Manufacturers

In the endless tree-covered rolling terrain of northwestern Tennessee resides a Canadian manufacturer of Italian aircraft. Welcome to Skykits, producer of two models of Savannah, a STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) design from ICP of Italy plus a newer variation of ICP’s Vimana, which Skykits calls Rampage. *** Starting out in his native Canada, […]

Here’s a hot item that should shake the dust off the notion that LSA are little toy airplanes. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) *** With all the concern recently over ash cloud emissions from Iceland’s Eyjafajallawhatever volcano that disrupted global air transportation (and also revealed how precarious airline business models must if, as reported, they were in […]

Caught up with Jim Lee recently to find out what’s up with the Phoenix motorglider I wrote about here a few weeks back. *** The good news is his full time devotion to making Phoenix the Next Big Thing in LSA motorized soaring flight.  He’s renamed his Urban Air company Phoenix Air USA. *** Believe […]

Gang, with all the excellent publicity the Terrafugia Transition “roadable” LSA airplane has gotten this last year or so, you’d think they were the only game in town. *** Meanwhile, back at flying car HQ, here comes the sleeper, with some important news under its (canvas) hood. *** I’ve blogged about the Maverick Flying Car […]

I had some fun today talking with Jim Sweeney, guest host of Roy Beisswenger’s Ultraflight Radio Show. *** Our first topic was the state of the LSA industry. I first picked my pal Dan Johnson’s satellite-view brain of the LSA Big Picture to glean we’re looking at an industry that is weathering the economic storm […]

Since everybody seems to be talking these days about flying cars, specifically the Terrafugia (the company excels at promoting its Transition model, which recently got a weight allowance boost from FAA), I thought I’d update my earlier post about the I-TEC Maverick Sport Model. *** It’s a cool idea, this flying car developed for missionary […]

If you want to have a rocking good time without ever leaving your seat, check out this video clip of an upcoming film titled, “No Second Chances.” Billed as “an Alaskan bush adventure on steroids” if this teaser is any indication, ho shee mama, this ought to be some flick!    *** The bigger news, […]

SportairUSA, run by proprietor Bill Canino, has long been an innovator in the LSA business. His company doesn’t build Light-Sport airplanes but Bill has triggered several interesting add-ons: he was one of the first (along with Flight Design USA) to install parachutes on all StingSports; he developed the GreenLine engine monitor system, he offered the […]

Two Swiss pilots embarked on a round-the-world flight on April 30 and 51 days later they are back home in Switzerland. Yannick Bovier, 37, and Francisco Agullo, 41, created an expedition they call “Azimut 270” to celebrate 100 years of aviation in Switzerland, a country known for its natural beauty and for being bankers to […]

Many said it would never happen. And certainly, it took time. But Terrafugia’s team of engineers and visionaries succeeded in getting a weight increase exemption for their Transition roadable aircraft. LSA land planes are limited to 1,320 pounds (600 kg) by FAA regulations. Seaplanes are allowed another 110 pounds (50 kg) for the float gear […]