Light Sport Hangar Flyin'

Keeping Up With Flight Design

2009-11-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

My former rock-and-rollin' Sport Pilot flight instructor and flying buddy John Lampson and I took advantage of the gorgeous New England fall weather yesterday to sharpen up with a Flight Design CTSW thanks to another old flying pal, Flight Design USA prez Tom Peghiny.
John and I revisited the spirited handling of the SW by jumping up to 3,000 feet and cruising through glass-smooth air over the lovely Connecticut and Massachusetts countryside, cloaked now in the gray wiskers of leafless trees.
I also caught up with some of the latest developments for the company, including the new postage stamp released in China featuring the CTLS.
The CT is the only LSA in the aviation stamp series, which also included GA aircraft from Cessna, Cirrus and Diamond.
I wonder if President Obama is being made aware that private aviation is beginning to happen in China, as airstrips and infrastructure are being built all over the country for a burgeoning middle class that wants to fly.
India is also growing a private aviation sector. The first two CTLS were just registered in India and will be used for flight training.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Flight Design USA added three new flight schools to its Flight Design Pilot Center (FDPC) network. The company now numbers 19 flight schools using its LSA, and 38 flight instructors specifically trained to teach in the CT line.
The latest additions are LSA New England, Hampton, NH, Copper City Aviation Services, Brisbee, AZ and Pilot's Choice Aviation, Georgetown, Texas.
Flight Design believes they've set up the largest LSA flight center program in the U.S.
Finally, to counter those naysayers you come across now and then who suggest LSA are not up to the rigors of regular flight training, Flight Design offers this interesting rebuttal: a German-registered CT2K, the long-wing, first-gen model of the best-selling CT line, just logged its 13,268th landing!
The milestone event went down at Jesenwang (say that three times fast) airfield in Germany, where it's been in service as a flight school basic trainer since 2003. The plane has racked up almost 3,000 hours of flight time, is on its second Rotax engine and still operates daily at the 1,300-foot strip.
In consideration of the global economic crisis, Tom P. notes in a recent release that "We have quite a few airplanes in daily revenue generating operations...It only takes about five active students to make this plane completely self funding."
FD Germany adds that the general word from the field is CTs spend very little time in the shop. That's good news for any flight operation.
Bringing it all home, I learned to fly in the CTLS but, as John L. and I rediscovered yesterday whilst hopping in and out of Rob Albright's grass strip at C row Island, MA, the CTSW remains one sweet, fun, fast, sporty LSA that really is fun to fly.
---photos courtesy Flight Design. CTSW photo shot by John Dunham

FAA Recommendation: Ground All Zodiacs!

2009-11-16T07:59:00.000-08:00

The hubbub continues to brew around airworthiness concerns for the AMD Zodiac 601 and it's sibling 650 model. Scroll down this page for background on the story.
Spicing up worries over Zodiac airworthiness comes news of a potential conflict between NTSB and FAA regarding what level of action the fedgov should have taken - months ago.
Timeline...
Thursday: For the first time ever, FAA ordered no new airworthiness certificates will be issued for the entire fleet of Zodiac CH-601XL series aircraft until safety mods are installed.
Friday: NTSB, in an advisory news release, reported yet another Zodiac in-flight break-up - and fatality. The Board took the opportunity to remind us that it had urgently recommended to FAA - back in April 2009 - that it ground the design, after numerous crashes and fatalities, until the problem was effectively addressed by the manufacturers (AMD for SLSA, Zenith for kits).
FAA had already implemented, last week in its Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB CE-10-08 - see blog entry below) a de facto grounding of those aircraft not in compliance with modifications put out by AMD, to resolve aerodynamic flutter and other related concerns.
But: FAA’s action only addressed manufactured versions not in compliance with the mods. It did not include experimentally-built versions, of which there are hundreds out there flying or being built. Only voluntary grounding of homebuilts was advised by FAA and Zenith.
The Kicker: this latest Zodiac crash was indeed a homebuilt version of the troubled design. NTSB in its release seems to be saying, “Told you so - now please do something about it!”
FAA’s position in April was that there was insufficient justification to ground the entire fleet.
Another Zodiac pilot is dead. The obvious question: Could that life have been saved by sterner FAA intervention last Spring?
Meanwhile, Zenith , FAA and EAA now recommend - but still do not require - that all Zodiac CH-650 and CH-601XL aircraft remain grounded until mods are effected.
If no stronger directive is forthcoming, "It can't happen to me" types might not make the mods, keep flying, and pay the ultimate price.
If ever there was a time for mandatory grounding, wouldn't this be that time?
My POV:
Again I ask the question - what precisely is the rationale for not installing parachutes in every LSA - or GA aircraft for that matter - when available?
How many of the dozen or so Zodiac deaths around the world this last year might have been prevented if ballistic 'chutes had been aboard?
No way to know.
But when it comes time for you to make that call, picture this equation:
the grieving faces of your loved ones vs. whatever small gain in performance you get by not carrying a chute.
I rest my case.
---photo of Zodiac courtesy of Zenith

