I’ll mention this news briefly as I wish to pay respect to fellow pilots. Two accidents on the weekend after we departed resulted in four fatalities, reportedly including one passenger. My sincere condolences to the surviving families. Oshkosh has enjoyed safe years with no loss of life, but when so many airplanes assemble, mathematical odds suggest that something is going to happen despite incredible efforts to make the event as safe as possible

In the heat of Oshkosh 2023, people proved adept at finding shade where they could, in this case, that offered by a tailplane and fuselage. During the week, a few Wisconsin days were rather warm. Cooling rains came mostly at night, sparing the airshow but surely soaking campers in tents. The campgrounds were full to the edges, and the Experimental Aircraft Association opened multiple other locations to handle the overflow. AirVenture’s campground metric—Camp Scholler can accommodate 40,000 campers, and that wasn’t enough—plus thick throngs of people to weave around anywhere I walked on the showgrounds suggested a great turnout to me. Indeed, EAA president and CEO Jack Pelton reported more than 677,000 visitors.

MOSAIC and More

Given the FAA’s earlier-than-predicted release of the highly anticipated NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking), it’s no wonder that the Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) was on the minds of many aviators. The two things that are no longer included are drones and multicopters. Once they were removed, the regulation went forward swiftly.

MOSAIC burst upon the scene bearing some unanticipated surprises. Through its proposal, the FAA has confirmed that the industry did well regulating itself. The FAA has said repeatedly, “We want industry to do more.” ASTM International’s F37 light sport aircraft (LSA) committee members have clearly done an impressive job.

Various groups will closely examine the NPRM, producing summaries as soon as possible, so you can digest it and compose your response. I hope each of you will let the FAA know what you think, but write your own words. Scanning technology allows the FAA to group identical responses as one response, so say whatever you think, but don’t copy and paste language others have proposed. Also, be polite and constructive—ranting will not help.

• READ MORE: The Practical Magic of Economical Buys

Fly at Night?

Here’s one part of the NPRM that generated many comments. The question was raised: “Can a sport pilot fly at night…without a medical?”

One commenter wrote: “‘The FAA stated at a forum…[at Oshkosh 2023] that, yes, the intent is that for night flight a medical or BasicMed is required. The reason given was that they did not have enough trust in state driver agencies to adequately check eyes.”

I’m sure the person heard and quoted the FAA guys correctly. However, reading the Federal Register release of MOSAIC, I still believe the agency will use endorsements to allow sport pilot certificate holders to receive training in pursuit of skills for night flying, retractable gear, adjustable props, and even IFR. The language in the NPRM supports this on page after page.

More Aircraft Coming

I know what most readers enjoy, and fortunately I have the same interest. The following flying machines are ones I will be writing about in the days and weeks ahead at ByDanJohnson.com (a member of FLYING Media Group to become AffordableAviation.com over the next few months). By no means are these all the intriguing aircraft I saw at Oshkosh, but they are ones I think you will enjoy the most.

Aeroprakt A-32 Vixxen

I simply have to admire the Aeroprakt team, led by designer Yuri Yakovlev. Everyone on the planet is aware how its home country of Ukraine is under immense pressure from every direction, including Russian missiles flying and bombs dropping. How the team can keep it together is something of a miracle and certainly a credit to its dedication and resolve.

During AirVenture, former importer Dennis Long, who’s still helping, texted to say Aeroprakt had built its 1,500th aircraft. The company isn’t just repeating, though—it’s still innovating. One Aeroprakt on display, the A-32 Vixxen, featured a third door (similar to Jabiru J-230D, Montaer MC-01, and KFA’s Safari XL) to make loading baggage easier and allowing use of the aft space in the Vixxen’s roomy cockpit. New importer Andy Humphrey, who operates as Heavenbound Aviation in Johnstown, Ohio, showed me another Aeroprakt at Oshkosh that was fully equipped for IFR, a use he noted is “permitted for Special LSA when used for IFR flight or recurrent training.” A standard in development by ASTM should allow flight into IMC that is not presently advised.

Hawk Ultra Air

We’ve known Hawk for many years as it celebrated 40 years in 2022 (as did the Part 103 regulation). Today, one organization, CGS Aviation, builds the Special LSA version. In Oshkosh, I met a new engineer hired at CGS who confirmed it is going through the two-seater carefully, creating all-new CAD files that never existed with the original. This is a very worthy effort but prevented the company from displaying at AirVenture.

Bob Santom and son LB focus solely on the single-place CGS Hawks, including models that qualify for Part 103’s wonderful privileges. It turns out both CGS enterprises can stay busy. At AirVenture, the Santoms exhibited their open-cockpit Hawk Ultra Air. I thought it looked good with no Dacron skin covering the structure. I observed different pilots enter the cockpit—one weighing 165 pounds and one 240—and both seemed to fit easily. A 200-to-250-hour build for beginners, the display Hawk Ultra Air makes 103 with an airframe parachute, tipping the scales at a completely proper 278 pounds empty.

Aquilae

The name means eagle in Latin, a great moniker for an airplane even if everyone will ask how to spell it and say it—“ACK-will-ay.” Does it look familiar to you? It did to me as I toured the ultralight area at AirVenture. I had a hint, though.

Mark Mellicker represented the G1 STOL at airshows for the last couple years. As so often happens in aviation and any other business, events changed the organization and another company at AirVenture told me it was representing G1. So I had two clues when I saw Mellicker by the shiny, new airplane. He decided to go on his own and, voila, Aquilae.

When I write more about this, you will see it has a wing-fold system that many buyers like. It’s a large-ish, STOL-capable design like G1, but both G1 and Aquilae owe their design heritage to the Alisport Yuma from Italy, though that look significantly resembles the Zenith 701, the granddaddy of such designs.

Fusion Nano Gyro

I readily admit I was charmed by Fusion’s Nano Gyro when I saw it and reported on it from AirVenture 2021. However, it needed a different engine, and Jeffrey Boyd was already on it with European producer Fusion Copter.

At AirVenture this year, Boyd of Fly Ultralight Nano (FUN) showed an example propelled by a Hirth F23 engine producing 50 hp. He says it has behaved well for him and actually enjoyed success with sales of the modestly priced (less than $30,000) Part 103 aircraft. Big two-seat gyros are fun and essential for training, but once you know how to fly this type of aircraft, Nano might be the last one you ever need.

I tried it on for size in 2021 and loved the way it felt and fit. Now with more substantial and dependable power, I’d bet many more will arrive in the U.S. However, it’s already seen a good run as Fusion now has 35 flying around the world, and Boyd has led the charge in selling 21 units in the U.S. That’s a performance of which he can be proud.

GOGetAir G750

Here’s an aircraft I’ve seen for a few years at the German show, AERO Friedrichshafen, and enjoyed for those 25 years. But it seems appropriate to bring attention to a four-seater as that category will be coming in 16 months if we get “MOSAIC LSA” or MLSA.

Shannon Hankins and Alan Jackson from Scissortail Aerosport LLC are representing the G750 in North America. GoGetAir Aircraft is a fairly new company, arriving on the scene during what might be called the COVID-19 era. It started before the pandemic but had to immediately survive that trying period with its handsome aircraft.

The timing of Scissortail and GoGetAir is marvelous, being right on the cusp of MOSAIC being released. In the meantime, the FAA has registration categories, such as experimental exhibition, that allow the import of a small number of fully assembled aircraft to test the market. By late 2024 or early 2025, we should see MOSAIC become official regulation and then the G750 will easily fit the MLSA category, assuming the company chooses to pursue and declare compliance with ASTM standards. Naturally, we have yet to learn how the FAA will audit a new producer like GoGetAir, although third-party audits have been discussed.

The G750 is a four-seater, powered by the Rotax 915iS. This will be a very common combination when MOSAIC officially arrives, but the G750 also demonstrates style and a beautifully compound-curved leading and trailing edge wing.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the October 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot magazine. 

The post A New Lighter Side of Oshkosh appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

This is Pegaso, a European ultralight that expresses a beautiful style we expect from Italy.

Promecc is better known for its low-wing Sparviero, but Pegaso drew many admiring looks at Aero 2023.

Let’s take a deeper look at an aircraft that can help imagine what we’ll see as Mosaic emerges from FAA rule making in the second quarter of 2025.

Promecc Pegaso

Promecc Aerospace specializes in the design and manufacture of European-style ultralight aircraft predominantly using carbon fiber construction. As is more common in Europe, the company behind Pegaso and Sparviero has a larger operation involved in professional aviation.

The company’s first design, Sparviero, which translates to Sparrowhawk in English, was introduced in the early 2000s. This low-wing design evolved into the faster Freccia Anemo (in English: Fast Arrow) that was introduced in 2011, with a new wing design and aerodynamic refinements that produced a cruise speed of 260 kilometers per hour (140 knots) on 100 horsepower.

European aviation journalist Marino Boric, writing for the ByDanJohnson website stated, “Italian ultralight manufacturer Promecc, with deep roots in manufacturing of commercial aviation subassemblies, brought to Aero Friedrichshafen their Pegaso all-composite, sleek, high-wing aircraft, which derives from the low-wing Freccia.

“Pegaso offers now a new, more ergonomic interior and Marino reported it was “ready for series production.” Its access doors are now front-hinged, “making cabin entry much easier.”

