FAA permits two place hang glider for instructional purposes, and believe me, every one going for a flight is going to learn plenty. Still, an instructor needs to know his or her student and preflight coaching is essential. To achieve a perfect safety record, Mike has clearly set some proper techniques to work for him.
Check this figure — Over his years in business, Mike reports taking more than 5,000 tandem flights from hills around San Francisco. For comparison, imagine giving 5,000 Young Eagle flights. In that context, 5,000 becomes a very big number. You can do your own math on how long it takes to achieve that.
Each of Mike's tandem flights isn't walking out on the airport ramp and hopping in a plane for an hour. Coaching, driving up to the launch site, setting up the glider, launching into flight, and retrieving from landing consumes much more than an hour even if the flight itself may be short. Doing this thousands of times with excellent success speaks to using best practices.
So, Mike comes to flying 
Look at that cockpit view (a different angle shows in the video). What more could you need?
Mike keeps his AirBike on the same airport as 
Update 2/17/20 — From a commenter whose handle is “Concerned Citizen” on Videoman Dave’s YouTube channel comes this update on Mike’s flight home: “Mike left Copperstate Sunday morning and made three legs, stopping in Blythe, Bermuda Dunes, then Banning due to severe winds and rain. After a two-day layover with strong wind gusts, Mike made a hop to Rosamond, then the next day, an incredible dawn-to-dusk day, flying from Rosamond, near Edwards Air Force Base, to Corning, California! …nearly 500 miles and eleven hours in a single day! The little Rotax 447 was flawless the whole trip. Mike. Is. Da. MAN!” —DJ Most motorcyclists say 900 miles on a bike is a long trip. Seems reasonable. How about when it’s an aerial motorcycle? …out in the breeze, smelling the air, feeling the hot or cool — hmmm, sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Meet a man who recently made such a flight, over three days, and taking 17 hours of flight time to reach Copperstate 2020 with his legs out in the breeze (pretty true to the motorcycle metaphor, don’t you think?).
Just one year ago, I flew Tucano for the first time. The small-scale fighter-like aircraft was dashing with its modified Rotax 912 producing 140 horsepower.
This year, that experience was updated with the Tucano 915iS. The newest from Austrian aircraft engine leader, Rotax, adds only one additional horsepower but with its turbocharger and intercooler, the comparison was striking.
In a phrase: Tucano 915 climbs enthusiastically from take off to 10,000 feet without a decaying rate of climb.
As you can see in the image below, Tucano 915 easily maintained well over 1,000 fpm; we went to about 9,500 feet. All the way, 915 appeared to easily compensate for the change in altitude that my ears confirmed was happening.
Before I can write about cruise speed or fuel economy with Tucano 915, I want to again remark that Tucano conveys a visceral appeal. It feels like you think a fighter cockpit should feel. The two I've flown were finished with military gray inside and you sit lower in the cockpit, covered by a huge, very sturdy canopy that affords a very wide field of view.
One of the reasons why Videoman Dave and I attend smaller events is because we can do a particular kind of work while visiting: Video Pilot Reports. We've now done many dozens of these (among some 700 total videos on Light-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot kit aircraft, and ultralights).
Interviewing developers, pilots, and enthusiasts about all sorts of airplanes is our stock-in-trade. People approach us at shows all the time expressing how much they enjoy these YouTube videos.
These range 7-15 minutes long, take an hour or so to shoot and a day or two (sometimes more) to edit and publish on 
Strapping six or seven cameras all over the airplane, discussing what we want to accomplish aloft, video recording takeoffs and landing, sometimes shooting video and stills from a second airplane, and then doing what we call a "stand up" near the airplane where we review the flight qualities discovered during an hour or so of flying. VPRs are a fun and a learning experience. Viewers appear to love them. Yet they drink up lots of time and trying to do these at a jam-packed major show is difficult or impossible. Hence, our love of events like 
After discovering the model a year ago, we did a interview with Garret Komm at last year's Copperstate. We followed up with more at EAA AirVenture Oshklosh last year as well. The two interviews have been seen some 70,000 times (both videos) and have introduced his Mule experimental amateur built kit to the many who enjoyed watching.
At 
To start this year's event, 
It started with a seemingly simple product. Since long before recreational aircraft arrived, the invention that launched the Rotax brand was a "rotary axle," a freewheeling hub that advanced the then-state-of-the-art in bicycles.
Get it? ROTary AXle. This goes way back; a patent was issued in 1906 to entrepreneur designer, Friedrich Gottschalk, only three years after Orville and Wilbur Wright (also bicycle guys) made their first flight.
Gottschalk owned a successful bicycle components factory in Dresden, Germany at the turn of the previous century. A cyclist himself, he became a full-support producer, making everything needed for bicycles: brakes, tires, seats, and more. "Anyone who considered themselves as a cyclist wanted a bicycle with a Rotax freewheel hub," said the Austrian company.
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To aviators, the company's compact and light weight engines are seen on many kinds of aircraft, supplied by more than 250 OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers).
