• READ MORE: Tecnam Brings the P-Mentor to North America

About the P-Mentor

The post Tecnam Earns Part 23 Cert for P-Mentor appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Based on consumer feedback and requests, the company unveiled Wednesday its A50 Heritage model. According to Junkers, the aircraft “meticulously captured the essence of Hugo Junkers’ imaginative and original design” with its Scarlett 7U radial engine and two-piece glass windscreen. 

The post Junkers Aircraft Unveils A50 Heritage Model 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.

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.

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.

Gear up with an adjustable prop and flown at common cruise altitudes, it’s clear that Superveloce lives up to its name. Just a quick note that while Superveloce is LSA-like, with features such as retractable gear and higher cruise speeds, this aircraft does not qualify as a present-day LSA.

What could the typical pilot expect while flying Superveloce? Porto Aviation lists the cruise speed at 75 percent power from Rotax’s 915iS at 200 knots true airspeed at 9,000 feet. Compared to other LSA I have examined, this tops the list (although some other fast designs aren’t too far behind).

Porto Aviation, previously quartered in Switzerland, is now a bit further south in Italy. Flying across his former country and the large Bodensee lake to Friedrichshafen, about 200 miles, took Porto just over one hour. By car, this would take over four hours. For a large country like the U.S., Superveloce can get you around fast. It also has an impressive range. No wonder Yankees are buyers.

How Fast Is Superveloce?

OK, it’s fast, but…

Isn’t this well beyond LSA speeds? Yes, it is. Superveloce must be sold in the USA as a kit-built or it might be imported (in limited numbers) as Experimental Exhibition or some other experimental category. However, when Mosaic is released, based on what we expect at this time, Superveloce could qualify. We do expect retractable gear, in-flight adjustable props, higher stall, and faster speeds, although we do not yet know if Sport Pilots will be allowed to operate this aircraft with that certificate.

Engines such as Rotax’s 915iS can bring the 9,000-foot cruise true airspeed close to 200 knots burning just under 7 gallons per hour and able to range more than 800 nautical miles. No wonder Superveloce gets a pilot’s heart pumping strongly.

With its smaller “speed wing,” can Superveloce stay within LSA regs?

You might rightfully wonder about that but although stall rose six knots from the earlier Risen model, it still claims a best-flaps stall at 43 knots indicated, which is within current LSA parameters and safely below the 50-knot stall speed expected under Mosaic regulations, though we have not yet seen FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) to verify this number. A key reason Superveloce can achieve this sane stall speed from a speed wing is the brilliant execution of Fowler flaps.

Looking Back; Looking Forward

At the beginning of 2010 Alberto Porto and his partners started construction of the first Risen prototype. Two years later on a sunny Swiss morning in March 2012, the Risen aircraft made its maiden flight.

After work to refine the model and to prepare for production the first aircraft ready for customers was unveiled on April 15th, 2015 at AERO. My video below was recorded at this debut.

Eight years later, this project is mature with 25 flying, 10 of which are in the United States and interest is steadily growing.

Now that his airplane-building company has satisfied more than two dozen customers, Alberto is planning ahead. He is actively supporting American builders — by in-person visits on some occasions.

As Mosaic arrives and he can meet relevant ASTM standards, Alberto wants to establish a U.S. operation, possibly doing final assembly or more as the market develops.

The post Speed Propels Porto Aviation to Records and Sales appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

As I’ve observed many times, the night, mere hours before a show opens it appears to be pandemonium with what appears to be zero chance of being ready in time. Aside from a few well-heeled organizations—those larger companies with budgets to pay outsiders to set up their exhibits—many were scrambling furiously to be ready by opening day… which is now today. It always appears vendors have zero chance to be ready; it was already end of day and many exhibitors still still had lots of preparation.

Yet it always works, magically perhaps. Somehow, late hours turned into an open show by Wednesday the 19th, opening day. The show runs through Saturday the 22d. If you’re in Europe, I hope you’re coming. If not, I’ll do my best do show you what caught my attention.

What follows are a few images I captured as vendors continued their work (with apologies for showing how their spaces looked before all was complete). I’ll just a few words about each because I’m keen to start regular reporting. However, setting up is an essential—and fascinating, at least to some of us—airshow activity.

• Read More: Aero Friedrichshafen Opens Wednesday — Intriguing Aircraft, Flying Gear of All Kinds

Aero 2023

Count Dracula Flies! — From the producer of the all-composite Swan 103 that has interested Americans.

