ST. PAUL, MINN — New-age harnesses have arrived. They feature several innovations, but perhaps the most salient is the integral BRS rocket (to deploy the ‘chute of course). Don Quackenbush of Sylmar produces the Mantis harness, a beautiful example of the harness-maker’s art. The rocket is almost entirely tucked inside the harness with only a few inches of the launch tube showing. This with BRS designers’ blessing. Pilots seem excited about the harness, “…can’t stop talking about the comfort, easy pitch control, and flashy fluorescent colors.” Dial Don at 818/367-6050. ||| Another is Jeff Williams’ Avsac harness, a second harness designed with integral BRS rocket. Jeff uses a different style but achieves similar rave reviews from Region 2 flyers. Jeff is also sail loft manager for Pacific Airwave so you can reach him at 408/422-2299. ||| Speaking of BRS, the rocket maker has three new products. One is advertised in this issue: their Cordless model.
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Product Lines – March 1990
ST. PAUL, MINN — Easily the biggest news in American hang gliding is Bill Bennett leaving glider manufacturing. After Delta Wing celebrated their 20th Anniversary last year this would come as a shock! But, “It’s nonsense!” replies Bill. True, UP International will now be building Uncle Bill’s successful Dream series. Also true, he stopped his ads. But Bennett reports he and old crony Dick Boone have recently collaborated on a new high performance design. It just flew at Torrey; they’re pleased. Before the unfortunate loss of his wife Paulette, due to cancer, Bill wanted to eliminate some obligations to dedicate more time to his ailing spouse. Licensing the Dream to UP for 3 years was part of this effort. Delta Wing may next move to smaller quarters. ||| Bill was also considering a bid on the beach operation up near Monterey, a site currently served by Jim Johns’ Western Hang Gliders.
Product Lines – February 1990
ST. PAUL, MN — Used to writing “1990” on your checks and letters yet? A new decade begins to unfold… against a backdrop of the most astounding political changes of modern history. The effects of the so-called “democratization” of eastern Europe may have profound influence even on lil’ ol’ hang gliding. USHGA Boss Jerry Bruning sent along a copy of a FAX to Prez Russ Locke. The letter from General Director Kakurin of Interaero requests info on the U.S. competition schedule for 1990. It seems Soviet pilots may plan to attend some contests. Interaero’s duties for the Soviet HG Federation also include the inviting and receiving of foreign teams to its own competitions. Most notably Comrade Kakurin suggests the “Peace Cup” and the USSR Championships. The Peace Cup is in May; the Championships in July. ||| Also in the month of May, Brian Milton (remember him?) will kick off his Superleague.
A Civilized Kolb Sport 600
My first thought when I exited the Kolb Sport 600 after flying it was, “This is a very civilized aircraft.” Is that typical of what we can expect when light-sport aircraft (LSA) become the law of the land? I sure hope so|though I also hope Part 103 ultralights and kit aircraft continue to enjoy a solid share of the overall market.
With its sleek composite exterior, all-metal wing, custom interior, international (Canadian) design heritage, and cross-country performance, the Sport 600 from New Kolb Aircraft sets a pace others may hope to follow.
My test airplane for this month’s article was the personal property of New Kolb Aircraft owner Bruce Chesnut. That explains the gorgeous interior finished by a professional in Alabama: Leather-covered seats and fittings, tasteful embroidery, and beautifully formed and finished plastic covers graced the aircraft. Bruce’s Sport 600 also had attitude (IFR, or instrument flight rules) instruments, which is rare in the ultralights or kit-built aircraft I typically review.
Product Lines – November 03
St. Paul, Minn. — Again with the motor news…? These little contraptions are making quite a… how nicely can I put it? — “joyful noise.” The vote is now history. As I write this in late September, the count has not been made but trends pointed toward acceptance. • Time to take a breather and then move on. Let’s realize that we only have a few hundred of these motor guys. Some flying sites will have to work out compatibility issues, but for the most part powered harnesses, powered paragliders, and nanotrikes allow flight from places closer to home. When they do fly in the company of unpowered hang gliders or paragliders, they are among the quietest of ultralights as their engines have commonly been developed in noise-sensitive Europe. • This column will continue to track the field. But these tiny rigs are simply engines on hang gliders or paragliders and the wings still fly the same (they may even have similar wing loading through the use of larger wings).
