Plane & Pilot 2017 Buyer’s Guide: Light Sport Aircraft

From amphibians to trainers, there's an LSA for everyone.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) category has significantly grown and diversified due to eased certification standards, offering a wide variety of models from backcountry taildraggers and amphibious aircraft to efficient cruisers.
  • Many LSAs feature modern designs, advanced avionics, and composite materials, often pushing the category's performance limits for speed, climb, and range while still adhering to LSA regulations.
  • The article showcases numerous innovative LSA examples, including the powerful CubCrafters Carbon Cub, the amphibious Super Petrel and SeaRey, and the versatile Tecnam P2002 Sierra Mk2, each designed for specific flying niches.
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Zenith CH750
Zenith CH750

Zenith CH750

An offshoot of the popular CH701, the CH750 adds more room while sacrificing none of the off-airport capability for which the breed is well known. The 750 is taller, has a bigger wingspan, and has more range, payload and useful load than the 701, all while keeping within the FAA’s max weight for the category of 1,320 pounds. With an 86 knots cruise speed, the 750 isn’t fast, but it’s fun to fly, with great visibility thanks to the high wing and big windows and extreme short-field capability that rivals that of taildragger competitors, claims the company. In every way that matters, the 750 is a real Zenair. An all-metal airplane like all of the company’s products, the 750 features a few signature Zenith touches, including leading edge slats and a Y-ended center-mounted yoke for use by either occupant.

Niche: High-wing utility

Base Price: $75,000 (depends on builder choices)

Competitors: CubCrafters Carbon Cub, American Legend Cub

Zenith CH750 Specifications

Learn more at Zenith Aircraft.

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