Manufacturers

Remos arrived in America with their G-3 model. In 2008 the company upgraded to GX. What’s next? How about the GX NXT. Did you see that coming? *** Remos Aircraft sent out advance word that its new GX NXT will debut at Oshkosh this year. The current GX Aviator II model will not be replaced. The […]

Lockwood Aircraft‘s Super Drifter open-cockpit kitbuilt plane, the resurrection of the Drifter design that was the basic concept for Phil Lockwood’s AirCam twin-engine airplane, (a unique camera platform first created for National Geographic), is getting a new set of tailfeathers. *** I first flew a Hummer ultralight, designed by Klaus Hill, back in the fall […]

Air-Cam isn’t a Light-Sport Aircraft because it has two engines. OK, it’s also a shade heavy but if Air-Cam could, it would be a LSA. Certainly it’s “light” and “sport” compared to most twins. Regardless, it’s a favorite of all the airplanes I’ve flown so I’m pleased to see its rapid progress under the leadership […]

Among all airplanes I’ve flown the AirCam may be the most fascinating. This superlative twin-engine “ultralight” offers flying in a way few (or no) other airplanes can. (I earned my multi-engine rating in an AirCam.) Given my interest, I’ve followed the efforts by owner Antonio Leza to sell the operation. Over the last few years […]

Scoop time! I’ve been having so much fun lately writing the electric flight article (now rescheduled to Aug. issue of Plane & Pilot) that it’s bringing electrifying news from the universe to my email inbox. Jim Lee, that hard working, happy-flying distributor for the Phoenix motorglider I was gobsmacked with at Sebring, told me today […]

While the Continental O-200 engine — used in several Light-Sport Aircraft — attains Chinese ownership, Lycoming appears to be making a stronger push to enlist LSA manufacturers. *** One example at Aero 2011 was the upgraded Tecnam Eaglet, which airshow visitors could compare with either Rotax or Lycoming O-233 power. The appearance difference was significant […]

The major European Airshow, Aero, opened this morning with the usual unveiling of new designs but one aircraft appeared to be the center of attention. Peter Funk had an idea five years back but shelved it for other projects. Now the time is right for his distinctly retro treatment of one of Light-Sport aviation’s sharpest […]

One of the early success stories in Light-Sport aviation was the Allegro. The #3 Special LSA to be approved started out so strong that even after three years of no sales following the collapse of the Czech Fantasy Air company, Allegro still holds the #14 spot on the SLSA Market Share chart. When Fantasy Air […]

One of the “diamonds in the rough” of the LSA movement has been the kit LSA or Experimental LSA or simply ELSA. For the first five years of Light-Sport Aircraft, fully manufactured Special Light-Sport Aircraft dominated the sales figures. With very few exceptions, ELSA were nowhere to be found. That’s begun to change, perhaps as […]

It’s a great thing when a plan comes together. Consider an extension of the LSA Tour that debuted after Sebring 2011. Then, five or six brands flew around to a half dozen Florida airports and showed their LSA to groups of varying sizes. It was a first attempt, planned rather late without sufficient time to […]