Cessna's "First Lady" gets SKYCATCHER #1

2009-11-13T11:17:00.001-08:00

For those who missed the announcement back in 2007 when the Cessna C-162 SkyCatcher was first announced, the planned delivery of the very first production airplane will stay in the Cessna family, as the happy owner is none other than Rose Pelton of Wichita, Kan.
In case that name sounds familiar, it should: hubbie Jack Pelton is Cessna's CEO.
“When I first saw the Skycatcher mockup at Oshkosh in 2007, I knew that was the aircraft I wanted to learn to fly in,” said Mrs. P. “I couldn’t be more excited...”
More than 1,000 of the new, all-metal, Continental O-200D-powered SLSA have been ordered.
Also in the next issue of Plane&Pilot, you'll want to check out the story of King Schools' new Web-based training system for sport and private pilot certificates. It'll be available through the Cessna Pilot Center network of flight schools.
Side-Note Dept: Here's an interesting back-and-forth between the John and Martha King and Evektor VP Jim Lee on the King's blog about the spin testing on the C-162, which led to two separate crashes. As Lee attests, the SkyCatcher isn't the only spin-tested LSA - the Evektor SportStar had 400 spin tests!
Makes me want to know how many other SLSA have had spin testing, though ASTM doesn't require it for the LSA certificate. More on that as I do some digging...
Meanwhile, we wish Mrs. Pelton many happy hours in her new Skycatcher. That airplane should be highly valuable one of these days for its place in Light Sport history.
---photos courtesy Cessna Aircraft

ZAP! Goes An Electric Record

2009-11-11T11:40:00.000-08:00

More haps on the electric flight front: At Yuneec Aircraft's new 250K sq. foot factory airfield in Shanghai, China, Gerard Thevenot, the pioneering French hang glider designer and pilot who blazed foot-launched trails starting in the 1970s, set an electric-flight endurance record in a Yuneec-powered hang glider.
Flying his own trike design, the go-juice came from a new "longer version" of Yuneec's Power Drive 10Kw motor system. The flight lasted 1 hour 16 minutes.
The news here for LSA followers is the ongoing commitment Yuneec has to powering all types of light sport aircraft, from hang gliders, paragliders and trikes like Thevenot's to the ongoing development of the e-430 two-seat LSA we've talked about this year in Plane & Pilot.
According to Yuneec's website, Thevenot reportedly made just a couple test flights, then jumped up and set the record. He's hoping to increase the duration to 1 1/2 hours any day now.
I don't know about you, but the thought of plugging in my airplane overnight, then flying around for an hour or so without all that mess and bother with fossil fuels has me counting battery sheep at night.

