Affordable Aviation

Recent government actions cast a shadow over the freedom enjoyed by the LSA community. When issuing the new rule in 2004, FAA relinquished direct involvement with aircraft certification in an admirable display of innovative experimentation. The new approach depends on industry consensus standards, often referred to as “ASTM standards,” to certify an aircraft. *** In […]

Whoopsie.  In my last post on the Phoenix motorglider, I had some incorrect info that Jim Lee set me right on, so here’s the skinny. *** Urban Air USA, which Jim represented and which imported and marketed the Lambada motorglider is being purchased, he said, “with plans to return the Samba XXL (composite low wing […]

Recently, I blogged about a Tennessee town that welcomed Skykits from Canada, providing a brand-new facility for them to use. A town in Florida also saw the potential of a light aircraft manufacturer and had a new building with lake access available. *** Arguably the most successful light aircraft seaplane producer is Progressive Aerodyne and […]

One of the oft-repeated questions about this new thing called Light-Sport Aircraft is: “When will the shakeout occur? When will some of these 75 companies [who certified a SLSA] disappear… and which ones will fail?” *** First, my ability to see the future is no better than anyone else. We’ve lost a few suppliers (Taylorcraft, […]

I’ve had my head buried in pilot reports, image processing and P&P’s 2010 LSA Buyer’s Guide. Guides in particular never seem like they’ll be such a mind-numbing chore yet every time the same number of eyeball-jittering, typing finger-stiffening days roll by. Look for it in the Oshkosh issue, late June I think. *** There are […]

Sun ‘n Fun was a bright spot for the light aircraft industry as more than 20 sales appeared likely or were consummated. Yet anecdotal reports about generally sluggish sales were confirmed in a recent review. At least until Sun ‘n Fun, Light-Sport Aircraft FAA registrations show 2010 was even slower than a tough 2009. Last […]

If you’ve checked into Facebook since January you may know that PiperSport has its own page that you can become a fan of (I am, along with 9,200 others so far!) *** What you probably don’t know is there’s a fascinating video interview that chronicles why and how Piper decided to add social media such […]

As they connect the dots of their plan to circumnavigate the world in celebration of 100 years of aviation in Switzerland, Yannick Bovier and Francisco Agullo have now spanned one immense body of water. The pair of twin Flight Design CTLS “Ecolight” aircraft cleared a big hurdle with the jump across the Atlantic from Africa […]

Getting the word out to the great unwashed about the virtues of LSA flight — even with the inevitable “mainstream media” gaffes and the general buffoonery it typically displays regarding general aviation — is an ongoing devotion for all LSA entrepreneurs, from manufacturers to flight schools. *** Witness then this terrific video clip that enterprising […]

Two wild-and-crazy Swiss airline pilots decided to take a busman’s holiday – one hell of a busman’s holiday – by taking two Flight Design CTLS S-LSA on a little jaunt, in celebration of the birth of aviation in Switzerland 100 years ago. *** Their destination?  The airport they launched from April 30th: Sion, Switzerland. *** […]