Product Lines – September 03
St. Paul, Minn. — At this fall’s meeting of the USHGA board of directors debate will continue regarding the inclusion of powered paraglidersand powered hang gliders in our national club. This debate won’t go easily or swiftly. Many pilots of either wing type feel engines don’t belong in USHGA or at their flying site. Yet the popularity of these flying machines is growing and they are more like us than powered ultralights. • Last month’s story about the Minnesota pilots exceeding 10,000 feet of vertical gain might not have happened without the Mosquito powered harness allowing those pilots find thermals. Besides, the old questions exist: Doesn’t the tow vehicle have an engine? Don’t we have to drive up to most mountain launches? Ironically, the Mosquito engines may use less fuel to get pilots up than a monster 4×4 often used at mountain sites. • So, perhaps you won’t be surprised to read that editor Dan Nelson has asked me to include more power coverage in this column.
Product Lines – March 00
ST. PAUL, MINN., — As a spring soaring season creeps ever closer, another new harness called the Tenax has been introduced by Woody Valley. Italian Ignazio Bernardi claimed the popular Euro harness had a 30% share of the pilots in the last World Meet in Monte Cucco. Woody Valley also has offerings for recreational pilots (the RS2), but the new Tenax is aimed precisely at the competition pilots who want the very least drag. Indeed, aerodynamics and ergonomics appear to be the push among all state-of-the-art harness makers. • Tenax features a "redesigned body shape" to improve comfort and drag reduction while also making entry easier. Tenax also has some internal pockets to help cleanliness but also has external access for two cameras, a radio, a drag ‘chute, and an emergency parachute. According to Bernardi, it is also "possible to install a ballistic parachute" (though this is not something with which U.S.
Ultralight Rotorcraft? Here are Two
America is a great country, most pilots agree. We can fly our planes all over (except in TFRs) without special permission from the government. Pilots in many countries don’t have this privilege. We can fly all manner of aircraft, from factory-built, certified models to kitbuilt machines to ultralights.
We also have several regulatory programs under which we can fly our planes. You can use your pilot’s license under Part 61 and operate under Part 91. You will soon be able to get a sport pilot license that won’t require a medical and fly a light-sport aircraft with industry-devised certification (sanctioned and approved by the FAA).
Or you can operate under Part 103, the least-burdensome regulation in the flying world. All of Part 103 can easily be printed on two pages. Remarkable! After 21 years, the FAA’s simplest rule is still going strong. One proof is that designers keep introducing aircraft that fit FAR 103’s definitions.
Germany’s Award-Winning Remos G-3 Mirage
“White, composite, and from overseas”…was a theme
of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2002 in the ultralight/lightplane
area. I’ve already congratulated Experimenter
Editor Mary Jones and Art Director Pierre Kotze on the
October issue’s beautiful layout of the aircraft from
afar, which may become near and dear to Yankee pilots.
This month,
I’d like to introduce
you
to one of the
new flock of white, composite,
and overseas aircraft—Remos Aircraft’s
G-3 Mirage.
For the second EAA AirVenture
Oshkosh in a row, I was delighted to
fly with Allistair Wilson, an Irishman
now residing in the United States.
Like last year, he is working with Rob
Rollison and the Rollison Light Sport
Aircraft Inc., based in Bloomfield, Indiana.
Last year, Allistair and I flew
in the Flight Designs CT. This year it
was the Remos G-3. Both are white,
composite, and from overseas. The
trend is real!
The Factory and People
In addition to flying with Allistair
at AirVenture, I also chanced to meet
the G-3 Mirage designer, Lorenz Kreitmayr,
at a French ultralight show
called Blois (the town it’s near).
Sky Ranger
The Leading Trainer in French Flight Schools
To many observers, the Sky Ranger looks like a RANS Coyote. Based on general appearances, it appears the French light plane borrowed heavily from the popular model sold by the Kansas light plane kit leader. But, Sky Ranger importer Richard Helm bristles a bit when he hears that statement and retorts, “People compare the Sky Ranger to the RANS Coyote. They say it’s a knockoff, but the French designer didn’t take anything from the Coyote. It’s built completely different,” although he admits, “It does look a lot like the Coyote.”
Give a Yankee welcome to the Sky
Ranger. The French-designed
ultralight is typical of a trend I
think we’ll be seeing with increasing
frequency—imported light planes from
Europe. Sky Ranger is built in the
Ukraine by Aeros, Ltd. I visited this
factory with Phil Lockwood of
Lockwood Aviation in the spring of
2001. Once built by Synairgy in France,
Sky Ranger production moved to this
former eastern-block country in 1997.