Major Italian producer Tecnam has launched the P92 Classic Light microlight. This is the seventh-generation model in Tecnam P92 range of airplanes, which this year celebrated 20 years of production. The company reports that over two decades of service, “P92’s worldwide fleet now stands at nearly 2,000 aircraft with 200,000 flown hours. The P92 Classic […]
Opinion
NY SavOn stores go ethanol-free
Consumers in upstate New York received good news this week that ethanol-free fuel is now available in a few more locations. According to this article in Convenience Store News, the SavOn chain of C-stores in the Oneida area now offers E0: “At SavOn, we are always looking for ways to meet the needs of our […]
Happy Birthday, ASTM
The group of folks, mostly volunteers, who have written the ASTM standards used to “certify” Light-Sport Aircraft celebrated their 10th anniversary in Atlanta at the end of October. The people who did, do, and will labor to make these industry-devised standards are woefully under appreciated yet they have achieved so much in a short 10 […]
LSA not durable enough? Nonsense! Here’s proof
Again, I heard a common refrain. This time was at the AOPA Aviation Summit in Palm Springs, California. I was speaking with some GA fellows, the kind — like so many — that know well of Light-Sport Aircraft but have opinions about them based on speculation or heresay. This time it was the familiar, “LSA […]
Mogas OK, but avgas hard to get to Havana
As reported recently, the Havana Regional Airport (9I0, Havana, Ill.), located 31 nm SW of Peoria, offers lead-free, ethanol-free mogas from a 24/7 self-service pump. When pilot Michael Gallagher stopped by recently to top-off his RANS S7S, the pump was out of order. Ken Smith, a spokesman for the airport, quickly responded that the problems […]
Inherently international
It started with Louis Bleriot in 1909. Bleriot, who was essentially an engineer and an auto parts manufacturer, had been interested in aviation for nearly a decade. His fascination with flight nagged at him until he designed his own airplane, built it, and climbed into the pilot’s seat. Of course he didn’t do all this […]
All new Paradise City at SUN ’n FUN
After a lengthy delay while various government agencies squabbled about exact plans (gee… sound familiar?), earth is being moved on the grounds of the SUN ’n FUN campus on Lakeland-Linder Regional Airport in Florida, to create an all-new Paradise City. “You’d be amazed at all the activity,” related longtime Paradise City area chairman Dave Piper. […]
The other side of Summit
Picture this: 80 airplanes, more than 400 booths, and hours of seminars in beautiful Palm Springs, Calif. That pretty much sums up this year’s Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Aviation Summit. In the more than 10 years I have been working at General Aviation News, I have been to the annual event many times as […]
Hitting 100…
When talking of success stories in the Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) world, consider Pipistrel. “This really important news kind of snuck up on me as a surprise,” observed U.S. representative, Michael Coates, “but I have just noticed that our multi-year cooperation with Pipistrel has resulted in selling our 100th aircraft recently!” According to Pipistrel boss Ivo […]