---photos courtesy Yuneec Aircraft

FAA Recommends Safety Mod for Zodiac CH601XL

2009-11-10T12:14:00.000-08:00

AMD, makers of the Chris Heinz-designed Zodiac CH601XL and CH650 light sport/experimental built aircraft, just got some bad news from the FAA.
In its Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-10-08, FAA urged pilots and current builders not to fly either model until they make structural modifications to the aircraft.
Yet another accident involving a CH601XL brings the number to five in the U.S. and several overseas, with numerous fatalities reported. Consistent reports of control surface flutter and in-flight structural failure have plagued descriptions of the accidents.
FAA directed its recommendation at: "all serial numbers, including special light-sport category aircraft (S-LSA), experimental light-sport aircraft (E-LSA), and experimental amateur-built aircraft" of the two models, citing "several areas of concern regarding the CH601XL...that may impact the overall safety of the design. Those causing the greatest concern are as follows:
Wing structure: ...the basic static strength of the CH601XL/CH650 does not appear to meet the intent of the ASTM standards...
Structural Stability: ...buckling in the wing structure, including in the center section.
Flutter: ...The FAA believes flutter may either be a first order root cause of in-flight structural failure or a secondary cause after some initial wing structural deformation or twisting.
Airspeed calibration: Calibration procedures do not appear to adequately account for basic static pressure source error due to the location of the static port...The situation could lead to the potential of operating the airplane above the maneuver speed and/or the design cruise speed, potentially leading to structural failure.
Stick force characteristics: Flight test data from foreign authorities indicates at aft center of gravity the stick forces become very light."
A Safety Directive/Safety Alert from AMD is expected soon. Recommendations will reportedly include structural changes to the airframe.
---photo courtesy AMD

Electric UL Getting Ready for Prime Time

2009-11-07T14:32:00.000-08:00

Hungry for something new about electric flight, I swapped emails with Tom Peghiny yesterday. Tom's the majordomo of Flight Design USA (top-selling CTLS LSA) and Flightstar (longtime maker of 3-axis control ultralights.)
e-Spyder, the electric-powered single-seat ultralight he's developing in congress with Yuneec, the powerhouse electric aircraft manufacturer that recently opened a 250,000 sq. ft. plant in China.
Tom filled me in on the evolution of the production prototype. Denny Franklin, the Gyro Gearloose (i.e. intuitively brilliant) engineer and designer behind venerable designs such as the Drifter ultralight, is working up a longer wing with a sheared tip.
Equally legendary hang glider sailmaker Steve Pearson of Wills Wing (top hang glider mfg.) is making a pattern for the new wing that will use a higher-camber airfoil than the first prototype.
Wills will make the envelopes for the e-Spyder from a laminate covering material that's 35% lighter than the 4 oz. Dacron sailcloth traditionally used for tube-and-fabric ultralights and hang gliders.
Weight is the key in these early days of production electric flight, so lighter 7075-T6 aluminum tubing will be used for the wing frame.
Cured Composites is tooling up to build a new, more aerodynamic front fairing and a carbon fiber motor mount and battery box. The Yuneec electric motor will be streamlined as well.
Can't wait to see this next iteration. 2009 should be a great year for electrics.
To whit: Yuneec has ordered two prototypes and a two-seater airframe from Tom to train with in China. Could a two-seat electric ultralight be just over the horizon as well?
Stay tuned...
---photos courtesy Flightstar

AOPA Picks LSA for Sweepstakes Giveaway

2009-11-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

AOPA kicked off its annual Aviation Summit, in Tampa, FL this year, with a pretty cool announcement: it's annual Sweepstakes Giveaway aircraft will be an LSA: the Remos GX.
The news here is this is the very first time the pilot's membership organization has made their big prize a Light Sport airplane.
Remos is serious about becoming top dog in the LSA sales race as it continues to heavily promote its aircraft and support services far and wide. Although still #4 in overall U.S. LSA sales, Remos aircraft have been selling at a faster clip than any other manufacturer the last year or so.
Meanwhile, AOPA Prez Craig Fuller, Remos Mng. Dir. Corvin Huber, and our pal, LAMA Pres. Dan Johnson led the unveiling of the Remos before the attendees at Tampa's Convention Center this morning.
“Fun to Fly” is the theme of the sweepstakes. The winner will be announced at next year's summit in Long Beach, CA and should be a happy puppy: the Remos GX will include a ballistic parachute and air bags, Dynon MFD and autopilot, a panel-mount Garmin 496, leather seats and other upgrades to be announced down the road.
---photo courtesy Remos

$50/hour Flight Training?