The well-established, fast, retractable-gear, low-wing aircraft Freccia, which successfully passed the static load tests for the 600-kilogram (1,320-pound) certification in Germany, was also showcased together with Promecc’s best-priced fixed-gear low-wing.

In addition to the Rotax 912 and Rotax 914 turbo, the newer Freccia RG has the more powerful Rotax 915iS under the cowling. As Marino heard from company owner Mauro Dono at Aero 2022, the event was “terrific good” with several sold aircraft. It was not reported if Promecc plans to add the 915iS or (more increasingly, designers say) Rotax’s newest 160 horsepower 916iS. To my eyes, the Pegaso could easily accommodate the larger engine in its long, spacious nose cowling.

Promecc informed Marino that it contemplated bringing its aircraft to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. If they do, I can imagine a warm response to this handsome airplane. Of course, pilots always want to know the price and Marino believed Promecc’s were enticing.

Marino reported that the company intends to offer to the U.S. public the full range of aircraft as factory built but also as “price-competitive” kits.

Kit prices in Europe: Sparviero €40.000 ($43,500 at posting), Pegaso €65.000 ($70,800), and Freccia €69.000 ($75,000). The full configuration of these kits was not known as this article went online. However, that much detail is moot until someone offers to represent the aircraft here because builder support from Italy would be challenging.

What may be most interesting is the potential for those relatively modest kit prices to translate into more affordable factory built prices once American representation is secured.

Here’s how Promecc describes the technical qualities of Pegaso:

• The fuselage is made of carbon fiber and resin certified for aviation industry
• The wing spars and every structural support are completely made of carbon fiber
• Painted with two-component polyurethane varnish, very resistant to UV rays
• The undercarriage is strong and flexible and made of composite materials
• The cockpit is spacious, ergonomic with a sporty finish
• Side-by-side ergonomic seats
• The cockpit is yet comfortable setting and offers excellent visibility
• Plexiglass canopy is available in transparent or with blue tint

How would Pegaso perform if Promecc engineers could fit the potent Rotax 916iS? The 160 horsepower engine has many designers planning installation.

With only 100 horsepower, Pegaso can achieve a cruise speed of 255 kilometers per hour (138 knots). Never exceed speed is 300 kilometers per hour (162 knots). Pegaso’s cantilevered wing construction may not allow MOSAIC weight capability (up to approximately 3,000 pounds is expected) but its sleek lines assure it can slip through the air smoothly.

Qualify Pegaso to ASTM standards with Rotax’s potent 916iS and the Italian producer could have a MOSAIC candidate on its hands. Of course, this still leaves the not-trivial challenge of establishing a distribution beachhead in the world’s largest aviation market. That’s an effort yet to be determined.

As Promecc is a producer of professional aviation components, it may be able to manage efficient manufacturing processes and use its size for economies of scale in the purchase of raw materials. Its work with other large producers may give it connections to create U.S. representation.

This combination of attributes could give the Italian company market entry into the world of MOSAIC—and what a beautiful shape it brings to the fleet.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:
all data supplied by the manufacturer

Maximum Takeoff Weight — 1,320 pounds
Maneuvering Speed — 98 knots
Stall Speed — 38 knots
Cruise Speed — 119 knots
Takeoff Roll — 490 feet
Landing Distance — 720 feet
Fuel Capacity — 2 wing tanks holding 14.5 gallons each

The post Pegaso: Another Light Sport Airplane You Probably Haven’t Seen appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

“After nearly two years of rigorous R&D, testing, and production preparation, Icon is excited to announce that it has increased the gross weight of the A5 by 60 pounds, resulting in a new useful load of 490 pounds (up from 430 pounds),” the company stated.

How can ICON do that before MOSAIC arrives? Isn’t the limit 1,430 pounds, as permitted on LSA seaplanes or floatplanes? Well, no.

ICON did not initially use all the gross weight given to it. After engineers proved the structure could carry more weight, the company could make the change and amend its ASTM documentation for the FAA, a task made easier as Icon has already worked closely with the FAA on a Type Certified version of A5 in the primary category.

• READ MORE: The Icon A5: An LSA Amphib That Handles Like A Dream

As the A5’s Rotax 912iS burns less than five gallons of fuel per hour, the company says “this equates to an additional two hours of endurance or the ability to carry more baggage or heavier passengers.”

Backwards compatibility is of interest to present A5 owners. “All 2024 A5s will include this weight increase, and the solution can also be retrofitted on previous models as part of an option package that includes a 4-blade lightweight propeller from eProps that delivers increased performance and additional weight savings,” ICON said.

Said Jerry Meyer, ICON’s CEO: “In response to feedback from our owners and prospective customers, we elected to undertake further research and development to test the airframe and fully understand what we needed to do to increase the useful load. The solution is a reinforcement of our commitment to innovation, and a 60-pound increase is significant, especially in the LSA category.”

4-Blade eProp

In conjunction with the gross weight increase, Icon said the 4-blade propeller that it announced in 2023 is now standard on all new A5 LSA. The company said “eProps’ new propeller provides a 21 percent reduction in ground takeoff roll in standard conditions, increasing the versatility and safety of the aircraft.”

“The 4-blade propeller is a huge upgrade to my ICON A5,” said Santiago Masdeau, an A5 owner based in south Florida. “I’ve flown more than 100 hours with the original 3-blade and now I have around 20 hours on the new carbon fiber 4-blade. Immediately, I noticed less vibration and noise, better acceleration, and improved takeoff distances. I’ve also experienced an increase on my cruise speed at 5,000 rpm and lower fuel burn. The entire experience is better, and it looks amazing, too!”

A 2024 A5 Limited Edition starts at $409,000 with the Garmin G3X Touch available as an upgrade. Additional options include autopilot, a digital attitude indicator, a variety of signature paint schemes and colors, and Sirius XM Weather.

The company believes that type certification will allow Icon to expand its market potential around the world, especially in countries that have not yet adopted ASTM standards. The type certified version of the 2024 Icon A5 starts at $434,000.

The post ICON Bumps Useful Load of A5 LSA Seaplane appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Top Picks

The Evektor Harmony is a next-generation model following its SportStar, which will forever hold the title of the first special LSA accepted by the FAA in April 2005. Flight Design’s CT was accepted on the same day.

Being first often conveys some advantages, but in an industry where new ideas often emerge, a successful producer cannot long rest on its past achievements. Based in an aviation-rich area of the Czech Republic, Evektor steadily upgraded SportStar through a series of alterations. Later, the company introduced Harmony with added sophistication.

The Harmony uses a more advanced compound wing—the leading edge does not form a straight line—to bring performance to the top of the category (restricted by present regulation, which may change with a new rule known as MOSAIC, or Modernization of Special Airworthiness Certificates). Pilots who fly a Harmony say it feels like a legacy GA airplane.

Evektor Harmony: 

• 120 knot cruise
• 615-pound useful load
• 46-inch-wide cabin
• 700 nm range

The Jabiru J-230D, hailing from Australia, is the result of years of development, beginning long before LSA came along. When FAA’s rule hit in 2004, the Down Under designer and manufacturer was quick to adapt its kit products to the new market.

J-230D resembles the company’s J-400, a four-seater. That many seats aren’t permitted on an LSA, so out they came, leaving an aft interior bigger than a Cessna 150. A third door sized for people brings the easiest luggage area loading among LSA, so taking along your pet is easily accomplished.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1952 Cessna 170B

Jabiru is a rare airframe builder that also makes its own engine. When you hear the word “Jabiru” (a large bird), you need to think airplane and powerplant, though the engines are also used on other airframes. A J-230D with the 6-cylinder Jabiru 3300 can readily hit the top speed among LSA.

Jabiru J-230D: 

• 120 knot cruise
• 507-pound useful load
• 45-inch-wide cabin
• 675 nm range

The Texas Aircraft Colt relies on the great success of a predecessor Brazilian design, but the Colt is all-American. One of the newer aircraft to the LSA fleet in the U.S., developers had the advantage of seeing what pilots were buying…and what they were requesting.

With its conventional yoke control, the Colt breaks a familiar mold in LSA, an overwhelming majority of which use joysticks in various forms. A refined aircraft, Colt is beautifully appointed inside and out, attracting pilots seeking a legacy GA airplane look in a ground-up-new design that can be operated by a sport pilot or higher-certificated pilot exercising the no-medical privilege of LSA.

• READ MORE: Don’t Forget Your Hangar Maintenance

Built entirely in Hondo, Texas, with solid local support, the Colt joins the best of an experienced Brazilian aircraft designer with American know-how and airplane building capability right here in the U.S.

Texas Aircraft Colt: 

• 118 knot max cruise
• 469-pound useful load
• 44-inch-wide cabin
• 800 nm range

Seaplane LSAs

Seaplanes quickly earn a special place in some aviators’ hearts because of the unique ability to land on water and for the versatility that amphibious gear affords. FAA recognized this interest and allowed 110 pounds more gross weight for qualifying seaplanes, and it also permitted amphibious gear. With a water bird, you have vastly more places to make a landing, whether for a pleasant visit or an emergency.

Vickers Aircraft closely observed American brand Icon after the California designer made a big splash with its A5 LSA seaplane. New Zealand-based Vickers saw an opportunity to achieve even more with its Wave.

