Manufacturers

In late February, Texas Aircraft invited me to an unveiling ceremony. As it’s always wonderful to witness the arrival of a new aircraft and sense the excitement and enthusiasm of its developers, I jumped at the opportunity. Now that they’ve taken off the wraps, I am pleased to offer readers a first close look at […]

Something old. Something new. Hang glider pilots I know are very familiar with Horten designs, a form of validation for modern hang gliders …flying wings, aircraft with no tail or fuselage structures. Yet many pilots don’t know Horton and have only a sketchy understand of flying wing stability. World War II History As the second great […]

“You just saved my life!” It’s not often anyone, even a medical doctor, hears those words. Back in the ’90s I was sometimes on the receiving end of a call when a pilot phoned BRS to report a “save,” a sparing of a life by the use of a parachute. It is a humbling experience […]

Light-Sport Aircraft have accomplished much in the 15 years this new class of aircraft have existed: • Lower purchase cost — with choices spread over a wide variety of aircraft. • Lower operational cost and ability to use auto gas, available everywhere on Earth. • Pilots no longer required to achieve an aviation medical. …and […]

We again have the pleasure of a flight review from British aviation journalist, Dave Unwin. Here’s his report on SD-1… —DJ Having strapped the SD-1 on (well, that’s what it feels like) I gesture at the fuel sight tube. “Looks like around five gallons,” I said to UK agent Jiri Krajca. “So, how much playtime do […]

“We are Arizona’s newest aircraft manufacturer,” said Garrett Komm when we finally located him and his bright blue and silver aircraft. A fan of this particular flying machine had approached me at Copperstate and said, “You gotta go see this airplane. Tell him Russell sent you!” (Thanks, Russell!) After wrapping up a couple other video […]

At a major show in China called Zhuhai visitors saw something: a new 6-axis LSA flight simulator. The developer is AeroJones Aviation, the CTLS manufacturer for the Asia-Pacific region. The company exhibited their simulator to a warm reception. General aviation is beginning to develop in China lead by airport construction at hundreds of the country’s huge […]

On Day 3 of Copperstate at the Buckeye Air Fair, crowds were again strong and the skies gradually cleared for another day of flying in the smoothest air I’ve felt in some time. What made this extra special was a chance to go aloft in the Flying Legend Tucano Replica, a scaled down version of […]

I have to admit my pleasant surprise. This tie-up of Copperstate and Buckeye Air Fair might be exactly what is needed to generate a major show in the Southwestern USA. Let me be fair. Other West Coast aviation events have interesting qualities but none has ever risen to the level of AirVenture Oshkosh or Sun […]

The Copperstate airshow is on in Arizona! Put on by a new combination of Copperstate leadership in cooperation with the town of Buckeye Arizona — which has been hosting its own Buckeye Air Fair — the new event is off and running in its new time slot of early February. For most of its 46-year-long […]