Rotax gurus Phil Lockwood and Dean Vogel recently updated their “Rotax 912 Engine Introduction” DVD with a free nine-minute YouTube posting. On-camera, the dynamic duo cover the new AeroShell Sport Plus 4 engine oil, new oil pressure sender, 10% ethanol guidelines, details of the Rotax 912 2,000-hour TBO (Time Between Overhaul), plus a demonstration of […]
Splog
O Canada!
As winter thaws into spring and summer, some pilots may wish to fly their LSAs north into Canada. Now, thanks to our good friends at EAA, American pilots may finally do so. After a nearly two-year negotiation, America’s neighbor to the north finally views LSA to be as airworthy as a homebuilt experimentals. Northbound pilots […]
FAA forecasts robust growth for LSAs…for a while
The FAA recently issued a 20-year forecast for aviation to 2030. According the agency, LSA sales will grow by 825 per year through 2013 and then taper off to 335 per year. Hmmm? One wonders why it should fall so dramatically and so soon? Except in a lousy 2009, the LSA industry has generously exceeded […]
LSA sales brisk at Sun ‘n Fun
Sun ‘n Fun’s annual “Spring Break for Pilots” is over and it was indeed a break. Most visitors find the spring show a good way to kick off a new season of recreational aircraft flying and the Lakeland, Florida, event did not disappoint. Generally, pilots were plentiful and most appeared to have a bounce in […]
Lower-priced LSA flock to Sun ‘n Fun
After a tough winter in most parts of the USA, spring evidently arrived early with 80° temperatures as far north as Minnesota…all before Sun ‘n Fun. More good news: After its coldest winter since the early 1980s, Florida is extremely pleasant now, warm with low humidity. Indications are the economy continues bearing down on Light […]
Cool electric aircraft…Beginning the future?
Electric is hot! Even in a dull economy with sluggish airplane sales, the spark of electric power is crackling with life. Numerous projects have been announced and organizations like EAA are making way for electric airplanes to showcase themselves at big shows like AirVenture. Now, from an Italian manufacturer comes the work of world champion […]
Breezer II, Part II, Act I
It didn’t work out the first time. Breezer I wasn’t quite mature for the burgeoning Light Sport Aircraft market. The import structure was unwieldy, adding cost and distancing the customer from the source. As Breezer Aircraft took over manufacturing of the all-metal LSA, Breezer II arrived in 2008, joining new leadership in Europe with fresh […]
Season opener
The great trek to Sun ‘n Fun is about to begin. The season-starting air show kicks off April 13 and organizers report display spaces are filling up. The economy is taking a toll on all events, but Sun ‘n Fun is one of those reliable shows, sure to draw a crowd…a crowd emerging from the […]
New tandem LSA headed to market
Most of our tandem Special LSA — Legend Cub, Courier, SportCub, Hornet, Hawk, and SkyArrow — are recreational airplanes. Except for the last one (Italy’s smooth, composite Sky Arrow) most might also fall into the “bush” category in that they are slower-flying, fabric-covered, rugged aircraft suitable for landing on unimproved airstrips. A brand-new tandem, not […]