Yankees finally saw the model at airshows in the last year, here comes Dracula, a single seat low wing that can fold up into a trailer that looks impossibly small. I’ve already captured more images and information and will be writing about this soon. American have loved my review of the high wing Swan and those who love a low wing look will now have a choice. Plus, this Romanian company has embraced electric propulsion and offers both on their airplanes.

Rotax on RV? — Wait! Van’s Aircraft already does Rotax, although that’s only on their RV-12, their LSA model.

Most RV models predate the -12 and commonly use Lycoming or Continental. Those engines have been well established for many years and most RV buyers choose an engine they know …or at least they do in America.

In Europe, Rotax is very well known here but that’s not the main reason to choose it. Rotax is also more fuel flexible and that’s key. Around the world, avgas is rare and frightfully expensive. Since Rotax can use togas — which can be mixed with avgas in any proportion — it wins the international battle easily.

916iS Popping Up More Frequently — I’ve reported on Rotax 160 horsepower 916iS already LINK but it was the first time most had seen or heard of it.

As airframe producers made the effort to configure the new engine to their aircraft, its appearance is becoming more common.

One of the best marketers in the LSA space, JMB Aircraft, prominently featured one of the sleek VL3 models sporting the new fuel injected, intercooled engine. They are also displaying their turbine-powered VL3 and this highlights an iungtefrexsting shift I’ve seen. Where once diesel engines for aircraft seem to be all the rage, that has clearly faded and turbine seems to be moving into the space. Weights are less than combustion (or even electric due to battery weight). Maintenance can be low with TBOs that run well beyond a piston engine. Fuel burn can be just 10 gallons per hour; while much. higher than any Rotax, they have their advances and interest appears to be growing.

Junkers A60 Side-by-Side — Perhaps you loved the A50 Junior we saw at Sun ‘n Fun, but you wanted side-by-side seating and tricycle gear. The German company—with production in Battle Creek Michigan (in the same facility where Waco biplanes are built)—has you covered.

These are somewhat specialized aircraft and they may take a certain kind of buyer. However, you cannot fault the exquisite design effort and the painstaking detail that shows in the construction.

With adequate funding and a strong push from the owner, Junkers is back in aviation and is set to make a greater impact on recreational aviation. Who can’t like that dedication to an activity we love?

Airshow buddies! — Ask anyone who frequents airshow like I do and you will often hear how much pilots enjoy these event partly because they can run into old friends. After 25 years of attending Aero, I’ve come to know many in the European region and it is a great pleasure to have a conversation with them.

Delicious Differences

Unlike American shows that largely take place out-of-doors, Aero commonly hosts elaborate displays possible when exhibits are protected from weather and inside where stage lighting and dramatic backdrops can be arranged. While everyone comes to look at the airplanes, you cannot help but notice the great effort (and expense!) that many companies went to as they showcase their product. That and restaurant food available in multiple convenient locations (and every a beer garden for those that enjoy such). One more mundane thing that suits visitors: indoor plumbing (and I won’t say more).

I hope you can make it to Aero but if not, keep dropping by to see what’s news at Aero 2023!

Europe’s Aero covers developing projects better than most shows I attend, thanks significantly to my aviation journalist friend, Willi Tacke who almost single handedly brought the e-flight expo to Aero.

One interesting project that I wrote about years ago is the PAL-V readable airplane or flying car. This particular project is flying, and is seeking regulatory approval from European authorities. As. did the folks Terra Fugia say, the most challenging part is getting approval for a vehicle that can drive on the roads.

The post Aero Friedrichshafen Opens — Europe’s Top Show Takes Shape appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Yet 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 because customers asked for it. However, Brad has several other good reasons, which he shared in the video below.

916iS Launch Customer

At Sun ‘n Fun 2023, CubCrafters introduced a new variant of its Carbon Cub aircraft line. Being developed with a special eye for international markets, the west coast company named it “Carbon Cub UL.”

“We invested in several new technologies to make the Carbon Cub UL even lighter and better performing than its predecessor, the Carbon Cub SS,” stated CubCrafters. “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 top launch their new 160 horsepower 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.

  The UL concept of a lighter and even better performing version of the Carbon Cub for international markets was first seen for a stunt in Dubai, UAE. 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 that is suspended 56 stories above the ground on top of Dubai’s iconic skyscraper, Burj Al Arab hotel as part of a recent Red Bull project that inspired audiences worldwide.Much more information about the Carbon Cub UL, including a product launch Q&A, engine technical specifications from Rotax, and video and still images of the aircraft and engine for editorial use can be found on this dedicated webpage.

