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.

“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.

Read about the Cessna 120 and 140 in detail here.

Equipped with a smooth and quiet 85 hp Continental C85 that sips fuel at a rate of roughly 4.5-5 gallons per hour in cruise, operating costs are minimized. Only 176 hours have been logged since the last major overhaul. Additionally, this example has had its fabric wing converted to metal covering. At the expense of some additional weight, the result is a wing that no longer requires fabric inspection or a costly $10,000-plus fabric replacement. Robust spring-steel landing gear rounds out operating economy, with no bungee cords or shock absorbers to maintain or replace.

• READ MORE: Incredible Plane: Cessna 150

This example comes with a clean panel, shoulder harnesses, wingtip strobe lights, matching wheel pants, and timeless paint scheme. 

Pilots interested in a classic taildragger that’s as easy to fly as it is to own and maintain should consider this 1946 Cessna 120, which is available for $39,500 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.

The post Bargain Buys on Aircraft For Sale: 1946 Cessna 120 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.

• READ MORE: Robin DR Series Singles. France‘s longtime favorite wood and fabric four-seat plane

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.

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.

Find Your Dream Plane

Maybe you haven’t explored these tools, but you might find them fun and worthwhile.

• PlaneFinder 2.0 — Answer a few this-or-that questions and the system reduces a long list to matching aircraft.
• SLSA List — Every light sport aircraft that has won FAA acceptance, with links to more info.
• Part 103 List — For those who want fun flying machines that won’t exceed their budget.
• Advanced Search — Search through brands, models, or providers on an extensive database.
• LSA Market Info — Search the most comprehensive record of all LSA and SP kits in the U.S.; sort many ways.

All these resources are free to use (although your email is requested to use PlaneFinder 2.0). I hope you’ll go explore the Affordable Aviation (byDanJohnson) website thoroughly. 

Still, nothing beats an airshow, where you can actually examine, touch, and sit in an airplane that catches your fancy. For a half century, airshows have dictated my annual calendar. These events bring together the best of aviation and form a target-rich environment for anyone shopping for, or selling, an airplane.

Airshows 2024

This list is not exhaustive. These are the events I’ve attended for many years. 

Sun ‘n Fun / April 9-14 — Happy Birthday! Sun ‘n Fun will celebrate 50 years this year. Starting out as an EAA regional fly-in, Sun ‘n Fun has grown to the second largest airshow in the U.S., and the one that kicks off the recreational flying season year after year. While Sun ‘n Fun has branched out into education, a museum, and many other activities (not unlike EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh), it is the spring airshow at the perfect time of year that draws attendees by the hundreds of thousands. This year at Sun ‘n Fun, look for the new LSA Mall with some very special coming attractions as new LAMA president Scott Severen takes over the Mall with professional assistance from Jana Filip of Sebring and DeLand Expo fame.

Aero Friedrichshafen / April 17-20 — Easily my favorite aviation event in Europe, Aero Friedrichshafen also has a big birthday in 2024; this will be the 30th running of the popular event that draws many from all over Europe. If you want to see aviation development in its brightest bloom, I recommend Aero, where more interesting aircraft appear than at any other show I have attended. The event commonly occurs soon after Sun ‘n Fun but takes place almost exclusively indoors, so attendees are comfortable (and well fed). Most important, visitors will be dazzled by beautiful displays of handsome aircraft one after another after another… it’s simply a delicious event.

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh /July 22-28 — Turning 70 in 2023, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh is the undisputed king of airshows. If you can only attend one event in 2024, this is surely the best one, although you are already late to find lodging. Oshkosh swells from a normal population of around 50,000 to close to half a million during the week. Chicago and Atlanta may vie for the busiest airport in the world for 51 weeks of the year, but during Oshkosh, this event rises to the very top measured by flight operations — the busiest airport in the world for seven days. If it flies and you want to see it up close and person, AirVenture is the place. By all means GO, but start your planning now. It’s not too soon.

