Big power is not just for LSA taildraggers anymore. A few years back, CubCrafters surprised the LSA world with its installation of the most powerful engine in the LSA space. The western U.S. company mounted a Titan engine from ECi making the modest Cub-like airframe perform far better than the old versions from the Piper company.
At the time, this potent powerplant raised eyebrows for two reasons.
First, it seemed an excess of power for the then-new lightweight class of airplanes FAA had just regulated into existence. Most had been using one of the 9-series engines from Rotax, which in some cases was itself a move up from a two-stroke Rotax 582 providing 65 horsepower. CubCrafters limited power after takeoff to maneuver within the regs, though, honestly, who would continue using so much power in cruise or while sight seeing?
Secondly, the Cub-style airframe is already near the upper LSA empty weight calculation so CubCrafters’ engineers had to add many costly carbon fiber elements to keep the empty weight low enough to fit in the class.
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Forty Years of Rotax Aircraft Engines
Aircraft engine giant, Rotax BRP has reached an anniversary: forty years of making powerplants used around the world by airframe makers of ultralights to Very Light Aircraft. Thus, it was hardly a surprise when Light-Sport Aircraft came along eleven years ago that the Austrian company immediately became the largest supplier of engines … capturing an estimated 80% of the market, even while other ASTM-approved engines are in use from Continental, Jabiru, Lycoming, and HKS. New candidates include Superior’s Gemini Diesel and, of course, the ECi Titan 180-horsepower engine has seen good acceptance. Then we have another batch of engines for kit-built aircraft including Viking (based on Honda), UL-Power, AeroVee (VW), AeroMomentum (Subaru), Corvair, and more.
Despite the many other choices, Rotax has retained a dominant position. I’ve long felt that while it can be challenging to bring a new airframe to market and win some customers, it is even harder to introduce a new engine.
7 Aircraft to Look for at Sebring 2015
We’re off to the races … OK, the race track … OK, we’re off to Sebring, which happens to be alongside the Sebring International Raceway. Yep. It’s January so it’s again time for the Sebring Expo, this time number 11, the 2015 edition of the popular Florida show. I’ll be onsite for the four days, which this year is one day sooner, running Wednesday through Saturday. The plan makes it easier for vendors to stay to the end on Saturday and still have time to get home on Sunday so they can be back in their businesses on Monday.
Every time I head to a show people contact me, including journalists from publications that don’t follow Light-Sport, light kits, ultralights, or light GA as closely as we do). The question is always the same. What new aircraft or products will we see at the show? …Uh, let me think.
Aeros/Sabre Aircraft — Venture 500
Richard Helms has been one of the stalwarts in the trike development among American companies. Enjoying a positive change in market share (by many expert opinions), trikes are finding customers all over the country. It may be news to you but Helms has been facing this demand for years. With some 300 machines in the field, Sabre may be the leading American brand.
The Sabre stacks up well against the more elaborate machines from Europe. Across the Atlantic, trikes got expensive and complex as they searched for more buyers. Helms learned that Americans often admire simplicity and he built to this goal.
However, some buyers want more feature laden aircraft. Realizing the potential for the growing light aircraft industry in the eastern European countries, Helms went overseas to cut a deal with Aeros of the Ukraine. In the summer of 1999, Sabre introduced the new Venture trike. With an airframe that makes extensive use of Titanium and a sleek fiberglass fairing, the two-place Venture is a veritable showplace for numerous beautifully hand machined parts.
Light Sport Aircraft – Sidebar 2
Light Sport Aircraft Manufacturer List*
American Fixed-Wing Manufacturers
Brand
Sample Models
Telephone
E-Mail
Website (www. assumed)
Ace Aircraft
Corben Baby Ace/Jr. Ace
706-886-6341
aceair@alltel.net
exp-aircraft.com/aircraft/ace/ace.html
Aerocomp
Merlin
321-453-6641
info@aerocompinc.com
aerocompinc.com
Arnet Pereyra
Aventura I and II
321-635-8005
info@sea-plane.com
sea-plane.com
Avid Aircraft
Mark IV Bandit
406-682-5615
sales@avidair.com
avidair.com
Capella Aircraft
Capella SS Fastback XLS
512-288-4161
webmaster@capellakitplanes.com
capellakitplanes.com
CGS Aviation
Hawk Classic/Arrow
440-632-1424
chucks2000@core.com
cgsaviation.com
Earthstar Aircraft
Gull 2000 Odyssey
805-438-5235
gull438@aol.com
thundergull.com
Fisher Flying Products
Complete line of aircraft
701-493-2286
ffpjac@daktel.com
fisherflying.com
Flightstar
Flightstar IISL IISC
860-875-8185
fstar@mail2.nai.net
fly-flightstar.com
Flying K
Sky Raider I and II
208-445-7529
flyingk@micron.net
skyraider.com
Golden Circle Air
T-Bird I and II
515-834-2225
sales@aircraftsuper-market.com
goldencircleair.com
Hurricane
Clip Wing Hauler
904-935-0356
mkhytek@aol.com
Leza AirCam
Drifter
863-655-4242
aircam@ct.net
lezaaircam.com
Loehle Aircraft
P-40 5151 Mustang (fixed gear) Spad
931-857-3419
info@loehle.com
loehle.com
Phantom Aircraft
Phantom X-1 X-1e
616-375-0505
phantom@complink.com
phantomaircraft.com
Preceptor Aircraft
N-3 Pup Ultra Pup
828-286-1926
preceptor@blueridge.net
preceptoraircraft.com
Progressive Aerodyne
SeaRey
407-292-3700
searey@bellsouth.com
searey.com
Quad City Ultralights Aircraft
Challenger I II Clipped Wing
309-764-9515
daveatqcu@aol.com
quadcitychallenger.com
Quicksilver Manufacturing
Sprint Sport GT400/500
909-506-0061
quick@pe.net
quicksilveraircraft.com
RANS
Coyote Sakota Airaile Stinger S-7
785-625-6346
rans@media-net.net
rans.com
Rocky Mountain Wings
Ridge Runner
208-446-6699
rmwwings@aol.com
realflying.com
SkyStar
Kitfox IV Lite Lite Squared
208-454-2444
sales@skystar.com
skystar.com
Slipstream Industries
Genesis Revelation
920-787-5886
mail@slipstreamind.com
slipstreamind.com
Spectrum Aircraft
(Aeroprakt) Vista-Cruiser Vulcan Valor
863-314-9788
jhunter@strato.net
spectrumaircraft.com
The New Kolb Aircraft
Complete line of aircraft
606-862-9692
tnkolbaircraft@sun-spot.com
tnkolbaircraft.com
Titan Aircraft
Tornado I II
440-466-0602
titan@suite224.net
titanaircraft.com
Zenith Aircraft
601XL 701
573-581-9000
info@zenithair.com
zenithair.com
Imported Fixed-Wing Manufacturers
Brand
Sample Models
Telephone
E-Mail
Website (www.
