Splog

The newest Special Light-Sport Aircraft to win approval will help the industry close out a spectacular year. In 2005, starting only by mid-April, 23 designs have won their airworthiness certificate under the ASTM Consensus Standards. For the year, #23 goes to Aircraft Manufacturing and Development of Eastman, Georgia. The AMD Zodiac CH 601 XL is […]

At big airshows with thousands present, it’s easy to miss one sharp airplane. When I completely missed Sun ‘n Fun 2006, I also lost my second chance to examine the Colyaer Freedom amphib. But the airshow judges were on the job. Colyaer’s amphibious Freedom won Best Composite Seaplane. The same model also won a take-off […]

On October 16th, Nexaer took a first flight in their new LS1, an LSA designed precisely for Sport Pilot. Lifting off at Meadow Lake Airport in Peyton, Colorado, test pilot Bill VonDane followed a conservative test plan of crow hopping just a few feet above the runway, setting back down on the far end. Nexaer […]

What fascinating new airplanes might we expect at AirVenture 2006 in only a few days? Excitement surrounds Cessna‘s “proof-of-concept” entry. The company has no final determination, but they’ll reveal their PoC LSA near AeroShell Square at 9:30 on opening Monday. *** Later may come an entry from Van’s Aircraft, supplier of the most popular kit […]

Almost first thing on opening day at AirVenture, Cessna lifted the black covering that kept their Proof-of-Concept LSA a secret. The veil is off and now we all know what the world’s largest airplane builder has in mind. Top Cessna officials, including president Jack Pelton, still say they are studying the entry. They’ll make their […]

Unless you were hiding out in Italian vineyards like I was, you know Cessna flew their LSA on Friday the 13th (no superstition in Wichita, evidently). EAA’s Sport Pilot website has more details (and in-flight photo proof). What you may not know is that the big company will make a marketing splash at Sebring’s LSA […]

The feature of folding wings is credited with the sale of many aircraft by brands such as Kitfox and Kolb (among numerous others). Promoting the Sport Pilot certificate, I’ve visited flight schools at busy airports where one of the obstacles to growth — and to adding a LSA as a trainer — has been a […]

Preston Bentley had a plan. He wanted to honor a good friend, raise money for a worthy charity, and do plenty of Light-Sport Aircraft flying. The 26-year-old Private Pilot is presently 12 days into an 8,000-mile flight. Preston is flying a Thorpedo donated by IndUS Aviation; he expects to touch down in each of the […]

Pete and Ben Krotje and their team have done it again. They won an Special Light-Sport Aircraft airworthiness certificate for Calypso SP, their third and SLSA number 40 in the USA. Last November the Shelbyville, Tennessee company certified the roomy J-250 and flight school-oriented J-170. Pete said, “Calypso Sport is a Special-Light Sport certificated version […]

Their entry has taken longer than two preceding sellers of Cub replicas under the LSA rules, but CubCrafters has taken the time to get it just right. On Thursday September 21st, the Yakima, Washington-based builder of the Part 23-certified Top Cub delivered its first two CC11-100 Sport Cub SLSA to customers from opposite coasts and […]