LSA seaplanes are a segment all to themselves. [See Breaking News at bottom!] It isn’t only that seaplanes can offer “triphibian” capabilities (a term once promoted by MVP) because they can operate from land, water, or snow. That makes them versatile but amphibious craft must incorporate retractable gear and since they require a sturdy hydrodynamic […]
When David McFarlane bought a country airport in middle America for his agricultural application and aircraft repair business back in 1979, he didn’t realize what the surrounding fields would hold 44 years later. Today, McFarlane Aviation Products is a powerhouse supplier of aftermarket and OEM aircraft parts that fill a 35,000-item catalog. Without its support, […]
Light sport aircraft (LSA) have been part of the aviation firmament for almost 20 years and over that time some models established themselves even as newcomers regularly arrived. The way the FAA accepts—not “certifies”–-these airplanes allows for rapid improvement, which has stimulated surprisingly fast progress. Here are three favorites—two tried and true, and one relatively […]
Gallatin, Tennessee, on September 1-2 hosted the inaugural Music City STOL Competition at Music City Executive Airport (KXNX). Known as the “Gateway to Middle Tennessee,” for its active aviation community and situated just minutes outside of Nashville at an elevation of 583 feet, Gallatin proved to be the perfect setting for a National STOL Series event. The event, which drew […]
The annual Valdez Fly-In & Air Show presented by CubCrafters took place May 12-14 at Pioneer Field, Valdez Airport (KVDZ), featuring a beach landing fly-out, balloon bust, flour bombing, aerobatics demonstration and pilot roundtable. But it is heralded most for hosting the world famous Valdez short takeoff and landing (STOL) competition. Pioneer Field is tucked away in […]
It was a huge year in flying news. Here are the top stories.
Web stats showed a strong response to my article about Ukraine-based light aircraft builders continuing on even as the missiles fly and the bombs fall around them. The situation is terrifying and the future uncertain but the stories we don’t hear sometimes involve courageous people in the recreational aircraft industry. In the middle of the […]
In the beginning of powered flight, designers quickly settled, with a bit of palavering, on gas-reciprocating piston engines (with air cooling for them soon winning favor as well). For more pep, aviation followed a new technology, the rotary engine, which was limited, complicated, hard to operate and unreliable. Other than that! So it wasn’t long […]
These iconic planes resonate even with non-aviation types.
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