Catching up with Jon Hansen and James DeHart of Hansen Air Group in Georgia.  They rep the lovely line of FK Lightplanes German composite aircraft for all of North America (except Florida.) *** Jon had just delivered the first FK 9 ELA to a customer, who was there when I came by with four of his six children, all boys.  Three of them, at least so far, want to be pilots like their dad.  Nice looking family as you can see. *** The FK 9 ELA (which will be redubbed Sparrow to avoid confusion - some folks think "E" means Experimental) is a handsome, clean airplane that deserves to capture attention.  There are a whole line of these immaculate S-LSA, including the FA-04 that set a cross-country flight record for LSA last year and the gorgeous FK-14 Polaris that was originally going to be offered by Cirrus until that company ran into difficulties last year. *** Jon also told me that Lycoming has given word that it's LSA-destined 233-LSA engine will begin deliveries at the end of the year after a period of R&D. The company is now taking orders, and it's reportedly less expensive than the 100hp Rotax 912.  Although 30 lbs. heavier than the Rotax, it delivers 115hp and has an alternator that pumps out 60 amps to power everything in the cockpit including the smoothie blender.  *** What?  You don't have an ASTM-certified smoothie blender in your airplane?  It's what's happening...I call mine the iSmoothie.  *** More on the Lycoming tomorrow. *** Also spent time with Powrachute's Voyager ElectraChute which as you can guess is electric-powered on 128 volts of li-po batteries.   These guys are a happening company with several gas-powered LSA models but the electric model is in a class by itself, if powered parachutes are your bag, so to speak.  More on this tomorrow too, gotta get to the field.

<> Jan Fridrich , head of Europe's LAMA, just sent me some intriguing stats from his comprehensive data crunching of S-LSA (or overseas equivalents) official registrations up to now. *** Europe continues to lead overall numbers with just under 1850 total.  The U.S. tally is now over 1200. *** Sales have been light for the majority of the 70+ suppliers but there has been some shifting of position in the ranks.  The top ten U.S. sellers to date are: *** Flight Design (CTLS, MC) 316 *** American Legend (Piper Cub models) 156 *** CubCrafters  (Piper Cub models) 136 *** Tecnam (P2008, several others) 133 *** Czech Sport Aircraft (SportCruiser) 126 *** Remos (Remos GX) 121 *** Jabiru (J-230, -250 etc.) 96 *** Evektor (SportStar Max) 91 *** TL Ultralight (Sting S4, Sirius) 73 *** AMD (Zodiac models) 72 *** You may be interested in how the numbers fall for country of origin of all 3-axis S-LSA registered aircraft: The U.S. and Czech Republic each represent 26% of the total, with Germany right there at 25%.  Australia and Italy make up another 18%. *** Again this is registration data, not actual numbers produced, but is a good medium term data point for tracking the health of the industry. *** Noteworthy in these stats is CubCrafter's climb to the third slot on the wings of a strong spring sales showing. *** Also moving up a notch ahead of Remos is Czech Sport Aircraft whose SportCruiser is now the PiperSport.   *** Also, kit airplanes as noted yesterday are doing relatively better than S-LSA on the short term at least with companies like Legend and Rans, which continues to steadily gain market share and is now 14th overall in registrations. *** Remos has been inexplicably quiet for awhile, more on that usually high-profile maker later. *** Finally, TL Ultralight also passed AMD (which has had airframe failure and redesign challenges). *** Beneath the radar as I said yesterday are the actual sales numbers.  FAA registrations which is the data Jan is massaging here will naturally lag behind. *** For example, I talked with Piper's Chief Pilot Bart Jones who's now involved with the PiperSport as well, and he confirmed Piper has sold "around 40" airplanes since January.  In this economy, that's robust.   *** Sidenote: Piper's dynamic CEO Kevin J. Gould resigned from his leadership of the company, part of a shuffle of the front office personnel.  No word on why he rode out of town.  I wish him well, I thought he was a strong and positive presence for the company but Imprimus, Piper's controlling interest, apparently felt otherwise. *** To repeat from yesterday's blog, an American LSA distributor told me he visited the Czech Sport Aircraft factory where PiperSports are built and saw 24 or more in various stages of assembly. *** Likewise Cessna, the other sleeping giant, is just ramping up delivery on its huge backorder log, which at one time was listed at more than 1,000.  No official word in the intervening three years from the Skycatcher's test setbacks to first deliveries on how many of those orders may have been cancelled but no horror stories are flying about, so we should see strong registrations from both companies in the next six months, which will if nothing else boost industry morale. *** Of course nothing boosts the feel-goods more than seeing airplanes going out your own door, and that's something that not many dealers can say just yet.  The prevailing mood seems to be wait-and-see among the buying public. *** Grateful thanks to Jan Fridrich for his inciteful latest report on the industry.

