Affordable Aviation

In multiple ways Sebring 2011 is starting off the aviation year in grand fashion. Crowds are strong through the first three days. The LAMA Dinner with special guest AOPA President Craig Fuller was a big hit to the standing-room-only crowd. Weather has been warm and accommodating — though poor conditions to the north prevented several […]

Here’s a glancing blow at some products you might want to check out in depth: *** A cute new LSA named Viper SD-4 showed up, beautifully built (in Slovenia) and should be very attractive to anyone who likes the conventional approach of an all-metal airframe done in the traditional way — with a modern technological […]

Cessna’s Skycatcher program is really gaining traction. I had a fun chat with Julie Filucci, Mgr of Cessna Pilot Centers (an excellent formation stick too — she flew for my Cessna shoot a year ago). *** Matt Tutton, an Orlando Cessna dealer, and Bob Stangarone, Cessna’s VP of Corp. Communications also weighed in the haps […]

Nothing like getting some air. *** Thanks to Jim Lee of Phoenix Air USA, I finally had my desire: Jim and I flew the fabulous new Phoenix LSA motorglider, with both wingtips (max span: 49 feet!) out of his home base at Melbourne International Airport, Florida, and I have to say simply this: it cured […]

You just have to marvel how a dynamic new industry unfolds. No matter your level of expertise — in or out of government, large or small private organization, or even as an individual guru — no one can exactly foretell the future of the grand experiment we call Light-Sport aviation. *** So, what’s the irony? […]

In a tersely worded and OMG-style announcement, Piper Aircraft today said today it “will terminate its business relationship with Czech Republic-based Czech Sport Aircraft to market that company’s Light Sport Aircraft, citing differences in business philosophies.” *** Piper’s CEO Geoffrey Berger said, “After a year working with Czech Sport Aircraft, Piper determined that it is […]

In stunning news just before the Sebring LSA Expo starts, Piper Aircraft announced they will be terminating their business relationship with Czech Sport Aircraft, the Czech republic-based manufacturer of the PiperSport (previously known as the SportCruiser from initial developer Czech Aircraft Works). *** “After a year working with Czech Sport Aircraft, Piper determined that it […]

Seems everybody who’s done any kind of flying has a J3 Cub lurking somewhere in their psyche.A most evocative rendering of the mystique of flight in a Cub comes in the form of a poetic blog by Michael Bradford, a long time hang glider, ultralight and light plane pilot. *** I wrote for a publication, […]

In a related note to yesterday’s post on possible changes to the 3rd class medical requirement for Private Pilots, FAA proposes new wording re the “auto-feathering” description for LSA powered gliders. *** The official description simply removes the word “auto” from the term “autofeathering.” It’s more of a semantic rather than practical change, updated to […]

There’ve been some rumblings recently that the FAA is unofficially taking a look at the private medical requirement for pilot licensing. ***  Janice Wood, writing for General Aviation News, cites the efforts of an airport owner/operator, David Wartofsky, to petition the Secretary of Transportation to replace the FAA’s 3rd class medical with a driver’s license […]