E430 Electric Design Award Finalist

One of my favorite designs of 2009 for sheer mouth-watering beauty was the Yuneec E430 Electric two-seat LSA.
Now, Brit Insurance Designs of the Year, based at its internationally-renowned Design Museum in London, has given LSA recognition a fresh charge by nominating the design for its top award.
The org looks worldwide for "the most innovative, interesting and forward-looking new work in design".
It's hard not to argue the E430 is one of the most graceful pieces of winged eye-candy to come along in many years.
The exhibition presents around 100 projects, nominated by a group of
internationally respected design experts, curators, critics, practitioners and enthusiasts.
The nominated designs fall into seven categories - architecture, fashion, furniture, graphics, interactive, product and transport.
A winner for each category will be selected by an international jury and one overall winner will be awarded the Brit Insurance Design of the Year 2010 at an awards dinner in March.
Go Yuneec!
---photo courtesy Yuneec International

Tom Peghiny's Flight Designs USA keeps trucking down the infrastructure superhighway by adding another four flight schools to its stable of Flight Design Pilot Centers (FDPC).
The network now numbers 21. The company maintains its lead in sales even though, as Dan Johnson reports in his latest Market Shares Report, 2009 was not a great year for aviation sales in general, even though LSA sales were slightly better than GA's.
The new training centers are:

• Iowa Air, Cedar Rapids
• Paragon Flight Training, Fort Myers, Florida
• Ocala Aviation in Ocala, Florida
• Acadiana Flight Center, New Iberia, Louisiana

Flight Design's comprehensive approach all along has included growing the network of training sites and stocking them with new CTLS (and soon, the all-metal MC - I'm scheduled to fly one at Sebring this week).
Training for Sport Pilot and beyond is a natural for the designs: they bring the full potential of LSA functionality to recreational pilots with full glass cockpits, standard BRS airframe parachutes, three-axis trim, electric flaps and very roomy cockpits. (almost a foot wider than a C-172, and I can tell you from many hours personal experience that extra room is very much appreciated during both training and cruising missions.)
---photo courtesy Flight Designs

Sebring LSA Expo Next Week!

Anybody who's got an LSA bee in their bonnet knows that "Sebring", like Sun 'n Fun and Oshkosh, has become synonymous with Light Sport aviation's very own special show.
Sebring: home of the famous endurance car race. Sebring: the first big aviation show of the year, and it's all LSA! I can't wait!
LSA doyen Dan Johnson has a great laundry list of highlights on his LSA website so I'll briefly reprise and add a couple tidbits of my own.


First off, it's the sixth year for the show, officially dubbed Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo. Last year was an attendance record-setter. This year who can say with the economy? But Sebring should be notable for some key developments in the exciting expansion of the Sport Pilot/Light Sport phenomenon that's revitalizing GA almost singlehandedly.
First, who's coming?
Lots of major players, and none is generating more buzz than Piper Aircraft.
The Big Question: Will Piper announce an LSA program, (SportCruiser or another?)
More highlights:

• Tecnam's beautiful new P2008 high-winger
• The first production Cessna SkyCatcher
• Flight Design's MC all metal trainer
• AOPA's Fun-to-Fly Sweepstakes Remos GX
• MySky MS-1
• Legend Aero's AmphibCub
• Arion Lightning low-wing composite LSA (see Dan Johnson's flight report coming in May issue of Plane&Pilot)
• Aerotrek's fabric-covered flivvers
• The prototype Aveo Phantom from the Slovakian design house Aveo Engineering
• PowraChute and other powered parachutes should be buzzing around thick as flies like last year
• Opus Aircraft Super2 shoulder wing LSA
  

And in the avionics dept.:

• Garmin's Aera GPS
• Dynon SkyView
• ZAON collision avoidance systems
  

And I just heard from SportairUSA's Bill Canino who tells me that, alas, the new TL-3000 won't be at Sebring as they're selling too well in Europe -- they can't spare any!
That's the kind of problem the whole industry needs.

