Here we go again with another of our series of Video Pilot Reports or VPRs, this time in the Czech Sport Aircraft SportCruiser. Yes, that’s the airplane for one year known as the PiperSport in the legacy company’s short period in the LSA space. All the while it was represented by U.S. Sport Aircraft and that Texas-based company is once again the sole importer for the USA. In this video we take you along for a flight in the popular machine and provide you with a full cockpit review and a selection of performance numbers. Enjoy!
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The biggest drawback seems to be useful load. I’m looking ap Piper Sport and it lists with 580 lb useful load. After 30 gal of gas, that leaves only 429 lbs payload. Do these planes shoe greater numbers outside US? I’ve heard it’s common to go 1OO lbs over without issue. Is that valid?
Hi Victor: You need to check with Cruiser Aircraft, the U.S. representative for SportCruiser/PiperSport, but, no, I would not advise you plan to operate 100 pounds over gross. You can also operate with 30 gallons of fuel on board. Your math is a bit off, but being able to carry two 200-pound pilots with full fuel is quite reasonable.
I’m training on the Czech PiperSport now and they tell me the weight of the plane is 880 pounds. Now I’m restricted to 1,320 pounds as a Sport Pilot which makes the useful load much less at 440 pounds.
That empty weight sounds high to me but it depends on installed equipment. You may need to operate at less than full fuel.