Here is a glimpse of what you can see if you can attend on Friday and Saturday. For those who cannot come, this will provide some taste of what happens in Mount Vernon, Illinois, in early September. Hopefully, you can make it in 2024.

Every vendor highlighted here brought two, three, or even four aircraft to show. That’s very rare, even at EAA AirVenture or Sun ‘n Fun.

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What this illustrates is that the Midwest LSA Expo (about an hour’s drive east of St. Louis) has become a standard-bearer in the aviation calendar. Indeed, this is Midwest LSA’s 15th event, tying it with the longest-running prior such show, the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo. After catalyzing these LSA-focused shows, Sebring concluded its 15-year run in 2019.

Who’s Here?

AeroTrek returned after a few years’ absence and it came in force. As of opening day, three aircraft had arrived and two more are expected. In addition, the company showed off its new open trailer ,which looks enormously easier to load and secure so long as you’re not trying to drive all the way across the country. For transportation in a local or regional area, this looks like a great choice with significantly lower costs.

Rob Rollison, the longtime importer of this successful brand of modestly-priced LSA, has long maintained a steady rate of business because his supplier in Europe has maintained an prudent approach to business. This has helped the manufacturer remain very stable but it also means delivery times now reach about one year. Rollison indicated most customers are willing to wait. It was good to see him back in Mt. Vernon with his handsome airplanes and new trailer.

Texas Aircraft appeared at Midwest LSA some years back when its Colt LSA was a new entry in the game. Now the company reports it just delivered the first batch of airplanes to a nearby flight school and it is excited about the future of MOSAIC with its new four-seat Stallion model already flying in Brazil.

In some ways, the Texas company, which is directly associated with the Brazilian organization, is ahead of the game because Brazil’s ANAC has already created a very MOSAIC-like regulation with minor differences. Approving that aircraft in its home country should make for a much easier entry to the U.S. market and this Hondo, Texas organization is ready to roll.

Bristell representative Piston Aviation reports running an active flight school operation. I plan to discuss this further with the company to see how its flight school operates with the LSA of today. In the MOSAIC preamble, the FAA said extra weight was needed to make LSA into viable flight school aircraft, but I think it’s missing that these aircraft are already working well in that environment, assuming good flight school management and properly-qualified instructors. (To be forthright, Piston also operates Piper Cherokees.)

• READ MORE: The MOSAIC Comment Window Is Half Gone

Joe Ord’s company operates at Creve Coeur airport (1H0), Maryland Heights, Missouri, in the St. Louis area. It offers a wide range of flight instruction and lists its prices right on its homepage. You can tell that this company has a sense of style and it had handsome, custom-painted aircraft on display. Again, you see the commitment people make to the Midwest LSA Expo if Piston Aviation will bring aircraft that could be in flight training to display for you at the show.

Vashon brought two of its Ranger LSAs to Midwest LSA perhaps five years ago, and the company has been back every year since—and it doesn’t come with just a single airplane. I hope you’re starting to get the message that these companies like this show and they don’t come here just to bond with their fellow vendors. They know they will meet people like you. Likewise, people who come to this event tend to be serious and ready to take their aviation interest to the next level.

While Vashon’s prices have risen slightly over the last couple years–along with virtually everything else you buy—they are still affordable to a wide range of pilots, and have particular appeal to some by virtue of the use of a Continental O-200 powerplant. Lots of pilots and mechanics are familiar with that engine and, combined with a new and spacious airframe, the company is finding customers. Clearly, it finds some of them right here in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

TL Sport Aircraft had two of its four models on display at Mt. Vernon. After a couple of U.S. distributors didn’t work as well as expected, Trey Murdaugh’s company is bringing a more business-like approach. At Midwest LSA, he appropriately had on display a TL-3000 Sirius and an S-4 Sting. The latter (in an earlier model) was the #5 aircraft accepted by the FAA as a Special LSA out of 158 now on our SLSA list.

However, Murdaugh is also nicely positioned for MOSAIC with two other aircraft that did not travel to Mt. Vernon. One is the tandem-seating Stream, which I flew with him after Sun ‘n Fun 2022. That was a fine experience in a beautiful-flying aircraft. I look forward later this year to a flight in the company’s side-by-side MOSAIC-ready entry called Sparker that is the highest-performing of their line. Of course, prices follow capability, so the Sirius or Sting may be the more affordable buy, but this company has got choices for you.

Zenith arrived with two of its popular sport pilot-eligible kit aircraft, the Cruzer and Super Duty. Probably most readers are aware that Zenith is the leading kit builder in the light aircraft space (as only one Van’s model can presently qualify as an LSA). This should surprise no one as these aircraft are highly proven, and the manufacturing of Zenith kits has become quite sophisticated under the leadership of Sebastien Heintz.

The Mexico, Missouri-based kit producer also hosts one of the largest events of its kind in the country, in fact, drawing even more people to it than the Midwest LSA Expo. Now in its 32nd year, “Homecoming” is a must-go for any Zenith enthusiast. I’ve never been able to make it because it occurs right after the Midwest LSA event but I hope many of you can and will attend. You can learn a lot at the event plus enjoy the camaraderie of others with similar interests.