New 2-Stroke Oil From Shell

Just got off the horn with Phil Lockwood of Lockwood Aviation today about Shell's announcement, which kicks off at the Sebring LSA Expo next week, about its newest lubricant, AeroShell Oil Sport PLUS 2.
Phil is the go-to guy for anything Rotax. He built his company from scratch into the Mecca for engines, parts, service, maintenance, training and a lot more. He also produces the AirCam and Drifter sport aircraft, sells LSA and I could go on for pages. Super guy too.
Anyway, here's Phil's take on this new 2-stroke engine oil:
"It's actually a big deal for people who use 2-strokes -- that's about 10,000 aircraft. We used Pennzoil, (now owned by Shell), before that, but the formulation constantly changed due to chemicals in it becoming unavailable."
One problem was severe carbon packing around high performance rings, requiring regular decarbonizing.
"When Pennzoil came up with a formula in the '90s that allowed us to go to TBO without decarbonizing, that was a big deal. But that formula eventually wasn't producible either."
Recently, Shell came to Lockwood to test the new formulation -- PLUS 2 -- on five new Rotax 582 engines.
"We ran them for 300 hours, picked the best one, did a 50 hour flight-test, tore down the engines and signed off on the formula."
"Shell told us they'd guarantee it will be a constant formula from now on."
That's real good news for all those Kitfoxes, Quicksilvers, Drifters and other ultralight and experimental planes that run Rotax two-strokes such as the 447, 503, 582 engines and discontinued models (parts still available) 277, 377, 532 and 618.
Phil signed off with an eye toward a resurgent ultralight market.
"We all started with ultralights in the late '70s and early '80s and saw them evolve into LSA, and the ultralight market disappeared."
"Now, prices of many LSA are out of reach to a whole new generation of would-be pilots who would love ultralights, but don't know much about them."
"I can see a return to ultralights, including electric-powered models like the E-Spyder. Think about it: No video game or outdoor sports vehicle comes close to giving the pleasure of flying through the air."
---Photos courtesy Kitfox Aircraft and Flightstar Sportplanes

Piper To Jump Into LSA?

My tin can and string spyphone is vibrating with news that the quiet little rumor circulating for months is about to become reality: Piper Aircraft appears to have inked a deal with Czech Sport Aircraft (CSA), which successfully took control of the former Czech Aircraft Works, and will import and distribute the beautiful SportCruiser SLSA to the American market!
This on the heels of Piper's thorough hands--on evaluation of the airplane last summer.
If it pans out, this is huge news, not only for Piper, which gives it a matching ace in the hole to Cessna's C-162 SkyCatcher, just now hitting the market, but also for Sport Pilots who have anxiously waited to see how the bitter SportCruiser flap would finally settle out.
Briefly, there was a power struggle, CSA won out, but lately there have been more innuendos of slack maintenance issues around landing gear wearing out and other complaints from SportCruiser owners.
With Piper's imprimatur backing the U.S. play, those worries should vanish.
Word is the venerable U.S. manufacturer ponied up $30 Mil for 49% of CSA. The merger would make it the largest light aircraft maker in the world.
The story was reportedly picked up by European news sources today, although I haven't yet to dig up verifying links. Stay tuned.
But this piece from Flight International names sources saying the deal is done and details may be released by Piper at the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo next week -- or sooner!.
Meanwhile, the piece serves up some tasty commentary on the shift in vision at Piper after the departure of CEO Jim Bass last year. It's a good read, have at it.
I'll be flying a SportCruiser locally on Thursday, frigid weather permitting, for dead tree Plane and Pilot and will update with the Piper news both here from the field and for the article, as it comes.
Let's hope Piper's picked the right LSA company to get in bed with.
Sweet dreams!