Engineers took a different approach to creating the Wave. Using modern CAD methods and software similar to what Boeing or Lockheed practice, Vickers worked for years before unveiling a product, but when they did, it flew “right out of the box.” The company remains in testing as it works toward FAA acceptance but believes it can swiftly move to manufacturing because of the detailed preparation work. Indeed, elements are already being produced.

The Wave first tempted buyers with prices substantially below Icon’s eye-watering $375,000, although continued improvements and the latest engine from Rotax have pushed up its costs. Wave is an intriguing new amphibian loaded with special features and boasting a large interior complete with sliding doors.

Vickers Wave: 

• 120 knot max cruise
• 650-pound useful load
• 53-inch-wide cabin
• 1,850-pound max gross weight (via granted FAA exemption)

Scoda Aeronautica’s Super Petrel started its life in France. It was much different before the team at Edra, now Scoda Aeronautica, took over in Brazil. Here’s another seaplane entry from the South American nation that is big in aviation. The Super Petrel sets itself apart from all others with its biwing construction. You may not think that’s logical in the modern world, but Super Petrel is a highly efficient aircraft. Plenty of wing area helps it leave the water faster.

The shorter the water run, the less strain on an airframe. LSA seaplanes are masterful at this task, jumping off the water in a few seconds. Higher power to weight helps, but Scoda wanted to go even further.

• READ MORE: This Incredible Plane: The Convair F2Y Sea Dart

Scoda’s XP designation for the Super Petrel means extra performance, but you also get more airplane. The airframe was extended by 10 inches, bringing with it a bounty of benefits, including more luggage area. With Rotax’s potent 141 hp 915iS engine atop the center of gravity, the Super Petrel will leap out of the water with great energy.

Scoda Petrel XP: 

• 110 knot cruise
• 570-pound useful load
• 46-inch-wide cabin
• 330-foot water takeoff

Special Appeal

We like different cars, houses, and movies. We like specialized aircraft as well. These three serve different purposes. One is a highly refined “Cub-like” design from Europe. Another is one of the new batch of high-wing LSA aimed at the coming MOSAIC regulations. The third is another brand-new design that takes performance to the edge of what the FAA may allow under the new rule.

Zlin’s Norden is what some call a “Cub-like,” in that it somewhat resembles the iconic Piper Cub. It could hardly be more different despite its familiar fuselage shape and planform. Norden fairly bristles with features and refinements.

The Norden is a STOL performer with aluminum-structure wings equipped with electrically controlled leading-edge slats. It has been designed and tested for short-field and off-runway capabilities. While this new model gained FAA acceptance in early 2022, the Norden follows several other models, each building on the previous.

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The Norden flew excellently with 100 hp, because of its relatively low weight. Now fitted with the 141 hp Rotax 915iS, the airplane wants to jump into the air at the slightest encouragement from its pilot. 

A wide door allows easier access to both tandem seats. Norden is well equipped with modern avionics, so while you might fly it in unprepared areas, you’ll be fully prepared with information on big bright screens.

Zlin Norden: 

• 118 knot max cruise
• 518-pound useful load
• 45-degree Fowler flaps
• 800 nm range

The Airplane Factory’s Sling HW, or High Wing, is an all-new design clearly aimed at FAA’s coming MOSAIC regulation. A quick glance at the specifications below illustrates that Sling HW is well outside the current regulation for LSA. That’s OK for now. It can start with a kit or import a few aircraft in the experimental exhibition category.

Numbers are bigger than for a present-day LSA, and that’s great if you seek extra capability. Be prepared to pay for it. Most MOSAIC LSA unveiled to date are often priced well into the $200,000s, and several exceed $300,000. Still, that’s much less than a comparable legacy GA aircraft, and the Sling HW is big, comfortable, and well-equipped. A sleek composite exterior helps it outperform comparable models. 

• READ MORE: Affordable DIY: Hands-Free Flashlight

These MOSAIC LSA or mLSA are going to greatly expand the LSA range, and Sling producer TAF has long been an innovator. It is also supremely confident in its designs and loves to demonstrate that by literally flying a new design all the way around the world. The Sling has done so several times.

The Aircraft Factory Sling HW: 

• 142 knot max cruise
• 1,000-pound useful load
• four-seater
• 830 nm range

TL Ultralight’s Sparker is the newest from the well-established Czech producer. The company’s name refers to a European term for an aircraft type smaller and lighter than light sport aircraft. Yet the Sparker is ready for the newest FAA regulation basis even before it’s released.

The Sparker follows a tandem design called “Stream” that introduces ideas carried into it. One big leap forward—especially when the airframe is propelled by Rotax 141 hp 915iS engine—is cruise speed. At 170 knots, the Sparker becomes competitive with legacy aircraft like Cirrus’ SR20 at a fraction of the price.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1979 Cessna Skylane 182RG

Fast for cross-country flying, the Sparker boasts a generous cabin and spacious luggage area, easily accessed through a door on the pilot’s side. The panel also supports the pilot with three Garmin G3X touch screens. Deluxe throughout and handsomely built, the Sparker is ready for Mosaic. The first models in the U.S. will be certificated as experimental exhibition.

TL Ultralight Sparker: 

• 170 knot max cruise
• 548-pound useful load
• 49-inch-wide cabin
• 750 nm range

Affordable

Affordability is critical for many. Those with larger budgets can choose from many grand choices, but that leaves out too many pilots—or, more important, perhaps, would-be pilots. The fantastic news is that despite high inflation and other challenges, low-cost aircraft are available with diverse choices.

Aerotrek’s A240 has been so consistently popular that deliveries stretch out several months. Although worth the wait, impatient buyers enjoy a growing supply of used Aerotrek models, represented since the beginning of LSA by Rob Rollison.

The Kitfox is a well-known design that evolved from the earlier Avid Flyer, as did the Aerotrek. A resemblance is easily seen, but the designs have differentiated over many years of manufacturing (the pioneering Avid Flyer predates LSA by many years). 

In the Czech Republic, Aeropro has been steadily producing aircraft since 1990 and can now boast more than 650 aircraft flying around the world with the U.S. as a significant market. Aeropro chose not to grow sharply at early demand, instead keeping a calm hand on the throttle. As a result, the company built an experienced workforce with low turnover fabricating aircraft in a simple yet highly professional manner. Loaded with qualities, such as folding wings, and with sprightly performance, Aerotrek boasts a reasonably modest price tag.

Aeropro A240: 

• 112 knot max cruise
• 570-pound useful load
• 44-inch-wide cabin
• 525 nm range

The Orlican M-8 Eagle is an airplane that looks familiar yet isn’t quite what you expect. As soon as I explain that it’s an 80 percent-scale Cessna Skylane, some will recognize it immediately. Overall, it’s about half the plane: half the seats, half the useful load, and half the weight. However, it’s also one-third the price, comparing a M-8 Eagle to a new 182.

Orlican is unknown to most Americans, but the company has been in business for 60 years and does high-caliber work for major aircraft manufacturers. The principal designer created a similar aircraft for another company but left to join the much larger Orlican to see his Eagle to market.

Flying the machine shows further differences. A Skylane flies as a large luxury car drives, a bit ponderously compared to the far more responsive Eagle. Handling is sprightly without touchiness, a welcome combination. A composite exterior helps Eagle reach nearly the LSA speed limit.

Orlican M-8 Eagle: 

• 118 knot max cruise
• 592-pound useful load
• 46-inch-wide cabin
• 650 nm range

The Merlin Lite is a single-seater, one of only two in this article. The Merlin Lite can qualify as a Part 103 ultralight vehicle and take advantage of the least regulated sector in all of aviation. The entire rule can be printed on both sides of a single standard piece of paper. No pilot certificate is required, nor is a medical, or even N-numbers. Some say this is freedom in aviation.

However, pilots who believe they know Part 103 ultralights conjure an image of a super simple “tube-and-rag” aircraft, where the pilot sits out in the open flying 35 mph…not that we should find anything the least bit wrong with that. Whatever your Part 103 impression, the Merlin Lite will make you think differently.

Here’s an all-metal, fully enclosed, well-equipped aircraft that you can acquire for less than the average price of a new car in 2023. While a single-seater may not fit everyone’s needs, airplanes are commonly flown solo, so why pay for what you rarely use?

Merlin Lite: 

• 55-knot cruise
• on floats or motorglider
• all-metal
• least regulation/lowest cost

Kit-Built

Building your own aircraft is much more than saving a buck. For most, it is a learning experience, use of craftsmanship, or simply an absorbing hobby. When you’re done assembling your own airplane, you will know it in a way few pilots know their airplanes. You can also have precisely what you want, and you can change it anytime you wish.

Lockwood Aircraft’s AirCam is no LSA, but it might qualify as a MOSAIC LSA. Meanwhile, the AirCam has been such a hit that 200 have been built as kits. An AirCam looks somewhat unorthodox with its twin aft-mounted Rotax engines on a half-open-cockpit design, but you need to know why it looks this way.

The AirCam was custom-designed and built for one job: taking National Geographic-grade cover story photos of Namibian jungles and wildlife in Africa. The country’s terrain is utterly unforgiving. Clearings are few and small. The photographer, seated up front for photo missions, needs huge visibility and no obstructions. Plus, they wish to fly at the speed of nature–that is, slowly. An AirCam accomplishes all this like it was designed for it…because it was.