2009-11-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

Holy Economics 101, Batman!
X-Air LLC just sent out a release that caught my eye.
X-Air is the Bend, Oregon-based LSA manufacturer that makes an ultralight-style flivver directly targeted at those recreational flyers and wingabees (flight-dreaming wannabes, get it?) on a tuna sandwich budget.
The tube-and-fabric, fun-flying X-Air LS has a lot to offer for those less concerned with high-bucks style and more motivated by low-cost substance, in this case saving the Benjamins during flight training.
A new X-Air LS goes for around $60,000 and burns 4 gal/hr! That translates into low-cost flight training, as well as dirt-cheap recreational-flight renting or club/shared ownership flying.
The basic Sport Pilot license, with the minimum 20 in-flight training hour requirement, is already affordable when compared with a Private Pilot's license.
Now, students could find themselves spending 50 clams per hour instead of 200 in a Skyhawk. Cutting flight costs only increases the likelihood that students will fly more, or more often, making for better, safer pilots in the long run.
I flew the X-Air a year ago but we haven't run the pilot report in the mag yet...too many airplanes, too few pages. I'll hope to hop a ride in the LS at Sebring in Jan. 2010 and bring you the report.
The short tell is the X-Air does just fine working a good part of the LSA performance envelope, with a max cruise speed of 104 mph, 39 mph stall speed and a 574 lb. useful load.
---photo courtesy X-Air

Super SportCub Rocking Out

2009-11-03T12:18:00.000-08:00

Just talked with CubCrafter's PR head Jon Bliss to check out the haps on the left coast - Yakima, WA to be exact - with the company's Super SportCub and other Cubalike models.
"We're doing as well as we've done in a long time," says Jon. "We've even got a backlog of orders."
As I said some months ago:
Bad economy - bah!
CubCrafters expects to move 50 LSA total out the door next year (2010), with the ASTM-certified (spring of '09) Super garnering most of the orders.
If you've got a Cub in your dreams, it's worth checking out the Super, especially if eye-popping takeoff/climb performance is on your wish list.
The airplane sports the company's own CC340, high-compression, electronic-ignition engine. News here is, and it's allowed for in the ASTM spec, that the engine can be run at 180hp for as long as five minutes, then must be throttled back to 80 hp for cruise (around 5 gal/hr fuel burn) to keep it in the LSA-legal performance envelope.
The real-world effect of 180 ponies in a 1320-lb. gross weight LSA? Liftoff from a standing start in four to five fuselage lengths, and around 2,100 feet per minute climb!
Time to get me a ride on this rocket...
---photos courtesy CubCrafters

"Win-Win" Used LSA Sales Program

2009-11-02T05:32:00.000-08:00

SportairUSA, North American distributor for Sting and Sirius LSA models, just launched an interesting sales/service program for "pre-owned" LSA that should prove attractive for buyers and sellers alike.
Here's the pitch:
SportairUSA will sell every pre-owned LSA that's certified for the program with a six month, 50 hour warranty.
Bonus: five hours of ground training and five hours of transition flight orientation will be included in the sale, including a biannual flight review.
Bennies for the buyer:
The flight training, and confidence that the bird has been "thoroughly inspected and maintained by experienced technicians." That includes any repairs needed for certification in the program, using OEM parts.
Bennies for the seller:
Excellent market exposure to potential buyers, SportairUSA's reputation and resources behind the sale, and free hangaring, maintainence and any needed repairs along the way - only with the seller's approval, and at no cost until the airplane is sold.
What I really like about the program: The inclusion of the flight training, a major concern of LSA insurers due to the high accident rate during first flights by new owners, including experienced GA pilots who tend to minimize the importance of thoroughly learning the LSA flight regime. By insisting on a standard for flight training at all stages of aircraft acquisition, SportairUSA is adding its vote for safer LSA flight, which portends lower costs for all in the long run.
Programs like this also promise a maturing LSA infrastructure that will help the industry grow and gain respectability as we climb out of the economic doldrums.
Contact for info on the program: 888-359-7572.
---photo courtesy SportairUSA

