SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Lucky me. On a warm, sunny day I drove less than a mile to Spruce Creek Airport’s Downwind Cafe where I met the developers of MySky (the company) and the MS-1 (a new LSA model). After a tasty lunch we strolled over to the company’s facility and hangar. All the while […]
Light at the end of the tunnel
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Saying 2009 was a breathtaking year is no overstatement. The last air show of the season is now history and reflections on 2009 reveal a year of hardship for aviation. Cessna laid off more than half its workers and the Wichita giant’s problems are mirrored throughout general aviation. Seemingly invulnerable jet […]
Flying Tigers nurse Jane Hanks dies
By THOMAS F. NORTON Jane Hanks, who at 25 was a nurse in Kunming, China, tending to pilots and crews of the Flying Tigers, died Oct. 17 at her home in Oxford, Maryland. She was 93. Emma Jane Foster was one of just two women who joined the 120-member AVG in 1941, at a time […]
Heavy topic for Light Sport Aviation: Safety
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON While I prefer to blog about new aircraft, LSA safety is a worthy topic. Here’s the quick summary: While every loss is tragic to family and friends, LSA fatalities are not bad. Now some detail: According to FAA records in the four-year period from August 2005 to June 2009, Special LSAS […]
One down, 999+ to go…
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON It begins! The long-awaited arrival of Cessna into the ranks of Special Light Sport Aircraft has begun, with the first Shenyang-produced SkyCatcher arriving in Wichita. The company reports taking more than 1,000 orders. At Oshkosh 2009, company officials said production would commence as originally planned in 2009 but that 2010 will […]
LSA market shares stable
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON As the challenging year for aircraft sales grinds on, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) continue to hold their own. In tough times, when cash is tight, small enterprises may fare better than large companies. Their low expense structures, modestly compensated managers and employees, and lean manufacturing — as allowed by industry-standards certification […]
Handsome new high wing debuts
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Most folks following LSA development know the Sting, refreshed for the U.S. market with the S3 model. Now, welcome to the TL3000 Sirius as the newest SLSA to hit the market in a blur of new offerings seemingly triggered after the industry hit #100. Importer SportairUSA maneuvered its low-wing, all-carbon-fiber Sting […]
The power of triple digits
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON The operative phrases are: Triple Digits and Global Reach. Triple digits refers to the number of approved Special Light Sport Aircraft available. In fact, once it hit #100, the industry shot past to #104 and I see no end in sight to new models. Some major ones are expected soon, including […]
Continuing education
GUEST EDITORIAL By PAULA DERKS, president, Aircraft Electronics Association My son graduates from college in December. His father and I could not be happier. Of course, we are proud he is obtaining a college degree, but I must admit we are more than a little thrilled that it means no more tuition payments, no more […]