LAMA: FAA Survey Does Not An FAA Endorsement Make

LAMA President Dan Johnson released the manufacturer organization's first newsletter of 2010 with some interesting news. There's lots in there: I'll endeavor to summarize:
In the beginning, there was FAA, and FAA created Light Sport, and saw that it was good.
And FAA decided it could rest, but first it said, "We shall smile down and only monitoreth thee...so long as thou provideth third-party oversight."
"Forsooth, thou shalt police thine own act to maintain compliance with The Rule, lest fedgov lightning bolts shall rain down in the form of aggressive compliance auditing and other regulatory interferences."
To forestall FAA's wrath, third-party oversight is offered by LAMA through extensive audits of LSA company procedures and documentation.
An initial LAMA audit costs roughly $7,000. Several - but not nearly all - manufacturers have signed up for LAMA audits.
Evektor, European producer of the SportStar, was the first company to successfully complete a LAMA audit.
Meanwhile, FAA conducted a spot survey of 30 manufacturers and importers, (U.S. only). Purpose? To provide a snapshot of industry compliance. Result? Not bad...but the industry needs to do better...much better.
The LAMA newsletter summarizes FAA's survey report, as analyzed by FAA Evaluations and Special Projects Manager Brian Cable, who notes: "SLSA manufacturers and importers are trying hard to follow requirements...but many companies are falling short."
Relax, Chicken Littles. Light sport flivvers will not fall from the sky. Cable says much of the discrepancies have to do with paperwork. Specifically, incomplete or improperly done paperwork.
Some details:
In general, Cable highlights shortcomings in airworthiness documentation, maintenance procedures and documentation, assembly procedures and documentation, and compliance with design standards.
One key observation: although LAMA audits are intended to help members resolve problems before they become issues for the FAA, it appears companies were under the impression that they had done well on the (FAA) survey—which didn't cost anything - and therefore wouldn't need an independent audit.
Not true. The one-day survey by design could only hit the highlights. Yet, although 22 LAMA members signed up for audits before the survey, most subsequently declined to follow through.
Wrong conclusion.
LAMA's caveat: a reasonably good survey result does not an FAA endorsement make.
LAMA enjoins manufacturers not to cavort too long before the golden idol (shirking audits to save money) lest fire and brimstone (mandatory -and vastly more expensive - oversight by the almighty FAA itself) descend down upon the land.
Okay, I know this is a lot of dry stuff, but here's what to take from this: the LSA experiment is meant to find out whether aviation can keep its own sandbox clean. It's not guaranteed to go on forever, especially if airplanes do start falling out of the sky for lack of proper compliance with the rule.
So when you see that LAMA sticker on the LSA you're thinking of flying or buying, think "Good Housekeeping Seal": it means that manufacturer is doing everything it can to make sure you fly safe, legal, and with minimal government intrusion.
Ask your LSA sales rep if his/her company plans on getting an LAMA audit. If the answer comes back "No", ask why not. If you don't like the answer, consider looking elsewhere.

ELSA Trainer Owners - 1/31 Deadline!

Jan 31 (about 3 weeks away) is an important date for anybody who owns an E-LSA aircraft that's used for training, whether or not they actually use it for training operations.
If owners don't apply for the amended certificate by the 1/31/2010 deadline, their current airworthiness certificate will expire, and another will not be issued!
Kinda serious stuff.
Not sure your ELSA falls under this category? Check your airworthiness certificate. On the right side under the serial number and model is the word "expiry". If the box has "unlimited" in it, you're golden. But if it has the date "January 31, 2010", it was originally given the operating limitations for flight training, and you must renew it!
The fedgov rationale in play here: you cannot amend a certificate if it's expired. After Jan. 31, you're toast.
Quick background: Apparently the ruleworks involved in permitting flight training in ELSA to continue in general is bogged down at FAA. But ELSA owners who think that will allow them to coast, beware: you won't have a legal airplane if you procrastinate past Jan. 31.
After the deadline, only SLSA and certificated GA planes will be allowed to conduct training, unless the FAA does ultimately craft training provisions into the ELSA category.
Note: this does not mean people who own Experimental or ELSA aircraft can't be trained - but it must be in their own airplanes. The caveat is only about the for hire use of those types of aircraft. Savvy?
The deadline is part of the transition process that has been systematically moving ultralights and their pilots under the Sport Pilot umbrella since the rule became law in 2004. It affects for example aircraft like the Experimental Light Sport Quicksilver Sport 2s, an evolution of the original Quick ultralight.
Contact your local FSDO (Flight Standards District Office) if you have any doubt about your ELSA.
Thanks to Carol at Rainbow Aviation, an ultralight-style LSA dealer/school in Corning, CA.

---photos courtesy Rainbow Aviation

In A Sling - And Happy!

The more I look into the story about those two wild and crazy South African dudes (post below) who flew around the world in the LSA of their own design and manufacture, the more interesting it gets.
Just heard back from James Pitman who offered this:
"We're just getting into production at this instant here in SA and will deliver the first 20 planes to local buyers. We absolutely intend to be in the US thereafter - hopefully commencing in the second half of this year. We have an established close friendship with Matt Liknaitsky, who is the distributor for MGL Instruments in the States, and we'll be getting help and advice from him on how to best serve the US market...Thanks for the good wishes for the year - we've got a hang of a lot of work ahead of us, but we're excited about the prospects and are having a good time, both working and flying."
Can't do much better than that, eh?
A few more details about Sling 002's globe-circling flight, which are available in depth on this page:
* The standard inner leading edge tanks (19.8 gal. each on the production version) were augmented by outer leading edge and behind-spar tanks, to increase capacity for the trip to 118.9 gal.
BTW: that gave a 24-hour endurance per fillup!
* 15 extra layers of fiberglass were used to beef up the main gear for the extra weight
* seats were modified to lie flat (kids, don't try this at home)
* powerplant was a 912 ULS Rotax (100hp)
* two MGL Avionics Voyager MFDs made up the ‘glass cockpit’
* other instruments

• Garmin SL30 navcom radio
• Insight Strikefinder lightning detector
• Zaon TCAS
• Trio Avionics Autopilot (two axis)
• PS Engineering PM1000 II intercom
  
• handheld Avmap GeoPilot II GPS

Now the only question is, what's next for these guys...a flight to Mars?

