LSA - Light-Sport Aircraft

More popular than ever, light-sport aircraft (LSAs) are here and flying. Discover the latest trends in sport planes and see the aircraft that are making the dream of flying a reality for thousands.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Cubbing Around A light-sport blend of old-school nostalgia and modern technology In a sky filled with high-performance pistons, turboprops and jets that speed to their destination, there’s still something undeniably irresistible about a little yellow Cub. Puttering around low and slow, the humble two-seater makes lazy circles over emerald fields as its pilot smiles down on Earth, senses ignited by a soft breeze and the scent of grass airstrips that waft through the open window.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 LSA Flight Report: Cruiser In School Clothing Mix all-aluminum construction, deep aviation manufacturing background and the desire to build a robust training aircraft, and what have you got? Eaglet! The truly wonderful thing about events like the recent Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo is that you have the fun, and the scheduling challenges, of flying many different types of aircraft at one sitting. “Sitting” is a key word. I came to regard it as an aviation smorgasbord—for my tush. Of course, such an avian feast feeds other visceral, spiritual and intellectual appetites too, but sitting comfort in an airplane is also important, yes? You betcha.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009 Up-And-Comer The new Remos GX rises to satisfy sport pilots An LSA that was 10 years in the making may aptly be called a “mature design” within this nascent sector of piston aircraft. A few others share a similarly “ripe, old” heritage, but most are far newer than the trusty GA models in which many of us learned the art of flying.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008 LSA Buyer’s Guide Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or Fudge-Ribbon Granola-Mocha Delight? How’s a pilot to choose which bird to buy? As a prospective LSA owner, you might justifiably conclude that once you’ve made the crucial decision to buy an aircraft, the most difficult decision is behind you, yes? To quote Comrade Putin: Nyet!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 Jabiru J230: Heart Of Gold Beauty and solid, easy-flying handling in one package What draws a person to an airplane? For some it’s raw performance—faster/higher/farther; for others, it’s enthusiastic raves from fellow pilots. But for most of us, it’s an intangible moment of “smittenness” with the sheer visual appeal of a new flying machine. How great, then, when the object of your latest affection turns out to not only have eye-catching beauty, but a heart of gold as well.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008 Luscombe Silvaire 8F: A Classic LSA A Luscombe enthusiast revives the type with a larger Continental engine and a lower gross weight If you’re a Luscombe lover (and most any pilot who’s flown the type is), the new/old Luscombe 8F must strike a resonant tone. These days, in fact, the old Luscombe design has taken on a new persona, that of an LSA.

Monday, September 8, 2008 Feel-Good Flyer Ever met someone you instantly liked? The MD3 Rider is one friendly yet Someone recently told me that all LSA are “fun” and pretty much fly the same. That notion challenges my beliefs. Everything in life is subjective, even scientific observation. And if you’re the least bit sensitive to your environment, you’ll probably agree that any vehicle, just like any person you meet, has a distinct feel and personality. Call it the Mazda Miata vs. VW Beetle syndrome: Every ride has its own ineffable feel.

Thursday, June 19, 2008 LSA Lineup With more than 1,400 aircraft registered in the States, the phenomenon keeps growing! What exactly is a light-sport aircraft (LSA)? To qualify as an LSA, an airplane must be a maximum two-place, single-engine, fixed-gear machine that weighs no more than 1,320 pounds (1,420 for watercraft). It must have a level, full-power speed of no more than 120 knots, a clean stall speed no faster than 45 knots and a fixed-pitch propeller.

Thursday, May 1, 2008 Air Elite Storm Rally This LSA is adapted from a European model that has been flying for years in Europe as both a four-seater and an aerobatic sportplane Anyone who has followed the development of the LSA market in the States is probably aware that many of the current crop of LSAs were developed in Europe as many as 20 years ago. That was long before there was any formal definition of the type, and those airplanes have been adapted to accommodate the American definition. America “discovered” the economy and fun of flying LSAs only three years ago, but pilots on the opposite side of the pond have been aviating in economical two-seaters for decades to offset the high operating expenses of private aircraft.

Friday, February 1, 2008 10 Things To Look For In An LSA Use your heart and your brain when considering your LSA purchase Aviation is experiencing an exciting transformation. At one point, a GA aircraft wouldn’t show signs of obsolescence for, let’s say, 30 years or so, give or take a decade. Those days are gone. Today, technological advances find their way into airframes and cockpits at an ever-increasing speed.

12345