Recovering from the mud soup floods that crippled arrivals a few days ago (so many airplanes typically park on the grass), things began to dry out enough yesterday to bring robust opening day attendance, helped in large part by the beautiful weather.  Humidity was manageable, temps were in the mid-80s. *** A great start for EAA (which reportedly draws 45% of its yearly revenue from Airventure), with lots to see and talk about. *** Highlights: *** Yuneec, (which seriously needs to update its website), is the Chinese electric aircraft company that blew open the hangar doors of everybody's electric flight dreams last year with the debut of the beautiful E-430 all-electric S-LSA.  They've guarded some tasty secrets since, which came to light yesterday. *** I spent a half hour with Managing Director Clive Coote to get updated, here are some highlights (more details down the road, and in my electric flight article which will run in a P&P issue this fall). *** <> The E430 will likely begin deliveries end of 2011 or early 2012. *** <> Many improvements big and small to the graceful design, including removable wingtip to shorten the span by 7 feet for easier hangaring; *** <> Two - not one but two - new electric aircraft have been acquired and will be part of the rapidly-expanding Yuneec product line.  Both come from noted German designer Martin Wezel: the two-seat, t-tail Viva motorglider, German designed, that will also be S-LSA, with some phenomenal specs, including a folding propeller that streamlines to the nose cone, and a 38:1 glide ratio!  More on that soon. *** <> The second new airplane is called the Apis 2.  It's a single-seater with a retractable propeller pylon behind the pilot.  Here's a brief profile on Yuneec that ran last week in the NY Times. *** <> Meanwhile Yuneec displayed the eSpyder, an electric-powered single-seat ultralight based on the FlightStar marketed by Flight Design's Tom Peghiny that wowed the airshow crowds last year.  The e-Spyder is refined: longer wingspan, lighter structure...and twice the battery capacity. Clive Coote said flight times anticipated to be around an hour - the original projection when it debuted last year - and final price should be $27,995.  Still in development, deliveries next year also. *** <> Terrafugia had itsTransition Roadable Aircraft ("flying car" for us non-marketing types) on display.  The new model, which ditched the disappointing canard, sports a twin-tail boom design instead.  Here's a rendering, they don't have the full-scale mockup out yet. *** Current specs: ***

*** Max, Vh: *** Cruise, Vc: *** Stall, Vs: *** Range: *** Takeoff:

100 kts (115 mph) *** 93 kts (105 mph) *** 45 kts (51 mph) *** 425 nmi (490 mi) *** 1700' (518 m) over 50' obstacle

*** <> The boys at Midwest Sport Aviation showed off their Cheetah XLS, a tasty tube/fabric S-LSA which I hope to fly after the show.  Nice paint job!  *** <> The gang at Legend Cub had a good first two quarters although things inexplicably slowed down in June.  Enthusiasm for the new Cub Classic (under $100,000 - typically outfitted Legend Cubs go for upwards of $125,000) is yet to kick into high gear but company head Darin Hart says they're doing a lot of kit business.  Consensus is if pilots have the moolah to buy a Cub, they'll buy one fully tricked out.  Those more financially challenged (like myself) will typically find a used Cub or a rental at a local airport. *** <> Piper Aircraft reportedly sold 40 aircraft since announcing the PiperSport last January at Sebring.  One person who visited the Czech production facility saw 10 on the assembly line and another 12 ready to start. *** <> Those and other sales won't show up on the radar until they're actually registered.  FAA registration numbers for all S-LSA according to Jan Fridrich's latest tally were a fairly weak 68...but actual sales seem to be significantly higher. *** <> Meanwhile, other significant news is coming in a couple days from a longtime LSA producer and LAMA...stay tuned for news on Thursday.

Oshkosh has been deluged with a record downpour the last few days, which complicated arrivals because of the soggified grass fields...where most of the planes park and campers do their camping thing. *** Many airplanes were turned away over the weekend but nothing deters the Airventure show, which must go on. *** Several things already buzz, then out to the field for me to discover more and get things rolling (I got here late last night from the wonderful DC-3 Fly-In 4 hours south of here - half of the flying DC-3s in America, 35 total, turned up to be admired by thousands of visitors - a wonderful show.) *** Back to Oshkosh and LSA-centric events: *** <> If two flying cars aren't enough - the Terrafugia Transition and I-TEC Maverick I've reported on in the past- here's another one: the Caravella.  It's an intriguing work in progress and they're exhibiting at the show. *** <> Oshkosh never fails to deliver sheer wonderment but here's one for the books: a rocket-powered helicopter (terms you don't expect to hear together!).  Read about it here, but the short tell is hydrogen peroxide powers rotor-tip jets to get things going.   Endurance claim is 1.5 hours!  Can you say LSA green helicopter in one breath?  This amazing project deserves a closer look. *** <> Sonex Aircraft, which is working on its own electric-powered project, introduced the Onex , a single-seat, homebuilt E-LSA.  I'll have pix soon.  The bird has folding wings a la the F4U Corsair warbird (makes trailering legal) and will be powered by an AeroVee engine. *** Off to the show!

Call them "flying cars, flying motorcycles, flying dune buggies," or "roadable aircraft." Regardless of the correct term, a growing wave of these car-to-airplane machines are in various stages of development and most will be at AirVenture 2010. *** One of the newest entries is a kit with the lowest projected price among the group; all others are fully built and carry larger price tags. Check out the Caravellair, a three-wheel motorcycle adaptation portrayed on their website. They are predicting a kit for $50,000 but they need investment to get to finish development and get to market. *** The better funded Terrafugia effort is leading the sector and recently basked in the warmth of media spotlights after winning a weight exemption from FAA. Their PR success may be boosting the fortunes of the others. *** We've written about two four-wheelers: Transition -- which first flew in March 2010 and is presently undergoing further flight and roadway trials -- and Maverick -- a cool dune buggie-esque configuration that looks like a hoot to drive on the ground; it is reportedly on the verge of winning SLSA approval and is likely to be the first of these projects to win an airworthiness certificate. Both four wheelers will be at Oshkosh and here's the AirVenture opportunities for the three-wheeler projects. *** Taking a cue from Boeing, which kept its 747-8 home from the Farnborough show to pursue flight testing, Sampson Motorworks will not show their daring Switchblade as they did the last two years, but developer Sam Bousefield will give a forum on July 27 at 4 PM in Pavilion 08. The company's beautiful website has some great artist concept drawings and gives evidence of their work. *** Joe Caravella, a father and son team, will conduct a forum on their project Monday July 26 at 10 AM in the 002 GAMA Pavilion. Afterwards, Oshkosh trekkies can pay a visit to the company's exhibit in space 97. *** Hope we see you in Wisconsin -- come by the LSA Mall and say "Hi!" If you can't make Oshkosh, keep checking here for the latest LSA news.