Around The World In 40 LSA Days

Last July I ran an item here on the grand LSA adventure of two South Afrikaaners, James Pitman and Mike Blyth, who set out to fly around the world - in an LSA!
Happy to report the boys finished the epic flight, all 45,150 km (27,090 miles) with a stop at EAA Airventure 2009 to boot - in 40 days!
One memorable highlight: two friends of the pilots greeted the return landing in Full Monty mode: they waved large So. African flags, wearing boots...and nothing else! (ck out those merry buffsters at left).
The story was just carried on the official Johannesburg, S.A. website, written by Makoena Pabale.
Anybody who doubts the durability and utility of LSA, take note: the chariot of choice was the Sling, built by The Airplane Factory right in Joburg.
BTW: the company is their own startup, and the Sling is their first design. Now that's confidence for you.
The attractive metal low-winger can be built from a kit or bought ready-to-fly. It's not certified for the U.S. - yet - but does conform to ASTM standards with a 1320 lb. max weight and a clean stall of 44 kts. It's also powered by the ubiquitous Rotax engine (two 912 models and the 914).
James Pitman is quoted in the story as saying, "The experience was just amazing."
The westward odyssey included stops in Hawaii, Brazil, New Guinea and 10 other countries.
One thing that stood out to me (until I did the math): the story reports the dynamic duo reached Oshkosh in just 10 days and five stops from South Africa, then went on to complete the circumnavigation in only nine more stops!
These boys either have sturdy bladders or kit-built relief tubes.
Meanwhile, the math: that's an impossible range per tankful, almost 2000 miles...naw, can't be right - company specs call for 800 nm. Well, author Pabale, nobody's perfect.
UPDATE! My bad. Although not mentioned in the story, Mssrs. Pitman and Blyth outfitted the Sling with 118 gallons of onboard fuel for the flight only. The potential 1900 mi-plus legs was indeed accurate. Which takes me back to the bladder question!
Meanwhile...Well done, lads!
---photos courtesy The Airplane Factory

Hangin' In The Mall - A Fable For 2010

Once upon a time, there was a purveyor of flying machines and a trainer of pilots in the great kingdom of Texas that wondered why more people hadn't come to fly the Planes of Sport.
"I have an idea," said the Duke of U.S. Aviation Group. "Let us sally forth to the local market mall at the waxing of the moon, and offer Flights of Discovery for one full moon cycle. Only then, if we still have unsatisfactory student numbers, shall we biotcheth and moaneth our dire and hopeless fate."
And so his loyal band of sky serfs and flight vassals transported a Remos GX to a busy mallway, manned the booth with eager promoters night and day, and lo and behold, one moonth later, the Duke was happy to report that 170 Flights of Discovery had been sold, along with 130 leads on partnerships as well as several potential solo purchasers.
The Duke was surprised to learn, after reviewing the comments left by the many good people of the kingdom, that many thought the license to be a Pilot of Sport cost $12,000, rather than the truer number of $4,000.
“We learned...that many people think about aviation, but fail to act on the impulse,” said the Duke (aka Justin Shelley, Director of Aircraft Sales). “By putting an aircraft in their line of sight, they stopped by and engaged in a discussion about licensing or ownership.”
The moral of the tale for the New Year is simple: there is no lack of interest or willingness in the desire to gaze upon the kingdom from lofty heights - only a dearth of imagination in how to bring that vision to the people.
Happy New Year to all, and may the vision of flight inspire you to new heights in 2010!
---photo courtesy Sir James, Knight of Olde Chatham

