James Lawrence

For my next column for Plane & Pilot, and to grow a dialogue here on the blog (diablogue?), I’m putting out a call to all Light Sport pilots across the country (and around the world!) for your input on some topics we all think about and kick around with our flying pals. Think of it […]

As fall colors begin to pop their chromatic yumminess on New England, it’s time to do some shotgun Light Sport factoid gathering. * Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo Model Airplane Contest: Pandering shamelessly to the inner kid in all of us, as well as the kids we bring to the event, the LSA event this […]

This has been a tough semi-decade for people in the Light Sport industry with big ideas. And for people everywhere with this kind of thinking: “Hey, let’s throw a few mill bucks at this mega-concept and see if it changes the world!” Cessna’s Skycatcher endured a couple non-recoverable spins and parachute deployments in its intensive […]

Top General Aviation manufacturer Cirrus Aircraft, which makes the Cirrus line of four-seat, all-composite aircraft, just announced it’s partnering with another composite company, one that’s had its share of delays in getting to market: Icon Aircraft. The Icon A5, a sleek, highly-promoted amphibian SLSA, has gathered several hundred orders although the company, formed in 2005, […]

Another beautiful day. Warmer, but humidity not stifling and a steady breeze was evident most of the day. Not a huge crowd compared to some earlier years but many LSA and GA exhibitors alike reported good, focused interest and not a few sales. Pipistrel in particular seems to be riding the crest of ever-growing reputation. […]

Just put in my first day at the show, only doing 3 days this year, plus a layover day to pick up any after-show-convenient flight reports. Uncharacteristically, Oshkosh had a truly beautiful weather day after a week of 100 degree days and microburst winds and thunderstorms that sent people scurrying hither and yon. The crowds […]

Edit: There was some confusion after I first posted this a few days before Oshkosh, so I hope this addendum clears things up: First Piper, now Cessna…wow, didn’t see this coming. I’m referring to Piper leaving the LSA field after dropping the PiperSport a couple years back. Similarly, Cessna will no longer list the Skycatcher […]

“Situational Awareness” is one of those phrases you hear a lot when aviation safety is the topic…and when isn’t aviation safety the topic in a cockpit? New on the market is a device to allow pilots to keep their eyes on the skies…while also having instrument readouts right in their field of view. HUD, of […]

I just wrote up a piece for the Tech Talk Dept. of Plane & Pilot on the iFly 720 GPS, a really amazing, super-affordable, Air Gizmo-dockable unit that’s got more features than Carter had pills (that’s a reference for older readers). Here’s my lead from that article, out in the next issue : “If you […]

For all you smartphone and iPad users, here’s a great guide to Oshkosh from Sporty’s Pilot Shop. You can read all the details here, and I’m posting a couple of my own screens. There’s lots to like, because anybody who’s been to the Big Show (It’ll be my 32 year this year) knows it’s total […]