Day two of the year’s first show, Sebring was a bit cooler and windier but still a fine day as the photos show. I would guess crowds were as good or better than yesterday not even counting a large contingent of ROTC candidates visiting for the day.
Zenith continued to garner lots of attention for their supersized SuperDuty CH-750 variant. Larger wings (six feet more span) and tail feathers are mated to a common 750 fuselage (construction time for which has been reduced through higher tech). The SD is powered by an Aero Sport Power IO-375 producing 205 horsepower. The show example was a three seater that grosses at 1,900 pounds. An 1,100 pounds empty results in an 800 pound useful load. This is the model with the distinctive Unpanel™ instrument system that works like a swivel-mounted flat screen TV in your living room (but better because it’s in your airplane).
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Bulldog — Autogyro
One of the most eye-catching aircraft I saw in the immense halls of Aero was the Bulldog Autogyro, a superbly finished prototype almost too good to fly. However, developer Barry Jones says he will put it in the air in late July 2015 and his 20+ years of military helicopter flying are experience to back up the claim. Join us in this video to hear more about this beautiful autogyro exhibited with such style at the major German airshow.
AutoGyro VPR — Calidus tandem gyro (2014)
In our first VPR (Video Pilot Report) on a gyroplane, we go aloft with Robert Snyder in the biggest selling brand, AutoGyro, flying their two place tandem Calidus. If you’ve ever thought about gyroplane flying, this video may answer some questions you always wanted to ask. Multiple in-flight cameras give you a good feel of being in the cockpit; Robert and I describe all aspects of flying a gyroplane. Come on along and enjoy. (TRT: 22 minutes)
AutoGyro — MTO Gyro Amphibian
At Sebring 2013, we found something that we haven’t seen before. Oh, we know about gyros and have reported earlier on the AutoGryo company. Here we feature an amphibious float-equipped gyroplane or gyrocopter. Represented in the USA by Soaring Concepts, let’s have a look at what UltralightNews has tagged the “gyrophibian.” Lot’s to learn here; join us.
AutoGyro — Calidus (gyroplane)
“Wind is your friend” in a gyro. That means take off is faster when the wind blows down the runway. But neither is wind, like crosswind, a problem; commonly we see gyros operate in wind conditions that keep light fixed wings airplanes on the ground. Flying a gyro is more like flying a fixed wing than flying a helicpoter. In this video we get lots of info about gyroplane flying. Let’s go!
Gyroplanes and Autogyros … Same or Different?
(Images updated 9/2/15)
Are you intrigued by airplanes that spin their wings? Helicopters are out of the budget for most pilots but have you ever sampled a gyroplane? Whatever your answer, you should know that Rotax Aircraft Engines reports selling more 912 powerplants to gyro producers than to any other airplane segment. Most of those are sold outside the USA.
Americans like and do fly gyroplanes, of course. Most associate the type with the Bensen Gyrocopter, but the history record reveals its overseas start. Again today, gyros are predominantly a non-U.S. phenomenon, a fact LAMA is trying to change through its advocacy efforts to press FAA to reconsider the fully built SLSA gyro as once envisioned under the SP/LSA rule.
While most pilots can identify a gyroplane, they mentally picture an aircraft with the engine in the rear. That isn’t always the case, though.
How about the “odd” looking gyroplane pictured with this article, with its tractor engine?
Bulldog Autogyro Revives a Rich, Stylish History
Update 4/29/15 — See our just-posted video interview with Bulldog Autogyro developer Barry Jones for even more information about this airplane that has captured so much attention.
In the eleven magical halls of Aero, airplanes are packed into every nook and cranny. Because of the focus of ByDanJohnson.com, most of my time was spent in the “B” halls where B-1 through B-4 are exclusively the realm of light aircraft … a few kits but primarily ready-to-fly aircraft in a variety of descriptions. These include fixed wings and amphibians, gyrocopters, weight shift trikes, and even a few drones plus all manner of components like props, wheels, emergency parachutes, and more. About the only categories missing from the LSA segment of aviation are powered parachutes or airships.
A few light aircraft are located in the “A” halls, partly due to available space being taken in the “B” halls and possibly as those vendors prefer to be on the GA side of the event.
Kit Aircraft Are Up; New Sales Are Off — Recreational Aviation Copes with Covid
Our fastest-with-the-mostest partner tracks the health and performance of the light aircraft industry and is once again punctual. Datastician Steve Beste has proven his capabilities to collect the registration data quickly, accurately, and with an insider’s viewpoint. Steve is a trike pilot, so he is “one of us.” In his former life he was a database expert in the tech field explaining his great facility with these systems.
Here we are reporting facts for the period of April, May, and June 2020. Given the spectacular upheaval around the world, I’m happy to see the recreational aircraft industry holding its own fairly well. Reporting for the companies making larger, heavier aircraft, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association also reported sales are down. I cannot imagine anyone is surprised.
If I was reporting numbers for the restaurant, bar, hotel, airline, theater, sports, or concert industries it would be an ugly bloodbath. This report is far less glum and beaten-down than those enterprises.
Back to the Future… Let’s Go to Oshkosh (OK, from last year) for a Full Tour of Light Aircraft
It’s almost July and any active pilot knows what that means: Oshkosh! Except not this year. ☹️
I interrupt the ongoing battle with Covid-19 to take you on a nostalgic tour of Oshkosh-19. View this excursion by video below.
Hey, when you can’t go to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2020, why not simulate from the safety and comfort of your home or backyard? Just like Netflix urges you — “Watch It Again!”
This brief virtual tour of aircraft and people from AirVenture last year may have you wishing you were starting to pack your bags for the big show this year …sigh!…
Oshkosh Redux
Sometimes called “Disneyland for Airplanes,” if you like things that fly — whatever form they take — you can probably find it at Oshkosh. Like a kid in a candy store, everywhere you look offers sweet temptations.
Oshkosh is so sprawling you can’t see it all but this post along with the video below tries to capture objects of interest to readers of this website and viewers of Dave’s “The Ultralight Flyer” YouTube Channel.
Full-2019 Market Share Report for Light-Sport Aircraft and Sport Pilot Kit Aircraft
We have a new year upon us. With our new reporting capabilities for LSA and SP kit market shares, we can now quickly report results from 2019.
A huge thanks to our supreme “datastician,” Steve Beste for making such swift and accurate reporting possible. I assure you that I’ve looked high and low for every year LSA have existed to find no comparable information.
As always, be advised that our data comes from FAA’s aircraft registration database. That means it is impartial — hopefully meaning reliable and dependable — but it also means some massaging of the information is needed to be completely accurate. (See this article for more detail on the effort involved; it is not trivial.) Steve’s valuable ability to manipulate database resources combines with his knowledge of light aircraft to make an unbeatable combination.
As much as any data allows — and as the saying goes… “you can take this info to the bank.” It’s solid!
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