50 States In An LSA!

2009-10-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

At this summer's Oshkosh fly-in, I had the pleasure to meet an inspiring new pilot, Michael Combs, who briefed me on his plans to fly a Remos GX to every state in the US of A, beginning next spring.
Good news: Michael just finished his check ride - that's him below with his CFI, Justin Shelley of U.S. Flight Academy- and is now a happily licensed Sport Pilot. Congratulations Mike!
The odyssey flight will serve as more than just an adventurous lark, although that would certainly be enough motivation for most of us. The intrepid fledgling pilot - and a survivor of a serious illness - will make 135 stops during the inspirational mission, dubbed “Flight For The Human Spirit”, to champion what he recently described as "...proof of human capability and of accomplishing what you are able to dream."
He intends to demonstrate, in dramatic fashion, that “a Sport Pilot license is a passport to unlimited adventure...a celebration of freedom.”
Mike estimates he'll have more than 100 flight hours under his belt by the time the 40-day trip launches. He'll have all the latest electronic nav gear, including XM weather and satellite tracking that will update his progress every two minutes, which you can follow on his website: www.flightforthehumanspirit.com.
---photo courtesy Remos Aircraft

New CESSNA Web-based Sport Pilot Course

2009-10-15T08:49:00.000-07:00

P&P Newsroom FLASH UPDATE (okay, it's just me): Dan Johnson reports on his website that the first production SkyCatcher tabbed for delivery has arrived at Wichita. Dan reports that the delivery floodgates should open wide next year (2010). But having the first C-162 finally out there and flying is good news for Cessna - and the LSA industry in general.
Back to our regular BlogCast...
Cessna Aircraft partnered up with video flight training guru John King of King Schools for it's new Cessna Sport/Private Pilot Course. It's a web-based system, available through Cessna Pilot Centers.
A driver for the program is the imminent release to market of the C-162 SkyCatcher SLSA later this year, part of the company's stated goal of making flying more accessible and re-energizing its flight program.
Cool thing about its webbiness is the flexibility it gives students and instructors. All aspects of the student's training are tracked, and can be customized to reflect the student's local conditions. All training materials are accessible at any time, such as videos, exam reviews, full-motion diagrams and more. There are 280 Cessna Pilot Centers across the country.
---photo courtesy Cessna Aircraft

I Christen Thee VENTERRA!

2009-10-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

Had a chat with Randy Schlitter of Rans Aircraft about his SLSA, the S-19, today. It's new name is the Venterra, which, says Randy, means open over the earth. Kinda poetic and a fitting moniker for such a fun, responsive, open-view low winger like the S-19.
Look for my article on Randy's incredible 25 years as an aircraft manufacturer (more than 4,500 kits and ready-to-fly planes sold!) in the next issue of Pilot Journal magazine. Randy's also been designing and building recumbent and other innovative bicycles for more than 35 years and his products are known and respected worldwide. I own two myself, they're beautifully engineered and built and a lot more fun to ride than the traditional back-aching, hard seat prostate pounders the French tricked us into riding all those decades ago.
Randy's a fascinating, Gyro Gearloose kinda guy, that rare combination of brilliant innovator/designer and savvy businessman. He's an honest-to-goodness throwback to that great tradition of American entrepreneurs who built empires from scratch.

The Times, They Are A-changin'

2009-10-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

Just got off the horn with Mike Zidziunas, who's Mike Z Sport Aviation, Plant City, Florida, is a viable model of how a small LSA flight training operation can thrive.
Mike started ops in 2005 and during the busy seasons (any time it's not sweltering), has had as many as 9 students taking lessons in his Ikarus C42 trainer at one time. A dozen of his students have gone all the way through to get their Sport Pilot licenses.
In what he calls a bit of a "scoop", he told me that Plant City Airport, the FBO where Mike hangs his shingle, has seen the light.
Plant City, just five air minutes away from Lakeland Linder Regional, Florida’s host airport for the annual EAA Sun ‘n Fun Fly In, is a popular place for vendors such as Diamond and Cirrus to demo their planes. I've photographed many, many airplanes over the years out of Plant City, renting their Cessna's and capable pilots for my missions on behalf of P&P.
Anyway, next year (April, 2010), says Mike, Plant City is so eager to attract LSA attention, it is offering LSA distributors use of the airport for its flight demos during the show for free. All they ask is that the aircraft refuel there.
You heard it here first, folks.

HALLOWEEN TREATS: TWO NEW SLSA!