Euro Eco Meet

Here's one of those great events that bring out garage geniuses and newtechies alike - and in time lead to entire new industries: the Eco-Marathon Ulm.
Think of this event/competition as a call to young designers and engineers to craft minimally-fueled flying machines. Brings to mind the European aviation meets of a century ago, where passionate tinkerers and leading-edge technical thinkers gathered to show their flying machines and inspire each other to keep pushing all the envelopes.
The happening invites everyone with prototypes or modified production models of European-standard microlight aircraft.
The competition features a GPS-tracked course with measurement of fuel usage at the goal. The skimpiest sipper of fuel for the rectangular 2000 meter x 250 meter course, to be flown three times consecutively at Vichy, France, will be the winner.
A plethora of energy sources is allowed for in the rules: Unleaded fuel, Liquefied petroleum, gas to liquid, hydrogen (!), pressurized air (!!), solar, battery, hybrid (gas engine/electric motor). Wot a hoot!
The Eco Marathon Ulm Association is a "major educational project" aimed at fostering innovation in aviation fuel efficiency and helping young aeronautical whizbrains discover their career tracks.
BTW: the aircraft pictured are the Woopy and the Pipistrel.
---photos courtesy Eco Marathon ULM

The Shape of Things To Come

Things we'll be watching for in 2010:

The Cessna SkyCatcher entering local skies nationwide. (Company CEO's wife, Mrs. Jack Pelton, just took delivery of the first production model last week.

Further development of the Icon A5, slated for market in 2011.

The MySky MS-1 Mentor all-composite, fighter-style LSA . First delivery targeted for Nov 2010.

More exciting buzz (sorry) around electric flight, including this new company:
Bye Energy, a Colorado company founded to develop alternative aviation energy sources (renewable biofuels and electric aircraft propulsion systems)- which linked up recently with Vertical Power, Inc., maker of solid-state electrical systems for experimental aircraft.
The stated purpose in their MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) is to develop a practical, efficient, light-weight EHPS, (Electric Hybrid Propulsion System).
Initial focus for the companies: experimental and light sport aircraft, with a long-range target of certified aircraft and (of course) military applications.
No pix or drawings yet, but this visionary statement of purpose on the website caught my eye:
"Bye Energy's research...(concludes) that ...battery units combined with a highly efficient electric motor is the most adaptable solution for aviation utility. Battery technology...has advanced considerably over the past 10 years...and...has now matured enough to provide adequate energy to meet the requirements of a typical internal combustion powered aircraft."
Now that's an electrifying (groan) manifesto, skychicks and bros.

Winter Ops

I'm sitting at my desk, gloom and doom outside the window as the snow flakes fall, wishing I had one of these: a Legend SkiCub.
I confess I succumbed to a nostalgic moment, remembering the wonderful trip I had with Darrin Hart and the boys from the Legend factory in Texas down to Sun 'n Fun in Florida a couple years back. Wish I had a Cub nearby on skis, because right now, that's a stylin' way to go.
Glad to see Legend's hanging in there through the tough economy.

No Trouble In Paradise

Paradise USA just marked the 10th Anniversary of its P1 design with some positive and encouraging signs for the industry:

* The Paradise P1, which I did a story on this year, is now certified in the U.S., Brazil (it's home company has a new 75,000 sq. ft. factory there), Australia and South Africa.* My story in the mag focused on Dylan Redd, who flies a specially-modified P1 with hand controls for paraplegic pilots.

* The Sebring-based U.S. arm of the company markets the P1, an excellent SLSA that's based on a four-seat design, so for one thing it's got a lot of room behind the seats for baggage, something that's not that common for the industry.

* Paradise has designed and marketed eight different aircraft since 1985.

Here's a big congrats to Chris and crew and best wishes for another 10 years of successful LSA design and marketing.

---photo courtesy Paradise USA

FK Group Opens 2nd Factory

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.
The company also grew its workforce by 40% this year - and that in a down economy!
I encourage you to check out this company and the FK 9. More than 400 have shipped so far throughout the world - most impressive.
I'm hoping the FK 9 will soon be joined in ASTM certification by its sister ships: the Polaris and the FK 12 Comet, a racy-looking biplane LSA that is back in production in Europe and moving toward ASTM approval.
Keep your eye on these folks. Over 20 years they've built a solid reputation.
---photos courtesy FK Lightplanes

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. Vernon, IL's Outland Airport.
The Academy, run by SRT Aviation, offers comprehensive LSA training. SRT prez Rich Carney is quoted as saying the school has four flight instructors and several students lined up.
Local officials hold up the new school as a sign of the airport's progressive vision of aviation innovation and economic benefit (local motels, restaurants, car rentals etc.)
A spanking new Jabiru J230 with all-glass cockpit, XM satellite weather, traffic collision avoidance and autopilot will carry the training duties.
The Academy is even spreading the word in a Trade-a-Plane online ad quoting $3325.98 for a Prepaid Light Sport Pilot Package. (Where do you think that $.98 comes in?)
We wish the new school and all LSA training operations the best of success in 2010!
---photo courtesy Jabiru USA

Whatever Works!