Posting from the road:  I'm in Illinois covering a major DC-3 75th Anniversary event for Plane & Pilot for the next couple days, then on up to Oshkosh Airventure for the show all next week.  I'll be posting LSA news from the road but before I head out into the super-humid, super hot thunderstormy day, here's a couple things to look for if you're Oshkosh bound: *** LAMA Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association headed by Pres. Dan Johnson expects a robust event schedule for Airventure so I'll bring you updates whenever possible. *** Some tidbits for what's to come: *** <> The LSA Mall is full again this year even with the sluggish economy.  Here's who signed up: *** <> Flight Design (CTLS) *** <> Remos (GX) *** <> Piper (PiperSport) *** <> Arion (Lightning LS-1) *** <> Rainbow Aviation / 3Xtrim (Navigator) *** <> Breezer Aircraft (Breezer II) *** <> Pipistrel (Virus) *** <> Hansen Air Group / FK Lightplanes (FK-9 ELA) *** <> Tecnam (P-92 Echo Super) *** <>  Evektor (Sportstar) *** <> Jabiru, with two models (J-230 and J-170) *** <> X-Air (LS) *** <> Progressive Aerodyne (SeaRey) *** <> IndUS Aviation's Thorpedo *** <> Renegade Aircraft (Falcon) *** LAMA also signals a surprise announcement from IndUS at the show.   *** Aviators Hot Line, the sponsor of the LSA Mall, has a new "Aviators Helping Aviators" promotion to help LAMA members. *** Also on the bubble from our friends at Flight Design: *** At its annual press lunch next Tuesday, July 27, Flight Design USA prez Tom Peghiny and sales dude John Gilmore will have some things to talk about, including: *** <> New CTLS Floatplane is flying and on display at the booth *** <> CTLS Full-Motion Simulator (I've been wanting to try this out to see how well it mimics the CT - the ship I got my Sport Pilot ticket in) *** <> the CTLS Lite, announced at Sun 'n Fun, will be on display, I'll be flying it soon *** <> The MC is now an ASTM-certified legal SLSA (#109) and also approved in Europe *** <> Updates will be announced on FD's exciting Hybrid Powerplant project which I blogged some time ago *** <> And a surprise announcement from FD also. ***    ---photos courtesy Pipistrel and Flight Design

Over the years, I've increasingly seen AvWeb as one of the leading websites for aviation. I have often expressed appreciation to their staff for their frequent, balanced coverage of Light-Sport aviation. Certainly if you look beyond the big member websites of EAA and AOPA, AvWeb has the biggest influence I can perceive. Recently I made some agreement to present AvWeb items of interest to Light-Sport enthusiasts and here's one of them. *** Each week, AvWeb runs a survey and asks their 255,000 readers to weigh in on the question. Within days, 428 people had spoken their mind, and I found the results intriguing (chart). You can make up your own mind as to their meaning. *** In case the graphic doesn't read well on your screen, here are the response choices AvWeb editors offered: (1) The FAA should butt out and honor the original rulemaking that created Light Sport/Sport Pilot; (2) There are no major safety issues, but the FAA is sending a signal; (3) Increased FAA involvement was inevitable, and we might as well welcome their input and get it over with; (4) Manufacturers have to pull up their socks and ensure all standards are met; (5) LSA standards shouldn't be any less than full certification; and, (6) Other (My opinion doesn't appear as a choice.) *** Those who feel Light-Sport is functioning well using industry consensus standards for certification -- summing answers to points 1 & 2 -- represent 56% of those responding, however, even points 3 & 4 show support for LSA producers. Only 10% thought LSA should meet Part 23 Type Certificate compliance. Apparently the latter group doesn't worry about paying significantly more for an LSA if it means the FAA has given an aircraft the agency's blessing. In common pilot fashion, politically-speaking, a plurality felt the Fed' should simply "butt out" and let things proceed according to the original plan.

Politicians take actions that are often viewed negatively by small business owners, which term basically defines nearly every LSA producer. But sometimes government leaders do good things; this may be one of those stories. Even while EASA (the European equivalent to FAA) talks about job-killing regulations, perhaps the cottage industry of Light-Sport Aircraft discovered a new friend in high places. *** Breezer Aircraft makes a handsome and impressive all-metal airplane in the north of Germany. The design has been around a decade but new management took over in 2006 and they've been forging ahead. Among other positive developments, Breezer recently moved to a new airfield and they were surprised and pleased when a German state official showed up to helped commemorate the event. "Schleswig Holstein (the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany) Prime Minister Carstensen opened our airfield," boasted Breezer officials. "This is already pretty remarkable. But then PM Carstensen stepped into one of our aircraft and asked for a lift to his next appointment and this was quite astonishing." Can you imagine any American politician doing such a thing? *** "Prime minister Carstensen gave an amazing speech during our Grand Opening," reported the company. He focused on the initiative and the innovation of companies like Breezer that call Schleswig Holstein their home. Right before his talk, a flock of five Breezers arrived in formation from the LSA manufacturer's nearby temporary base at Husum EDXJ. *** Photos show Breezer Aircraft's new new airfield equipped with Terra Grid, grass planted in a pattern of solid material. "It's like an green aircraft carrier," they say. This new field more easily allows Breezer customers to visit by plane. *** Mr. Peter Harry Carstensen is President of the Federal Council (Bundesrat) of the Federal Republic of Germany and he is Prime Minister of the German State of Schleswig-Holstein. The President of the Federal Council ranks No. 2 in protocol after the German Federal President. Hmmm... maybe Mr. Carstensen can help LAMA Europe in its battle with EASA over the burdensome regulations they propose? At least it appears he's a friend of light aircraft.