Yet pilots have discovered the AirCam offers flight qualities and versatility unmatched in any other aircraft, and that has created a growing group of AirCam enthusiasts. Some fly on floats, in some cases with three tandem seats. 

Lockwood AirCam: 

• climb on one engine
• 800-pound useful load (Gen 3), 
• loiter at 30 knots
• 6-hour endurance

Composite FX’s XET is perhaps the most unusual aircraft in this selection, but for some it may be completely mesmerizing. XET is the high end of a line of single-place helicopters, the smallest of which (XEL model) can qualify as a Part 103 ultralight needing no pilot certificate. Hundreds are flying successfully, a tribute to the original Canadian design by a non-helicopter pilot.

Today, the XET is expertly built by Composite FX in northern Florida. The company has vast experience in composites, and the owner is a helicopter fan. The linkup worked well, and today the company has a steady enterprise with a loyal following.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1965 American Champion Citabria

The “T” in XET stands for turbine. Composite FX’s engine shop modifies T62-T2A Solar Turbine engines, often used as an auxiliary power unit, and they produce a steady 95 hp. In the hands of skilled helicopter pilots, performance on the XET is impressive. Kit-built, the XET can get airborne for less than $100,000. That’s amazing.

Composite FX XET: 

• 70 knot cruise
• 400-pound useful load
• 10.5 mph fuel burn
• 1.9-hour endurance

CGS Aviation’s Hawk is for fun. Trying to identify a work purpose would completely shoot down its charm. This article started with lines about elevating yourself and perhaps finding joy in the air. Of all the aircraft in this piece, Hawk may be most likely to put a smile on your face.

All aircraft here are top choices. Depending on your interest, these machines are capable of displaying impressive performance. The Hawk is a far simpler proposition. Designed in the early 1980s with more than 2,500 flying, it exhibits easy handling, stable flying, economic purchase and operation, low maintenance, and modest cost. What’s not to like?

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1979 Beechcraft Skipper

The Hawk is versatile, available as a Part 103 ultralight (through a related company), a kit aircraft, or a fully built special LSA, so you don’t have to build. The best proof you can find—ask any owner what he likes about his Hawk and allow plenty of time for that conversation.

Hawk Arrow II:

• 70 knot max cruise
• 550-pound useful load 
• tricycle or tailwheel
• 300-hour build time (fully built available)

You have many more choices than those portrayed above. This was a broad and varied sampling, but it was only a narrow view of the affordable aviation field. To offer a sampling of the 158 aircraft the FAA has accepted as special (fully built) light sport aircraft, plus more than 100 kit-built models, I’ve divided the 15 subject aircraft into five categories. 

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1959 Piper PA-22-150

These 15 aircraft are good representatives but between them account for just 6 percent of the models available. Buyers enjoy many diverse choices, one of which might be perfect. I encourage you to explore more fully at ByDanJohnson.com (to become AffordableAviation.com over the next few months), now a member of the FLYING Media Group family.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the September 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot magazine. You can subscribe here.

The post Top Picks in Today’s Light Sport Aircraft Market appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

On three separate visits to Rotax, I was able to attend one of their Fly-in events, plus a special visit just for aviation journalists.

Beautiful and inviting as Wels is, this is not an easy visit for folks from the company’s far-flung customer base in nearly every country on Earth. So, in addition to inviting the world to their headquarters event, Rotax is going abroad.

Get ready for Rotax’s World Tour 2024

The Biggest goes Bigger

BRP-Rotax is the Austrian subsidiary of BRP Inc., “a leader in the development and production of propulsion systems for the recreational and power sports markets,” according to the company.

Founded in 1920, BRP-Rotax builds innovative Rotax four-stroke and two-stroke high-performance engines used in products such as Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo personal watercraft, Can-Am onroad and offroad vehicles, as well as for karts and sport planes. More than 1,700 employees work in Gunskirchen with a smaller, separately-quartered group focused exclusively on aircraft engines (considered a premiere job within the enormous facility).

Headquartered in Quebec, Canada, BRP has annual sales of CA $10 billion from over 130 countries and a global workforce of close to 23,000.

In the light aviation community, the Rotax name dominates with more than 75 percent of the market. Rotax works directly through a network of national distributors, which in turn serve more than 250 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)… or, simply, aircraft manufacturers to you and me.

If it’s light and flies, odds are high it is powered by a Rotax engine.

• READ MORE: CubCrafters Votes for New Rotax Powerplant

Given its globe-spanning reach, the company’s World Tour 2024 will bring the company directly to customers and businessmen alike. Read below what each of the locations has to offer.

Rotax announced from Gunskirchen, Austria on February 6, “The Rotax Fly-In event, which in the past exclusively took place in Wels, Austria, will be rolled out internationally, as announced last August. Brazil was the first stop of the Rotax Fly-In world tour, reflecting the high interest in BRP events far beyond Europe, with almost 200 aviation enthusiasts in attendance.”

Rotax’s Fly-In World Tour “serves as a platform for all aviation enthusiasts and curious minds to celebrate the aviation community, discover new developments, and put things to the test.,” the company wrote. “In other words, the Rotax Fly-In World Tour is a new international aviation festival. Similar to the Rotax Fly-In in Austria, all events are designed to be informative and entertaining, maintaining the quality standards of BRP-Rotax. The events will be organized and hosted by the independent distribution and service partner network.” 

“Being able to announce such an impressive lineup in the first year highlights once again the commitment of our network partners. This event series is exactly what our customers have been asking for,” said Peter Oelsinger, general manager, BRP Rotax.

Welcome from Each Location

Rotax Fly-In Australia

April 12-14

Location: Parkes Airport, Parkes (NSW 2870), Australia

Organizer: Bertflood Imports Pty, Ltd.

“Explore the World of Rotax Aircraft in a friendly and informal environment at the Fly-In 2024 at Parkes Airport in NSW. See the latest Rotax engines and chat with like-minded pilots and flight enthusiasts from Australia and all over the world. Visit the aircraft demonstration area and see the latest new aircraft. Listen to expert speakers and get great tips on engine maintenance. Rotax has provided a fantastic program with exciting activities and catering. Don’t miss out–come and join us!”

Rotax Fly-In Austria

August 23-24

Location: Weiße Möwe Wels (LOLW), Austria

Organizer: BRP-Rotax GmbH & Co KG

“Discover the world of Rotax Aircraft in a casual atmosphere at the Fly-In 2024 in Wels. Chat and share your experiences with like-minded pilots and flight enthusiasts from all over the world. Rotax has planned a program with exciting activities and catering. Don’t miss it!” This beautiful town in Austria is also near the Rotax factory; if tours are offered, by all means, go. —DJ

Rotax Fly-In Canada

September 7

Location: Vernon – Rotech Motor Ltd. (CYVK), BC Canada

Organizer: Rotech Motor Ltd.

“The Rotax Fly-In World Tour is set to visit Canada in a very big way. Vernon, B.C., Canada, is home to the world’s first Rotax aircraft engine distributor—now with a flourishing community of Rotax pilots. Don’t miss this chance to visit such a beautiful region of The Great White North with like-minded aviators.”

Rotax Fly-In Argentina

October 26-27

Location: Aeroclub La Cumbre (SACC), Argentina

Organizer: Ultralight SRL

“Beautiful Argentina has yet another attraction to see. La Cumbre, near the city of Cordoba, is one of those destinations not to be missed. La Cumbre, meaning ‘the peak,’ is sure to be one of the peaks of 2024. This World Tour event will be filled with fun, community, food, and flying, of course!”

The post Rotax Aircraft Engines Fly-In World Tour 2024 appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Many aviators want to use sport pilot’s no-medical aspect to fly a Cessna or Piper that they can buy inexpensively (or may already own). That makes sense. These affordable aircraft are familiar and proven, even if they are products of the 1950s with mostly analog instruments and powerplants that burn 10 to 15 gallons of 100LL per hour.

Another group, owners of modern LSA, wants a little more weight than allowed by current regulation. Still, others may want to fly at night or in IFR or to use an economical LSA for some form of aerial work.

Then we have what I’ll call the MOSAIC LSA crowd. These are pilots with larger budgets—perhaps they sold a Cirrus or Bonanza and have equity to put toward a new aircraft. These experienced pilots are accustomed to well-equipped aircraft with generous cruise speeds.

Sparker directly addresses the last group. I got to experience this first-in-the-U.S. airplane when TL Sport Aircraft owner Trey Murdaugh brought it from Charleston, South Carolina, to my home airport, Spruce Creek Fly-in, near Daytona Beach, Florida.

• READ MORE: The Fastest Piper Single Ever Is Revealed, the M700 Fury

Sparker Arrives in the U.S.

Spruce Creek Fly-In is a place, not an event. It’s the world’s largest private airport, with more than 700 aircraft based at the field. That means lots of pilots, many whom have long flying histories, often with the airlines.

Show up at Spruce Creek (7FL6) on a nice flying day with a sharp new airplane, and you are almost certain to draw a crowd. Sparker did. We almost had to shoo people away so we could get on with our demo flight.

We enjoyed a lovely Florida day in early February as you can see in the images or in the fresh new video below.