2009-10-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin time is coming early to the LSA ranks with two new ASTM-certified SLSA swelling
the already-well populated list (103 now!) of two-seat light sport aircraft. The new offerings span the price and performance range of the LSA spec.
The first (#102) is the Trident, put out by Ramphos. Dan Johnson reports in his blog that the company was hanging on by it's toenails after spending all its money to get the cert for the boat-hulled, amphibious LSA.
Then along came China, throwing lots of money, machines, engineers and builders around to help the Aussie-based company make big noise with several of its upcoming LSA designs.
Now get this: Ramphos has the right idea in these challenging times, with two versions (Rotax 582 or 912) coming in at $40K and $50K respectively!
Dan also reports that China is pushing sport aircraft hard by building airports and supporting manufacturers to grow their markets in Asia and abroad.

Next is the TL 3000 Sirius, a new SLSA distributed by SportAirUSA, which also carries the low-wing Sting S3 we just covered in dead-tree P&P.
Sirius is the number #103 ASTM-certified light sport and they've done a lovely job. Just a few features: carbon-composite construction, 48" wide cabin (almost a foot wider than a Cessna 172 - an airplane it bears more than a passing resemblance to), range of 800 miles, good 116-knot cruise to go with it and loaded with electronics and a Galaxy emergency 'chute to boot, priced at just under $131,000.
Things That Caught My Eye Dept: Twin yokes (the Cessna Factor), tush-pleasing contoured seats, that four-foot wide cabin!, electric flaps, lots of baggage room (something many top LSA are deficient in).
I also like the engine/cabin synergy: the Rotax 912 ULS (100 HP) and cabin design deliver a low 58 dbA noise rating. FYI, loud conversations such as a dyspeptic spousal unit come in at 50-65 dbA, while heavy traffic is 90.
The carbon fiber-reinforced cockpit cage has integral rollover protection, and fiberglass main gear should be up to the rigors of student ops.
Can't wait to get some time in these two exciting additions to the fleet (or flotilla).

---photos courtesy Ramphos and SportAirUSA

AIRBUSMAN'S HOLIDAY

2009-09-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

So what do you do for a break from your regular airline gig? Fly around the world, of course!
These two airline pilots plan to circumnavigate old Terra in 2010 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first Swiss pilot license holders.
In April, 2010, Yannick Bovier and Francisco Agullo will launch in two, not one but two, Flight Design CTLSs from Switzerland, fly west down the coast of Africa and hop the Atlantic to Brazil. They've even named their planes: Dreamcatcher and Celine' (for a daughter, not the singer.)
The motivations are the "usual suspects" stuff of aerial adventure: to commemorate aviation milestones (Swiss) and inspire young people.
What the hey, for me the inspiration is imagining making such a journey myself! And flying in formation for 25,200 miles? Now there's a concept.
The intrepid pioneers plan to visit 18 countries, span five continents and cross two oceans. That's quite a challenge for any airplane, and will surely add boffo street cred to the image of LSA, eh?
Bonne chance et bon voyage, mes amis!
---photos courtesy Azimuth 270

#101 LSA Approval Continues Record Aviation Surge

2009-09-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

South Africa's Rainbow Aircraft quickly stole the limelight from the Vans RV12 - the 100th LSA to achieve ASTM approval - by earning the first approval of the next hundred - SLSA # 101.
The aircraft, dubbed Cheetah XLS, is imported and distributed by Midwest Sport Aviation of Wisconsin.
Taking a page from the X-Air school of affordable sport aircraft, the Cheetah is listed at just under $53,000.
You can have one in either taildragger or tricycle-gear flavor. Powerplant options abound too: Jabiru 2200, Rotax model 582 or 912S, with horsepower ranges from 65 to 100.
Congratulations to this latest contender!
--photos courtesy Midwest Sport Aviation

LSA Show UP EAST!