One thing ByDanJohnson.com can do to introduce more people to aviation is to attempt to distribute news of recreational flying and Light-Sport Aircraft to a wider audience, preferably to a potential community of non-pilots many tens of millions strong. Our goal may sound ambitious but we want to do our part, bringing the message of more affordable aviation to the interested public. *** More than any other, we believe, ByDanJohnson.com concentrates on LSA news, reporting almost daily on this dynamic new sector of aviation. We can more widely circulate this news... to power sports enthusiasts, tech fans, and sportsmen of many stripes. *** In a related, parallel development, more and more folks are getting their news online or via mobile. Major drivers for this shift from print magazines are giant news-gathering websites like Google News. To be considered by this Internet leader a website must be a genuine news organization, not simply a blogspot. OK, fair enough. We decided to work on meeting their requirements; additional professional writers were part of the equation. *** Since the launch of ByDanJohnson.com in 2004, we've gone from an online library of hundreds of pilot reports and thousands of photos to a full-featured website with all sorts of free info resources such as our SLSA List, FIRM List, LSA Videos, PlaneFinder 2.0, and much more. But perhaps more importantly than any other, ByDanJohnson.com offers LSA news, right where you're reading it now. *** We have some big plans for the future as this website grows and matures, and we'll explain more as they emerge. At this time, we'd like to bring your attention to our growing editorial staff, part of meeting the Google News requirements. Perhaps you've noticed the bylines at the beginning of each home page article? With more reporter diversity than ever, we wanted to properly credit those who contribute. *** Please let me introduce you to each of our team members. Click here to read a few words about each person connected with ByDanJohnson.com. I am deeply grateful to have each of these people assisting me as I publish this website. --DJ *** One More Thing... Today, we added more videos to our list, bringing our total to more than half of all SLSA. Check out the newest ones and remember to turn on Alphabetic Listing to more easily pick the videos you want to watch.

Gang, with all the excellent publicity the Terrafugia Transition "roadable" LSA airplane has gotten this last year or so, you'd think they were the only game in town. *** Meanwhile, back at flying car HQ, here comes the sleeper, with some important news under its (canvas) hood. *** I've blogged about the Maverick Flying Car a couple times now (read earlier post). *** It's a project created by I-Tec in their mission to aid third world indigenous people in remote and rugged locales around the world. *** To paraphrase Luke Skywalker, if the Transition is the bright promotional center of the universe, the Maverick has been the planet farthest from it...until now. *** They've been quietly, and quite effectively, judging by the video below, getting the job done with their own unique approach to the flying car concept. *** Without further ado, check out the vid below of the Maverick LSA...Para-buggy, Para-Car, Dune-Chute, whatever. *** Make sure you check out the suspension and see how it handles the sand and all those bumps. *** Then read on and I'll tell you what's coming next week at Oshkosh. *** To reprise, it's the I-TEC Maverick Sport Model Flying Car. *** The company hopes to make an important announcement at Oshkosh Airventure. *** I'll let spokesman Troy Townsend take it from here: *** "The rumors are mostly true. All of our testing is complete and we...may have our final ASTM paperwork at Oshkosh or right after. *** Please come and say hello, we will most likely be with the Zenith aircraft boys at the Zenith booth." *** Watching the Maverick tool around in the boonies...then take to the air...is a masterful stroke of video producing. Gotta say, it gave me a little thrill. *** It even sounds cool! *** Or to evoke the movie Jerry McGuire, "You had me with the ground stuff!" *** --- image and video courtesy I-TEC

