Affordable Aviation

Probably like a lot of you, I enjoy different kinds of flying but if asked to state one favorite, it’s an easy question to answer. I’m a great enthusiast of soaring flight. Over decades of sampling a large number of aircraft of every description, I’m still drawn to a machine, which lacking any kind of […]

Since Chuck Slusarczyk’s first Hawk won Best New Design at Sun ‘n Fun in the spring of 1982 — the same year Part 103 was released — this affordable series of models has continued to increase its flock of smiling owners. Today around 2,500 Hawks of all varieties are flying. By my benchmark, that number […]

Let’s keep a focus on aircraft affordability. Look, we love recreational aircraft. In how they deliver enjoyment, they are closer to boats, RVs, and motorcycles than they are to a Cirrus SR22 or a Bonanza. Some owners justify the latter saying they use their airplane for company travel. When an airplane’s price tag approaches $1 […]

Numerous reports involve rising inflation in the last year. What’s driving this? Despite public spending at levels never seen before, inflation had seemed tame and the economy appears remarkably strong even after the last year and a half of dislocations and restrictions? However, trillions cannot enter an economy without impact. The lion’s share of those […]

I consistently promote that this website focuses on “affordable” aircraft. I used quotes because affordable literally means something different to every single individual. None of us has the same budget and our financial picture can change tomorrow. At AirVenture 2021, I interviewed Ron Jones of Thunderbird Aviation about a two-seat Hiperlight he displayed in the Fun Fly […]

Midwest LSA Expo‘s forum organizers called it a “record crowd” that turned out to hear my talk about coming changes in FAA’s latest regulation. Some 95 pilots entered their email on an FAA Wings credit sign-in sheet and that didn’t include everyone present. This topic always generates lots of interest. A number of vendors told […]

One area of light aircraft flight — LSA, kits, or ultralights — that gets less attention is aerobatics. “Oh, we can’t encourage that from Sport Pilots,” some lament, but those who say that are not considering one aspect of flight training that also gets less attention than it deserves: upset recovery training. Some call it […]

Many readers know I love this event, the Midwest LSA Expo at Mt. Vernon, Illinois airport about one hour’s drive east of St. Louis, Missouri. Led by capable, enthusiastic, and friendly Chris Collins, this has become a regular event for many… that is, many vendors, many pilots, and me. I only missed once when we […]

A month ago as EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2021 ended, the most popular article from my week of reporting from the big show focused on Composite FX. The Florida producer makes a line of single seat helicopters many pilots could actually afford. Those words almost don’t belong in the same sentence: “afford” and “helicopter.” Most pilots […]

Sun ‘n Fun kicked off the 2021 season but also restarted the idea of returning to airshows. AirVenture Oshkosh proved it could be done on a grand scale. Now, the Midwest LSA Expo is almost here. This was nearly the only show in 2020 and it went well with no reported illness afterward but plenty […]