2009-09-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, under popcorn-cloud, clear blue skies, the Greater Boston EAA Chapter 106 put on a doozy of a local LSA air show that drew several hundred folks.
By my count 11 LSA models represented the industry, including the FPNA Valor (left), Flight Design CTLS (cockpit, right, with a guest and FD rep John Lampson looking on), and the Terrafugia proof-of-concept Transition “roadable” aircraft, in it’s final public appearance as work has begun on the Beta version. BTW...it drove in. ;-)
The show was held at the lovely Lawrence Muni airport (good name) in Andover, MA, just north of Boston.
The chapter created an enthusiastic, well-attended event that will stand as a good model for how to make it happen on the local level: pilots talking to pilots, not a big splashy corporate thang. Some demo flights, a local biplane ride vendor, and terrific food (bkfst or lunch, all you could eat for $5 or $7 - now we’re talking!)
In addition to those shown and mentioned here and below, LSA that flew in included the
Vans RV12, Sport Cruiser, Aerotrek A240 and Highlander Sport.
There were informative seminars too - a great idea for any gathering. Joe Monaco talked about LetsFly, a shared ownership program that I’ve written about for my Light Sport Chronicles column in dead tree Plane & Pilot (two issues from now). Carl Dietrich, CEO of the Terrafugia Transition roadable car project, updated us on that program.
And Lou Mancuso of Mid Island Air Service gave a thorough talk on buying and flying LSA. His FBO on Long Island is actively engaged in training and rentals with several LSA models.

GAWKS A'MIGHTY!

2009-09-18T16:04:00.000-07:00

Many of the top-selling LSA were there and they couldn’t have picked a better day for it. Clockwise from top: John Lampson (white shirt), Flight Design rep, flew out with me in the same CTLS I got my Sport Pilot ticket in last year. Guess I didn’t scare him enough...yet.
Sportair brought a Sting S3, Dave Jalanti flew out from Chatham, NY with his Jabiru J-230 SP that I did a story on last year, and Dave Graham of Gobosh made sure the lovely G700S was present.

Of WWII Heroism, Wiener Dawgs and Hot Planes

2009-09-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

Ken Godin of Remos (top) brought in a lovely GX, which got a lot of attention at the show. Ken is the hard working Director of Sales and Service for Remos in North America.
During the show I had the great pleasure to speak with John Katsaros, (bottom left) a wonderful gent presenting the book he wrote of his harrowing ordeals (plural) during World War II. Shot up by an ME-109 Messerschmitt over Germany on his 11th mission, the B-17 gunner bailed out, badly wounded, was hidden by the Free French Resistance, was arrested by the German Gestapo - twice! - but still made it back home. I bought his book and urge you to do the same if you love a cracking good first person narrative. Title - Code Burgundy: The Long Escape. You can find it at the publisher here. Our country is still free thanks to the indomitable bravery of the young patriots like Mr. Katsaros all those years ago.
Speaking of Germany, these two wiener dogs lobbied for piece (of burger) in our time at the foot of the Six Chuter powered LSA parachute’s owner.

HANG GLIDING'S GEORGE WASHINGTON

2009-09-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

Sad news today that the father of hang gliding, Francis M. Rogallo, who I had the distinct pleasure to meet at Kitty Hawk a few years ago when I flew a competition on the dunes, has passed away at 97.
That's a nice old age for all to aspire to, but his passing will be marked by every "diver driver" who ever took foot-launched flight.
"Rog" was universally beloved within the community, and stayed in touch with industry leaders and pilots who lauded him for his gentle good nature and indisputable place as the person who's aerodynamic engineering creativity directly led to hang gliding, ultralights and todays light sport aircraft.
Rog invented what came to be known as the Rogallo Wing as a National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) project engineer in 1948. He got patents for the flexible v-shaped fabric/frame Parawing in 1951.
NASA became highly interested in a capsule-deployable version in 1958 for bringing astronauts back home, but dropped the complexities of deploying the steerable design in favor of the round parachutes we know, which were deemed adequate for the mission.
When photos and drawings of the Parawing hit the media, foot launched hang gliders were born, and the rest is history.
Rest in peace, Rog. Your imagination brought personal, affordable flight to so many who would never have had it otherwise.
---Photo Credit: NASA Langley Research Center