Yesterday in our Ultraflight Radio interview Jim Sweeney and I compared and contrasted two red-hot digital instruments for the cockpit: the Adventure Pilot iFly 700 and the Apple iPad with its tons of aviation apps; see my earlier post on the Zlin iCub. *** To learn more about these two amazing digital toys I also swapped emails with Walter Boyd of Adventure Pilot, who created and does all the incredible programming for the iFly 700. *** Full Disclosure: I just bought an iFly 700 yesterday -- couldn't deny myself any longer! *** First, the iPad, (projected to sell at least 6 million units by year's end -- over 3 mil already!), offers much more than a GPS moving map. As Walter acknowledges, it's a portable computer optimized for viewing rather than producing information, as on a laptop or netbook. *** Next, it's big: a 9.7 inch diagonal, beautiful bright screen. And also a bit heavy at 1.5 or 1.6 pounds (3G model). *** Other iPad features: <> a headphone jack but that's it for external device connections. <> connects via cell or wireless to the internet. <> runs a zillion aviation apps -- some free, some $99 or more; some with pricey yearly subscriptions; <> internal battery powers it for up to 10 hours. <> $499 to $829 depending on configuration *** iFly 700 features: <> has USB and MCX (external antenna) connectors for future upgrades to external devices <> is a non-FAA certified navigation "aid" with incredible interactivity: touch-screen point-to-point flight planning, airport information, TFRs, airspace info and AIM airport info. <> plugs into aircraft cigarette lighter or other cockpit power source, or accepts auxiliary battery power for up to 4 or more hours run time. <> requires a $69/year subscription for frequent updates, which includes ALL U.S. sectional charts including Alaska and Hawaii and also IFR charts. <> costs $499 including case and mounting aids. *** Clearly, these are two very different animals that intersect at the GPS moving map functionality crossroads. *** Which is right for you? Depends on whether you want the galaxy of fun apps that come with the iPad, or the iFly 700, a simpler, highly intuitive, powerful, extremely easy-to-use navigation aid. *** More details: *** Some of iPad's apps such as WingX Pro7 offer heaps of information but require annual subscription -- in this case, $99/year. To get sectional charts you need another app, ForeFlight Charts, for $10/year, but it's only charts. *** The iFly 700 allows "one-stop" navigating: Flight planning, route changes, airport info, nearest airport and more features are a fingertip touch away. And info displays right on top of the sectional chart. It's very cool, very easy to use, and just crammed with about any aviation data you could want. *** "The iFly 700 is dedicated as an aviation GPS," Walter Boyd told me. "Folks buy it for the simplicity of it. They don't want to search for and install software. They don't want to wonder whether a problem is hardware vs. software, and who should they call for a fix." *** The biggest difference between the two units is how each downloads information. "The iPad uses assisted GPS," Walter continues, "which relies on cell phone towers for initial location, which can take longer. If you lose the signal lock in flight, it may have a very tough time reacquiring the signal. Also, I don't think there's an option for an external GPS antenna so some cockpits will have GPS lock problems with the iPad." *** "Native GPS devices traditionally are smarter at finding their location. It's rather amazing: signals from the satellites don't go through anything that's visible, even a sheet of paper! They bounce around off buildings, roads, trees. Sometimes units receive echoes or inverted signals... and yet it all works somehow. It does explain why GPS sometimes has trouble locking on some days but not others. Ripples in the ionosphere can affect that, too." *** For those difficult situations, an external antenna can be put in the ideal location, but I don't believe you can do with the iPad, as it doesn't have a USB port." *** The big question I have, and I'm still looking for more information on this subject, revolves around the GPS legality issue. "FCC requires airborne cell devices like iPad to disable 3G transceivers by switching to 'airplane mode.' Acquiring signals from the air can set off cell towers for miles around, which puts an enormous drag on the wireless grid. That's why FCC doesn't want cell phones powered up in the air, and you can get fined for it." *** "Also, the iPad is big, and not an easy fit into every panel. We chose a 7-inch screen as the best balance of size and readability." *** For the iFly 700 (excellent FAQ), tap-in power isn't always reliable or available in aircraft. Many users (including me) buy auxiliary battery packs which power the unit for a few to several hours. That brings the overall weight into the same range as the battery-inclusive iPad, so call that one a push, although the battery can be stored elsewhere in the cockpit. *** There's so much more to say about these two devices, I could write a book on it... which would be obsolete before it hit the printers as the tech is evolving rapidly. *** Certainly the iPad with its 225,000 apps has tremendous appeal for aviators and gadget lovers alike. *** Colin Summers has a Top 20 iPad Apps article in the September 2010 issue of Plane & Pilot you'll want to read to clue you in to iPad's aviating chops. *** iFly 700 takes the other route: it's more conveniently sized, simpler, focused on its mission and highly capable at it, and expandable in ways the iPad may never be, such as being able to offer XM satellite weather and ADS-B (essentially a new technology in development that will be a low-cost, enhanced version of radar.) *** Upgrades due out next month include north-up or track-up orientation. *** One thing to remember... neither of these devices are certified by FAA for GPS navigation. Consider them "advisory" and as with any electronic device, make sure you've got analog instrumentation backup, a spare GPS, and/or a good old current sectional, just in case.

I had some fun today talking with Jim Sweeney, guest host of Roy Beisswenger's Ultraflight Radio Show. *** Our first topic was the state of the LSA industry. I first picked my pal Dan Johnson's satellite-view brain of the LSA Big Picture to glean we're looking at an industry that is weathering the economic storm and ready  for an upswing. *** Once the economy really ramps up, many observers feel LSA, which remain an incredible bargain compared to new GA airplanes, should pick up smartly. Let's toast that happy day! *** Meanwhile, Tom Peghiny of Flight Design USA tells me sales are picking up, particularly from his dealer network who are selling their inventory aircraft and ordering replacements. *** We'll post fresh market stats from Jan Fridrich after Oshkosh AirVenture on FAA registrations through mid-year but in general it's good to remember that companies are doing whatever it takes to survive in this prevailing market psychology of uncertainty. *** Some details: * Flight Design, (still #1 U.S. seller), Jabiru and American Legend lowered prices, created "economy" models or both, to stay competitive. * Flight Design has the CTLS Lite at around a $20,000 lower price, Jabiru dropped it's high winger by a like amount, and American Legend came out with its Classic J3, Continental O-200-powered model at $94,895. * Companies like Rans Aircraft and American Legend among others enhance their market appeal by selling both kits and ready-to-fly airplanes. Rans in particular has thrived for more than 25 years with this strategy and is still going strong. *** So although, as Dan says, the industry is still in a "bit of a funk", companies are finding ways to hang in there. *** As for the much-ballyhooed, yet-to-occur "shakeout" of the 77 companies producing ASTM-certified LSA aircraft since the beginning several years ago, a grand total of five have shut their doors or are up for sale. That's rather amazing. *** New airplanes continue to debut too: *** Two TL-3000 Sirius from SportairUSA (my flight report will be out in Nov. or Dec. Plane & Pilot) will deliver this month, and another right after Oshkosh, according to Sportair's Larry Martin.  *** Cubs still rule: Nearly 33% of all LSA sales are Piper Cub clones, says Dan. *** We thought of at least two good reasons: Light Sport flying is a recreational experience after all, and what speaks to simple, fun flying better than a Cub? (I'm getting time locally in a 1946 version myself, and having a blast.) *** Then there's the 75 years of trustworthy (and FAA certified) safe Cub operation. Older pilots inclined to still look askance at this brave new world of ASTM industry self-certification might believe their safest flying remains with the old-school, truly wonderful Cubbie. *** Positive signs for all you LSA-curious AirVenture visitors this year: Dan Johnson's LSA Mall should be full again. What a great way to compare your dream planes side by side. *** One last note: there are around 2000 LSA out there now. That's beginning to help companies stay afloat by providing parts and service to those airplanes. Flight Design alone has more than half a million parts on hand to do the job right. Engine overhauls, brake maintenance, and other services all help bring in revenue for those makers in it for the long haul. *** So let's keep our chins up by remembering that, with more than 100 LSA models to choose, there's enough variety and a broad enough price range to suit just about anybody looking for a way to do fun flying. *** My case is a perfect example: I can't afford to buy an LSA outright... so I'm renting one at $50/hour wet! Hard to say no to that deal, eh? *** So even if renting is the way you have to go for now, or shared ownership, or joining a club, there's no reason you can't find an LSA to help you get 'er done at a reasonable tariff.