ARTICLE LINKS:

• CubCrafters, contact info and content on this website
• CubCrafters, special launch page for the Carbon Cub UL
• CubCrafters, main factory website
• Rotax 916iS, launch website

The post CubCrafters Votes for New Rotax Powerplant appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

“We (some manufacturer) offer two 100-horsepower choices: a Rotax 912ULS (carbureted) and 912iS (fuel injected), plus the new 141-horsepower 915iS (fuel injected, intercooled). Yet everyone is ordering the 915.” More power always draws interest.

BRP-Rotax has bumped up the juice on the 912iS. Paul Mather of M-Square reported, “Rotax’s latest 912iS now offers 105 horsepower.”

This increase is not particularly unusual. BRP-Rotax has long been quite conservative with their initial numbers. Before the 915iS was ready for market, the Austrian manufacturer said to expect 135 horsepower. It turned out to test at 141 continuous horsepower, a 4-percent increase.

And Now…Rotax’s newest 916iS

At their Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo 2023 press conference, Rotax said, “We are proud to achieve a new level of performance with the launch of our Rotax 916iS/c aircraft propulsion system, which makes it perfectly suitable for four seater planes and for high performance two seaters.” Float-equipped airplanes may embrace the more potent engine as an aid to break water faster.

How about 160 horsepower!? That’s a 19-horse or 13-percent gain in power, all essentially from the same engine core? With Mosaic set to allow four seaters, heavier airplanes, greater speed, and probably retractable gear, the newest 916iS seems perfectly situated for Mosaic.

However, since the new rule won’t allow deliveries before early 2025, does that mean a long wait for a 916iS? No, as it is not made expressly for Mosaic. Indeed, BRP-Rotax already has a launch customer: CubCrafters.

The popular Cub maker has never used Rotax. They used their own engine (one they had manufactured to their specifications). Understandably, the European engine maker is pleased to win CubCrafters as a new customer.

Rotax observed, “Our Rotax 916iS/c showcased its power for the first time in the new CubCrafters Carbon Cub UL, a new engineering prototype equipped with the 916iS.”

“Working with Rotax on the 916iS/c has been a great collaboration. We are excited to launch our latest products together and make them available worldwide,” said Patrick Horgan, president and CEO of CubCrafters. “The powerful and smooth single lever operation Rotax 916iS/c is outstanding, bringing the latest engine technology to the Carbon Cub family.” Patrick added that 916iS/c is compatible with fuels available worldwide.

Single lever control is a simplified means of offering an in-flight adjustable pitch propeller. SLC does not increase the pilot’s workload, eliminating the need for flight training required to use a constant-speed propeller. The concept, also used in every Cirrus airplane, was promoted by LAMA and is likely to be accepted by the FAA in Mosaic.

Progressive Aerodyne’s Searey offered a long-time test bed for single lever control installation. This particularly handsome Searey is operated by FlytheBeach.com, an active northern Florida flight operation that “has more Seareys than Searey.” FlytheBeach is operated by partners Ryan and Rose who have 4,500 Searey hours between them. This beautifully painted Searey was parked at Sun ‘n Fun 2023.

“The launch of the 916 ISC is yet another testament to our commitment to developing groundbreaking technologies and creating the most advanced propulsion system for our customers,” stated Rotax General Manager Peter Ölsinger of Rotax Propulsion Systems. He continued, “For us, it was crystal clear that we had to build on the success of the 915 engine. We can now seize new opportunities in the four-seat market segment with a perfectly mature product.”

How “mature” is this brand-new engine? Most new powerplants, especially from careful producers such as Rotax, begin life with a 1,000- or 1,200-, or perhaps a 1,500-hour time between overhaul (TBO). However, right out of the gate, 916iS/c offers a 2,000-hour TBO, matching the best from any engine maker in the industry. That shows confidence.

The latest 916iS/c has a maximum operating altitude of 23,000 feet; maximum continuous power is available to 15,000 feet.

Little Things That Matter a Lot

Notice that “c” on the end? It’s a little letter with a big meaning — “certified.” Rotax noted, “In addition, the 916iS/c is an alternative for IFR flights as well as for commercial flying, for example, flight schools. Of course, that little letter “c” its going to increase the price because it is “certified.”

However, Rotax literature specified other variations, such as the 916iS (no “c”), which they describe as the ASTM compliant engine, making them suitable for LSA today and Mosaic LSA or mLSA in 2025. The 916iS/c is certified by EASA (Europe’s rough equivalent to FAA). Commonly, reciprocal agreements between CAAs in western European nations and FAA in America allows the U.S. agency to accept EASA’s approval and vice versa.

