AIRBUSMAN'S HOLIDAY

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

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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!

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.

======================================




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!

=======================================
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

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!

LONG DISTANCE RUNNERS, TWO BY TWO

Two "Lookie what we can do!" stories - one accomplished, one getting under way this week.
Avweb reports two chommies (Afrikaans for friends) expect to fly their modified D6 Sling light sport airplane around the world! These adventurous lads modified their South Africa-produced, metal LSA (not ASTM certified in the US) to carry up to 118 gallons in each wing for long legs. Long, as in more than 2,000 nautical miles over water. Holy Lucky Lindy, Batman! And people think I'm nuts flying a hang glider.
Mike Blyth and James Pitman are the pilots. They hope to launch from Johannesburg this Thursday and make a stop at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. I'll try to snag a shot of them. Bon voyage, guys!
To follow the adventure Click here.

NEXT UP in the Let's Rock LSA Dept. comes from my next-issue column, Light Sport Chronicles.
The short tell: Two enterprising pilots showed off the long-reach viability of LSA by flying from Florida to California - in one day!
In June, Jessica Scharle and Matt Hansen flew a lovely Peregrine FA-04 (German-designed carbon fiber low-winger) 1,813 nautical miles, setting a transcontinental speed record in the process. Since The National Aeronautical Assn. doesn’t have a category for LSA records yet, the pair applied to Guinness World Records for recognition.
Total time including five fuel stops was 19 hours 21 minutes. Average groundspeed: 110 knots. Purpose of the flight: demonstrate LSA's long legs potential, and promote a nonprofit that gives free flight training to people with physical disabilities.
Hansen Air Group supplied the FA-04. Able Flight sponsored the flight. It offers scholarships to disabled people who are new to flight, returning pilots, or want to fly but are not seeking a license.

Watt’s Up!

Getting ready for Oshkosh, and my first in-person look at an exciting new electric airplane which you'll be hearing a lot more about in the months ahead.
The Yuneec International E430 electric-powered two seater is in Phase 2 test flight mode.
The bird is fitted with a 54 hp electric motor that weighs only 37.5 lbs., uses six lipo (lithium polymer) batteries and is capable of 1.5 to 2 hours of flight.
And that’s with a 400 pound payload! A 10-battery configuration should bring duration to 2.5 hours. The sleek highwinger sports a 45-foot wingspan. Could that mean motorglider cred too? It gives the LSA a 25:1 glide ratio. Handling in strong winds could be a challenge with that wing and V-tail, but we'll have to wait and see.
Should motorgliding be enabled in future, perhaps with a folding prop, restarts would be a breeze. There are only two moving parts in the engine - the bearings! - just a flick of the switch and the prop is spinning again.
And think about charging time - three hours - and energy cost: around $5. Wow!
Check out this video. It wouldn't open in Firefox, but Internet Explorer worked.
Sure, it’s early yet to get too amped up about this (pardon the pun). But we'll be watching to see how this Chinese beauty and other electrics like the ElectraFlyer C and Waiex play out in the scheme of things.
Plans are to certify the E340 first as an experimental homebuilt, but commercial production is the ultimate goal.
Meanwhile, check out these flight test runs: durations of 15 minutes, max height = 975ft, take off in 265 feet at 40 mph, climb rate: 1320 fpm, cruise speed: 55 mph, top speed level flight: 93 mph. Are we dreaming electric yet, chilluns?
- photos courtesy Yuneec International

TRANSITION PROGRAM HITS THE ROAD...er, SKY

The ex-MIT whiz kids who formed their own company (Terrafugia) have just finished the fourth and final round of flight and ground testing on the Proof of Concept Transition® (POC) at Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York.
A total of 28 flights were made, designed to evaluate handling, climb, performance, take-off and landing.
"The Proof of Concept validated three basic goals," says a company release. "We could design/build a roadable aircraft, drive it and fly it."
The tests will lead to several engineering and design modifications which will be incorporated in the Beta Prototype, targeted for 2010. If all goes according to plan, the company intends to make its first customer delivery in 2011.

EPIC Will Build S-LSA

Epic Aircraft, known for high-tech personal jet and turboprop designs, announced an LSA project in the works. Called Focus, the carbon-fiber two-seat airframe, a pet project of company head Rick Schrameck since 2000, will also be available in three other configurations, including a 400-knot turboprop version! Market price is estimated at $115,000 to $120,000.
The LSA's all-up weight of 1320 lbs. will include 615 lbs. useful load, 40kt. stall speed (full flaps), 115 kt. cruise at 75% power and a 1050 mile range (34 gallons w/30 min. reserve.)

SUN 'n FUN 2009!

Great (and getting hot!) weather and a good, if not record-breaking, turnout mark the beginning of the EAA Sun 'n Fun flyin.
The exhibitor turnout is likewise somewhat down, although Dan Johnson's LSA Mall at the entrance is filled with aircraft and lots of serious interest from potential buyers, as in previous shows.
I've talked with many LSA companies here who say there are more serious buyers, fewer "tire-kickers".
Some LSA makers like Flight Design have racked up aircraft sales already. Others are still hoping to do business: it depends on who you talk to on whether the show is better or worse than expected. Expectations due to the economic times were not high to begin with, so it's too early to put a number on the overall picture.
Lots of new developments though, with more details to come here, such as:
* a new electric/Rotax hybrid engine that will boost economy and provide electric power safety backup in emergencies, announced at AERO Friedrichshafen
* Evektor passes LAMA audit
* Legend Cub offers sub-$100,000 "Aeronomic Stimulus" SLSA, and new Garmin 696 installation
* EAA presents Earth Day celebration with electric LSA prototype in center of the LSA exhibitors in the southeast display mall.
And lots more to come.