News began filtering out today that FAA informed LAMA (Light Aircraft Manufacturers Assoc.) that it is strongly considering imposing new mandates on how S-LSA designs are approved. *** LAMA chairdude Dan Johnson sent a strong message to LAMA members that FAA may require LSA makers to pass compliance audits managed by a team of FAA inspectors, rather than the manufacturer-certified voluntary nature of the certification program as it now exists, where airframe builders can pay for an audit through LAMA, but are not required to do so. *** Earl Lawrence of EAA talked in depth about this development on the Ultraflight radio program Tuesday July 13th; check their archives to hear the full interview. I appeared on the radio show later in the program to talk about the state of the industry and what's coming with electric LSA. *** I also got more info from Dan on what this portends for the S-LSA industry as a whole. *** In addition to taking over the audit process, the specially trained FAA team would rigorously inspect the first production version of every new LSA model for compliance to ASTM standards. Only then would an airworthiness certificate be awarded. *** Dan noted that although nothing is out in official legalese yet from the Feds, the industry should brace itself for the possibility. *** All this comes on the heels of a recent FAA spot check of a number of manufacturers that demonstrated several companies were not maintaining full compliance with ASTM standards. Self-certifying that LSA are built to the ASTM spec is a vital -- and revolutionary -- underpinning of the entire LSA concept.  So when significant numbers of makers aren't toeing the line, FAA's "protect the public" mandate kicks into gear. *** Even though the safety record of LSA so far has been right in line with typical GA numbers, unairworthy LSA falling out of the sky is a nightmare scenario nobody needs or wants to see. The structural integrity problems and fatal crashes of Zodiac kit built and S-LSA models are a case in point. *** Dan Johnson, in his LAMA role sent a letter to members suggesting they review their compliance. He also said that he believes FAA will not make mandatory audits retroactive but instead limit them to new models coming down the pipeline, though he cautioned FAA has not decided a course of action at this time. *** More on this potential major story in the weeks to come.

Since everybody seems to be talking these days about flying cars, specifically the Terrafugia (the company excels at promoting its Transition model, which recently got a weight allowance boost from FAA), I thought I'd update my earlier post about the I-TEC Maverick Sport Model. *** It's a cool idea, this flying car developed for missionary work in third-world countries like the Amazon rainforest, where getting from village to village can be daunting to impossible for traditional vehicles. *** Instead of folding wings, it uses a paraglider-style canopy for lift. I-TEC (Indigenous People's Technology and Education Center) spent seven years in development. I talked with one of the I-TECcies at Sun 'n Fun 2010 and they're pretty proud of this compact, relatively inexpensive vehicle. *** Changing from road warrior to sky king takes just a few minutes. Once rigged, the fabric-fuselage Maverick lifts off in 250 feet, climbs at 500 feet per minute, and rips along at just under 40 knots. *** It tips the scales at the LSA-legal max of 1,320 pounds, with no special FAA allowance required. *** One nice innovation is the mast/spar system, which makes inflating the canopy easier than the conventional powered parachute method. *** The car/bird is Florida street legal now, can keep up with traffic on the highways, and rides and flies using the steering wheel and gas pedal. *** Floats are even available! *** [UPDATE 7/8/10 -- Jim Lawrence refers to "street legal," but LAMA auditor Jim Stephenson called to tell me I-Tec's Maverick was nearing approval as an official SLSA. We hope I-Tec can soon join our SLSA List as the newest Light-Sport once some queries from the Orlando MIDO are resolved. *** Why the mast, you ask? Maverick was created to serve missionaries working in the mountainous Andes where wide-open landing areas are very rare. Maverick's short takeoff helps, but the landing areas can be so compact and so rough that laying out the canopy in the conventional manner associated with powered parachutes doesn't work. The mast holds the canopy aloft for, and hastens, inflation. *** For a little fun, check the Maverick videos to see what a hot rod this flying car is when used on the road. --DJ]