Our demo flight took us from Spruce Creek (7FL6) to DeLand (KDED) and back with maneuvering in between. We operated at altitudes of 1,200 to 4,500 feet on a mild day in the low 70s with modest humidity. My focus was on aircraft maneuvering and flight controls, because the deluxe instrumentation is already familiar to pilots and because I would use Murdaugh’s experience at flying from South Carolina for cross country speeds and fuel burns; these provide real-world experience, not a test pilot’s controlled findings.

Sparker Deluxe

An aircraft is not just simply a bunch of performance specifications. Creature comforts are also important in this class of flying machine. Sparker satisfies.

Any producer looking to sell an advanced aircraft such as Sparker better make it deluxe, and TL did. From its 50-inch-wide cockpit (a foot wider than a Cessna 172), Kevlar cockpit cage, and potent engine, to its airframe parachute, Sparker lacks for little. Yet “little” isn’t what TL designers sought.

Large comfortable seats are fixed in position, but rudder pedals adjust electrically. A button in front of each outside-mounted joystick smoothly moves pedals to meet your feet. The joysticks bristle with buttons for trim control, PTT, autopilot off, or frequency toggle.

The seats have tall back support and are electrically heated for colder climates or higher altitude operation. You can load up those seats with some larger pilots.

At its new gross weight (1,652 pounds, according to Murdaugh), Sparker has a useful load that accommodates (get this!) two 230-pound occupants, plus 75 pounds of luggage, plus 34.5 gallons of fuel. Numbers like that cover most requests I’ve heard. “You’d be hard-pressed to max-out Sparker’s useful load,” Trey concluded.

All instruments are within a comfortable reach and TL installed more screens than other LSA, a total of three 10-inch Garmin G3X Touch EFIS units. Various IFR avionics are also available to complement the Garmin suite. Autopilot controls are mounted in the center T-console for easy adjustment.

Here’s perhaps the best innovation on Sparker. This is a retractable gear aircraft and you can’t see the gear (as on most low-wing retracts). Usually, designers offer lights or some other gear position indicator. You have to believe the equipment. On Sparker, you can believe your eyes as designers thoughtfully added a nearly-invisible, belly-mounted tail camera that faces forward. This provides unmistakable confirmation of gear position presented to the pilot on one of those big screens. Perfect!

If that’s still not enough, TL designers made some slick panel pull-out trays that can hold a smartphone or iPad mini to use with a navigation app. Oh, yeah, the tray also has a cup holder.

• READ MORE: Bargain Buys on AircraftForSale: 1960 Cessna 210 Centurion

Sparker By the Numbers

Sparker descends from a line of impressive aircraft—Sting, Sirius, and Stream—and it shows. Using skills acquired over 34 years in business, TL’s newest model is loaded with special features you won’t find on most LSA or mLSA candidates.

It’s built mostly of carbon fiber with Kevlar reinforcements around the occupants. The main spar is also carbon fiber. Capable of an 11 G ultimate load, Sparker felt absolutely solid and rigid in the air, even when banked aggressively back and forth.

Essentially a side-by-side version of TL’s tandem Stream, Sparker uses the wings and tail of the earlier model, which was released in 2015 as Rotax was debuting their 141-horsepower 915iS engine. Our demo Sparker had this potent engine and Murdaugh provides climb rate, cruise speed, and other numbers in the video below.

He also noted that TL anticipates installing mostly the newer 160 horsepower Rotax 916iS engine, which launched with a 2,000-hour TBO. In the video Murdaugh provides some detail about performance expected with the more powerful engine.

One area I discovered may require TL’s focus as MOSAIC approaches. Sparker’s stall was well controlled and mild but it came at 58 knots. FAA proposed a 54 knots clean but many have commented to raise this by a few knots. Regardless, I feel sure TL engineers can compensate.

As we reduced speed to slow flight in preparation for stalls, Murdaugh put flaps down without lowering the gear. Immediately, an unmistakable alarm began to warn a landing pilot that the gear was not extended. You cannot ignore this sound.

My usual Dutch roll coordination exercise went well after only a few reversals to figure out the control applications. Sparker needs approximately equal amounts of stick and rudder. The controls are slightly heavy but the aircraft is very responsive. The dampened handling makes Sparker comfortable as you are less likely to overcontrol. As my experience grew Murdaugh permitted me to bank steeply where I found Sparker eager to do my bidding. Even in very steep banks, Sparker maintained altitude easily.

I performed the landing back at Spruce Creek with Murdaugh relaxed after I had demonstrated I could feel the airplane fairly well. Reducing to 90 knots on downwind to lower the gear, we slowed to 75 knots on final before putting down full flaps (45 degrees) to slow to 70 over the numbers. Touchdown was smooth and easily controlled. Brakes are quite strong and we turned off easily before maneuvering to a parking space.

Sparker is going to please the MOSAIC crowd. At $327,000, this is no Part 103 ultralight or sport pilot kit aircraft. You’ll need a generous budget, but you will get a lot for your money. So far as I could see, TL didn’t miss a trick with Sparker. Check it out in person at Sun ‘n Fun.

The post Affordable Aviation: Sparker Packs in a Lot for the Budget appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Like many of you, I have enjoyed the advancing development of the light sport aircraft space, leading to MOSAIC LSA in about 15 months. Additional operational capabilities, plus features like autopilot, synthetic vision, and powerful, compact engines, all can build a very exciting airplane.

With MOSAIC, the list gets even longer: more weight, more seats, more powerful engines, plus retractable gear, adjustable props, even aerial work for entrepreneurs. Wonderful, I agree. Some pilots have asked for more and industry members, with the FAA, have been working to achieve these potentials.

Yet this is a path to ever-more complex (and expensive) aircraft. Have you been waiting for MOSAIC LSA? If yes, your wishes may be answered in 15 months. If not, please continue reading.

Simple

Sometimes I find my attention returning to the easy pleasures of sightseeing around the local area, basic stick-and-rudder flying, feeling the air.

While features like modern economic autopilots make cross-country flights easier, operational procedures for sophisticated instrumentation absorb my time. Using this great gear becomes almost second nature, a muscle memory, if you fly often. Yet, as with apps on your computer or device, you must invest time to keep up with software changes and the particulars of operating digital avionics offered by Garmin, Dynon, MGL, and Kanardia (among others).

I applaud study and learning. These make your flying safer and more enjoyable. But time spent poring over manuals and software upgrade installation necessarily takes time away from simply going up for a fun hour in the sky.

My real joy in flight is simply looking around, aerial sightseeing, enjoying the view of my surroundings from a airborne platform few other humans will ever experience. I don’t need autopilot for that. As much as any phase of flight, I thoroughly enjoy a series of takeoffs and landings, honing my skills. For that I don’t need a fast aircraft and I don’t need to carry anything with me so payload is less important.

For the visceral joy of flight, you may find it optimal to, well, keep it simple. The more capability you add to an aircraft, the more you have to manage, pay for, stay updated on, maintain, insure, and all the rest. Complex aircraft that can do many things will demand more of owner and pilot. They can deliver much more but you have to keep up with them.

Aviating can be simply about the physical act of flying. It doesn’t all have to be about sleek designs, cool tech, or powerful engines.

Then, cost. Buying and maintaining increasingly complex aircraft is its own taskmaster. While maintaining even the simplest aircraft is still vitally important, we do now have choices in very light electric aircraft that require far less maintenance, not to mention no oil spills. Plus, your neighbors will hardly know you’re flying.

Today, not in some indistinct future, you can buy and fly an electric aircraft. I don’t doubt electric motors will power larger aircraft in the future, but who wants to wait—and who will be able to afford the batteries needed to provide four-seat cross-country flying?

If your goal is some delicious airtime on a calm, sunny afternoon, the simplest aircraft are darn hard to beat. Plus, they cost a lot less.

Light

Light is a key ingredient in keeping aircraft affordable. Require more material inputs, and you increase costs in a multitude of ways. Physically larger, heavier aircraft cost more—maybe a lot more. You’ll need more power, and your skill set must be kept in tighter tune. True, light aircraft are more affected by turbulent air. So what? If it’s that kind of air, I might choose to ride my bike rather than fly.

Light also means using less fuel, which will continue increasing in price. Every government seems to fantasize about an all-electric future. Whether an improvement or not, it ain’t happening tomorrow when the flying is great. A lighter ICE aircraft sips fuel at a far slower rate but that airframe may also be fitted with electric propulsion, today. Several brands offer an electric option. How many four-seat electric aircraft have you seen? Yeah, me too. None. Heavier aircraft will be a far greater challenge to electrify.

Affordable

Affordable is a major focus of this website. If you can’t afford it, then you are somewhat doing a Walter Mitty, dreaming about owning some shiny new speedster that you may never buy. If you can’t afford flying, you won’t fly, or will fly less. Those aren’t good choices.

Yet keeping an airplane’s cost affordable means not having every feature imaginable. The very best airplane in the world may be the one you can actually buy, maintain, and have the pilot chops to enjoy.

All this is so basic, so simple, that you may wonder: why bother writing about it? As I contemplate what MOSAIC will deliver, I feel good about the new choices pilots will have. If your budget allows a new MOSAIC LSA, great! If not, you may need to make other selections. Fortunately, you have plenty of choices.

As the new year arrives, we face complicated times. Elections (all over the globe), multiple  wars, unbelievable amounts of government debt (also around the world), and ever-expanding regulation mean the challenges to keep flying may be great.

