LOS ANGELES — FAA officials have completed a compliance audit at ICON Aircraft’s Tehachapi, California, facility, which led agency officials to issue the first Special-Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) airworthiness certificate for ICON’s A5. With this milestone complete, ICON will now begin customer deliveries for the A5, which has a backlog of more than 1,250 orders, according to company […]
LSA
Aero Adventure continuing upward
Does the Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) world seem somewhat obsessed with seaplanes? Certainly, it appears that’s where a good bit of the most innovative thinking is occurring. However, to observe that is to focus only on the newest designs, the most innovative of which have yet to hit the market and may be years away. For […]
Bede LSA enters Phase 1 of flight testing
Officials at Bedecorp report that the New BD-22 Light-Sport Aircraft has begun Phase I of its flight testing program. Tim Becker, an engineer with Bedecorp, said he believes the BD-22L will meet or exceed all of the company’s design expectations. The BD-22L is the big brother of the BD-17L, which incorporates the same bonded honeycomb fuselage. (The […]
LSA market share for 2014
When government reports unemployment, GPD numbers, or crop yields, they release some information that is invariably changed. Despite best efforts, statistics are often improved later. With that fact in mind, following is our preliminary report for fully-built Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) in calendar year 2014. SEEKING TRUTH All the information is taken from the FAA N-number […]
Sebring’s sweet success story
Let’s be direct and simply pronounce it a success. It only took a decade of hard work. I refer to the Sebring U.S. Sport Aviation Expo, which this time of year signals the start of a new season of airshows. Every January — for 2015 the dates are Jan. 14-17 — Sebring Regional Airport (KSEF) […]
Two airplanes (almost) anyone can afford
“Everything you need and not much else,” is the catchy tagline from aviation entrepreneur Chip Erwin. With those words, he described the Italian Zigolo, which is based on a design by American Mike Sandlin. (In a sign of our global times, Erwin imports it to both USA and China.) One look at the aircraft and […]
10,000 miles in an LSA in a month-and-a-half
From one end of the United States, and back, to the other end, and back. Stick & Rudder Aviation‘s Paul Leadabrand flew his Kitfox S-LSA from Boise to Lakeland, Florida for the SUN ‘n FUN Fly-In and back to Boise. 4,800 miles round-trip so the Rotax 914-powered “Big Foot” edition of the Kitfox could be on display at the Rotax booth.
Tecnam reports success at SUN ‘n FUN
Tecnam reports its most successful visit ever to the SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In & Expo at Lakeland, Florida, with both the announcement of the launch of Tecnam USA Inc.’s dedicated facilities in Sebring, Florida, and sales orders on 12 Tecnam aircraft. Led by Tecnam USA Inc. Director of Sales, Shannon Yeager, the new dedicated […]
First Jubilee CTLSi arrive in U.S.
SOUTH WOODSTOCK, Conn. — When Jubilee was offered by German Light-Sport Aircraft producer Flight Design, the company announced it would be a limited run. Only 25 would be built to commemorate the company’s 25th anniversary. All 25 were sold shortly after the announcement, company officials report. Now the first of the Jubilee editions are arriving […]