HEART OF TEXAS FLY-IN

Chris Regis of Paradise Acft. did me a favor in absentia by filing a quick report from the field about the Heart of Texas LSA Expo fly-in he and other manufacturers recently attended.
"The folks organizing really took great care of all vendors;it was a small event since it's their first year but all the top manufacturers were there:Paradise, CT, Jabiru, Sting, Rans, Lambada, Sport Star, etc...
During the first day, the wind was very strong and no one did demos but Sunday everyone was busy.
The location is very good, between Dallas and Houston and I am glad that Karl and the rest of the folks decided to do this event. Jim, Texas is a huge market so we will definitely be there next year.
They even put together a nice Texas style BBQ for all of us, it was delicious!"
Also thanks to Chris for the photos.
We'll keep an eye on this new LSA venue and hope to cover a larger show next year.

NTSB: "DON'T FLY" Zodiac 601XL!

In a Safety Recommendation released Apr. 14, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) "has investigated a series of in-flight structural breakups of Zodiac CH-601XL airplanes designed by Zenair, Inc...in the United States in the last 3 years. The Safety Board is also aware of several in-flight structural breakups of CH-601XLs that have occurred abroad. It appears that aerodynamic flutter is the likely source of four of the U.S. accidents and of at least two foreign accidents. The Safety Board believes urgent action is needed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to prevent additional in-flight breakups. Two of the accident airplanes were classified as Special Light Sport Aircraft (S-LSA)."
In six of the breakups, NTSB noted 10 people were killed.
Aerodynamic flutter occurs when aerodynamic and structural forces interact and lead to unsafe structural vibration in the airplane. Left undamped, the vibrations can quickly lead to structural failure.
NTSB's urgent recommendation to the FAA is to prohibit further flight of the CH-601XL until it can determine the airplane is no longer susceptible to aerodynamic flutter. The NTSB asserts its investigations of the US accidents point to a problem with the design of the flight control system, which makes the airplane susceptible to flutter.
Said NTSB Acting Chairman Mark V. Rosenker. "...we believe such action will save lives. Unless the safety issues with this particular Zodiac model are addressed, we are likely to see more accidents in which pilots and passengers are killed in airplanes that they believed were safe to fly."
The report went on to specify stick force and airspeed indicator anomalies.
Also notable in the report was NTSB's expression of concern for the US light-sport aircraft industry.
"The Board also identified several areas in which the design standards for light sport airplanes were deficient."
Instead of the FAA-mandated certification typical for general aviation aircraft, FAA accepts ASTM International standards, developed by industry working groups as certification that LSA designs are safe to fly.
NTSB has asked the ASTM to take the following actions:
1. Add requirements to reduce the potential for aerodynamic flutter to develop
2. develop standards on stick force characteristics for light sport airplanes that minimize the possibility of pilot’s inadvertently over-controlling the airplane
3. ensure standards for LSA for accurate airspeed indications and appropriate documentation in new airplane pilot operating handbooks.
Expect a buzz saw of comments and activity around this surprising development in the weeks ahead.
-photo courtesy Zenith Aircraft Co.

SUNNY SIDE UP!

Somebody forgot to tell Paradise Ind. Aeronautica about the major global economic meltdown. Chris Regis of Paradise, (see my spots about their acft. below), tells me the company just opened its new 70,000-square-foot-plant in Brazil, which will produce 120 airplanes per year.
Customers can even keep track of their airplane's construction progress on the internet thanks to a remote camera system on the assembly line! How cool is that?
Paradise makes the P1 and P1 SP (with all-hand controls for disabled pilots). Their aircraft (look for my report on both models in an upcoming issue of Plane & Pilot) are built in Brazil and assembled, outfitted and test flown in Sebring, FL.
Price is in the $109,000-$120,000 range, depending on avionics and options.
Pix as soon as I get 'em from Chris.

New EFIS for Light Sport

This week's Dallas AEA (Aircraft Electronics Assoc.) Convention has tons of cool new electronics. Of note to sport pilots is the G3X system from Garmin. It's a PFD (Primary Flight Display) and MFD (Multi Function Display) system that's built around Garmin's GDU 370/375 displays. Intended for LSA and Experimental category aircraft, the non-certified system can display information across one, two or three screens. The single screen version with all capabilities lists at $3995. The full G3X system that will include ADAHRS (Attitude/Heading Reference System), EIS (Engine Information System), magnetometer and temperature probe, once available, will go at an estimated price of $9,995.00.
Garmin will display the system at Sun'nFun in two weeks. Be there or be square!

OUTFOXING THE 'FOXES

To quell the confusion many have around the name of the fabric-covered taildragger and tri-gear LSA models produced by Aerotrek Aircraft (AKA Rollison Light Sport Aircraft), the company just announced a name change: Goodbye EuroFox, hello Aerotrek A220 and A240.
The Aerotrek A220 and A240 are factory-built two-seaters manufactured in Europe by Aeropro CZ and set up for the U.S. market by Aerotrek in Bloomfield, IN. Aeropro has produced nearly 300 aircraft since 1990.
The EuroFox lineage, like so many other similar looking aircraft from a number of makers, derives from the Avid Flyer which started the whole thing off way back yonder. One clone was the Kitfox (which, the company wants known, is not related in any way to Aerotrek's airplanes).
The Aerotrek models are significantly upgraded SLSA versions of those fun homebuilts of yore.
But really, what's in a name? With that boffo price of $62,950 in today's still-Euro-dominated market, call it what you want, just show me the dotted line!