Affordable Aviation

Sebring is alive and well and gliding along better than ever. That’s more than I can say for the wireless where I’ve tried to post since Thursday night, so today, you get two point five posts for the price of one. *** First bit of news: Opening day Thursday was the best attended in the […]

Savvy companies find a way through even the worst of economic times. *** Case in point: CubCrafters will deliver its 200th LSA (see Update below). *** The Yakima, Washington-based LSA maker can thus secure bragging rights for being the top US-made producer of ASTM-certified Light Sport Aircraft eclipsing its Cub clone rival American Legend out […]

The show I look forward to the most every winter is the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, the premier gathering of Light Sport industry vendors in America. *** This is the fifth go round for the expo; each year it offers more pure fun for LSA pilots present and future. *** This year sports a […]

The show I look forward to the most every winter is the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, the premier gathering of Light Sport industry vendors in America. *** This is the eighth go ’round for the expo; each year it offers more pure fun for LSA pilots present and future. *** This year sports a […]

INDUSTRY BITS — Flight Design has a new warranty program that should entice buyers. Called the XP (eXtended Protection) Warranty. The German company is extending the warranty without cost and even lengthening the Rotax engine warranty beyond what the engine producer offers. Of course, some conditions apply, but this is a strong move to assure […]

Years back I eagerly awaited Buyer’s Guides from several magazines. These were once the “database” used by many aviation writers to keep up with aviation’s rather amazing outpouring of all manner of aircraft. Several magazines competed for the most detailed entries. *** Then in 1995, the World Wide Web was born. At first changes came […]

Today, Microsoft announced the return of Flight Simulator, once one of the best-selling games on computers. Well, in truth, it’s no longer called Flight Simulator, rather simply “Flight.” *** In 2009 Microsoft abruptly dropped Flight Sim, leaving only the techy X-Plane for digital joystick jockeys. It’s way above my pay grade to understand while the […]

A couple fun things before I lose the day entirely.Just got word from Tecnam today, via Plane & Pilot publisher Mike McMann, that the Italian aircraft producer has adapted one of my favorite LSA, the P92 Echo and Eaglet (trainer version), for water operations. *** Dubbed the P92 Sea-Sky Hydroplane, this waterbird should prove to […]

A couple fun things before I lose the day entirely.Just got word from Tecnam today, via our publisher Mike McMann, that the Italian aircraft producer has adapted one of my favorite LSA, the P92 Echo and Eaglet (trainer version), for water operations.   *** Dubbed the P92 Sea-Sky Hydroplane, this waterbird should prove to be yet […]

In the article just before this one, writer Jim Lawrence told you about Tecnam’s new Sea-Sky Hydroplane option of straight or four-wheel composite amphibious floats for the Echo Classic or Eaglet models. For the Echo, also known as the P92 (referencing 1992), this represents the sixth generation of that model. The all in-house-designed Sea-Sky Hydroplanes […]