Two decades of hard work, sharp design and marketing vision, and keeping a high bar for quality production recently brought FK Group, German makers of three European “ultralights”, an award from Aerokurier magazine for best manufacturer. FK beat out Remos and other top light sport builders. *** The latest good news from the FK 9 MK IV producer, (a lovely ASTM-approved LSA I’m eager to jump a hop in), is the newly completed second factory that will complete the company’s goal of producing 100% of its aircraft, from fab to outfitting to painting, all in-house. *** A company release praises FK’s association with Cirrus, (lamentably in suspension of its own low-wing Polaris LSA project – also manufactured by FK – to marshal efforts on its Vision jet), for the “huge production knowledge” in expanding its facilities.
New Illinois LSA Academy
In the upcoming Learn To Fly issue of dead tree Plane and Pilot, I wrote an overview article covering the Sport Pilot license. *** Helping me out with some valuable insights was Jim Sweeney, well-known ultralight/Light Sport teacher/expert who really knows his FAA regs. *** One comment Jim made: FBOs have been slow to embrace LSA flight training for a variety of reasons, including reticence to invest in aircraft and training aids for fears the movement would wither on the vine like the Recreational license. *** So I was happy to have Jim note this year’s increase in LSA training nationwide. *** In that vein, Kandace McCoy, in an unusually accurate (for the media) story in the Mt. Vernon News-Register, brought good Christmas tidings for midwesterners: the opening of Southern Illinois LSA Flight Academy, a new school two years in the making that will operate out of Mt.
Flight Design… “Has a Map for That”
If you study FAA’s registration database as I do, you’ll quickly discover that Flight Design and its various CT models have a strong presence in the USA (the world for that matter, with 1,500 flying, according to the company). Since CT was first certified in April 2005 — the second LSA to win Special LSA certification, after Evektor’s SportStar — the German brand has steadily planted CTs across America. You can see a CT at more airfields than any other brand by more than double; the next closest is the American Legend Cub. *** The accompanying graphic was created by Flight Design USA to show the locations of more than 300 CT aircraft in the United States. The distribution is surprisingly even with obvious concentrations in big aviation states such as Florida, California, and Texas/Oklahoma with another area of strength in New England, home base of the U.S.
Questions Erupt for Remos; New Investment Heralded
Along with others in the LSA world, my email inbox has been overflowing with questions and comments about Remos filing a “notice of insolvency” back on November 30th, just three weeks after AOPA chose the company’s GX as the 2010 Sweepstakes airplane. *** Today, the company issued a press release on the subject. Management reported, “Remos Aircraft has received an additional significant investment. With this new capital injection, Remos Aircraft goes strengthened into the year 2010.” The news release did not address the notice of insolvency, but earlier comments indicated it would be “withdrawn” once matters were settled among investors. According to sources, the filing was necessary under German business law because of a “temporary liquidity problem.” *** In the press statements, Remos managers reported they are “dominating the LSA segment, and with significant progress in building our marketing and sales organization, we have reached the goals we had set ourselves for the year 2009.” To further identify the sources of capital investment, Remos elaborated, “The steps initiated by the two main shareholders, the Faerber Group of Munich, Germany, and the London investment house Pall Mall Partners… secure the future of Remos Aircraft and enable the introduction of new programs through which the company will be able to address new customer segments.” *** VP of marketing Ken Weaver added, “We are now ready to launch the next phase of our program.” Ken is presently traveling home from Germany and I may have more to report here in a few days.
American LSA Bargain Extraordinaire: RANS S-6ELS
Much lamenting has been heard regarding the price of Light-Sport Aircraft. It isn’t hard to understand given prices that now exceed $140,000. Was such inflation supposed to happen? I’ve explained how this occurred, and the biggest culprit, by far, is the exchange rate difference between dollars and euros. (Other factors include the time value of money and the desire by many buyers to have high-end instrument panels and features.) *** For a time, we thought the low costs of labor in Eastern European countries would overwhelm Yankee producers… and for a time they did. However, RANS — one of America’s most successful kit suppliers (more than 4,000 delivered!) — is offering the S-6ELS at only $63,000. This equates to only $53,500 in 2004 dollars when the new rule came out, which was about the cost of a Flight Design CT at that time. *** The S-6ELS comes with the 80hp Rotax 912 and a decent analog panel in either trigear or taildragger configurations.