Helicopters (and, finally, fully-built gyroplanes) are also expected to be permitted under Mosaic. As rotary aircraft often prefer higher power, 916iS appears to offer a good fit.

Since 915iS has been winning converts steadily, I predict a wonderful response to the latest and greatest from the largest supplier of light aircraft engines in the world.

Strap your seat belt securely, clear the sky ahead and push that SLC throttle to the max. Hoo-yah!

The post Rotax Surprises with a Mosaic-Ready Powerplant appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.

Here are seven engines—and one motor—that changed the game. 

READ MORE: Rotax 912

Gnome/Le Rhône Rotary

Even by the start of the 1910s, it had long been known that weight is the enemy of flight. Power, conversely, was an airplane’s best friend. So, the quest to build ever-lighter and more powerful engines was the critical pursuit as designers around the world sought to create engines to power new, truly practical aircraft. 

Liberty L-12

The Liberty L-12, which emerged toward the end of WWI as a real player, is a fork-in-the-road product, one that marks the divergence of lower-powered engines from engines that would get bigger and more powerful. The L-12 is actually a family of engines, with six- and eight-cylinder models produced, as well. But it was the L-12, a water-cooled, V-12 engine that opened people’s eyes to the potential of gas piston engines. With an engine able to produce 400 horsepower, nearly four times that of the most popular rotary engines of the day, it became clear to designers that the future of aviation power and, hence, aviation itself, was boundless.  

Wright Whirlwind

In light aviation before the era of the air-cooled opposed aero engine, the radial engine was the dominant engine type. This is in part because United States military planners voted strongly for the type, and their hunch paid off handsomely, as a number of radial engines from relatively compact to staggeringly powerful were installed in aircraft from trainers and personal travelers to the biggest bombers. If you want to understand the difference between the potential of the engine types, just picture a radial-engine-powered Beech Staggerwing of 1945 next to an opposed four-cylinder Beech Bonanza of 1945.  

The radial engine that started a flurry of development of this still-much-beloved-but-now-largely obsolete engine type, the Wright Whirlwind was a radial engine whose development dates back to the early 1920s, when the Navy forced Wright’s hand into developing this type. It started as a nine-cylinder radial, but the company soon started building lower-power, lower-weight models of five and seven cylinders, too, for lighter aircraft. 

The advantage of the radial engine was that it was air-cooled, and with the cylinders right out there in the open, they naturally got plenty of air, which eliminated a dangerous failure mode, the loss of liquid cooling, whereas air cooling had no such risk factor; as long as you were flying, the airflow was there. 

There were disadvantages, too. Radial engines have a big footprint, so they are inherently more draggy than inline or V-configuration engines, and as they got larger and more powerful, they were forced toward larger applications, too.

Radials by Pratt & Whitney (the Wasp Junior), Continental, Jacobs and Wright itself, with its Cyclone series, were all mass produced for aircraft between the wars and, at a lesser rate, beyond, being outfitted into some of the most beautiful and prized light aircraft ever built before giving way to opposed engines and a new, more modern world of light personal flying. 

Continental A40 Piper Cub Engine

The increasingly urgent need for greater speed and payload demanded that commercial and military applications go with large radial engines or, less frequently, inline or V-configuration designs. But for light aircraft, those layouts didn’t translate well, as they were relatively heavy, complex and expensive to produce. The engines that caught on were the series of four-cylinder opposed, air-cooled models built by Continental Motors and based on the Piper (nee Taylor) Cub. The 40-hp, magneto-spark engine weighed around 155 pounds, and its compact shape made it the perfect small engine to power what would be known within a few years as a groundbreaking design, C.G. Taylor’s E2 Cub, which morphed into the much-beloved Piper J-3 Cub. 

It was clear from early on that 40-hp was passable but not ideal, so the A40 grew into ever-increasingly powerful and only slightly heavier versions, the ultimate expression of which were the 90-100-hp C-90 and A-200 models, which produced an additional 50-60 horsepower for only an additional 15-25 pounds of dry weight. 

A very similar engine, the Lycoming O-145, emerged shortly thereafter, and it, like its Continental competitors, was perfectly suited for the light planes of the day, including the Piper Cub, into which the Lycoming was also fitted. It’s hard to find details on how many of these engines were produced during their heyday, but the numbers likely are far greater than 100,000, perhaps, apiece. 

Together, the two companies dominated the light plane engine marketplace for decades, and they still provide most of the engines for new-manufacture light aircraft today, all of which are based on these original designs. 