Never Say Die Dept: A St. Louis, MO. dealer calling itself the Renegade Light Sport Mall offers several LSA for sale, and the company's not shy about finding the market wherever it's hiding.
I stumbled across this listing on Ebay for the FALCON Light Sport Aircraft, which Renegade champions in the auction as THE BEST LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT ON THE PLANET.
We're glad to see the Falcon hanging in there. It's a very attractive U.S.-made airplane with a Lycoming engine. We've had our eye on it for some time but haven't been able to get a flight in yet...maybe at Sebring.

Latest News on Electric Flight

Here's a couple tidbits from my latest websearches on electric aircraft.

The Solar Impulse had it's maiden "flea hop" flight in Switzerland this month. The team was ecstatic, though it was just a short 350-meter, 1-meter-high test hop. The goal? A round-the-world flight next year, powered solely by the sun! Very exciting.
Good blurbs on the project here and here (cool video)

And here's a blogsite about a minimal-fuel contest originating in France that has a page with images of most of the electric LSA and ultralight flight projects out there.

Neiman Marcus: "ICON A5 Is Top Gift!"

Right in line with Icon's high-viz marketing push for its A5 amphib LSA comes the announcement that iconic big-ticket shopping purveyor Nieman Marcus has the futuristic waterplane as the number one (and priciest) fantasy gift in its 2009 Christmas Book.
The Icon is currently in extensive flight testing at Tehachapi, Ca, one of the soaring meccas of the west but also near Lake Isabella, so both the land and water chops of the A5 can be thoroughly wrung out.
An interesting sidenote mentioned in the piece: Matthew Gionta, ICON's chief technical officer, is quoted as saying 33% of the A5's current customer base has "never flown before."
That's a testimony to the vision of the company's founder, Kirk Hawkins, who believes the ICON will bring new pilots to aviation with its glossy marketing of the A5 as a kind of flying jet-ski you can easily trailer to your holiday getaways.
The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book package that Icon created includes the airplane with exterior and interior luxury upgrades, custom trailer and FAA-certified sport pilot licensing for two. Just pony up $250,000 and its yours.
BTW, it's the priciest gift in the entire catalog.
North Pole scuttlebutt has it that Santa himself is considering the package. The question remaining is whether Old St. Nick can fit his rotunditude into any LSA cockpit. Stay tuned for further updates.
Meanwhile, ICON reports 466 sales to date! Most impressive for a ship that won't be delivered until at least late 2011.
Here's a couple more links to the catalog announcement: Luxist and Dallas Business Journal.
---web page copy courtesy Neiman Marcus

Pre-Xmas Roundabout

Ramping up to the big day when that jolly red-flightsuited Sport Pilot in his original LSA -a two-place, roof-landing, 8 RP (reindeer power) flivver - will fly all those XC legs to good little pilot's chimneys, herewith some stocking stuffer newsies and tidbits to help wind down 2009.

Kennedy Aircraft Service & Repair serves up a blog with tasty tidbiti about the SeaRey amphibian which is (forgive me) making a splash on the water-fly-sport scene.

An interesting info site called The FAA Buzz (not affiliated with FAA) has a blurb about Virginia Aviation, provider of FAA-approved E-LSA inspection courses. V.A. is now cleared by the fedgov to conduct an LSA repairman’s course (LSRM) on weight shift control aircraft.

Speaking of bugs-in-teeth flight, Precision Windsports has a quick-read page on the relative merits of E-LSA vs. Amateur-Built kits. Browse around the site, they've got lots of good trike info and pix (as seen here).
---trike photo courtesy Precision Windsports

Public awareness of the Icon A5 watersport amphib is beginning to find its way into the web and blogosphere. Some fun and cogent reader comments here and a blog item with video here.

Care to brush up on The Rule? Read Roger Tunsley's basic primer on learning to fly under FAA's Sport Pilot rule.

LSA in the NEWS dept: Gaudy British tabloid The Sun reports on the exploits of Martin Bromage, who'll fly his QuikR trike 12,000 miles to Australia. His goal: to raise £150,000, almost $300,000, for injured UK soldiers, through the Help The Heroes charity. The Sun is sponsoring the trip. Godspeed, Martin!

