Sun 'N Fun

The AirCam (above, left) made a name for itself as a camera platform for National Geographic. The amphib version has two Rotax 912ULS engines and allows for single-engine takeoff from water. The Savage Cruiser LSA (above, right) offers a variety of performance packages and a large swing-up door.

Angling to create and corner the personal jet market, Cirrus will soon debut "the-jet" (left), which carries forward the Cirrus imprimatur: style, safety and comfort. The seven-seater will have a Williams FJ33-4A-19, driving a 300-knot max cruise at 25,000 feet.

On display was Diamond's full-scale mockup of the D-JET (right), which boasts the largest cabin in its class. The single-engine personal jet has a range of 1,350 nm and a 315-knot max cruise speed. The D-JET's engine uses a dual-blended inlet above the wings, with the exhaust nozzle beneath the fuselage at the rear. Like Cirrus, Diamond is banking on the relative simplicity of lower overall cruise altitudes to add to its VLJ appeal.

Available as a landplane or a floatplane, powered by a big Walter M601 turboprop and capable of carrying eight at 200+ mph speeds, the composite, kit-built Comp Air 8 (above, left) is for owners with "big iron" airplane dreams!on a modest budget. The turboprop, kit-built Comp Air 12 (above, right) has seating for 12, a stand-up interior and a lavatory. Cob the throttle for a 310-knot cruise (at 30,000 feet!), carry a 5,000-pound useful load, climb at full gross at 2,800 fpm and reach out with a 2,535 nm range.

AMD's new, U.S.-built Patriot LSA (above,left) is powered by the 100 hp Continental O-200 (like the Cessna SkyCatcher). Certified as an LSA in early 2008, the all-metal Paradise LSA (above, right), produced in Brazil, uses its 100 hp Rotax 912S to cruise at 120 mph and take off in just 300 feet.

Flight Design's CTLS (below and right) is the newest version of the carbon-fiber CT. Certified and ready for delivery since early 2008, the CTLS has an impressive range of 1,000 miles.


Newly certified in the States, the Toxo Sportster (above, right) is the first Spanish-built LSA in America. The all-metal FPNA A22 Valor (above) offers an open cockpit and 360-degree visibility. The Brazilian SeaMax (right) is an LSA amphib with a retractable water rudder and short takeoff and landing distances.

	Formerly the Columbia 400, the Cessna 400 (above, left) is the second-fastest FAA-certified single-engine piston aircraft in production. The amphib version of the tricycle-gear Allegro LSA (above) offers a spacious cockpit and panoramic views through large Lexan doors. The Expedition 350 (left) should have Canadian certification by the time you read this. Evolved from an earlier Bush Hawk design, the 350 offers carlike four-door/four-seat comfort.

The PiperJet mockup (above, left) offers a sneak peak at an all-metal VLJ that will be one of the largest and most powerful single-engine jets in its class. The Evolution (above, right) is composite pioneer Lancair's next high-stakes gambit for the high-performance kit-built market.

The EuroFox (above, left), now available in the States as a taildragger, has wings that easily fold for storage or transport. Diamond's brand-new DA50 SuperStar (above, right) offers limo-style comfort (in a 52-inch-wide cabin) for five occupants. Sleek aerodynamics and a 350 hp, turbocharged, FADEC-equipped engine add impressive speed to the equation.

Sun ‘N Fun

After torrential downpours, blue skies, sun and aviation fun took over as the winged season began in Lakeland, Florida. Our prop-happy crew cruised the first day of Sun ’n Fun 2008 to deliver this special report on what’s new and what’s hot in flying.

James Lawrence

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