What’s the best way to open a new sport aviation show? With a sport aviation flyover, say officials with the DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase, which had its inaugural event Nov. 3-5 at DeLand Airport in Florida.
During the opening ceremony for the first day of the showcase, two waves of aircraft from the nearby Spruce Creek Fly-In community did a fly-by, including: four SX-300s flown by Keith Phillips, John Wilson, Jim Hoyt, and Jim Vitale; a Questair Venture flown by Tony Crawford, and a Harmon Rocket flown by Medford Bragg.
In a second wave, three general aviation and one light-sport aircraft represented flying for fun, including a Cessna 170 flown by Gary Sommerton, a Grumman Yankee flown by Mike Kubbs, a Grumman Tiger flown by Stu Morse, and an RV-12 built and flown by Dennis Powell.
Jabiru of Shelbyville, Tennessee, flew two of its newest models to Showcase 2016 – the J170-D and J230D. The J170-D is powered by the 85-hp Jabiru engine and cruises at 100 knots per hour burning about 4 gph. It shares the same wing with the J230-D as well as landing gear and tail surfaces, though the cockpit is one inch wider.
AeroJones introduced its new U.S. distributor, AeroJones Americas, at the Showcase, bringing a number of CT models to the event (pictured below).
M-Squared Aviation also participated in Showcase 2016, sharing the news about its new program offering builder assistance to Zenith Aircraft airframe owners of Zenith CH 650, STOL CH 750, or CH 750 Cruzer models, calling it the “Two Week Wonder” program.
Another new aircraft on the field today was JMB Aircraft’s VL-3 Evolution (pictured below).
Where are the Weight shift and Powered Parachutes that were so prevalent at Light Sport events before the advent of the Sport Pilot Rule?
That final photo with the tip up canopy on the VL-3 makes me question every time I see one of those on any airplane – how are you going to get out of the thing should it ever nose over on its back? Obviously you’re not having a good day if that happens but things are not going to improve if you’re unable to open a canopy that is blocked by the ground. Just a thought.