With all that in mind, how about a nice hour-long sunset flight in an aircraft your budget can cover. What could be finer?

I hope you enjoy all the flying you can afford in 2024!

The post The Value of a Light, Simple Aircraft appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

While it’s true recreational aviation is not the cheapest activity you could enjoy, neither is flying only for folks with thick wallets. If you keep an open mind, some aircraft are likely to fit your budget.

Pilots who fly for enjoyment—aerial sightseeing, short cross-country trips, $100 hamburger fly-outs, and more—can acquire affordable aircraft if they are willing to look a little further.

Taking a survey of the light sport aircraft and/or experimental segments of the market, I offer seven suggestions. I provide a range of aircraft types, but each that is discussed is only one of the numerous others of a similar type available in the light aviation fleet. The choices you have are truly quite amazing. Let’s take a look.

SkyReach BushCat by AeroSport

With operations in Wisconsin and Florida, AeroSport has for many years represented South Africa’s BushCat from SkyReach, one of the most affordable airplanes in the entire LSA fleet.

Base priced at below $100,000, the BushCat adds value through its versatility. The BushCat can be bought ready to fly, as a kit, as a tri-gear or taildragger, on floats or not. It is roomier inside than it may appear. At 52 inches, the BushCat has one of the broadest cabins among all LSA. For comparison, the ubiquitous Cessna 172 has a 39.5-inch-wide cabin.

The Bushcat’s tough and light Dacron-Trilam fabric covered aircraft—needing no paint, which reduces added weight—offers a generous payload and a fuel load (24.8 gallons) good for six hours of flying. Additional features include a center joystick, dual rudder pedals, and unique dual throttles at the end of each outside armrest that fold up out of your way to ease entry and exit.

The BushCat was formerly known as the Cheetah from Rainbow Aircraft. When SkyReach took over manufacturing and professionalized the organization, it rebranded the aircraft as the BushCat. It also made a series of positive improvements to an airplane that flew well, which SkyReach has continuously upgraded and improved ever since.

AeroSport represents the BushCat from two geographically desirable locations in the U.S. Run by Daniela and Jeremy Knoll, the company’s home base is in northern Illinois in Wonder Lake, making it almost a neighbor of the Experimental Aircraft Association about 140 miles to the north in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. AeroSport’s hanger and maintenance facility is located at Galt Airport (10C).

More recently, AeroSport and its partners purchased a large hangar and established a sales, service, and maintenance facility at the DeLand Municipal Airport (KDED) in central Florida. Branching out to a climate that works year-round, the Knolls made a major facility investment and hired Troy Scholte to be their on-site director of maintenance in DeLand.
Scholte provides full manufacturer services for all BushCat aircraft models, but he can also work on conventional (standard category/Part 23) aircraft using his A&P/IA credentials.

If the BushCat doesn’t meet your needs, AeroSport is also a dealer for TL Sport Aircraft and TAF Sling models, and each of these well-established companies offer several models.

Flight Design CTLS by Airtime

“Flight Design is pleased to announce the availability of the (Rotax) 914T option for the CTLS GT 2020,” the German company told journalists amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This also came as the newer, more powerful Rotax 915iS was about to be introduced. Today, that creates an opportunity for some buyers.

The CT-series is the most successful model among all 158 special light sport aircraft (SLSAs) the FAA has accepted. More than 400 are flying around the U.S. Many of these are in excellent shape with fairly low hours, making them possibilities for a pilot who wants top of the line at less-than-new retail.

While the company has been focused on its new F-series, the CTLS remains in production and is actively being sold. The popular model fits regulations in many countries. Another producer, Taiwan-based AeroJones Aviation, builds the model for the Asia-Pacific market. It added another 50 aircraft to the fleet.

The CTLS is well known for its spacious 49-inch-wide interior, huge visibility with no side struts to block your view, sprightly top-of-the-category performance, and tremendous range. CTLS carries 35 gallons of fuel, letting it run nearly 1,000 sm (869 nm) nonstop. With these characteristics, CTLS makes a great country flying machine. As proof, several models have been flown all around the world.

“The design team did a beautiful job integrating the Rotax 914 with the turbocharger and intercooler into the new longer cowling of the CTLS GT 2020,” said company leader Daniel Guenther.

One visual clue of the potent engine is a large NACA inlet. Rotax’s 914 Turbo engine produces 115 hp for a limited time and helps the CTLS operate to higher altitudes and from higher elevation fields.

“CTLS GT is a thoroughly modern aircraft that can reach 140 knots (ktas at altitude) and can climb at better than 2,000 feet per minute,” Guenther said.

With the addition of the Rotax 914T option, the long-running CTLS extends its range again. Numerous other used models are available in America and around the globe powered by the carbureted Rotax 912 and the fuel injected 912iS.

Arion Lightning

Perhaps you’ve noticed that U.S. companies often offer aircraft kits while their European counterparts lean toward fully built aircraft. These two manufacturing activities require very different capabilities.

The Europeans had regulations that encouraged fully built aircraft, while those in the U.S. were restricted by expensive regulations. Thanks to work by EAA over many years, kit building filled the gap. U.S. companies became good at offering kits and supporting builders. One such company emerged when light sport aircraft burst on the scene more than 20 years ago.

Arion Aircraft, based in Shelbyville, Tennessee, offers a U.S.-owned, designed, built, and supported line of aircraft assembled mostly from U.S.-sourced components. At a time when many fine light sport aircraft come from overseas, some U.S. pilots prefer to deal with a company in their own country, in English, and in U.S. currency.

Pilots were captivated by the airplane’s graceful lines and speedy performance. Arion’s credibility was secured after the producer underwent one of the FAA’s intensive audits—six officials scoured the design and facilities for three full days. Led by owner Nick Otterback, Arion completed this exercise successfully, proving its design integrity and manufacturing quality.
New or used, Lightning LSAs are commonly powered by the Jabiru 3300 6-cylinder, 120 hp engine, which gives the model thrilling performance. Yet some pilots want a different engine or other changes, and Arion can accommodate them by offering kits.

Some Lightning builders elect the UL Power engines, and Arion has demonstrated a Lightning with a Lycoming O-320 at 160 hp. When it does not need to obey the LSA rule’s 120-knot speed limit, the Lightning can blaze along at speeds approaching 200 mph. Nonetheless, it stalls at 45 knots clean.

Handling is crisp and clean while not being touchy, and a pilot can land it without special skills.

A new Lightning can top $150,000, but used models can save a large percentage of the original price. Alternatively, you can opt for a standard kit and build it in as small a space as a one-car garage, taking about 500 hours for the average builder.

With engine, propeller, interior, paint, and instruments on top of the kit price, you could get airborne for less than $100,000.

Aero Adventure Aventura

Lots of pilots love the idea of seaplanes…their purchase cost, not so much. Amphibious floats are surprisingly costly. Fitted to a Cessna 210, the float installation and approval alone will cost more than an entire LSA seaplane. On the other hand, the 210 can carry much more, but you see the contrast.

As enjoyable as seaplanes may be, they commonly represent a high acquisition cost with extra maintenance needed. One Florida company offers a vastly more affordable alternative.

Aero Adventure is now a key partner in Aero Affinity, a new organization at the DeLand, Florida, airport, home to several other light aircraft companies about 30 miles inland from the Atlantic coast. Aero Affinity offers a variety of aircraft for most needs and budgets—new and used, kit or fully built. It will also service all of them making a convenient one-stop shop.

Seaplanes are uniquely enjoyable, offering far more places to land than any wheeled aircraft, and usually provide a low-altitude view many pilots only see during takeoff and landing. Given landable bodies of water far outnumber airports, seaplanes even include a safety premium.

If I’ve convinced you seaplanes are desirable but expensive, how much does an Aventura II kit-built aircraft cost when a typical owner completes the building job? The answer in late 2022 was less than $60,000, though we’re all aware prices have been rising rapidly in all areas, so you’ll want to check the current cost. Owner build time is only in the area of 250 hours, depending on your skills and work practices.

What if you don’t want to build? Extending its capabilities, Aero Adventure won SLSA acceptance from the FAA, so it can now offer a fully built SLSA model base priced around $125,000 (please check for the latest quote), which must be regarded as a bargain in ready-to-fly seaplanes.

In business for more than 20 years, Aero Adventure is led by Alex Rolinski, a former banker with an A&P certificate and an energetic young team in DeLand. Aero Adventure can boast some 200 Aventura models built, a conservative estimate since kit builders are not required to report progress to the manufacturer. Adding predecessors like the original Buccaneer, the fleet approaches 1,000 aircraft, showing the appeal of this affordable design.

Zenith CH-750

Readers know off-road vehicles but how about “off-airport” flying machines? Even if you don’t use that term, you may know one of the favorite aircraft that appeals to so-called backcountry pilots. I refer to Zenith Aircraft’s best-selling CH-750.
Many refer to it as the “Sky Jeep.” One glance at an example explains the term of affection.

Evolved over the years from the inventive mind of the late Chris Heintz, the CH-750 has a long and successful history with hundreds of delighted owners. Nearly all were built with its kit, an activity the Mexico, Missouri, company supports wonderfully well. Today, Zenith is professionally run by one of Heintz’s three sons, Sebastien Heintz, the company’s leader for more than 30 years.

