You are a pilot. You probably own a smartphone. Perhaps you use a tablet, too. Certainly these devices are helpful, convenient, fun, and carry a reasonably low price, at least compared to most instruments you might install in your airplane. Numerous, constantly-refined apps have made these common devices incredibly useful to pilots. However, using an […]
Slings for two or four
In the beginning the aviation world had Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft, and a handful of other recognized names. We still have many of them, but most famous brands have trained their focus on larger aircraft, while the more affordable space is increasingly occupied by Light-Sport Aircraft manufacturers and a broad array of kit-built aircraft. “No comparison,” […]
The little shows that could
In the world of airshows, two names quickly jump to mind: AirVenture Oshkosh and SUN ‘n FUN in Lakeland, Florida. These major events draw hundreds of thousands of pilots and capture the world’s attention. Little shows, not so much. But… Most readers may recall the childhood story of the “Little Engine That Could,” and that captions […]
LSA celebrates 12-year anniversary
A dozen years ago, at the beginning of September 2004, FAA’s newest regulation became “effective” as the agency terms it. That regulation gave birth to Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft. The former is a new pilot certificate and the latter is a fresh breed of aircraft that gained acceptance in a completely new way. How […]
Remos GXiS: A Mercedes of LSA
Although I’m a longtime regular at Oshkosh, this year I did something I’ve never done. I flew out of KOSH and then returned. If you’ve never flown into Oshkosh during AirVenture, you may not know what an experience such an arrival can be. This is the world’s busiest airport for one week. Airplanes arrive every […]
Invasion of the Titan
The potent Titan X-340 is a shade under $26,000 at present. One advantage over most others is that it is Made in the USA and you deal with a U.S.-based company. Power on!
Video: Greg Koontz’s crazy flying act in a Titan Legend
No, he’s not going to fly into the hangar… you hope, but Greg Koontz’s airshow act keeps you wondering. Probably you’ve seen an act like this before. A crazy-acting farmer or a supposed drunk hops into a Piper Cub or similar aircraft after the regular pilot leaves it unattended for a few minutes. The crazy […]
The value of maintaining a worldwide perspective
Are U.S. sales or registrations of Light-Sport Aircraft near where they were expected to be by now? The short answer is, no, but more finesse is needed to obtain a complete answer. While the numbers entering the U.S. fleet are well below forecasts from 2004, a couple obvious reasons help explain the shortfall. The Sport […]
LSA registrations remain consistent
My associate in Europe, Jan Fridrich of the Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association (LAMA) Europe, has been the source for a database search for many years as I seek to report light-sport aircraft (LSA) market share statistics in the USA. He scours the FAA registration information and laboriously assembles the numbers. As he and I work […]