Atlanta Sport Flight, located at Atlanta Fulton County Field (FTY), also known locally as Charlie Brown Airport, will soon be home to a new Alto LSA.
Paul Volle, owner of Atlanta Sport Flight, recently purchased an Alto. “The key to success is to be profitable, so we examine operating costs, maintenance, and durability. The Alto has a low acquisition cost combined with a durable airframe and quality components that should yield a very competitive life-cycle cost. When the aircraft is down for maintenance it isn’t making money. The Sensenich prop is very durable; the Beringer wheels – I really like that they can be swapped in a matter of minutes, without disturbing the (anti-skid) brakes. And they’re tubeless – there’s another saving.
“On the training side, the Alto will be great,” he continued. “The Operating Handbook will have ‘reproducible’ performance numbers; you won’t have to change the prop to match advertised performance, for instance. For a student to use performance tables, he has to be able to do calculations and see them actually work out. The Operating Handbook is geared to the student pilot.”
The Alto’s equipment also impressed Volle, a former Naval aviator and instructor. “We also wanted an IFR-able airframe, so that we’ll be able to make money on cloudy days.”
The Alto Standard Equipment list features a glass panel that includes synthetic vision, moving-map GPS, and NEXRAD satellite weather radar capability. Also standard is a laminar flow oil to water heat exchanger that warms the engine oil to the proper operating temperature more quickly for the day’s first flight, or on those cold winter days and also provides superior cooling on hot summer days, the U.S.-made Sensenich composite propeller with its metal leading edge, and U.S.-supported Beringer wheel and brake assemblies with ALIR anti-skid system, ideally suited for training (fewer tires with flat spots), according to company officials. The Standard Equipment List continues with internal corrosion protection, electric pitch and aileron trim, nosewheel steering, Teflon coated aviation grade wiring throughout, Approch Fast Stack Pro Hub avionics connection system, and Vertical Power’s electrical distribution system.
The Alto’s Options List includes a full line from Garmin Avionics including GNS 430W/530W NavComs, NavWorx ADS-B TxRec (provides free FAA traffic and Weather), a choice of dual Advanced Flight or Dynon Skyview EFIS/EMS, dual AHARS, dual alternators, dual S-mode transponders, heated pitot, and choice of autopilots: Advanced Flight or Dynon.
CorbiAir Inc. of Salem, Ohio introduced the Alto earlier this year. The aircraft is being produced by DirectFly.
For more information: www.corbiair.com, www.atlantasportflight.com
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