Float Planes and Amphibs (FPNA)

Just kidding about the dutch roll. It’s a play on an old movie: With Six You Get Egg Roll, about complications that come with a blended family. *** But the “three” is legit, and refers to the three LSA training centers operated by Shawn Okun in Florida.  *** Shawn’s blended family is called FPNA (FPNA […]

Mornings start cool until the sun warms the day to shirtsleeve temperatures. Crowds are thick around popular displays and the action is surprisingly hot. For this first-of-the-year show following a dismal 2008, many wondered about attendance and if those visitors would be in a buying mood. The answers: pilots are streaming in and sales are […]

With one month to go (and it’s hard to imagine a big December), we have figures to report for this most extraordinary year. We’re all (painfully) aware of the economic predicament, but how has this impacted light-sport aviation? Here’s my observations. *** In 11 months, the industry has increased fleet size by 35% to 1,510 […]

Despite an economic slowdown shared by all of aviation, the LSA industry is rich with entrepreneurs. Innovative new designs hit the market regularly. Consider this: In just over three years, the industry has certified an astounding 81 aircraft designs and several more are on the horizon. One hundred certified LSA might be available by 2009, […]

Sun ‘n Fun 2008 is history, but planning is already underway for the 2009 event. Event boss John Burton confirmed we will again have the LAMA-hosted LSA Mall right at the front gate next April 21-26. A major success at this year’s Lakeland, Florida airshow, the industry Mall presentation featured 17 Special Light-Sport Aircraft. Weather […]

After I flew the A-20 and A-22 near Aeroprakt’s Ukraine factory, I felt sure these designs would find their way to the U.S. market. Now that Sebring-based Float Planes and Amphibs (FPNA) assumed import operations from Spectrum Aircraft, you can buy planes like the great-flying A-20 Vista or the tractor engine amphib A-24 Viking. FPNA […]