Affordable Aviation

Explore Affordable Aviation by Dan Johnson on Plane & Pilot Magazine — your guide to light-sport, ultralight, and experimental aircraft. With decades of Dan’s experience, this section offers pilot reports, model comparisons, buying guides, and expert tips designed to help you get airborne affordably and confidently.

Come Visit the LSA Mall at Sun ‘n Fun 2010

After becoming a hit feature of AirVenture in 2006, LSA Malls have become a fixture at major U.S. airshows. Visitors to EAA’s big summer celebration of flight are now joined by crowds attending AOPA’s Summit as well as the season-opening Sun ‘n Fun “Spring Break for Pilots.” Folks attending these top-drawing aviation trade shows have […]

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The Precursors Of Longevity

Modern life, especially in our wonderful country, places a powerful premium on achieving top dog status. *** I’ve had a pet notion for many years that the Academy Awards should give over trying to pick one best picture/actor/actress/director etc. and just give the five or ten nominees Oscars for being the best of the year. […]

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Electric Wins Design Award

A couple quick items today to keep the props spinnin’ and the wings liftin’. *** A few weeks back I posted here about the Yuneec e430 all-electric LSA and its entry as a finalist in the Brit Insurance Design Museum Award. I know; sounds kind of doofy, but in fact is a very prestigious affair. […]

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NH:LSA Marketplace

Welcome to the LSA Market Place ByDanJohnson. In this new sponsor area, we are pleased to show the support of leading suppliers to the Light-Sport Aircraft industry. Major sponsors are shown up high. Click any company graphic below to read more about the company We encourage ByDanJohnson.com visitors to patronize our sponsors as shown below […]

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Remembering Howard Levy

One of the truly super guys in aviation has passed away, I’m sad to say. *** Howard Levy, whom I thought of as a permanent and indestructible fixture of aviation photography, is up doing air to air shooting with his own set of wings now. *** Howie left us at 88 last week, after a […]

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Phoenix Motorglider To Debut at Sun ‘n Fun 2010?

Last year, I almost got to do a flight report on one of the most enjoyable airplanes I’ve ever flown: an Urban Air Lambada SLSA motorglider. *** Alas, before the magazine could schedule the story, two (not one, but two) Lambadas broke up in flight, both in very strong soaring conditions. *** The design was […]

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Phoenix Motorglider To Debut at Sun ‘n Fun 2010?

Last year, I almost got to do a flight report on one of the most enjoyable airplanes I’ve ever flown: an Urban Air Lambada SLSA motorglider. *** Alas, before the magazine could schedule the story, two (not one, but two) Lambadas broke up in flight, both in very strong soaring conditions. *** The design was […]

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Post-Vacation Oopsie

Just when I thought I was approaching perfection in human form, an anonymous reader wrote while I vacationed in the Caribbean (yes, it was sublime) to call attention to a goof I made a few posts back. *** Time to restart the truth engine and put things right. *** In that post I used the […]

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FAA Forecasts Robust LSA Growth… For A While

FAA issued a 20-year forecast for aviation to 2030. According the the agency Light-Sport Aircraft sales will grow by 825 per year through 2013 and then taper off to 335 per year. Hmmm? One wonders why it should fall so dramatically and so soon? Except in a lousy 2009, the LSA industry has generously exceeded […]

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Seaplane LSA Fun Flying… the Season Approaches

Winter will soon yield to spring and summer, that time of year when flying from water becomes the delight of many pilots who have sampled this pleasure. Competing for their purchase in the LSA space, we have the FK Lightplanes Floatplane, FPNA A-22 Cape Town, and Legend AmphibCub. Other entries include SeaRey (close to declaring […]

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