"Our goal is always to maximize the fun and to minimize the weight," said Rotax. "Our experienced engineering team and a wide spectrum of R&D facilities guarantee Rotax can deliver customer-oriented solutions and exceed customer expectations."
All Rotax aircraft engines "are approved for operation with Ethanol 10, automobile gasoline, and aviation-grade fuels." In many countries where avgas is hard to find or unavailable, premium auto gas can be used — in fact, expert repair stations often report engines run on auto gas look even cleaner when brought in for inspection or maintenance.
"Low running costs and a design that pioneers power-to-weight ratio is why a majority of aircraft manufacturers worldwide place their trust in our technology," boasted Rotax. Distribution and service of the tens of thousands of Rotax aircraft engines and parts is performed by 200 authorized distributors, service centers and repair centers all over the world.
"As the largest producer of small gasoline aircraft engines in the world, our aircraft engines are the first choice of more than 250 aircraft manufacturers around the globe."
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. (
Overview
However, as he added, "All did not have the same experience. Kitfox registrations increased by 60% (as the Idaho company appeared to lose some momentum in 2018). Van's Aircraft grew by 44% and Rans by 20% but Zenair/Zenith and Sonex were modestly off their previous pace (see chart below)."
For reference, here is our 3Q19 market share report with additional details you might find interesting.
Steve wrote, "Regarding Icon's numbers, note that historical figures often differ from what was previously reported," in this case with Icon and its A5. He continued, "This happens because FAA continues to perfect its data. For example, for 2018 the agency reported 57 Icon A5s as '2018' aircraft but FAA data clerks switched 11 of those to '2019' once their late-in-the-year paperwork was done. Thus, we now report fewer than 57 Icons for 2018."
Despite these necessary adjustments, we maintain the figures used in this report are the best available and are of very high reliability. In fact, the adjustments Steve and I make are proof of the effort to report accurate, dependable data.
As always, I offer a loud and heartfelt THANKS! to Steve Beste for his work to make this information available.
In general terms, Steve noted, "Alternate aircraft offer a mixed picture."
He reported, "We have no change from our third quarter 2019 report: Gyroplanes registrations are slowing slightly but are still hot. Trike registrations are holding steady. Powered parachutes registrations are off a bit (nearby chart).
Gyroplanes
Weight Shift Trikes
About this Report — “SP Kits” means Sport Pilot kit aircraft referring to amateur-built aircraft that can be flown by a pilot possessing a Sport Pilot certificate, or a pilot holding a Private Pilot certificate or higher who is exercising the privileges of Sport Pilot — meaning no aviation medical is required. Since Sport Pilot, as a form of pilot license, only arrived in late 2004, we collect information from FAA's Aircraft Registration database for all applicable kit-built aircraft that can be flown by a Sport Pilot plus, of course, all Special or Experimental LSA. Although some of the same kit aircraft existed before January 1, 2005, we omit them as it cannot be said those older aircraft could be flown by someone with a Sport Pilot certificate. This also evenly and fairly compares SP Kits with SLSA and ELSA.
** When using our online market share reporting system called 
How about this for a great way to start off the new year — a brand-new airplane? Both pilot and manufacturer are smiling and with good reason: both are winners in this transaction, as it should be.
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As we kick off a new year and a new decade, it feels like the starter's timer has just been clicked into action. The next four years should prove to be highly interesting — and for all of aviation, not only Light-Sport Aircraft, Sport Pilot kit aircraft, and ultralights. Change can be difficult, but it's coming. For the most part, I feel this is heading in a great direction even if some may struggle with elements of the new rule.
Earlier, an 
In this article, I will answer some common questions. The goal is not to repeat the earlier info but to provide clarification. Call this an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) review.
Light-Sport Aircraft are being presented with new opportunities and I hope both manufacturers and pilots will take full advantage of all the new rule may offer.
Higher speeds
Perhaps more to the point, will FAA allow you to fly a 2,500-pound GA airplane with a Sport Pilot certificate …without getting a Class 1-2-3 medical? Alternatively, can a Sport Pilot fly a 3,000-pound new LSA? We don't know this either.
Our hope is that FAA will allow the Sport Pilot certificate to be used to fly heavier, more capable aircraft perhaps using the logbook endorsement method employed today. For example, a basic SP certificate does not allow flight into Class B airspace until the pilot has received additional training for this. However, after getting more instruction, a SP ticket holder can fly into Class B once securing only a logbook endorsement (no further testing is needed).
The last airshow (
One of the most anticipated of these new Light-Sport Aircraft seaplanes is the 
"As 2019 draws to a close, we are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership with 
Earlier, as Vickers' team anticipated a higher weight — as did 
We begin a new year shortly and will keep our focus on the many enjoyable light airplanes. This industry and the pilots it serves have an exciting four years ahead as 
How about 
Until that rule arrives — probably in late 2023 — "Whisper can be a nice step up in airspeed and weight limits within the Experimental Amateur Built class." Deon's now-Florida-based operation will offer Whisper in kit form or quick-built kit. It can be completed as a taildragger or tricycle gear (nearby photos).
