WATTsUP, Pipistrel’s new two-seat electric trainer took its maiden flight Aug. 22. WATTsUP was developed in partnership with Siemens AG, which provided the electric main propulsion components. According to Pipistrel officials, every element of the aircraft has been refined to be lighter, more efficient and more reliable. The 85 kW electric motor weighs 14kg, while the 17 […]
Experimental Aircraft
Van’s names new Southern service center
Van’s Aircraft has tapped US Sport Planes of Denton, Texas, to provide factory authorized service for the RV12 SLSA Light-Sport aircraft. Servicing most the major LSA aircraft, US Sport Planes has been a Rotax Service Center for several years and have more than 20 A&P mechanics on staff. “We received good comments from our customers about US […]
One Week Wonder makes first flight
At approximately 11:07 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, the airplane thousands of Experimental Aircraft Association members had a hand in building during the One Week Wonder project at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014 flew for the first time. With EAA’s Jeff Skiles at the controls, the Zenith CH 750 Cruzer N140WW departed Wittman Regional Airport’s Runway 9, quickly […]
Wright B Flyer launches new airplane project
DAYTON, Ohio — Wright “B” Flyer Inc., an all-volunteer organization that flies a lookalike of the Wright brothers’ first production airplane, has launched a project to replace its venerable flying machine. The not-for-profit organization has been flying Wright “B” Flyer No. 1, also known as the “Brown Bird” or “Iron Bird,” since 1982. The one-of-a-kind […]
Homebuilding okay in hangars
You probably know someone who is building an aircraft in a hangar at a publicly owned airport. It may surprise you to know that, until recently, the FAA considered that activity outside the appropriate use of a hangar. On July 22 the FAA released a proposed policy statement stating that the final assembly of homebuilt […]
Bearhawk LSA Kit completes maiden flight
AUSTIN, Texas — Bearhawk Aircraft’s first kit-built Bearhawk LSA aircraft has completed its maiden flight. The Bearhawk LSA made its debut at AirVenture 2012 as a prototype constructed by its designer Bob Barrows. The Bearhawk LSA, available as a quick-build kit, is manufactured by Bearhawk Aircraft of Austin, Texas. Bearhawk Aircraft owner Mark Goldberg completed the […]
New FAA hangar policy causing confusion
Two weeks after the FAA unveiled its draft policy for allowed uses in hangars at airports that receive federal grant funding, much confusion has emerged regarding the overall effect of the policy and what it means for hangar tenants. That’s particularly true for homebuilders, who have heard conflicting stories about what it means for building […]
One Week Wonder begins to take shape
New at AirVenture this year is the One Week Wonder, in which everyone at Oshkosh gets a chance to help build a Zenith CH 750. The build kicked off at 8 a.m. Monday, July 28, and will continue throughout the week (see photos below). The first 5,000 people who pull a rivet received a One […]
Van’s debuts Dynon Skyview touch panel for RV-12
Just in time for EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Van’s Aircraft and Dynon Avionics have introduced the dual-screen Dynon Skyview Touch option for the factory-built RV-12, available Sept. 1. The dual-screen option provides a larger view of mapping, the ability to share information across screens, and redundancy in the rare event that one of the screens fail, company officials said. […]