Titan Tornado
An Experimental ‘fighter jet’ that any pilot could love That vast majority of general aviation pilots who won’t even think about building their own plane has missed quite a revolution.
The FAA says approximately 25,000 aircraft are registered as Experimentals. That’s 15% of the GA fleet.
Building isn’t what it used to be. You no longer need to master the skill of reading engineering prints (plans), nor must you search high and low for parts.
These days, most registered Experimental aircraft are built from kits. Many are well-fabricated packages that can be assembled in just a few hundred hours. That can mean as little as two or three hours a night, two to three days a week, for about a half-year. Not a bad investment for a truly unique airplane.
One sport pilot who enjoys flying his creations is Minnesota resident Al Reay. For Reay, building is a means to an end.
Earthstar’s Thunder Gull Is Soaring Capable and Was a Pioneer in Electric Propulsion
Continuing our tour of the Top 50 videos from Videoman Dave’s popular YouTube channel, we come to Earthstar Aircraft’s Thundergull. My interview with Mark about his electric project garnered 236,000 views and ranks at #11 among the Top 50 of Dave’s more than 1,500 videos.
This remarkable small aircraft, a single seater until their Odyssey model came out, was ahead of its time. Over a successful run dating back into the 1990s, Thunder Gull evolved into several variations and developer Mark Beierle experimented with various propulsion systems. A gifted designer, Mark pursued development more than production so the total number of ‘Gulls has never become large.
If you are looking to buy, getting a current owner to part with their pride and joy could be challenging. The Earthstar website is functional but does not appear to have been updated in some time.
Thunder Gull owners or pilots may be purists insisting nothing compares to their Gull, yet some interested buyers are aware Titan Aircraft makes a very similar aircraft.
Producers of P-51 Mustang Replicas Collaborate; Refined Hiperlight; New Gyroplane
I have been working in this industry since, well… before it was an industry, so a long time. In all that time I have continually been impressed with the willingness of businesses that are clearly competitors to join together in ways that promote the entire light aircraft sector.
From the Sport Pilot Tour of the early 2000s to the LSA Mall of the 2020s, gathering industry together to better present the entire segment has worked amazingly well and I commend those many companies that participated enthusiastically.
Daily reporting from the season-launching Sun ‘n Fun 2022 continues… *
Mustang Collaboration
One such example is a fascinating collaboration, in this case between two companies each producing a substantially authentic scale model replica of the famous World War II fighter. One has a market established over several years. The other has a spectacular new entry. How can you imagine the story ends?
Sebring Day 3 — A Welcome Return of Blue Skies Brought Droves of Pilot Shoppers
As Day Three arrived, blue skies returned to Sebring after a damp start on Day Two and with them came the best crowds of pilots and companions of any day so far …by far. As you see in the lead photo (home page), crowds were often so thick around aircraft that a picture barely showed the flying machine. It was a fun if chilly day and the mood of pilots and aircraft reps was upbeat.
I was also informed that a number of paid sales went down and prospects are talking seriously about other purchases. Most aircraft vendors know a purchase of this size may warrant additional thought post-event but clearly some customers had come ready to deal.
For years I’ve maintained that sector-specific shows like Sebring produce more sales per visitor than the big shows. Neither pilots nor vendors can miss Sun ‘n Fun or Oshkosh and still claim to be true-blue aviators.
Get Your Walter Mitty On — SW51 Coming At You Soon!
Many pilots who first set eyes on the SW51, a precisely faithful 70%-scale imitation of the famous North American Aviation P-51 Mustang managed to utter a single word: “WOW!”
Can you blame them? Look at this bird. The shape is classic and the detail is exquisite, finished down to the last rivet to mimic the famous World War II American fighter. Except, it’s a kind of fake. I better explain.
We’ve seen this spectacular execution of Hans Schwöller before. It was then called FK51 and we reported it earlier in more detail as to its construction. Now welcome ScaleWings Aircraft.
Thanks to his youthful associate, Christian von Kessel, SW51 has been refunded and reenfranchised, bringing it to reality. The earlier producer group stumbled and this amazing construction never reached market.
Can you handle a machine that looks this awesome? As you hear Hans and Christian state in the video, SW51 is easy to take off and land and docile in flight.
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