General Aviation Aircraft

Icon Aircraft and Cirrus Aircraft announced a deal for the general aviation composite aircraft producer to build parts of the Icon A5 and the news introduced dates for the A5 to come to market. *** Several years ago I traveled to Cirrus’ Duluth, Minnesota plant in the company of the Icon top leaders, including CEO […]

The new Sling LSA from South Africa has the world on a string

Sling 2 Base price: $125,000 Engine make/model: Rotax 912 ULS Propeller: Warp Drive, 70-inch three-blade composite Gross weight (lbs.): 1320 Empty weight (lbs.): 796 Useful load (lbs.): 524 Usable fuel (gals.): 537 Wingspan: 38.6 Fuel type: 91 OCT auto gas or 100LL avgas Payload full fuel (lbs.): 286 Wingspan (ft.): 30 Overall length (ft.): 22.89 […]

The Eclipse 500 is back, and this time, they’ve done it right

Eclipse 500 Engine(s) make/model: Pratt & Whitney PW610F Thrust (lbs.): 900 (2) Fuel type: Jet A Max ramp weight (lbs.): 6034 Gross weight (lbs.): 6000 Useful load–std. (lbs.): 2220 Usable fuel–std. (gals.): 254 Payload–full fuel (lbs.): 537 Wingspan: 37 ft. 5 in. Overall length: 33 ft. 1 in. Height (ft.): 11 Seating capacity: 6 Cabin […]

A brief review, some reminiscence and a broad-stroke celebration of Light-Sport Aircraft

Highly refined, impeccably built and what a delight to turn loose on the sky

Rans S-7LS Courier Wing span (ft.): 29.25 Wing area (sq. ft.): 147.1 Cabin width (inches): 30 Fuel capacity (gals.): 26 Engine: 100 hp Rotax 912ULS Max takeoff weight (lbs.): 1320 Empty weight as flown (lbs.): 732 Useful load (lbs.): 558 Baggage volume (cu. ft.): 10 Baggage capacity (lbs.): 50 PERFORMANCE Rate of climb (fpm): 850 […]

Some affordable enhancements can give new life to any aircraft

Transplant a 450 SHP Rolls-Royce turbine onto a stock 206 and, voilá, you have a super Cessna