Upgraded in 2008, the CH-701 got a bigger, wider, more refined-looking sibling, the CH-750. Though it visually resembles the CH-701, the 750 stands 2 inches taller and is 11 inches longer with a 2-foot-9-inch greater wingspan, bumping wing area to 144 square feet from 122 on the CH-701. Weight also rose to the LSA limit of 1,320 pounds. Since then, the company has continued to tweak and upgrade its line.

Along with Van’s Aircraft of the RV-series fame, Zenith is among the most prolific kit providers, leading the light aviation segment year after year. One way it has kept the energy is by supporting a variety of engines so pilots can have their preference. Choices have become increasingly powerful.

Takeoff in a CH-750 remains swift with its high-lift slotted wing. Even a more heavily loaded CH-750 can clear the deck in 100 feet or so. Center-stick handling is light and easy, a characteristic you find on all of Chris Heintz’s easy-to-build designs.

Zenith has found a ready market with lots of buyers for its CH-701 or CH-750 models. As STOL (short takeoff and landing) models, Sky Jeeps aren’t built for speed. For pilots who prefer a higher cruise speed to travel cross country, Zenith introduced the Cruzer a few years back. It dispenses with the slotted wings and fat tires. Fitting wheelpants and using only a single-wing strut and a cleaner wing, Cruzer adds 10 knots, yet it can still manage a very short takeoff and landing and retains the easy flying qualities of Sky Jeep.

Unfinished kit projects or a supply of used models offer purchase choices to budget buyers.

Alternative Aircraft

A trio of aircraft tick the box for great less-well-known options outside of traditional airplanes for the pilot seeking an affordable flight experience. They include:

• Gyro Technique VX-1 Gyroplane kit

• Evolution Revo or Revolt Weight Shift

Gyro Technique VX-1 Gyroplane

All of the aircraft we’ve discussed so far are conventional fixed-wing, three-axis aircraft, but traditional airplanes only represent part of the magic. A broad group of nonconventional, non-fixed-wing aircraft also populate the LSA space. One of the most popular is the gyroplane.

Some people still say “Gyrocopter,” but that is a brand name from Bensen. Over the past 15 years, European designers took early blueprints and developed the category into some very impressive rotary-winged flying machines. They also improved flight characteristics and made modern gyroplanes easier to fly. Gyroplanes distinguish themselves from nearly all light fixed-wing aircraft by flying well in windy conditions.

Along with the push to build ever-slicker models, the gyroplane industry dedicated itself almost exclusively to two-seat aircraft. Some have added side-by-side seating to tandem. Not everybody needs two seats.

Older U.S.-built gyroplanes such as the Bensen Gyrocopter were single-seaters. Maybe that was best then, when stability was different than today. However, as modern gyroplanes returned to popularity in the segment, single-seaters started a modest revival.

I discovered Gyro Technic’s VX1 at the Midwest LSA Expo in Mount Vernon, Illinois. Developer and machine shop business owner Denis Schoemaker has created a thoroughly modern gyroplane with all modern advances but in single-seat form.

Buyers often say they want a second seat for a friend or their spouse, yet more often than not, these aircraft are flown solo. A single-seat aircraft has some advantages, and pilots can merely enjoy themselves without having to assure their passenger is comfortable. Single-seaters can also cost less, partly because they don’t need as much engine.

Combine these attributes with some of the finest, beautifully accented machine work you’ll ever see, and Gyro Technic truly has something.

Evolution Revo or Revolt

If you’ve ever checked out trikes, also called weight shift control aircraft (FAA’s preferred term for the type), you may already understand the joy of highly simplified control input and great portability at much less cost than fixed-wing aircraft.

Some people think of a (weight shift) trike as a motorcycle of the air. The analogy isn’t perfect, but let’s go with it. Have you ever closely examined a modern motorcycle? Many have become metallic works of art—with price tags to match.

Even veteran cyclists may want to give a close look at a stunning entry from Evolution Trikes called Revo. If you have any interest in trikes, Revo is definitely one you must check out closely to fully appreciate its depth of innovation. In every detail of its construction, Revo is highly impressive. Prices start below $100,000 for the top-of-the-line model. Evolution also offers Revolt (or RevoLT), Rev X, and Rev, the latter a Part 103 entry. New prices start at less than $20,000.

Run by trike pilot extraordinaire Larry Mednick and his wife, Amy (also a trike pilot and instructor), Evolution is a central Florida company located at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (KZPH), not far from Tampa. With an all-American design and production, Evolution Trikes can provide U.S.-based customer service.

Revo and its siblings are highly evolved creations in the weight shift world. If you take a close look at any Evolution machine, you’ll uncover some of the detailed thinking that went into these best-of-breed flying machines.

Our Take

Let me repeat: You have many more choices than those portrayed here. This was a good, varied sampling, but it was only a rather narrow glimpse into the affordable aviation field.

Please visit ByDanJohnson.com, where you can search for written articles or video links to nearly every light aircraft that might be called affordable. In the next few months, ByDanJohnson.com will transition to AffordableAviation.com.

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the August 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot magazine. 

The post The Practical Magic of Economical Buys appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

In fact, the light sport (U.S.) and ultralight (European Union) segments are in a period of hot growth, with a wide range of models hitting the scene, from both well-known and just-starting-out manufacturers.

At the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, in late March, we witnessed the dramatic entrance of two new LSAs going through the acceptance process—the Junkers A50 and the CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL—along with the Rotax 916iS that promises up to 180 hp in a turbocharged package. While all have ties to Europe, they will be manufactured in the U.S.

Crossing the Atlantic to AERO 2023 at Friedrichshafen, Germany, we saw not only the Junkers A50 joined by the A60—and the new Rotax on display—but also the big splash into the market of Elixir Aircraft’s first two-seat model. Already certified under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) CS-23 regulatory basis, the Elixir has been picked up by several flight schools on both sides of the pond.

Though new prices for each aircraft fall into the $190,000 to $300,000 range—and push the idea of affordable aviation—they represent significant value over the traditional four-seat designs long promoted by the major aerospace OEMs.

This trio of aircraft also hit the mark in another area of affordability—relatively low operating costs. The Elixir achieves this through its efficiency, both of design and fuel burn, while the Carbon Cub does so in terms of performance. All use Rotax engines, well known for their ability to sip fuel. A low parts count and good support networks—and in the case of the Carbon Cub, the ability to perhaps be part of the building and maintenance processes—will keep the costs on the low end.

That way you can spend more time in the air, where you belong.

Junkers A50

The open-cockpit A50 Junior special light sport aircraft (SLSA) crafted of corrugated metal gained FAA acceptance in February—and the throwback to the golden age of flight made its grand entrance at Sun ’n Fun in March.Junkers Aircraft—now the parent company to the WACO marque as well—hosted an introductory event at its WACO Kitchen restaurant at the Sheltair FBO at the Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL) the afternoon before the official opening of the show on March 28.

In Battle Creek, Michigan, Euro-pean businessman Dieter Morszeck has invested more than $30 million to create a modern airplane factory capable of producing such complex yet handsome designs as the WACO biplanes. For 2023, that facility has a new occupant, Junkers Aircraft.

Both are owned by Morszeck, who made his money in the luggage business. His brand, Rimowa, is known widely for its corrugated exterior, causing an earlier Junkers aircraft built similarly to be dubbed the “flying suitcase.”

Taking the 1929 design from Hugo Junkers and updating it to the modern era, Junkers Aircraft has begun manufacturing the two-seat, low-wing, aluminum-skinned sport airplane at its U.S. facility in Michigan.

The original 80 hp Armstrong-Siddeley Genet radial engine has been swapped out for the 100 hp Rotax 912iS with a two-blade, ground-adjustable MT propeller. In the rear cockpit—from which the day-VFR-only airplane is flown when solo—the Garmin G3X with a 10.6-inch display provides for overall aircraft control and navigational power, with a companion 7-inch G3X display up front.
Other safety improvements over the traditional design include a Beringer braking system and Galaxy ballistic recovery parachute. The airplane has already come in under SLSA parameters with a maximum takeoff weight of 1,320 pounds and suitability to the training environment—particularly if you would like to evoke the golden age of flying as you learn the basics.

The first 29 aircraft are offered at €179,000 or about $193,500 at current exchange rates. An A60 model with side-by-side seating is also in the works.

Price: $193,500 (first 29)
Powerplant: Rotax 912iS
Seats: 2
Max cruise speed: 111 knots
Endurance: 5 hours
Max useful load: 615 lbs.
Takeoff distance, over a 50-ft. obs.: 984 ft.
Landing distance, over a 50-ft. obs.: 1,355 ft.

CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL

CubCrafters has never before made an aircraft powered by a Rotax engine. Images accompanying this article portray its first example using the 9-series engine in a model intended for production. Most of its factory pilots or dealers have never flown behind a Rotax.
Yet the Carbon Cub UL is also the first aircraft in the world to be fitted with the Austrian engine maker’s newest 916iS powerplant. Why did the Washington state company do this?

One main reason given by Brad Damm, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing, is that customers asked for it. However, Damm has several other good explanations that he shared.