Deon said Whisper will require about "half the airframe build time of an RV or Lancair in a very strong composite sandwich material, with UV and lightning protection." He reported the structure has been tested to handle a 12G load.
One is already approved and flying in the USA, Deon reported, using a slightly smaller Lycoming engine at present. Some 25 are presently flying in South Africa.
Whisper is, he added, "a fast and roomy aircraft, with a lower profile, making it about 10 knots faster than a RV 7." 
Fortunately, you can stay where it's warm and just watch — thanks to new videos from DeLand. While I missed my 
The following information and quotes come from a 
Regretfully, since DeLand closed and they flew the aircraft to its base, TQ bosses decided to sell the aircraft and are bringing Sebastian Glück back to Germany, leaving Daniel (Er-Jin) Jang to carry the TQ flag in America.
Learn about all TQ products at 
Visitors to the inside displays at Deland Showcase 2019 saw a new Flash 2 four-blade prop on display in the 
Opening day at 
SunDancer may be consider two airplanes in one, partly as it can be either a very efficient and surprising speedy cruiser or a motorglider capable of genuine soaring flight, but also because it comes with two wing extensions. SunDancer motorglider can exchange removable wing extensions boosting wingspan from 42 feet 8 inches (13 meters) to 49 feet 2 inches (15 meters). Glide goes from a respectable 26:1 to 30:1.
If you've never thought about what that kind of reach means, try drawing a 30:1 line on a computer or graph paper (for reference, 1:1 is a 45° slope). If you're precise what you'll see looks essentially like a horizontal line. From 6,000 feet you can glide to almost any point you can see, presuming no wind resistance. Of course, this is also the reason why speed brakes are valuable; you'd be hard pressed to land on a long runway because SunDancer might keep gliding right past the end.
Clearly, cruising from the West Coast to East Coast shows SunDancer to be a serious travel machine for two occupants. Tomazin said you can range 800 miles and carry 100 pounds of baggage.
SunDancer grosses at 1,320 pounds like most LSA but has a fairly light empty weight of 639 pounds. It is powered by either the 80- or 100-horsepower Rotax 912.
According to FAA Part 61.23, "A person is not required to hold a medical certificate … when exercising the privileges of a Sport Pilot certificate with privileges in a glider or balloon," with the definition of a glider being "…a heavier-than-air aircraft, that is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of the air against its lifting surfaces and whose free flight does not depend principally on an engine." SunDancer easily qualifies.
Here's further motorglider advice compliments of Jim Hanson writing for our friends at Midwest Flyer (
"With their large wing area, [motorgliders] offer low stall speeds, fast climb, and near-STOL capabilities. They usually employ glider-like spoilers or airbrakes for direct lift control and steep descents." Speed brakes offer both dramatic and precise lift control despite their relatively small size; one secret is the exact placement on the wing's chord. Their power and usefulness prompted Hanson to add, "Once you fly an aircraft with spoilers, you’ll wonder why every airplane doesn’t have them."
No question, motor gliders have their intriguing qualities and might deserve serious attention. Priced quite reasonably (definitely so compared to motor gliders like a Stemme S-12), SunDancer is a good value at around $135,000.
Here's a short video recorded at DeLand Showcase 2019. A more detailed video will follow later.
You can relax, though. It should warm up to more respectable temperatures as the show starts and continues. So this seems like a great time to attend the 
However, I have inquired on several occasions to learn an Aventura kit can get airborne for just over $50,000. The base airframe kit is less than $40,000 and you have several engine options including 
"Only basic shop tools are required and an assembly manual is provided with clear crisp details of each assembly," added Walstrom. "The airframe is aluminum (the structural part of the aircraft) and the hull is made from fiberglass (which simply provides flotation). All hardware and everything required to assemble the kit is included. All of the aluminum is anodized (inside and out) to maximize corrosion protection from the elements."
Walstrom further glowed, "These aircraft are capable of taking off and landing in less than 250 feet!"
In Florida or other suitable climates, Aventura's open-sided cockpit lets the wind whistle through your hair while you rest your arm on the window sill. Retractable landing gear is standard; it’s mechanically actuated or an electric linear actuator is available as an option.
Learn more by attending 
Since the Sebring show bid a final farewell last spring, DeLand will be the last light aircraft show until Arizona's 
In the previous runnings of the DeLand Showcase, weather has been not just good but spectacularly good. One late afternoon last year experienced rain and some wind — after a full day of decent weather. However, every other day of DeLand has enjoyed temperatures in the low 80s (close to 30° for you Centigrade users) under sunny skies and with plenty of vendors to keep you looking (list below).
Show Director Jana Filip, her husband Gary, airport manager John Eiff, and a significant army of volunteers do a marvelous job making sure things are set up right and run well during the event. Doing the bulk of the planning, Jana and Gary reveal years of experience, building in short order a new event that seems like it has ample experience. This is no big surprise as Jana was in charge of the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo for several years before being lured away by the City of DeLand to start up and run their new event.
In addition to the Showcase event, DeLand is creating a 
Follow this link to see all exhibitors
