SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON We all discuss the declining numbers of pilots in FAA‘s database. Despite widespread concerns, efforts to bring more people into aviation have fallen short. Several worthy projects have attempted to reverse the drop in the pilot population. Over the years, EAA’s Young Eagles program has put nearly a million and a […]
Splog
First Midwest LSA Expo a success
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Plenty of aviation enterprises face challenges, but one of the toughest has to be starting a new airshow event, such as last weekend’s Midwest LSA Expo at Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) in Mt. Vernon, Ill. Not only must organizers get myriad details right and try to satisfy a broad range […]
A first look at new LSA tandems
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Here come the new tandems — and I do mean new! Suspending a full flight trial regime, U.S.-based MySky One took a long maiden voyage from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Oshkosh. Just last month, the Slovak Republic-based sportShark, from Shark.Aero, took its first flight. Tandems seat the occupants fore and aft […]
SeaRey flies high
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON The SeaRey from Progressive Aerodyne is an all-American brand making the move from a kit-only operation to one providing fully-built SLSA and, eventually, ELSA kits. SeaRey marketing man Darrell Lynds reported a spectacular Oshkosh: “We sold 11 kit SeaRey aircraft (the LSX) and four SLSA versions to be called the SeaRey […]
LSAs, Unite!
SPLOG By DAN JOHSON “LSAs, Unite!” might be the campaign slogan. Sector-only air shows are rare. By that term I mean an all-one-class or -type event. Club fly-ins occur where all owners of a certain brand get together at a regional airport. A gathering of Van’s aircraft builders can bring quite a flock of flying […]
LSAs reach #100
The Light Sport Aircraft industry has reached a milestone, reaching Special-LSA #100 in less than five years. According to LSA expert (and GAN columnist) Dan Johnson, the 100th LSA is Van’s RV-12. It received its approval July 21, one day after the fifth anniversary of the new rule announcement (July 20, 2004). Johnson, who is […]
Strong survive tough economy
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON We continue to see the effects of the last year of economic turmoil in LSA market shares. An updated ranking of market share shows the top 20 (of 70 total) producers still represent almost 90% of total SLSA registrations. (For the record: Registrations on the FAA’s database are not the same […]
Who is the LSA avionics leader?
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON Ever since steam gauges gave way to glass screens, the players in the avionics game have changed. Analog instruments were made by many companies and became such commodities that you may not be able to name a brand. But as computers entered our cockpits, first via GPS and later with multi-function […]
AirVenture boosts LSA spirits and sales
SPLOG By DAN JOHNSON In 2009 we’ve heard the surprising success of what many call “air shows” — those events where the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds and others perform over a weekend. Attendance has been very strong despite (or perhaps because of) the troubled economy. As it turns out, the success of those shows is […]