Talk about tasty tidbits, if you're a web-video freak, (and who isn't at least part-time?), Lightsport Aircraft Videos is the place to slake your thirst for short, tasty intros to the galaxy of LSA and other sport aircraft out there. Our favorite guru Dan Johnson does topnotch duty as your friendly LSA video host on several segments.

Speaking of Dan, head over to his SPLOG for other breaking stories, including Rotax's increase in TBO (Time Before Overhaul) of its LSA-ubiquitous 912 engine to 2,000 hours, raising it to the same endurance league with general aviation powerplants. (The spec includes 80 and 100 hp versions and the 914 mill too).
This should further help dispel the "gotta have a spam can engine" safety bias that still pops up now and then against the tried and proven Rotax brand.

Speaking of brands, also on Dan's Splog is an item about the folding of EAA's Sport Pilot magazine into EAA's Sport Aviation. A new e-letter/online newsletter called Light Plane World will take up the slack. We wish its new editor Dan Grunloh all the best in the new year.
And a special thanks! to Mary Jones for all her good work running Sport Pilot and other pubs over at EAA for 25 years.

Snack time, more later!

FLIGHT DESIGN OUT WEST

I was out in L.A. last week and had the distinct pleasure to hop a flight out of Santa Monica Airport, an old haunt of mine, with Flight Design USA's California sales rep, Karine Noel.
Karine was a perfect hostess. She's just set up shop to demo the company's top-o'-market line of LSA.
But she's more than just another pretty face.
Her GA chops include a stint flying for JetDirect Aviation and CFI/CFII, IFR and Commercial Multi ratings.
That pedigree should prove a real asset when showing and translating the virtues and nuances of Light Sport flight to GA pilots, who often underestimate the sophisticated handling and performance of LSA.
We launched in Karine's CTLS demonstrator on a clear, cool morning, flew out over famed Malibu colony, then climbed to 5,000 ft over the wonderful Santa Monica Mts. to boat around at 120 knots for awhile.
Now how much better does it get than zipping through butter-smooth skies with a lovely pilot in a new LSA?
Karine operates out of long-time FBO Kreuger Aviation at Santa Monica. She's part of Flight Design's newest distributor, Flight Design West, a division of Lone Mountain Aircraft Sales which operates in Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Montana.
Prospective buyers can contact her here for information and a demo flight. Karine can also arrange for LSA flight training in the area.
Flight Design West has also set up repair centers in Santa Monica and Portland, OR to support the more than 300 CT aircraft already flying in the U.S. (There are 1400 operating worldwide).

Remos "Insolvency"

Remos, German makers of the popular Remos GX composite SLSA, has been the subject of a lot of wagging tongues the last few days. Rumors abound as to what it all means, with innuendo-slinging around the company's alleged lack of timely disclosure surrounding its financial difficulties.

The man who seems to have his finger on the pulse of the story and its nuances is LAMA President and Light Sport go-to dude Dan Johnson, who I talked with at length about the subject this morning.

Dan's ByDanJohnson.com jam-packed aviation info website has the scoop in his Splog (Sport pilot's blog) so rather than do a thinly veiled rehash of what he told me, you can go here and get it straight from the old Pegasus's mouth himself, and also read the company's official release today right here.

Short tell: word got out that Remos had a cash flow problem, was subsequently required under German finance law to file for insolvency status (not the same nor as dire a portent of financial ailment as a U.S. bankruptcy), then received another infusion of investor capital, and according to company spokesmen is sailing brightly once again into the future.

We can all hope Remos turns the corner as the importance of its contributions to the LSA industry's robustitude and image is undeniable.