Midwest Aviation Expo / September 5-7 — Since this is a year of benchmark editions of airshows, why not Midwest? The event taking place at the Mt. Vernon, Illinois airport (KMVN) is doing two big things this year, The show has renamed itself Midwest Aviation Expo, from Midwest LSA Expo. Having “LSA” in the name when it began in 2009 was a great idea but the event has always featured more than LSA, though it has plenty of them. In addition, Midwest has drawn Part 103 ultralights on one side and numerous kit builders on the other. Beside offering a good selection of airplanes with no entrance fee, no parking fee, and great facilities including a very popular restaurant, Midwest has long had a mission to please everyone that comes, vendor or attendee. Now for 2024, this show celebrates its 16th running, making it the longest-running event among sector-specific event. Congratulation to team Midwest Aviation Expo!

DeLand Aero Showcase / October 18-19 — Formed after the DeLand Sport Aviation Expo was discontinued by city officials, this restructured event is now in the capable and energetic hands of Alex Rolinski and Doma Andreka. If you don’t already know these fellows (think about Aero Adventure and Magnus Aircraft), you may want to pay attention. This pair of entrepreneurs has ambitious plans to expand at DeLand Airport, already a hotbed of recreational flying and sky diving. DeLand Aero Showcase is on for its annual event in mid-October when Florida enjoys wonderful weather but also ample hotel rooms and rental cars. Fly south like the birds when it gets cold back home. The Sunshine State welcomes you and so does Aero Showcase.

The post Affordable Aircraft: Find Your New Dream Plane in 2024 appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

MOSAIC as a completed regulation is still 16 months away, according to the FAA’s oft-repeated statements about how long it needs after comments have closed. The agency has a lot of work remaining on this proposed regulation.

After a group of maintenance organizations asked for more time, the FAA extended the comment period to January 22. After that, the FAA begins huddling internally to review all comments and make other changes.

Besides the FAA, ASTM’s LSA committee also has its hands full creating industry consensus standards needed to allow acceptance of these airplanes. If you have any capacity or interest to help, they’d love you to join them. You do not need to be an engineer or technical expert.

Many LSA producers are hustling hard to develop existing models into larger, more capable mLSA designs. A few brands are already flying, and I have reported on several of these.

Go Get Some Air

This Slovenian GoGetAir G750 design is a new-to-the U.S. aircraft, though it has a decade of history in Europe.

GoGetAir’s G750 evolved from an aircraft I had seen earlier in Europe called One. A stylish design, One used a sports car approach, with two rear seats of limited carrying capacity. One Aircraft was designed by Iztok Šalamon after he founded that company in 2014. One Aircraft shut down operations in 2019 when GoGetAir was established.

“We took the things that we love and we have built on them,” noted the Šalamos. “The result is the innovative GoGetAir line of aircraft. In order to achieve the best possible comfort for the pilot during G750’s nine-hour endurance, the aircraft is equipped with adjustable rudder pedals as well as with adjustable seats and three different foam density of seat cushioning for maximum comfort.”

“GoGetAir is the only aircraft in the category that features large forward-and-upward-hinging doors for easy entry,” said the Šalamos, referring to them as “Lamborghini-style doors.” They added, “Pilot and passengers are protected with a Formula-1-like full-carbon roll cage with Kevlar protection.

“In addition, every G750 is equipped with a BRS parachute system designed around a solid-fuel rocket housed in the front fuselage that pulls the parachute to full deployment within seconds.”

Europe-based light aviation journalist Marino Boric wrote, “GoGetAir’s G750 aircraft from Slovenia is one of very few 2+2 aircraft with an MTOW of 750 kilograms [1,650 pounds], which on first glance looks like a smaller version of Cirrus’ piston SR series.”

A Cirrus SR20 weighs about twice as much as G750 but has a roomy aft seat. Though the term is no longer common, “2+2” indicates a second row of seats with a lesser amount of leg room.

GotGetAir observed, “G750’s aft seat can be used for baggage or you can also take two children up to 55 pounds each and not more than five feet tall. When those aft seats are filled, some baggage can still be stored in the small space behind the seats.”

Even though you cannot fill G750 with four large adults, this is an ideal MOSAIC LSA for sport pilot certificate holders. Those pilots will not be allowed to take four persons aloft, but might enjoy the extra cabin space.

G750 Performs

Offered first with the 100-horsepower Rotax 912, a 115-horsepower Rotax 914 turbo engine enables more robust performance with take-off in less than 500 feet and a climb rate more than 1,000 feet per minute

Now, GoGetAir offers the turbocharged, intercooled Rotax 915iS for a performance boost up to altitude. See the nearby chart to compare engines and performance.

