Bristell may look somewhat familiar, but this is a fifth-generation design. As the Light-Sport Aircraft category was created by FAA in 2004, the evolution of Bristell over such a brief period has been quite exceptional. When many pilots get their first glance at this shapely aircraft, they often experience a sense of deja vu. No surprise, really, as Czech design guru Milan Bristela was also a key engineer in the SportCruiser (for a time known as the PiperSport). However Milan knew many ways he could improve the design. After opening his own company he continued through iterations of the all-metal low wing aircraft until arriving at the smooth and sleek version pictured nearby and elsewhere around ByDanJohnson.com.

When various journalists flew Bristell, even after previously sampling the PiperSport, they realized Bristell was different, smoother, larger. Even long experienced aircraft reviewers came away deeply impressed and with great big smiles on their face ... every one of them.

Bristell boasts a finely finished interior, in fact, it has a widest-in-class 51.2-inch cockpit that offers a superb view through its optically-superior canopy. A well appointed instrument panel includes the brilliant new Garmin G3X touch screen with Garmin 796 GPS-MAP. Bristell proves itself thoroughly modern offering optional Apple iPad integration. Empty weight is a slim 729 pounds that provides a payload of 400 pounds even with full fuel at 32 gallons, easily enough for two large Americans. On its ample fuel supply, range is a distant 700 nautical miles based on more than six hours endurance. The 100-hp Rotax burns only 5 gallons per hour even at high cruise speeds. Baggage capacity is significant as Bristell can carry 121 pounds in two wing lockers plus in space aft of the seat (depending on other loading, of course).

In flight, Bristell was a thing of beauty with wonderful handling and an unimpeachable stability profile. Stall is a very modest 32 knots or 39 clean and "max structural cruise" is listed at 116 knots or 133 mph. Never exceed speed is 145 knots. Bristell gets its fleet ways thanks to that careful, experienced design where the fuselage and wings are smoothly contoured and junctions flow smoothly between wings and fuselage.

All these design and construction actions result in a Light-Sport Aircraft that is a comfortable, capable, cross-country aircraft that can also handle the day-to-day abuse of a flight training. If you are an experienced recreational pilot or the operator of a flight school, Bristell should go high on your list of aircraft to examine closely. The company has new U.S. representation (in 2014) and deserves a close look.