---photo courtesy Remos

Two Jabirus Fly to the Land of the Long White Cloud

The newspaper Bay Of Plenty Times just posted a story bylined by Julia Proverbs that the popular Australian SLSA Jabiru has migrated to its down-under neighbor New Zealand. A flight school run by Euroflight International of Tauranga, (north island) just bought and flew two Jabiru LSA models to replace the school's aging Cessna 150s.
Pilots Tim Holland and Ross Crawford made the formation flight of around 1500 nm over the Tasman Sea in a new J230 and a slightly used J120 .
Gutsy Call Dept: Holland reportedly doesn't swim! Talk about confidence in your aircraft. (SAT phones, rafts and other survival gear were on board, so we know he's not completely crazy).
"Earlier this year , we decided to upgrade our fleet," said Holland's wife,
Euroflight co-owner Anita Holland. "We were looking for something which would make flight training safe, affordable and fun...(and decided on a) composite aircraft ...due to strength, durability and no risk of the dreaded corrosion.
The delivery makes the Jabiru the first LSA to be registered in NZ, fresh on the heels of the Light Sport category just being officially adopted in Kiwi country.
In the article, the Jabiru were praised, in the face of local fuel prices that have quadrupled, as higher-performing, cheaper-flying flight training alternatives to their fleet of Cessna 150s.
Tim Holland was quoted as saying he looks forward to offering lessons at 1999 prices again.
---photos courtesy Jabiru Aircraft and homeexchange.com

Yankee Price Buster!

Rans Aircraft seems determined to reverse the trend in ever-higher SLSA prices with a new package for its long-popular (2000 flying worldwide), constantly refined bird: the S-6ELS Coyote II.
The 26 year old Kansas company, highly successful purveyors of more than 4,500 kit and ready-to-fly aircraft (and a thriving bicycle builder as well) offers the turnkey Coyote II for $63,000.
That's half or less what many Euro-built SLSA are priced at.
But the side-by-side two-seater is no mile-mannered local-patch ultralight: cruise with the 80hp Rotax 912 (100 hp power package also available) is 105 mph, with a 950 fpm climb and 41 mph stall. Landing Rollout is a scant 260 ft.
The Coyote comes with a steam gauge (round analog dial) panel and you can have it in tricycle or taildragger gear flavors.
Step up a few large, and you can buy the deluxe version for $69,995. That bumps you into a 100-hp Rotax 912S with a 3-blade prop, intercom and Icom radio, cabin heat and dual hydraulic brakes and larger tires to go with it.
Lots more info here. (ck all the links on the green-type menu bar)
A final note: I hope to take a very long XC flight with the Coyote this winter. Randy Schlitter, (founder and head honcho of Rans) says it's heater is "a good one!" Sure hope so...I'll post a full report on the trip.

Catching Up With The Legend

American Legend, makers of the popular fun flivver Legend Cub SLSA and Texas Sport kit version, aren't letting any bad-economy moss grow under their Cub-yellow tennies.
First, the top-selling American LSA maker received ASTM certification and has completed versions available as we speak for its Amphibious Float Cub.
The web-footed little bear is based on a lightweight version of the Cub. Baumann Floats makes the water gear.
A couple of FloatCub's advantages over other Cubs and seaplanes are the both-side doors for ease of docking, and an electric starter - no more shaky dockside hand-propping ops!
Cost complete is $159,000.
Next, Legend's “Cash For Junkers” rebate program is still going strong. The company kicks back $4,500 after purchase of a new Cub or kit. To get the rebate, just trade-in your old moth-eaten bird, flying or not.
BTW, the “Junkers” reference pays homage to the German Junkers & Co. that built some infamous airplanes, including the JU-87 Stuka dive bomber.
Finally, for Christmas Cubbie shopping fun, check out the online store. Lots of goodies there for Cub lovers, and who doesn't love Cubs?
---photo courtesy Legend Aero

China Certifies First LSA

An important development in the globalization of sport flight was just announced by Flight Design, the German maker of the CT line of LSA that leads in sales here in the U.S.
The parent company announced its CT line had received Type Design Approval TDA-LSA-0001A from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), as well as a Chinese Production Certificate.
That number is important: the CT will forever be the very first foreign LSA allowed to be sold in China. Although the SkyCatcher is in fact manufactured for Cessna in China, it is not yet certified to be sold and flown in China, though that day can't be too far down the road.
The potential benefit to sport aviation is huge.
Not only is China reportedly building general aviation airports all over the huge nation - a significant change from earlier domestic policy to help its exploding middle class enjoy the fruits of its labors - but its willingness to allow foreign manufacturers to sell their wares signals the first wave of what could prove to be a huge market worldwide.
American manufacturers are surely going to want to be in on this potential boom as it unfolds.
Flight Design's CEO Matthias Betsch noted that the company underwent a full certification audit process for the approval. Chinese authorities, according to the news release, were complimentary of Flight Design for its high production quality, good flying track record and ongoing attention to improving the CT line.
More than 1,500 Flight Design aircraft are now operational in 39 countries world wide.
And with LAMA, EASA, ISO TUV Nord and now CAAC approval, the company's global prestige can't help but expand.
We're not just in Kansas any more, Toto.