Affordable Aviation

Bad as in-flight break-up accidents are, many opinions often blur the big picture. Last spring NTSB recommended FAA “ground the fleet,” so to say. FAA chose further study. When additional CH-601s became involved, media and organizations jumped on the bandwagon. Let’s review. *** The focus is on the CH-601XL, of which about 1,500 kits have […]

If you’ve been around aviation long enough you’ve heard the Q&A: “Know how to make a small fortune in aviation? Start with a large one!” Yet aviation can always use fresh talent, so welcome former tech entrepreneur, James Wiebe, turned aviation businessman. From his days building Mac peripherals under the name Newer Technology (and reaching […]

Lucky me. On a warm, sunny day I drove less than a mile to the airport’s Downwind Cafe restaurant where I met the developers of MySky (the company) and their MS-1 (a new LSA model). After a tasty lunch we strolled over to their facility and hangar. All the while I was within a mile […]

In its first year as the AOPA “Summit” (versus “Expo”), the 70-year-old, 415,000-member organization made lots of changes large and small. Among the most notable under capable new president Craig Fuller was much greater attention to LSA. Here’s the fast-read update… *** AOPA announced their 2010 Sweepstakes airplane is a Remos GX; the company had […]

Others have written about LSA safety but did not reveal underlying facts. While I prefer to blog about new aircraft, LSA safety is a worthy topic. Here’s the quick summary: While every loss is tragic to family and friends, LSA safety numbers are better than some predicted. Now some detail. *** According to FAA records […]

Light-Sport Aircraft are nothing if not diverse. We have all manner of aircraft on our SLSA List of 104 approved models. Germany’s FK Lightplanes illustrates diversity through their trio of models: high wing Fk9 series; biplane Fk-12; and low wing Fk14. *** In May 2009, the newest iteration of the Fk9 series was flown by […]

Word of a few interesting developments arrived in my inbox, bringing with them new questions. *** Point One — EAA announced it will cease publishing Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft magazine. LSA content will be merged into their flagship Sport Aviation title, bolstered by a new eNewsletter called “Light Plane World” that will focus on […]

As the challenging year for aircraft sales grinds on, Light-Sport Aircraft continue to hold their own. In tough times, when cash is tight, small enterprises may fare better than large companies. Their low expense structures, modestly compensated managers and employees, and lean manufacturing — as allowed by industry-standards certification — become strengths. *** But we […]

We’ve arrived at the end of the main float-flying season, but two of our largest Light-Sport Aircraft manufacturers just announced floatplane models. Welcome to the American Legend FloatCub and the Remos GX on floats. Each company contracted with float experts (a big difference from SeaMax or SeaRey). *** The most successful American LSA producer, American […]

Plenty of aviation enterprises face challenges but one of the toughest has to be starting a new airshow event. Not only must organizers get myriad details right and try to satisfy a broad range of expectations while trying to avoid losing a pile of money… they must also be blessed with agreeable weather. Good management […]