NUMBER 100 LSA CERTIFICATION

2009-09-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

The highly anticipated #100 SLSA to receive ASTM approval is now history, as reported in depth by Dan Johnson, Pres. of LAMA (Light Acft. Mfg. Assoc.), on his industry-oggling website.
Drum roll please...it's the sexy Van's RV-12!
Van's has been selling kits for its immensely popular RV homebuilts for decades. The RV-12 (there are several models: RV-4, RV-6, RV-9 etc.) is a low-wing all-metal airplane that is also approved as an E-LSA (experimentally constructed). More than 250 kits are already being built worldwide.
As Dan notes, no other aviation movement in history has ever achieved the diversity of 100 models in a similar time period (under 5 years). That's testimony not only to the ASTM process but also to computerized design and manufacturing, where smaller quantities of parts can be made efficiently and with a high degree of consistent accuracy - an engineer's dream.
---photos courtesy Van's Aircraft

Pix From The Big Show

2009-07-31T21:30:00.000-07:00

Today was a beautiful, beautiful day. I kept saying, "This can't be Oshkosh."
Low humidity, balmy 70s temps, lovely breeze...oh yeah.

Here are some noteworthy pix from the day's events.

First up: The Icon A5 flew a very impressive series of demo takeoffs, landings and fast taxis at the Sea Plane Base. An impressive debut performance, with a lot of attendance from folks who motored over from the main event 10 miles away.

The Airbus A380 wowed the crowds with amazingly quiet, nimble performance turns over the runway. It still amazes me that anything so huge can fly.

Diamond's DA-20 has a new panel with Garmin's G-500 EFIS display. Look for a pirep in a P&P issue soon.

Rain Dance Works!

2009-07-30T20:55:00.000-07:00

After enduring a goodly downpour most of the day, stalwarts were rewarded with a sunny late afternoon and fresh, cool winds. This is not typical Oshkosh Airventure weather: usually we're melting into puddles of goo from the heat and humidity.
Strolling through the vast Airventure "campus" I ran into Dave Graham, hardworking Gobosh principal who shared the new Garmin G3X panel he's installed into the Gobosh 700. Such a nice panel, and with dual Garmin vertical EFIS screens right in front of the pilot, and backup steam gauges and other avionics goodies, it's an impressive panel.
Also noteworthy is Dave's automobile iconic symbols on the console stack that add colorful, easy-read labeling to control switches such as carb heat, fuel cutoff and choke.
A Zaon PCAS XRX collision avoidance system is another welcome feature on this lovely tricked out G700.

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Knocking around the grounds after dark was a kick. I shot the Virgin Galactic White Knight spacecraft launcher, one weird bird indeed, and the Airbus A380, the monstrous double-decker transport airplane that carries 525 passengers in current configurations and will be modified in future to carry 900 people! Holy sardine can, Batman!

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Caught up with Dan Johnson and spousal unit Randee at their LSA Mall in its newly installed location. Very impressive, good support from LSA manufacturers and lots of foot traffic. It's a great way for folks to see many of their favorite LSA aircraft all in one place...and at a huge show like Oshkosh, anything that saves you walking time and grows enthusiasm is welcome indeed. Well done!

ZAP! GOES THE REVOLUTION

2009-07-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

I have seen the future and it is electric. Lots more to say about this than I have time, space or energy here, after my first day at Oshkosh, but this much is clear: electric flight is a reality, just as the Wright Brother's Flyer made heavier-than-air flight a reality.
I spent an hour talking with the Yuneec E-430 people.
FACTOIDS:
* Made in China
* The company just built a new 250,000 sq. ft. factory. That's right: 1/4 MILLION square feet!
* Company has initial plans to produce 6 different electric flying craft: ultralights, trikes, powered parachutes, hang gliders...and the sleek, beautiful, 45-foot wingspan E-430 (above) that went from light bulb idea to flying prototype in 4 months!
* Getting FAA to amend LSA reg to admit electric power will take some doing. But you can't stop a flood tide.
Also saw Flight Design's Tom Peghiny wow the crowds in the waning light at the Ultralight flying area with his E-Spyder, also powered by a Yuneec prototype electric propulsion system.
It was so quiet, you could barely hear him...honestly! My electric RC models make more noise than this electric ultralight.
I looked at these aircraft and realized I was looking at future history. These are no one-off, "maybe-it'll-work" oddities. These aircraft will be produced for sale sometime in the next year or so.
Aviation will never be the same: believe it!