Have you missed the great debate raging over the impending demise of 100LL? Many leading groups -- including AOPA and apparently EAA plus others such as the Green 100 Octane Coalition -- have endorsed a one-size-fits-all solution. *** But, hey! One size does not fit all. Light-Sport owners are aware their aircraft can operate just fine on 91 octane (premium) ethanol-free gasoline. The same can be said for 70%-80% of all piston-engine aircraft in the U.S. Indeed, more than 60,000 Autogas STCs have been granted from EAA and Petersen Aviation but such added approvals aren't needed by LSA powered by Rotax or Jabiru. *** Leading aviation alphabet groups show little support for the installation of ethanol-free Mogas pumps at GA airfields. One wonders why? Several benefits follow increased use of E-zero (E0) Mogas: * It's ideal for the vast majority of American aircraft including virtually all new LSA designs; * It would lead to an immediate reduction in the use of leaded fuels and its impact on the environment; and, * Switching from 100LL to Mogas would dramatically reduce the cost of flying for sport aviators and to flight schools adding LSA to their fleets. *** While FBOs claim that additional pumps are cost-prohibitive, one finds no shortage of 2-3 different fuels (100LL, ethanol-free premium Mogas, and in Sweden, 91/96UL) on most GA airfields in Europe, even though they do less flying than U.S. recreational pilots. Rotax does allow some ethanol but those powerplants are better off using 91 octane (premium) ethanol-free gasoline. *** What can you do to help? Several things: * Ask your state legislators and the EPA to pass laws prohibiting the blending of ethanol in premium gasoline. Refer them to the Ethanol Free Premium Coalition, to Fly Unleaded and to GA Fuels for details; * Speak with your FBO manager and your airport commissioners about the need for a second fuel pump for Mogas in order to assure a future for sport aviation and the 70%-80% of aircraft that do not require a 100 octane fuel; * Locate an E0 supplier by contacting gas stations in your area that sell it. You'll find a listing of these at Pure-Gas; * Visit local marinas and speak with boaters about the issue as they share the benefits of E0 Mogas. *** If you're attending Oshkosh 2010 check for a forum on this subject on 11:30 AM on Tuesday July 27th in Dake Pavilion 1. *** [...from Dan Johnson: I am pleased to announce a new writer to this website, Kent Misegades. A fuels expert, he will zero in on this important topic. In addition, look for more from Kent on light, recreational airplanes. Please join me in welcoming new ByDanJohnson.com blogger, Kent Misegades.]

A couple days ago I promised to follow up on the Paris Green Air Show so here we go. *** The show is held (2010 is the 2nd year) at the Musee Air + Despace, at Le Bourget airport, the field where Charles Lindbergh landed the Spirit of St. Louis and where the huge Paris Air Show takes place every other year (next up in 2011). *** It's mission statement is implicit from the phrase on the evocative splash drawing: "L'aviation du futur". It took a bit of digging and some web translations to find out more about the show that Gizmag first posted about the other day. *** The explosion of imaginative designs and concepts at the show is staggering: very much like the first years of aviation after 1903. Dirigibles large and small, including man-powered balloons; aircraft engines with zero CO2 emissions; aircraft powered by electric, solar and hydrogen fuel cell engines; noise and pollution reducing sustainable development concepts for airports, runways and aircraft "villages." All in all, quite a hoot; I'd love to go to the next one. *** Exhibitions included:

<> Sunseeker II and III, Eric Raymond's solar-powered motorglider that has 121 hours of flight logged and has crossed the U.S. on sunlight alone.

<> Alatus-M, an electric-powered ultralight composite motorglider with some amazing features: cartoppable like a hang glider, meeting German and American standards FAR-103), retractable engine platform, one person/40 minute setup. Electravia electric engine delivers 26 hp and a 1 hour 30 min. flight time. Empty weight is 253 pounds, with another 264 pound load capability. At current exchange rates, you can buy one today for $43,400. <> The APEV electric Demoichelle, an ultralight-style "flying ladder" wing and three-axis framework, initially powered by a small Rotax, now fitted with an electric engine: the AGNI 112 R electric motor, with Lithium Polymer KOKAM 74V batteries <> And here's a shot of the electric powerplant for the e-Fun Flyer para-trike I mentioned last post. *** Lots more to read about, check out the links above.

Let's have a little quiz. Ready? Four powerplant brands serve the Light-Sport Aircraft industry (well, not including the engine developed by CubCrafters... that's another story). Click to see them all. Most LSA use either Rotax Aircraft Engines, Continental, Jabiru, or Lycoming, with the popularity of these engines in roughly that order. *** So, here's the quiz: Which one of these engine brands is not majority American owned? Stumped? Most of you probably guessed, "Well, only Continental and Lycoming are U.S.-owed engine companies. Buzz! Wrong. The answer: Only Jabiru remains majority owned by a non-American company. Sold successfully around the world and in the USA through Jabiru USA, this engine manufacturer is owned by Australians. All the others are majority U.S. owned. Yep, even Rotax. (For ease of communication, most people just say "Rotax," but this major company stresses the full name is Bombardier Recreational Products Inc., (BRP) and its affiliated division, BRP-Powertrain manufacturing Rotax Aircraft Engines.) *** At a Sebring meeting of the SLSA Council -- an EAA-assembled group composed of the largest five Light-Sport producers -- Christian Mundigler, Sales Manager Powertrain Division, made a presentation that opened my eyes. Following a Sun 'n Fun 2010 discussion with BRP Director of Communications Roland Larochelle to be sure I had my facts correct, I can confirm BRP is 50% owned by Bain Capital, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Another 35% remains owned by the Canadian Bombardier family, and the last 15% is held by Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec, the largest pension fund in Canada. So, the largest share and the majority is American but Rotax Aircraft Engines are still manufactured in a sprawling plant in Austria (photo). *** Some folks still call Bombardier Inc., the owner/manufacturer of Rotax Aircraft Engines but that's also wrong. In December 2003, the company was reorganized and today Rotax Aircraft Engines is part of BRP-Powertrain. Besides the much beloved LSA powerplants (which hold an estimated 72% U.S. market share) BRP also owns such celebrated brands as Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo/Lynx, Can-Am, and Evinrude/Johnson.