GoGetAir is reasonably fast, a nice bump from today’s LSA, offering cruise at 138 knots, or 159 miles per hour. Other MOSAIC LSAs may strive for higher speeds but may be more compact to reduce drag. The G750 is intended for comfortable cross country travel.

With Rotax 915, the G750 takes off in less tha 400 feet of ground roll and can climb at 1,500 feet per minute. The G750/915 will burn 6-7 gallons per hour cruising at altitude. Under ideal conditions, full tanks of 35 gallons offer a range of nearly 1,000 nautical miles.

“Due to its huge flaps, [the] G750 is easily operated on [a] 1,500 foot runway,” said GoGetAir. Stall speed for all three engine sizes is a modest 43 knots, or 49 miles per hour. With proposed MOSAIC stall speed limits coming in at 54 knots (or possibly faster) the G750 is well within MOSAIC parameters.

GoGetAir G750 Safety Features

• Rocket-propelled emergency airframe parachute
• 4-mm-thick certified glass front windshield for bird and other object penetration protection
• Passenger compartment roll safety cage; designed and tested cabin construction with car-style crash resistance
• Doors designed to be opened in case of a roll-over
• Full Kevlar cabin interior for protection from object penetration
• Single-spar design—both spars overlap and are bolted together to the fuselage, adding to construction stiffness and safety
• Panel retracts in case of crash
• Three hinges on every moving surface; four on the flaps
• Glide ratio of 17.5:1 for lower fuel consumption and higher safety in case of engine failure.

GoGetAir in the U.S.

Shannon Hankins & Alan Jackson from Scissortail Aerosport represent G750 to North America. “Scissortail is the authorized North American Completion Center for the GoGetAir’s G750. We offer full in-house support during final assembly at our facility located in Tulsa, Oklahoma [KRVS].” Of course, its reference to assembly is before MOSAIC when the company could deliver a fully-built G750.

The timing of Scissortail and GoGetAir is excellent, with only 16 months or so before MOSAIC is released. In the meantime, the FAA has registration categories such as experimental exhibition that allow import of a small number of fully-assembled aircraft to test the market.

By the second quarter of 2025, MOSAIC should become official regulation and then G750 will easily fit the mLSA category assuming the company chooses to pursue and declare compliance with ASTM standards.

G750 is a costlier choice as will be many mLSA. At $270,000 to $340,000, depending on optional equipment and finishes, G750 is helping to define a price point for MOSAIC LSA. Extra seats and extra capabilities cost real money.

While we all wait on MOSAIC, Scissortail can refine its operation and deliver a few experimental exhibition aircraft to earn feedback from U.S. pilots. Contact Hankins or Jackson for more or to arrange a flight demo.

The post Scisssortail Aerosport Imports GoGetAir G750 appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

The world’s largest group representing aircraft manufacturers says it has what appear to be some fundamental issues with the Modernization Of Special Airworthiness Certification (MOSAIC) proposed rulemaking and will specify those reservations in comments to the FAA.

General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) spokesman Andre Castro told sister publication AVweb Thursday, January 11, that the trade group will not fully endorse the MOSAIC rule as currently written because the plans “go beyond what was expected and require additional clarification and justification from the FAA.” AVweb‘s sources said the main issue for GAMA is allowing light sport pilots to fly four-place aircraft. Holders of light sport certificates would, however, be limited to a single passenger.

MOSAIC is intended to broaden the scope of eligible aircraft while expanding performance and weight-based limits on the category. It’s considered a safety move by its proponents because it allows more margins of safety in aircraft available to those with so-called “driver’s license medicals” and more flexibility for creating new designs of light aircraft. The comment period for the NPRM ends on January 22. GAMA’s full statement to AVweb follows:

“The GAMA team is currently working across our broader membership to develop collective comments and recommendations in response to the FAA’s MOSAIC proposed rule which are due on January 22nd. Overall, GAMA supports the direction of key aspects of the proposal to increase the size, performance and scope of aircraft that can be flown by sport pilots and be issued a special airworthiness certificate with the objective of improving safety, functionality, innovation, and availability of small general aviation aircraft. However, there are areas of the proposal which go beyond what was expected and require additional clarification and justification from the FAA. In addition, GAMA believes the FAA misses a significantly important opportunity to fully realize the intended objectives and benefits of this proposal by not applying a consistent approach across all small aircraft airworthiness and certification processes. Our submission will go into further detail on these issues.”

Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared on AVweb.

The post GAMA Takes Issue With Aspects of MOSAIC 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.

If you are looking to buy, getting a current owner to part with their pride and joy could be challenging. The Earthstar website is functional but does not appear to have been updated in some time.

Thunder Gull owners or pilots may be purists, insisting nothing compares to their Gull, yet some interested buyers are aware Titan Aircraft makes a very similar aircraft. The Ohio company remains active, attending airshows and displaying its Tornado line.

Gull 2000

The earliest designs from Beierle’s inventive mind were called Thunder Gull. I recall seeing these at airshows in the ’90s being flown as an experienced driver might operate a sports car. Wing span is a mere 20 feet. When you sat in the fully-enclosed cockpit it looked like you could open the door and reach out to touch the wingtip. Thunder Gull’s diminutive size made it as sporty and agile on the ground as it is in the air, a rare capability for most airplanes.

Later came Odyssey, a side-by-side, staggered-seating two seater. It only had a 26 foot wingspan. Most light aircraft in the space use 30-36 foot wingspans on aircraft that did not carry any more payload. Consequently, I viewed Thunder Gull’s wing design to be “hard working.”

Later still came Soaring Gull, with what looked to be a long wing at 28 feet, still shorter than most other comparable aircraft. This gave Soaring Gull a solid 16:1 glide ratio according to Earthstar, meaning any experienced soaring pilot could easily keep Soaring Gull aloft for a long time with the engine shut down. This fact later led to electric power, which I’ll touch on below.

As you examine this design, you see Beierle’s design philosophy. He sought to make the most efficient aircraft he could. One definition of that was a flying machine that uses the least fuel. Beierle defined himself as “a minimalist,” and this sentiment is carried throughout his highly-optimized aircraft.

For the then-new millennia, when we successfully avoided the predicted terror of Y2K (remember that?), Beierle came out with Gull 2000. You can read my full pilot report from 2003 for lots of detail about the aircraft.

As Gull 2000 arrived, Beierle had gotten married and his strict minimalism lead to improvements in creature comforts. Notably, the Gull 2000 is wider than previous Thunder Gull aircraft.

Here’s how Beierle promoted his new creation: “Prototypes were flown over 5,400 hours. Considerable care has been taken in the design and testing process,” he wrote.

“The result is a stall and spin resistant aircraft with superior handling qualities both on the ground and in the air. The responsive ailerons provide roll control throughout a stall attempt. The beginning flyer will find an easy to fly, stable, and forgiving aircraft.

“The Thunder Gull 2000 and Odyssey models maintain the responsive and nimble control necessary for the demanding pilot. All of the Earthstar Aircraft models are fun cross-country machines and have been flown from coast-to-coast many times.

“Flight tested to a “G” loading of +5.9 and -3 and are designed to +6 and -4 yield. The ultralight model has been certified to meet the FAA’s FAR-103 requirements. VNE for all models is 120 miles per hour.”

Electric eGull

Beierle made an efficient aircraft, and one measure of success was to use less fuel. As the new millennium arrived, interest in electric propulsion was growing. Given his goals, Beierle quickly adopted the idea and his electric experimentation began. While giants like Boeing and Airbus spend billions on electric propulsion concepts, electric airplane development of affordable aircraft is often done on tiny budgets by entrepreneurs like Beierle.

This is also a fast-changing field, perhaps explaining why finding an electric-powered Earthstar Gull will be especially difficult. Nonetheless, the efficiency of Beierle’s Gull design combined the high torque of an electric motor with a low airframe weight to make a highly-workable electric propulsion design.

Combine Gull 2000’s more user-friendly interior with the design’s great flying qualities and power it with a potent electric motor and you really have something fun!

Here is the video interview with Beierle about his electric propulsion investigations. The second video below looks like a duplicate but is a different production.

Just a year ago, Dave updated his coverage of Earthstar and Thundergull. Flying scenes are featured and fans of Videoman Dave Loveman may enjoy hearing his familiar voice asking questions of Beierle.

The post An Electric Propulsion Pioneer appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.