“We invested in several new technologies to make the Carbon Cub UL even lighter and better performing than its predecessor, the Carbon Cub SS,” said the company in a media release. “The goal is a new airplane that features multi-fuel technology (mogas and/or avgas), fully meets ASTM standards and carries two adult people with a full fuel load and a reasonable amount of baggage at a takeoff weight of 600 kilograms or 1,320 pounds.”

Key to the development of the new aircraft is CubCrafters’ collaboration with BRP-Rotax, said CubCrafters, because the engine maker chose to launch its new 160 hp turbocharged engine on the Carbon Cub UL. The new 916iS engine is lighter, more fuel efficient, and thanks to turbocharging can produce more power than the normally aspirated CC340 engine on the Carbon Cub SS especially in higher density altitude scenarios.

“Our Carbon Cub was first introduced in 2009 and has been a successful aircraft for both CubCrafters and the entire backcountry flying community,” said Patrick Horgan, CubCrafters president and CEO. “Now, we’re reimagining the Carbon Cub by incorporating the latest in pre-preg composites, more titanium components, and innovative manufacturing techniques, along with the best new engine and avionics technologies for even more performance and versatility.”

Emphasizing the company’s global aspiration, Horgan added, “We believe this aircraft will make a major contribution to unlocking the enormous potential of the international marketplace.”

The production version of the new aircraft is slated to be initially built, certified, and test flown as a light sport aircraft at the CubCrafters factory in Yakima, Washington. But it will also meet ultralight category requirements in many international jurisdictions. “The aircraft can remain in the LSA category for our customers in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, and even the United States, but it can also be deregistered, exported, and then reregistered as an ultralight category aircraft in many jurisdictions in Europe, South America, and elsewhere,” said Damm.

“This is a concept we’ve looked at for the last several years. Our kit aircraft program has always been strong in overseas markets, and now we are very excited to have a fully factory assembled and tested aircraft to offer to our international customers,” Damm concluded.

The cockpit of the Carbon Cub UL should be familiar to Carbon Cub SS drivers. The UL concept of a lighter and even better performing version of the Carbon Cub for international markets was first seen during a pubicity stunt in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A technology demonstrator version of the aircraft was able to successfully land and take off again from a 27-meter (about 90-foot) diameter heliport suspended 56 stories above the ground atop one of Dubai’s iconic skyscrapers, the Burj Al Arab hotel, as part of a recent Red Bull project meant to inspire audiences worldwide.
—Dan Johnson

Price: TBD
Powerplant: Rotax 916iSc, 160 hp; turbocharged
Seats: 2
Max operating altitude: 17,000 ft.
(based on engine specs)
Max useful load: 1,320 lbs.
Takeoff distance, over a 50-ft. obs.: TBD
Landing distance, over a 50-ft. obs.: TBD

Elixir Aircraft

Elixir Aircraft, a new French manufacturer, has gone from zero to delivering airplanes in just eight years.

The low-wing two-seater is powered by the 100 hp Rotax 912iS, and it’s well suited to the training mission for which the company has marketed it. It’s already certified under EASA CS-23 and is currently undergoing FAA validation. The Elixir features a simple cockpit in its most cost-effective version with standard features, though it’s still capable enough for IFR training—with the Garmin 3X Touch, G5 electronic flight instruments, and GTN 750 NXi multifunction display in the cockpit, along with its Smart Glide functionality, and a GI260 angle of attack indicator.What sets the spin-resistant airframe apart is its minimum of parts—the composite structure has been designed from OneShot carbon fiber components and has no spar, ribs, or stringers. The low parts count not only helps achieve manufacturing efficiencies but also drives a lower operating cost, as little as $37 per hour. Robust landing gear also serves well for student laps around the pattern. A BRS ballistic parachute recovery system comes standard.Elixir plans another model, powered by the 140 hp Rotax 915 series and targeted to private buyers on an IFR mission. It will feature a full glass cockpit as well.

The company has delivered 10 units since February 2022, with plans to scale up production at its facilities in La Rochelle-Île-de-Ré airport (LFBH) on the west coast of France. In early May, it passed the 100-employee mark, and it has new funding in progress for building out additional facilities. With agreements signed by Mermoz Academy in France and Cirrus Aviation in Sarasota, Florida, the trajectory of the Elixir appears to be headed nowhere but up.

In fact, the company is already planning with its U.S. partners to develop a final assembly center in the Sarasota area, with the intention to continue to build the aircraft in La Rochelle, and then containerize them for shipment to Florida and reassembly. The move will give the company an important footprint in the North American market—and in particular for the multiplicity of flight training organizations it hopes to serve. The company’s founders also belive its young average age—in the mid-30s—assist it in the flight training market. 

Price: $300,000 (estimated)
Powerplant: Rotax 912iS, 100 hp
Seats: 2
Max cruise speed: 125 knots, eco cruise
Climb rate: 800 to 1,300 fpm
Endurance: 6 hours
Max baggage weight: 55 lbs.
Takeoff distance: less than 1,000 ft.
Landing distance: less than 1,200 ft.

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the July 2023 issue of Plane & Pilot. 

The post Affordable Aviation Grows With New Aircraft appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

In their second event, Aero Showcase is hosting a flock of airplanes at one of Florida’s most vibrant recreational aviation airports. Partners Alex Rolinski and Doma Andreka return for the second annual of their own event, which follows on the heels of the DeLand Showcase that ran several years, all of which grew out of the Sebring LSA Expo.

While the DeLand event is still growing compared to those earlier events, it enjoys a beautiful new facility and will present a good selection of airplanes. When I asked attendees at last year’s first Aero Showcase, most thought the organizers did credibly well.

The time of year is a perfect choice, judged from studying decades of detailed skydiving jump records—DeLand is a world center for sport parachuting. In addition, the snowbirds have not arrived en masse by early November, so restaurants have few waiting lists, and hotel rooms and rental cars are more modestly priced than they will be January through March.

Using the apron out front of the new terminal building makes it easy on visitors and vendors alike. The Airport Restaurant & Gin Mill restaurant draws people from town on a steady basis. It’s a matter of steps to a sandwich or a beverage. Onsite, Aero Showcase plans a Thirsty Husky Coffee Truck (Friday only) and an ice cream truck.

Tecnam Partnership

The partners at Aero Affinity have been busy, in fact moving in multiple directions at once. While the organization plans to start building a new hangar facility at the DeLand airport later this year, the enterprise has signed a new agreement with Tecnam, arguably the world’s largest manufacturer of light aircraft. Formed in 1948, Tecnam is headquartered in Capua, Italy, and operates subsidiaries in Sebring, Florida, USA, and Brisbane, Australia.

“Tecnam is pleased to announce a dedicated maintenance training program for the Americas, flight schools, service centers and all other interested parties in partnership with DeLand, Florida-based Aero Affinity Holding Company,” the Italian manufacturer said.

The several companies under Rolinski and Andreka’s direction sell airplanes, build airplanes, offer services, present training courses, and in their spare time, they put on the Aero Showcase mentioned above. Tecnam was obviously impressed.

“To achieve the highest level of service, we are introducing customized training packages, provided by Tecnam’s Technical Representative Partner, the DeLand, Florida-based Aero Affinity Holding Company,” said Tecnam. “These will consist of multiple programs from our fleet, ensuring that our customers gain a great insight into our philosophy as aircraft pioneers.”

The courses will cover the entire Tecnam fleet, including light sport, with detailed overview of the entire Tecnam fleet or specific model requested and with special focus on airframe, engine, and systems. They will be offered in different editions for different locations such as Ontario, Canada, Florida, and California.

At the end of the courses, participants will have complete insight into the Tecnam world and be eligible to become an Authorized Tecnam Service Center.

While the Tecnam deal is certainly important to this growing enterprise, Rolinski traveled for full factory training with Continental Aerospace motors to set up his company for diesel aircraft engine service work. Its heart is in LSA, but its vision is broad.

Van’s Aircraft Difficulties

As last week ended, Van’s Aircraft, producer of the world’s most successful line of kit aircraft—and manufacturer of the LSA-compliant RV-12—shared some difficult information.

In keeping with a strong reputation built over many years, the news was presented clearly, honestly, and forthrightly. Founder Dick VanGrunsven spoke on behalf of his company.

“Van’s currently faces serious cash flow issues, which must be addressed quickly to ensure ongoing operations,” began VanGrunsven. “We are confident we can work through this situation, but some changes are required.”

Through mid-November this year, “shipments will be delayed, kit orders will not be processed, and refunds will not be issued. We will be unable to conduct factory tours and demo flights,” said Van’s.

Van’s faced a perfect storm that started when pandemic-driven price increases raised its costs. Then, an overseas contractor used an inferior primer, resulting in aluminum corrosion forming on a large number of kits. Next, Van’s had some outsourced laser-cut parts that showed problems. Many builders alerted the company.

Although Van’s has carefully constructed its enterprise and has satisfied many thousands of customers, even a well-run company can run into multiple problems at once that can overwhelm it for a time. Van’s will solve this and I hope its many customers, new and former, will not only cut it some slack but perhaps step up to help.

The very best is for you to listen to the boss himself explain the situation in the clear and concise manner for which he is known (video below; 3 minutes). VanGrunsven stepped up with his wife to provide additional funds to put the world’s largest kit aircraft maker onto a sounder footing.

The post Affordable Aircraft News-Tecnam, Van’s and More appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.