Some odds and ends to share with you: *** If you love airplanes, you've got to go to Oshkosh at least once in your life. And if you're going to Oshkosh AirVenture 2010, you'll find a lot to enjoy. *** Most anything and everything that flies is represented in some way. Here's some highlights of this year's events: * Week-long Salute to Veterans -- WWI, WWII, Korean-era, Vietnam-era, and modern-day military aircraft, forums, presentations, and daily air shows. * the 75th anniversary celebration of the DC-3/C-47 and the B-17. * Musical concerts and spectacular shows: Opening day features Chicago (Monday, July 26th) * Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band (Friday, July 30th) * A night air show featuring the "Wall of Fire," (don't miss this!) with a concert by Asleep at the Wheel and fireworks to follow (Saturday, July 31st) * Mass balloon launch (Saturday and Sunday, July 31st and August 1st) * Electric aircraft displays, forums, and demo flights (with an all-day World Electric Symposium on Friday, July 30th) * 500-plus forums and workshops, and nightly movies at the outdoor Fly-In Theater * Daily afternoon air show with top aerobatic performers and Spirit of Aviation aircraft auction. *** This year is my 30th visit, but Oshkosh never fails to excite. *** Also up: Michael Combs has now flown more than 13,442 miles on his Flight for the Human Spirit odyssey that will eventually carry him and his Remos GX more than 19,400 miles. He's currently in Denton, TX (40th state so far) after a maintenance stop. Michael experienced delays Saturday and Sunday from high winds aloft and a touch of illness. *** In the photo, Michael's Remos GX, dubbed Hope One, is tucked under the wing of Flagship Detroit -- the oldest flying DC-3 in the world. *** And finally for us wattheads, the Paris Green Air Show just wrapped up and tech webzine Gizmag was there with some tasty coverage of electric powered aircraft; I'll cherry pick the LSA-centric items in a future post, but here's a couple teaser photos: the flight of an electric paraglider trike called the e-FunFlyer and the Green Cri-Cri mini-electric airplane with four electric motors, a joint project of EADS Innovation Works and Aero Composites.

If you want to have a rocking good time without ever leaving your seat, check out this video clip of an upcoming film titled, "No Second Chances." Billed as "an Alaskan bush adventure on steroids" if this teaser is any indication, ho shee mama, this ought to be some flick!    *** The bigger news, as Dan Johnson covered earlier with some interesting historical perspective, is the announcement by SportairUSA of the Bush iCub. *** Dan points out that the new LSA isn't another Cub Clone a la the Legend or CubCrafters versions, but an evolution of the Savage Cub, Cruiser and Classic line of light sport airplanes put out by the Czech Republic's Zlin Aviation since 1999. *** I'd like to get my hands on the Bush version and go do some dirt-whompin'. It's got a 7-inch extended landing gear, 1.25-inch axles, big fat bush wheels and other mission-specific enhancements. *** Some of the interesting specs (you'll find the full Monty on the website) include: * Short field performance: take off run as little as 147 feet, landing run 249 feet, depending on configuration; * 36 mph stall speed * 565-pound useful load (515 pounds if equipped with the extended gear and 26-inch balloon tires); and, * a price under $100,000. (Other versions are priced as low as $77,900 complete.) *** And of special interest is the panel-mounted addition of an Apple iPad "Information Center" (the iPad has already sold 3 million copies in its first 80 days!)  The display comes pre-loaded with several aviation and navigation apps.  Very curious to see just how useful this aviation application of the iPad turns out to be. *** The software that comes with the electronic tablet includes: * WingXPro7, a GPS-Enabled Terrain-Aware moving map with touch screen interface * ForeFlight Mobile HD, which displays VFR/IFR charts, radar, flight rules, approach plates * Topo Maps * digital version of the Ultimate SAS Survival Guide and lots more. *** And yes, it docks in the panel so you can take it with you after flying.

*** SportairUSA, run by Bill Canino, will distribute the bird, which is powered by a 100-hp Rotax engine.  The outfit already markets the lively composite Sting low wing cruiser and the new Sirius high wing beauty which I flew at Sun 'n Fun and will be writing up in the next few days for magazine. ***

Meanwhile, check out the iCub, from a company that's been around more than a decade and has managed to sell enough airplanes to keep it in the U.S. top 20 since LSA began, even though it's not one of the better-known manufacturers this side of the pond. *** But since 20% of all U.S. LSA registrations are Cub-a-like aircraft, perhaps the iCub will help change all that.

SportairUSA, run by proprietor Bill Canino, has long been an innovator in the LSA business. His company doesn't build Light-Sport airplanes but Bill has triggered several interesting add-ons: he was one of the first (along with Flight Design USA) to install parachutes on all StingSports; he developed the GreenLine engine monitor system, he offered the Straight & Level button to help those caught unexpectedly in no-visibility conditions; and last year at AirVenture he rolled out the ForeSight enhanced visibility system... and this list is not exhaustive. *** For AirVenture 2010 just six weeks away, he's got a whole new concept. First is iCub. Previously distributed under the model name Savage (still retained for some models), the sorta-Cub-like taildragger manufactured by the Zlin company of Czech Republic will now be distributed by SportairUSA, adding to their low-wing Sting series and their high-wing Sirius , both built by TL Ultralight in Czech. But iCub is more than yet another Cub replica adding to offerings from American Legend and CubCrafters. For one it's powered by Rotax -- the other two prefer the Continental -- and it's shorter coupled. Both differences provide stronger performance. But it's better, much better (well, at least if you're an Apple fan like 100 million other owners of their iPod/iPhone/iPad line). *** The primary instrument in iCub is... an iPad. Yup mounted right in the panel and given an enormous ecosystem of apps -- some of which are for aviators -- iPad can offer tremendous versatility at lower cost than present avionic offerings. A tandem seater like the other two Cub replicas, iCub instrumentation for the rear seat occupant is... an iPhone 4. Both can run the same software and both are devices a huge number of people already know how to use. How cool is that!? Plus, it has on-board wireless for the devices to talk to one another and to another iCub within reception range. *** Price of the iCub is projected to be below $100,000 even with extended gear and 26-inch tundra tires; thousands less than Legend or CubCrafter models. The iCub website just went live and in-person demos are planned for the big summer airshow. Better come check it out.