Under Intense Scrutiny — Zenith & AMD CH-601XL
Bad as in-flight break-up accidents are, many opinions often blur the big picture. Last spring NTSB recommended FAA “ground the fleet,” so to say. FAA chose further study. When additional CH-601s became involved, media and organizations jumped on the bandwagon. Let’s review. *** The focus is on the CH-601XL, of which about 1,500 kits have been sold since its introduction in 1984. Approximately half are complete and flying, said Zenith boss, Sebastien Heintz. *** Of the airplanes that broke up two were fully-built SLSA. One was built by Czech Aircraft Works; the other by AMD. The rest are owner-built kits… essentially one-off airplanes. Comparing one to a factory-built airplane is apples and oranges. *** Some allege Zenith and AMD have ignored the problem, but lots of detailed info on Zenith’s website suggests otherwise. Sebastien buttressed this saying, “We believe our effort is an example of an industry doing the right thing.
Flying MySky’s MS-1 — Homebase: Spruce Creek
Lucky me. On a warm, sunny day I drove less than a mile to the airport’s Downwind Cafe restaurant where I met the developers of MySky (the company) and their MS-1 (a new LSA model). After a tasty lunch we strolled over to their facility and hangar. All the while I was within a mile of my home; last year my wife and I caught a good deal at Spruce Creek, an upscale residential airpark. *** MySky is located on this airport and quietly, their team has been developing what I’d call the first of the “high-performance tandem LSA.” We have seven other tandem LSA (check at PlaneFinder 2.0) but none cruises near the 120-knot limit. MS-1 will, with its 120-hp Jabiru 3300 6-cylinder powerplant. *** Company VP, Tim Plunkett (an engineer and pilot of airliners to Pitts Specials) has been flight testing for 140 hours.
AOPA Summit 2009 Broadens Outreach of LSA
In its first year as the AOPA “Summit” (versus “Expo”), the 70-year-old, 415,000-member organization made lots of changes large and small. Among the most notable under capable new president Craig Fuller was much greater attention to LSA. Here’s the fast-read update… *** AOPA announced their 2010 Sweepstakes airplane is a Remos GX; the company had multiple displays and aircraft. Cessna brought a Skycatcher for selected reporters to fly. Craig Fuller had Icon A5 developer Kirk Hawkins on the center-hall stage. EAA’s Earl Lawrence led a LSA panel of FAA and industry experts (including yours truly). LAMA operated an LSA Mall area and had fruitful discussions with AOPA to advance goals of the LSA industry. SeaMax USA showed off their simulator seaplane running on MS Flight Sim. Tecnam North America, with several aircraft on display, announced new service centers for the popular Italian line of aircraft they now represent.
Triple Play: Fk Lightplanes Is High, Low, and Bipe
Light-Sport Aircraft are nothing if not diverse. We have all manner of aircraft on our SLSA List of 104 approved models. Germany’s FK Lightplanes illustrates diversity through their trio of models: high wing Fk9 series; biplane Fk-12; and low wing Fk14. *** In May 2009, the newest iteration of the Fk9 series was flown by designer Peter Funk. The Fk9 ELA (a reference to European Light Aircraft, a new class EASA is planning) is a stretched, roomier model of the popular series. The changes should play well in the American market. *** Peter Funk commented, “It seemed that [Fk9 ELA’s new] winglets are improving control efficiency and low speed characteristics.” In addition, the newest model boasts a larger cabin space, a larger panel with room for big screens, more baggage area, electric flaps, and optional longer-range fuel tanks. The versatile Fk9 ELA is also available on straight or amphibious floats or in taildragger gear.
Changing Times…and Light-Sport Aircraft’s Future
Word of a few interesting developments arrived in my inbox, bringing with them new questions. *** Point One — EAA announced it will cease publishing Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft magazine. LSA content will be merged into their flagship Sport Aviation title, bolstered by a new eNewsletter called “Light Plane World” that will focus on LSA and ultralights. *** Point Two — An Australian company, Foxcon, alerted me about their SLSA, the Terrier 200. It’s not presently for sale in the U.S. But they say it has government approval just like the other 104 aircraft on our SLSA List. To assure our list remains up-to-date, a key feature of the SLSA List, do we add the Terrier 200? Is ByDanJohnson.com is an American product for Americans or a world citizen? *** Point Three — China is hosting an international GA conference and is featuring Cirrus, Diamond, and Cessna, and, not least, Flight Design in promoting CIGAC.
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 39
- 40
- 41
- 42
- 43
- …
- 64
- Next Page »