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 expanded, showcasing a remarkable diversity of models from high-performance backcountry planes and versatile amphibians to efficient sport cruisers, fulfilling its promise of accessible aviation through eased certification standards.
  • Manufacturers within the LSA segment ingeniously navigate performance restrictions, often integrating modern features such as glass cockpits, advanced engines (like fuel-injected Rotaxes), and optional ballistic recovery parachutes.
  • Many LSAs are designed for an engaging flying experience, frequently requiring refined "stick-and-rudder" skills due to characteristics like light wing loading, especially when managing challenging conditions during takeoff and landing.
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Sport Cruiser
Sport Cruiser

Sport Cruiser

One of the most popular LSAs is the Sport Cruiser, manufactured in the Czech Republic and distributed by U.S. Sport Aircraft in the U.S. The Sport Cruiser (look for a full pilot report soon) is a two-place, all-metal, side-by-side low-winger with a huge glass canopy. It’s a blending of conventional materials with modern design to come up with a rugged and great-looking little plane. It’s optimized to be a cruiser, with good forward speed (120 knots, the maximum allowed under LSA), a stall speed of just 31 knots (thanks to the slotted flaps), and a range in excess of 500 nm and with a fuel flow of less than 5 gph. There are even a couple of hidden small luggage bays in the wings. The Sport Cruiser SVT comes with leather upholstery, flat-panel avionics and a BRS whole airplane recovery parachute system, so even though it’s an LSA, it’s still a serious traveling machine.

Niche: Low-wing sport

Base Price: $160,000

Competitors: Tecnam Sierra, Bristell NG 5 LSA

Sport Cruiser Specifications

Learn more at Czech Sport Aircraft.

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