a welcome lift to a global aviation industry that’s been laying off workers by the thousands. But, besides the general good news I’ve been asked dozens of times, “What was new?” at the event. Here’s my list; details will follow in other SPLOG posts. Surely I’ll leave out some worthy aircraft (you’ll tell me, I hope, and I’ll include them). *** In no particular order…the well-proven RANS S-6 Coyote debuted as an SLSA; Urban Air’s newly certified Samba complements their lovely Lambada; FPNA’s amphibious Cape Town appeared on brand-new floats; Paradise delivered their first hand-control P-1; Remos debuted their GX 2009 with new gear and a redesigned interior; a year after its debut at Sebring ’08 CTLS displayed the first-ever Garmin 696 installation, while the avionics company announced their GDU 370 and 375 MFDs; Evektor showed their SportStar SL with a recontoured exterior; Tony and Adriel Anderson showed their Fk9 on new Baumann amphib floats; they’re teaming up for sales with Hansen Air Group, which also showed a production version of their new FA-04 Peregrine; Zenith Aircraft constantly demo flew the STOL CH-750, an upgrade from their popular 701; Cessna identified notable changes in the final Skycatcher design (a larger tail) and confirmed first deliveries in ’09; and, the K-10 from Ukraine-based Skyeton made its worldwide debut…and made a sale.
Sebring Excitement Grows! American SLSA Increase
After three days of Sebring 2009, the upbeat mood has mushroomed. I heard zero negative comments and dozens of positive statements defining the Fifth Annual Sebring Expo as an unqualified success. As cleverly keyboarded by aviation writer, Jim Lawrence (LSA Editor for Plane & Pilot magazine — read his blog on Sebring): “Take that, bad economy!” *** EAA Editor Mary Jones and I compared notes to count 14 reported airplane sales in three days. Such good results show buyers are indeed in the market. In addition to the best Thursday ever, Friday was the “best day ever for Sebring”, said Expo Chairman, Bob Wood. *** At the show, I was pleased to find two new all-American aircraft to add to our SLSA list, now 91 models long. Welcome to M-Squared’s Breese 2 and RANS’s S-6 Coyote. The Breese won approval last summer and has been overlooked by the media… a mistake as the Alabama manufacturer offers the fully built two seater for just $34,995.
Think All Trikes Are Foreign? Think Again!
Weight-shift control LSA, affectionately referred to as “trikes,” are often made overseas. That’s a bit weird as the concept originated in the USA and spread around the globe. Tens of thousands are flying, despite their relative rarity in America. So you could be excused for viewing trikes as foreign. Not all of them… *** Though it won approval last summer, the newest SLSA in the game — we now have 89 models from 67 companies — is the North Wing Design Sport X2, available in two models plus ELSA versions with alternate engines. The Navajo may represent the least expensive SLSA you can purchase, retailing for $29,000 ready-to-fly. An Apache model is more dressed out and runs $32,000, still quite a bargain in today’s world of $135,000 SLSA airplanes. (More price info.) *** North Wing is an all-American company from Washington state making both trike carriage and wings.
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