Magni Gyro rep Greg Gremminger brought two gyroplanes, as he often has. Gremminger is one of those regulars that has made every Midwest LSA event, along with a handful of others. It helps that he’s based nearby, but this has proven to be a good event where he can give rampside talks about gyros to people who are interested. He’s done this for years, and every time I’ve seen quite a collection of people listening intently as he describes his rotary-winged aircraft and how they fly.

A couple years ago my wife and I each took a flight with Gremminger, and had a marvelous experience. I’m not qualified to fly gyroplanes solo, but I have learned from some experiences and I see the magic that so many enjoy. Gremminger was one of the original people to fight for 10 years asking the FAA to finally allow fully-built gyroplanes. He didn’t get a yes, but when Roy Beisswenger and I started our advocacy work, we took up the case again. Between Gremminger’s efforts and ours, I’m pleased that we will finally have factory-built gyros available for enthusiasts.

All this and more was available on opening day, despite weather challenges to the east, holding up the arrival of some aircraft. BushCat is expecting two aircraft, as is Jabiru. What I believe this list shows is that these companies are all willing to spend the money and take the time to bring multiple aircraft to the Midwest LSA Expo. One of the main reasons the show is popular and successful is the great ease of getting a demo flight in an airplane. Get on the schedule and when it’s your turn, it takes literally a few minutes to get airborne. Marvelous! Plus, entry to the show and parking are FREE.

MOSAIC and More

I will have more on other aircraft that are at the show and other activities that I observe. In addition, the whole place is buzzing with talk of MOSAIC, as you might expect a month and change after the FAA dropped its new proposed regulation on the U.S.

These members of Midwest LSA Expo’s orange shirt brigade worked to keep flight demo operations humming and safe. Thanks to all the orange shirters!

I look forward to the question-and-answer session at the end of my two talks (Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m. Central). I’m pleased to give out what I believe is good information on the new proposed rule, but the most valuable interplay comes from pilots expressing their concerns and opinions. If you’re in the area, please join us. If you can’t make it. I will plan to record it and I’ll get the video up as soon as I can.

Stay tuned for more from the Midwest LSA Expo 2023!

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If you haven’t been paying attention, MOSAIC is an acronym for a regulation that affects all aircraft with special airworthiness certificates. Aircraft built by Cessna, Piper, Cirrus, Diamond, and others instead have standard certificates and are not touched by this MOSAIC regulation. In contrast, all LSA, experimental amateur built airplanes, and warbirds have special certificates.

If you already know enough, here are some helpful links:

• Download USUA/LAMA MOSAIC NPRM study guide version 1.0, a PDF document with bookmarks and helpful organization
• Article on using the study guide
• Make a comment on the FAA’s comment page
• Read what other commenters have said on the FAA comment page

The Clock Is Ticking

The FAA offered 90 days to comment on their proposal, which started out as 318 pages of text that no one would call fun reading. For a couple of weeks, most people in the industry hardly had time to look at it. Now time is starting to grow short.

It is possible to request an extension, but of course, that will simply add time to the end, delaying the new rule’s release. Pilots would have to wait longer for its benefits.

• READ MORE: Your MOSAIC Study Guide

On the other hand, while portions of MOSAIC are like Christmas in July, other sections stimulate questions, big and small. The document is only a proposal. It will change. Your comments could help move it in a direction you wish, but you have to comment to hope for an improvement.

The rule can be divided into two main parts: airplanes and pilot certificates, plus operating limitations—including maintenance. The former is like “Christmas in July” with many capabilities that industry and pilot member organizations have sought. The latter describes who gets to fly and maintain these MOSAIC LSA and under what rules. This section inspires more concern; some of this you can pick up from the nearby charts but learning more will take additional study and some discussion.

Please Attend if Possible

I will be presenting two talks on MOSAIC at the Midwest LSA Expo 2023, one on Friday September 8 at 11 a.m. and one at Saturday September 9 at 11 a.m.. Different people attend on different days, said airport manager Chris Collins, so he requested the presentation twice. I’m happy to do so as I am keen to hear what pilots think of MOSAIC.

In this article are included the most informative slides in that presentation. These represent the essence of what many pilots are seeking. I hope they will help your understanding.

To gain extra knowledge by hearing more detail, I encourage you to either come to the presentation or view the video on my YouTube channel; I will get it ready as quickly as possible. It should only take a few days — we don’t have many left.

At my talks, me giving you my views of what’s contained in MOSAIC has value, I trust, but the more important thing that should draw you to the show in person is to ask your own questions and hear those other people ask. Honestly, your opinion is what matters most.

The document is large and not particularly enjoyable reading. Nonetheless, we have tried to make it somewhat easier digest with the USUA/LAMA study guide. I recommend you find elements of it that are meaningful to your enjoyment of flying and comment on them. Don’t try to assess the whole thing.