Lycoming 540/Continental 520/550-Series Engines

It might seem odd to break off the Continental and Lycoming six-cylinder engine models from the four-cylinder air-cooled opposed models they were based upon, but their impact on light aviation has been huge. The two companies’ star engines, the 550-series for Continental Aerospace Technologies and the 540-series for Lycoming, have given developers of high-performance single- and twin-engine aircraft a go-to motor for delivering reliable power for some of the most noteworthy aircraft of the modern era, including the Beech Bonanza, the Cessna 210 Centurion and the Cirrus SR22. While conventional wisdom holds that these engines have stood still as time progressed, that’s not really true. The technology behind them, including turbocharging and greatly improved manufacturing processes, have made them more reliable and powerful over the years. 

Rotax 912

One of the most revolutionary engines in light aircraft history, the Rotax 912 has gone into hundreds of different models of certificated and sport aircraft. A four-cylinder, hybrid cooling (air and liquid) engine, the first 912, introduced in 1989, boasted 80 horsepower of smooth, efficient power that helped catapult sport aviation to another level. Previously, two-stroke engines, many of them manufactured by Rotax, ruled the segment. The company has manufactured an estimated 75,000 aircraft engines, many of them derived from their popular engines for snowmobiles. 

The 912 was launched the same year, 1989, as a new, advanced two-stroke design, the 582, which is still in production. It was the pinnacle of Rotax’s line of two-stroke engines designed for ultralight and very light sport aircraft. It has been standard equipment on more than 225 different ultralight and very light aircraft. 

Producing 65 horsepower, the engine is a tidy fit for two-seat ultralights (most of which are simply small Experimental aircraft and not technically “ultralights” at all). For those who don’t want to mix oil and fuel, the 582 features optional oil injection. The liquid-cooled engine has an integral reduction drive because its normal rpm range of power—max power is delivered at 6,500 rmp—is far too fast for prop efficiency. 

The introduction of the 582 gave developers of very light aircraft a low-maintenance, more reliable and more powerful alternative to existing small engines, and in so doing, it helped launch the Light Sport Aircraft segment and regulations. 

But it was the 912 that helped deliver on the promise of sport aviation. Since 1989, the company has developed follow-on models, including more powerful naturally aspirated and turbocharged models that today with the 915 iS go up to around 150-hp. 

The 912 is around 33% more efficient than conventional gas piston engines, and it can run on auto fuel, as well as 100LL. 

Thielert Centurion 1.7

The latest update to light GA aircraft that has had much impact was the Thielert Centurion 1.7, introduced by Diamond aircraft in its DA42 (then called the Twin Star) in the early 2000s. The engine is an extensive conversion of a Mercedes automobile engine. It was the first successful diesel aero engine, though in this case, “success” is a word to be used with numerous qualifications. 

The four-cylinder, 135-hp, turbocharged, Jet-A-burning engine has numerous advantages, but its most compelling is its great fuel efficiency, in many applications up to 40% more efficient than gas piston engines of similar power rating. It also, as you just read, uses Jet-A fuel, which is widely available around the world and in many places far cheaper than avgas, not to mention that Jet-A is naturally unleaded. And because it’s turbocharged, the engine maintains its rated power to far higher altitudes than its gas piston competitors can. 

But the introduction of the engine was a disaster, with low time-before-overhaul times for critical components, poor reliability on top of that and spotty support, at least initially, from the airframe maker. Thielert itself declared insolvency, and Diamond took the extraordinary step of creating its own engine manufacturing subsidiary, Austro Engines. Thielert engines, now much improved, are produced in the United States by Continental Aerospace Technologies, though they have not had a strong uptake rate in the retrofit market, at least not yet. But given the aero diesel engine’s promise and demonstrated advantages over gas piston engines, many still believe its day will come at last. 

Electric Engines

At least to some degree, it’s not accurate to call electric propulsive devices “engines.” They are actually “motors” because, unlike engines, they don’t produce the energy that they convert into motion. Then again, the terms have become almost interchangeable, to the point that MIT’s guidance on the subject is that the two terms are, for all intents and purposes, interchangeable these days.  

The future of flight at this point looks to be electrically driven, so it would stand to reason that electric motors will be the new objects of study and fascination for pilots in the same way that Merlins and Double Wasps have been up to now. But it’s not likely to happen. Electric motors take electricity that’s stored elsewhere and translate it to a spinning prop. They are dirt-simple compared to even the most rudimentary gas piston engine. Maybe the new figureheads of aviation will be awesome new technology batteries? Yeah, that’s not likely to happen either, though it doesn’t mean we won’t be happy to have them in our lives. 

Six Modern High-Performance Piston Singles

The post Our Top 8 Game-Changing Airplane Engines appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.