Or, at least express yourself if you are dissatisfied with the product the FAA offers. While I urge you not to rant, you can most certainly offer constructive criticism, but that will be most effective if you include a possible solution. That will not be possible for everybody, but some of you will be inspired in various ways, and I hope you’ll all give it a shot.

Now that I’ve given you some fascinating thoughts for the weekend I hope you’ll spend a little time because, folks, we’ve only got 50-some days left before the FAA goes back into their huddle to assess the comments and make changes. …tick, tock!

The post The MOSAIC Comment Window Is Half Gone appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

I was underinformed about Latvia and had no awareness of its aviation capabilities. Hint: Latvia is east of Sweden, well north among the Eastern European countries. It is reasonably distant from hostilities in eastern Ukraine. One Latvian company’s ability to build a good-looking airplane is seen in nearby images.

I was alerted to visit Belmont by my journalist friend, Marino Boric, who suggested I have a look at Belmont primarily because it carries quite an agreeable price point: €96,000. At today’s exchange rate ($1 = €1.09), that translates to $105,000 before shipping and related transport expenses.

I realize everybody’s budget is different. Nonetheless, after the world has experienced at least 20 percent inflation over the Covid years (many experts believe inflation has been considerably higher), $105,000 for a airplane that looks like what you see in these images is, I believe, quite a bargain in 2023.

Introducing Belmont Patino DW200

The design is not brand new; it debuted at Aero 2018. I gave it a brief reference when reporting from Aero 2019.

Yet the design only days ago won German approval. Remember, the global response to Covid damaged economies and created supply chain problems between Belmont’s debut and the recent approval. The German system is not identical to ASTM but is similar enough to suggest the company could achieve Special LSA acceptance.

At present, this design has no U.S. representation but the company has attracted distributors in Europe. At this list price, an existing LSA seller in the U.S. may show interest in importing the Belmont Patino DW200 to offer an alternative to higher-priced models.

“DW200 is a two-seat, all-metal, low-wing aircraft with side-by-side seats,” said Belmont. “The landing gear consists of a fixed tricycle landing gear with steerable nose wheel.”

Belmont’s model comes standard with a Rotax 912 ULS producing 100 horsepower paired with a ground-adjustable, three-blade composite propeller. Optionally, Belmont offers the fuel-injected Rotax 912iS, the turbo-charged 914, and UL Power’s 130 horsepower 350is.

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This link provides a detailed description of the aircraft in adequate English, although some readers may wish to convert metric to American measurements. For essential specs that may interest you, I present data both ways below.

Belmont Aero was founded by owner and pilot Juris Libmanis in 2017. Belmont won its Germany approval recently, on April 13, 2023. Earning that credential opens the door for sales in many European countries that honor German rules. As mentioned, it will also help Belmont make its 8130-15 declaration to U.S. industry consensus standards—which are also used, with minor variations, in several other countries.

Belmont’s wing is all-metal with a rectangular center section and trapezoidal outer sections. All elements are made of aluminum, which may assure some readers concerned with repairs for an aircraft with a distant origin.

Slotted wing flaps occupy about two-thirds of the wingspan while the outer third is aileron. An integral aluminum fuel tank is located between ribs 2 and 5 in the leading edge portion of the outer wing. Belmont Patino carries almost 32 gallons of fuel that would easily give it a range of  around 800 miles.

Main gear are equipped with hydraulic brakes controlled by a hand lever in the cockpit closely located to the throttle for easier one-handed operation. Belmont’s main gear legs are a laminate build-up.

Beautifully upholstered seats have a composite sandwich structure. Four-point seat belts are standard. Headphone jacks are located behind the pilot’s seats.

For a more thorough look at the factory and its collection of sophisticated manufacturing equipment, visit this web page. The website is strenuous about Belmont’s adherence to quality. “Our team of engineers takes care of the safety, durability and quality of the aircraft using the latest production technologies,” it states.

Belmont DW200 presented well at AERO and looked top quality on display. The company’s base price appears reasonable in an age that has seen several LSA cross the $300,000 border. I believe it’s fair to call Belmont “affordable.”

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TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Belmont Aero Patino (DW 200)
all specifications provided by the manufacturer

• Takeoff weight — 1,320 pounds / 600 kilograms
• Empty weight, without emergency parachute — 650 pounds / 295 kilograms
• Takeoff distance to 50 feet, from hard surface — 550 feet / 166 meters
• Takeoff distance to 50 feet from turf: 575 feet / 175 meters
• Maximum horizontal speed — 140 miles per hour / 122 knots / 225 kilometers per hour
• Maximum climb rate at full gross — 1,150 feet per minute / 5.8 meters per second
• Stall speed, best flaps at full gross — 41 miles per hour / 66 kilometers per hour
• Stall speed, no flaps at full gross — 45 miles per hour / 73 kilometers per hour
• Maximum fuel capacity — 31.7 gallons / 120 liters
• Cabin width — 43.5 inches / 1.105 meters
• Maximum luggage weight, interior — 33 pounds / 15 kilogram
• Maximum luggage weight, in each wing — 44 pounds / 20 kilograms
• Engine — Rotax 912 ULS, 100 horsepower

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